Author: completebodyneeds

Root Inc. and The Zebra said they have partnered to make auto insurance easier for consumers and agents. Quotes from Columbus, Ohio-based insurtech Root can be received via TheZebra.com, an insurance marketplace and agent network. The consumers will go directly to Root’s digital platform to customize coverage and purchase a policy. By combining Root’s mobile technology, data science, and automation with The Zebra’s comparison experience and broad reach among high-intent shoppers, the companies look to create a seamless path from quote to coverage. The Zebra’s agents can also generate instant Root quotes from their existing agency management system and bridge…

NOTE: This is the first part of a two-part guest post from Friend of the Academy, Michael Gay. Why Saying “No” May Be the Best Decision an Insurance Agent Can Make The account looked promising. The prospect was successful, the premium was substantial, and the referral came from a valued client. The only problem was that the agent had never insured that type of operation. Still, the application looked manageable, the carrier was willing to quote it, and the commission was difficult to ignore. So the agent said “yes.” Months later, a major loss exposed what no one had recognized:…

World Insurance Associates Names Casey CFO Ann Casey World Insurance Associates LLC, headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, named Ann Casey as World Retail chief financial officer effective September 1. Casey will lead the retail controllership and retail M&A accounting integration functions and will partner with World’s retail division and practice leaders on strategy, process improvement, and financial performance across the organization. Casey joined World in 2024 as head of retail premium accounting. Prior to joining World, she spent 14 years at Aon where she started as an analyst, led a regional finance team, was promoted to North American finance leader,…

A federal investigation into the release of a deadly gas at a Baileyville-based wood pulp mill found that the employer exposed workers to safety and health hazards that resulted in the death of two workers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that on Jan. 27, 2026, workers at Woodland Pulp were performing a cold weather shutdown that caused exposure to high concentrations of deadly, uncontrolled, hydrogen sulfide gas. Two employees died from the exposure. OSHA said it also investigated a March 7, 2026, chemical fire at Woodland Pulp that started after the employer released 4,400 gallons of 50…

Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to retaliate against any European Union moves to seize his country’s commercial ships, calling such actions “piracy.” As part of a new sanctions package last month, the bloc approved a mechanism allowing member states to sell oil and other goods seized from sanctioned vessels detained at sea. European countries and the UK have boarded, detained or seized several Russia-linked or so-called shadow-fleet vessels since late 2024. “We see that the authorities of some countries, in violation of international maritime law, are trying to restrict the movement of ships,” Putin said Wednesday during Pacific Fleet exercises…

This article is part of a sponsored series by EZLynx. Key Takeaways AI for a small agency does not require a tech team. Most of what is useful today is either already built into your software or coming soon to the system you may already use. There are seven specific places AI can do real work in an independent agency – five available today through EVA, two more on the horizon. For EZLynx users, EVA is the easiest place to start because the five tactics in Section 2 are already there. For non-users, the seven tactics are a concrete picture…

As climate events intensify, exposure is expanding, and loss severities from secondary perils, such as convective storms, wildfires, floods and hail, are no longer easily dwarfed by hurricanes or earthquakes. These perils have contributed significantly to the insured losses in …

MGU strengthens its commitment to California agencies through responsive underwriting, modern technology, and new agency appointments. San Diego, California — August 12, 2026— First Cap Property, a California-based Managing General Underwriter (MGU) specializing in residential property insurance, continues to expand its homeowners insurance platform while growing its network of independent agency partners across California. As California’s homeowners insurance market continues to evolve, agencies are seeking dependable market access, responsive underwriting, and efficient service for their clients. First Cap Property remains committed to helping agency partners navigate these challenges by providing comprehensive residential property insurance solutions backed by experienced underwriting professionals,…

HSBC’s global chief executive for insurance business, Edward Moncreiffe, is set to leave the bank after two decades with the lender, sources said, amid a broader global overhaul and recent asset sales in Asia. Moncreiffe’s departure, which was first reported by Reuters, comes two years after he took over the role at the Asia-focussed lender in 2024. He will leave soon for external opportunities, according to two people with direct knowledge of the move. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter has not yet been publicly disclosed. A Hong Kong-based spokesperson for HSBC declined to comment. Moncreiffe,…

Rapid swings in AI data centers’ power demands are straining vital equipment, causing batteries, generators and cooling systems to malfunction or wear out far sooner than expected. As the AI boom accelerates, these technical problems suggest added costs and unforeseen reliability problems, with even a few minutes of lost uptime hitting data-center developers’ revenue. They come at a time when investors and lenders are already jittery about hyperscalers’ hundreds of billions of dollars of spending, amid growing concerns that these facilities could be depreciating much faster than estimated. The problems are also a potential source of wider instability in power…