Author: completebodyneeds

Tampa-based HCI Group, now in its 20th year and its 18th year as a publicly traded company, reported a healthy profit for the first quarter of 2026 and significant growth in premium across most of its property-casualty insurance firms. “HCI Group had an excellent start to 2026, delivering record first quarter results for earned premiums, net income and earnings per share,” HCI Group Chairman and CEO Paresh Patel said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The group reported net income of $85 million for Q1. That’s down significantly from the $108 million for Q4 2025 but…

Meteorologists are forecasting about 13 named Atlantic storms this season, or a little less activity than average. That sounds like good news for the US power grid and everyone who relies on it. But a look back at recent years suggests the number of storms in hurricane season, which begins June 1, may be an unreliable predictor of how much damage is caused, specifically when it comes to downed power infrastructure, according to a new research note by Hayley Lai, grids and utilities analyst for BloombergNEF. The concentration and resilience of local infrastructure matters as much or more than a…

Starting in the 1970s, the textile mills of northwest Georgia relied on chemicals known as PFAS to add stain resistance to the carpets they manufactured. Some of the chemicals that didn’t stick were flushed with the multibillion-dollar industry’s wastewater into local sewer pipes and, eventually, the region’s rivers. Decades later, the odorless, colorless chemicals are now found everywhere in the area, including in the blood of some people. Scientists have warned of health risks to humans and wildlife. While the federal government doesn’t yet have enforceable limits on PFAS, states have the authority to protect public health and the environment.…

Eric Cioppa, a respected former national and Maine insurance regulatory leader, passed away from Multiple System Atrophy on May 1 at his home in China, Maine. Cioppa’s career included 33 years at the Maine Bureau of Insurance. He began in 1988 as a statistician and later advanced to deputy superintendent in 1998 before being named to the bureau’s top job of superintendent in 2011. He served as superintendent until his retirement in 2022. Throughout his career Cioppa was also involved with helping to set national priorities, develop model laws and regulations, and act as a leader for the National Association…

Root Inc. reported a first quarter 2026 net income of $35.9 million—the best quarterly result in the company’s history—compared with net income of $18.4 million for the same period in 2025. In a letter to shareholders, Root Inc, the parent of insurtech Root Insurance, said it continued investment in its system put on track “to building an entirely automated insurance carrier.” “From our next generation risk brain in pricing, to our modern, AI-native claims architecture, Root is increasingly becoming a closed loop system capable of rapid decision making and continuous learning,” said Alex Timm, co-founder and CEO. For Q1 the…

Less than two years after her 6-year-old son was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, Nicole Hockley was in an Ohio church basement teaching the first class of a program she hoped would help prevent future school shootings. The program, born in the grief of one of the nation’s worst mass shootings, teaches students how to identify warning signs among their peers and urges them to report any red flags to an anonymous tip system or a trusted adult to head off any violence. Since that first class in a Columbus church, the program, “Say Something,” has been…

Just before midnight, two men in white coveralls and black gloves scale an electric fence at a solar farm in Chile’s Atacama Desert, then slip soundlessly into rows of sleek panels. Others use a poultry shear and electric angle grinder to breach the main gate. Three pickups without license plates pull in so the gang can load up their loot and race away. The thieves typically have less than an hour before police arrive to disable cameras, slice cables and extract dozens of panels before vanishing into the dunes. In this case, there was only one security guard, who was…

IICF’s 10th annual Philanthropic Showcase details community support provided by the insurance industry LOS ANGELES – April 23, 2026 – The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities and enriching lives, today hosted the 2026 IICF Philanthropic Roundtable, gathering leaders from 26 leading insurance organizations to discuss trends and initiatives in philanthropy, volunteering and community impact. IICF released the 2025 IICF Philanthropic Showcase during the 2026 IICF Philanthropic Roundtable, sharing an annual look at the year’s charitable programs, volunteer projects, innovative community initiatives and global charitable contributions of IICF Key Partner Companies. Representatives from leading…

Iran has laid out an updated process for ships seeking to transit Hormuz, but several shipowners said they remained cautious about sending their vessels through until there are more details about the conditions that may be imposed. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday that “safe, stable passage” through the waterway will be possible with “new protocols in place.” That came soon after a report that the US had proposed a peace deal, which Tehran is now considering. Iranian media have reported that shipowners need to send an email to an organization called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority if they…

A CMA CGM container ship was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, injuring crew members and damaging the vessel, while another vessel run by the French group exited the Gulf, as the U.S.-Iran conflict continued to disrupt shipping traffic. The San Antonio was hit on Tuesday, with injured seafarers evacuated for medical treatment, CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container shipping line, said on Wednesday, declining further comment. It marked the latest attack on ships since the war erupted, stranding hundreds of vessels and disrupting 20% of global oil trade. Washington launched an operation on Monday to help escort ships…