Patricia Wells

New Horizon Insurance Company, a Houston-based insurer, has received a boost from credit rating agency AM Best. The company’s Financial Strength Rating was raised to A- (Excellent) from B++ (Good), while its Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating climbed to “a-” (Excellent) from “bbb+” (Good). The outlook for both ratings remains stable. AM Best cited New Horizon’s … Read more

Verisk, a company known for insurance data analytics and technology, has announced plans to buy AccuLynx, a software platform that helps residential roofing contractors manage their work. The deal is valued at $2.35 billion and is expected to close by the end of the third quarter. AccuLynx offers tools for everything from finding leads and … Read more

The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) is backing a bill that aims to limit the power of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) over the insurance industry. The bill, first introduced over 18 months ago and reintroduced in January 2024, seeks to reinforce state control over insurance regulation. Republican lawmakers Rep. Bryan Steil … Read more

East Jordan Plastics, a company that makes plastic containers for gardening, is facing a lawsuit for allowing sexual harassment to happen at its Michigan plant. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says female workers at the Beaverton facility were harassed by a male co-worker. The harassment included inappropriate touching and sexually explicit remarks. According … Read more

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has agreed to pay over $6 million to settle complaints from Jewish students and faculty who accused the school of tolerating a “Jew Exclusion Zone” during pro-Palestinian protests last year. The protests emerged amid rising tensions over Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza, sparking a wave of demonstrations … Read more

Poland’s insurer PZU SA is planning to play a big role in funding the country’s major energy and infrastructure projects once it merges with Bank Pekao SA. The merger, expected to wrap up by mid-2026, aims to unlock about 20 billion zloty (around $5.5 billion) in capital, part of which PZU’s CEO Andrzej Klesyk wants … Read more

Bridgehaven Europe Holdings Ltd., a UK-based insurer specializing in commercial and specialty lines, is set to acquire Dublin’s SureStone Insurance DAC. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, and the acquisition still needs regulatory approval before it can be finalized. SureStone, which has been in runoff since the end of 2019, focused on … Read more

Volante Global, an international Lloyd’s syndicate and managing general agent owned by fintech giant Acrisure, has named Demian Smith as its new chief executive officer. Smith brings over 25 years of experience in the reinsurance and insurance sectors. Starting his career in 1995, Smith has worked extensively across both broking and underwriting. He has a … Read more

AXA has won a legal battle against Santander over compensation linked to mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) policies from before 2005. The dispute, which unfolded at London’s High Court in 2021, centers on policies originally sold by GE Capital Bank—part of General Electric until Santander took it over in 2009. AXA took action after facing … Read more

Nearly half of the United States is facing hot and humid conditions this week, with temperatures and humidity rising from Chicago all the way to New York City and New Orleans. This heat wave is pushing power use higher and creating health risks for many people. Heat warnings and advisories cover a wide area, stretching … Read more