Patricia Wells

Bleach maker Clorox has taken legal action against the tech company Cognizant, accusing it of helping hackers access Clorox’s network during a major cyberattack in 2023. The lawsuit claims that hackers connected to a group known as Scattered Spider easily tricked Cognizant’s support staff into handing over employee passwords by simply asking for them over … Read more

The European Union has rolled out its 18th set of sanctions against Russia, aiming to hit the country’s oil and energy sectors harder. The key move is a new, lower price cap on Russian crude oil, set at about 15% below its current average market price. Right now, that works out to roughly $47.60 a … Read more

Dennis Flaherty, a 74-year-old insurance public adjuster from Bettendorf, Iowa, has been charged with forgery and identity theft, according to the Iowa Insurance Division. The charges come after an investigation that began in August 2024 revealed Flaherty allegedly forged signatures on insurance checks from his clients and their banks. He then reportedly deposited these checks … Read more

Uber Technologies Inc. is taking legal action against a group of lawyers and medical providers in Los Angeles, accusing them of filing false insurance claims that have cost the company millions in legal expenses. This marks Uber’s third racketeering lawsuit this year targeting alleged fraud schemes tied to rideshare insurance. The lawsuit, filed Monday in … Read more

When the big tax overhaul signed into law on July 4 rolled out, one notable change that didn’t make the cut was a tax hike on third-party litigation funders. These companies put money into lawsuits and, in return, get a share of any settlement or judgment. The plan was to tax their profits at nearly … Read more

A professional blogger recently shared a cautionary story about the risks of using so-called "royalty-free" images online after facing two very different copyright-related challenges in 2024. The incidents highlight how tricky it can be to avoid problems even when you believe you are doing everything right. The first warning came in March when the blogger … Read more

W.R. Berkley Corp., a commercial insurer based in Greenwich, Connecticut, reported a solid rise in profits for the second quarter of 2025. The company’s net income grew by nearly 8%, reaching approximately $401.3 million, up from $371.9 million during the same period last year. Despite facing $99.2 million in catastrophe losses between April and June, … Read more

Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer held the first meeting of the state’s new Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board in Seattle. The group’s goal is to explore how AI is being used in the insurance world and to offer ideas on creating rules, keeping an eye on developments, and helping consumers understand the technology. At the kickoff … Read more

Cyberattacks are getting worse, and the costs are hitting companies harder than ever, a new report from Aon shows. In 2024, reported cyber incidents jumped by 22% compared to the year before. These incidents ranged from ransomware attacks to business interruptions and legal troubles. In the U.S. alone, there were 1,228 reported cases among Aon’s … Read more

Mental health is gaining much-needed attention in workers’ compensation, with more claims now being prioritized by insurers. About one in five adults in the U.S.—that’s roughly 51.5 million people—live with some form of mental illness. While these claims started mainly for first responders dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they are now expanding to include … Read more