Patricia Wells

Workers at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina recently discovered a wasp nest that tested at radioactive levels ten times higher than federal safety limits. The site, which once played a key role in making parts for nuclear weapons, is now focused on cleaning up and producing nuclear fuel. Despite the high radiation found … Read more

The California Department of Insurance has finished reviewing a new wildfire risk model created by Karen Clark & Company (KCC). This is California’s second wildfire catastrophe model approved for insurers to use when setting home insurance rates. The approval comes as the state faces a severe homeowners insurance crisis caused by increasingly destructive wildfires and … Read more

AXA SA’s shares dropped sharply, marking their biggest single-day fall since early April, after the French insurer reported a profit that missed expectations and revealed plans to buy a majority stake in Italian car insurer Prima Assicurazioni. The stock slid as much as 7% following news that AXA’s first-half net income fell 2.4% to €3.92 … Read more

International insurer QBE and specialty insurer HDI Global have announced key new appointments as they expand their leadership teams and market presence in Europe. QBE has brought on Paul Peerdeman, a seasoned expert in marine insurance, to lead the launch of its marine products in the Netherlands starting August 1. Peerdeman, who has over 35 … Read more

Australia has faced a huge $12.5 billion loss due to espionage in 2023-24, according to Mike Burgess, the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). This staggering figure covers not just the direct theft of secrets like intellectual property but also the costs of fighting back and responding to these threats. Espionage, in simple … Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent move to impose new tariffs on imports from dozens of countries shook global markets on Friday. The surprise announcement sent stock prices tumbling, rattled businesses, and raised fresh questions about the future of international trade. The tariffs, set to start on August 7, cover 69 trading partners with rates ranging … Read more

A group of lenders received a significant legal win on Friday when the UK Supreme Court ruled that banks should only pay compensation in serious cases of motor finance misselling. The decision reverses much of a previous ruling that had sent bank shares tumbling and raised fears of compensation costs running into tens of billions … Read more

Over the past few months, President Trump has stepped up his use of tariffs as a tool for both trade and political leverage. Initially, the tariffs were set using a straightforward approach based on countries’ trade deficits with the U.S. But recent moves seem less predictable, with levies targeting nations like Brazil, India, and Canada … Read more

A radar-related problem at the UK’s air traffic control caused major flight disruptions on Wednesday afternoon, leading to the cancellation of over 150 flights during a busy travel period. The issue forced authorities to slow down air traffic, affecting airports across the country, including London Heathrow, Gatwick, City, Birmingham, and Manchester. The technical fault, which … Read more

PERILS AG, a Zurich-based company known for tracking catastrophe insurance data, is expanding its reporting services to include severe convective storms (SCS) across Europe, Japan, and New Zealand. Starting August 1, 2025, this new service will monitor and report industry losses caused by these powerful storms in countries like Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, … Read more