Patricia Wells

California-based insurance brokerage ALKEME has acquired Innovative Insurance Group, a major player among Virginia’s insurance agencies. This move broadens ALKEME’s reach on the East Coast, with the local team continuing to work out of its eight Virginia offices. Innovative Insurance Group was formed in 2015 when four Virginia benefits agencies combined. The company focuses on … Read more

The Great Barrier Reef has suffered its biggest loss of live coral in a single year in 40 years of monitoring, according to Australian scientists. This sharp decline comes mainly from coral bleaching caused by rising ocean temperatures linked to climate change. Despite this setback, the total amount of living coral remains close to the … Read more

Two workers lost their lives and at least ten others were injured after an explosion rocked a U.S. Steel plant just outside Pittsburgh on Monday morning. The blast took place around 10:51 a.m. inside the battery operating area at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works. Emergency crews were quick to respond. First responders managed to … Read more

People living in central North Carolina whose homes and belongings were damaged by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Chantal last month can now apply for state financial help. The aid is available to residents in eight counties around the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, following a state disaster declaration signed by Governor Josh Stein. The storm dumped … Read more

Two deputies in Greenville County, South Carolina, were seriously injured during a SWAT training exercise when they were shot with live breaching rounds instead of blanks. The incident happened on July 29 at a vacant school building where officers were practicing room clearing. According to Sheriff Hobart Lewis, the rounds used were taken from a … Read more

Smith Brothers Insurance, a Connecticut-based broker, has expanded its reach by acquiring Moscato & Associates, an independent agency located in Ithaca, New York. The deal, finalized on August 1, 2025, brings Moscato & Associates’ expertise in employee benefits, individual health, and Medicare under the Smith Brothers umbrella. Edward Moscato and his team will join Smith … Read more

Two women from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, have been charged with making a false auto insurance claim after investigators found their story didn’t add up. Unique Shavon Johnson, 29, and Jamela Janea Jolly, 33, said they were in a car hit from behind by a driver who then fled the scene. They filed a claim … Read more

The U.S. homeowners insurance market showed a strong start to 2025, with total direct premiums rising by 10.7% in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. This steady growth follows four consecutive years of double-digit premium increases, although the pace in early 2025 was slightly lower than the roughly 13% gains seen … Read more

Kevin H. Kelley, a well-known figure in the insurance world, has passed away at the age of 74. Kelley had a remarkable career spanning several decades, most recently serving as vice chairman of Global Risk Solutions at Liberty Mutual Insurance. He joined Liberty Mutual in 2017 after the company acquired Ironshore, where he had been … Read more

Zurich Insurance Group has reported impressive results for the first half of the year, with business operating profit rising 6% to a record $4.2 billion. The company’s core return on equity also reached an all-time high of 26.3%, highlighting strong financial health. CEO Mario Greco credited this success to Zurich’s smart approach to underwriting and … Read more