Author: completebodyneeds

The North Carolina General Assembly last month confirmed workers’ compensation attorney and former Deputy Commissioner Tyler Younts to a six-year term on the state Industrial Commission. A few days later, the state’s commissioner of labor, Luke Farley, designated Younts to serve as chairman of the Commission, starting last week. Younts “I am deeply honored by the confidence Commissioner Farley has placed in me,” Younts said in a statement. “I look forward to serving the people of North Carolina and working with my fellow commissioners and the dedicated staff of the Industrial Commission to ensure the fair, efficient, and impartial administration…

Year over year, average U.S. commercial premium renewals for July increased in all lines except workers’ compensation, according to the Ivans Index. However, month over month, commercial auto, business owners policy, general liability, commercial property and umbrella saw a decrease, while workers’ comp experienced an increase, said Chicago-based Ivans. Premium renewal rate change by line of business for July 2026 highlights include: Commercial Auto: 4.03%, down from 4.58% last month. BOP: 5.94%, down slightly from 5.97% at the end of June. General Liability: 4.99%, down from 5.33% last month. Commercial Property: 6.16%, down from 6.24% in June. Umbrella: 7.42%, down…

John Kellington, most recently executive vice president and chief information officer at Cincinnati Insurance for more than 16 years, has been appointed chief executive officer of ACORD. Kellington is no stranger to the standards-setting body for the insurance industry. He served as its senior vice president of standards development, information technology, corporate finance, and membership from 2007 to 2010. More recently, he was a member of its board. While at Cincinnati Insurance, Kellington used the ACORD architecture-led IT model in shaping the insurer’s information technology operations. ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) said Kellington instrumental in developing the…

American International Group (AIG) said it has promoted Christopher O’Connor to the role of head of professional liability and cyber, North America. O’Connor has been with AIG for more than 15 years. He was most recently North America head of corporate accounts for AIG’s professional liability and cyber insurance. Before that, O’Connor led cyber business for financial institutions. He will now report to Justin Gilmore, head of financial lines, North America. “With deep expertise across the professional liability and cyber business, a strong understanding of complex client needs, and a proven track record of leadership, Chris is well positioned to…

A small cargo ship was attacked by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Tuesday, killing three crew members, said two Yemeni coast guard sources and two military officials in the government. If confirmed, the fatalities on the Tanzania-flagged Tihamah would be the first deaths in a Houthi strike on a ship since the Middle East conflict was triggered by U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran at the end of February. The Houthis, who have not yet claimed the attack, declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea last month in response to what they described as…

The current typhoon season in the Northwest Pacific Ocean is shaping up to be one of the most intense on record as the El Niño system strengthens, according to the latest projection by commercial forecaster Tropical Storm Risk. Typhoon development is expected to be 60% above the historical average in an “exceptionally active season,” the London-based group said in an outlook published Monday. Storms that form over the Northwest Pacific can hit countries including China, Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. Twenty typhoons are forecast to form in the region, of which 13 will be intense, Tropical Storm Risk said. This…

This article is part of a sponsored series by Vertafore. The MGA market has evolved at a remarkable pace, outpacing the broader P&C insurance market in some years due to specialization and the need for niche expertise. At the same time, growth is bringing on complexity: carrier expectations are rising, competition is intensifying, and emerging technologies and AI are reshaping how work gets done. MGA leaders are facing strategic tradeoffs between equally important priorities. But the most successful MGAs are finding ways to handle competing forces. 1. Growth vs. operational efficiency Growth remains a priority for many MGAs, whether through…

As Europe comes to grips with its fifth heat wave this year, the research arm of Swiss Re AG is warning of far-reaching consequences that may not yet be fully understood. Though Europe’s wildfire risk “is still considered moderate, the increase in fire activity warrants closer attention,” Swiss Re Institute said on Tuesday. “As heat in Europe increases, wildfire-conducive conditions are likely to become more frequent.” Fueled by extreme heat, wildfires in France, Spain and Greece have caused as much as €19.1 billion ($22 billion) in total damage and economic loss this summer, according to a preliminary estimate by AccuWeather.…

Leaking crude oil from a tanker grounded off a nature reserve in Oman has created a slick covering almost 400 square kilometers, the country’s government said on Monday. The Caroline Bezengi is loaded with close to one million barrels of Russian oil bound for Asia and first reported difficulties on June 8 off Yemen, with two maritime security sources saying initial assessments indicated a blast had occurred onboard. No party has taken responsibility for attacking the vessel. Oman, in its first public disclosure on the environmental impact, said on Monday it was seeking to tackle the oil leak near the…

Growth in e-scooter use in Germany is powering ahead thanks to private demand rather than the rental fleets that first drove their popularity, as operators like Lime and Bolt grapple with increasingly unfavorable business conditions. Last year, more than 80% of e-scooters in Europe’s biggest economy were privately owned, according to data published Monday by the GDV German Insurance Association. The number of rental scooters declined by about 10% last year, while the fleet of privately owned units surged again and has almost tripled in size over the past four years. A combination of rising costs for riders, increasing incidents…