Author: completebodyneeds

The US is enduring one of its worst wildfire seasons in years, with blazes scorching millions of acres. It’s part of a global pattern of hot, dry conditions that favor fires becoming more common with climate change. Fires that erupted over the weekend in and around Spokane, Washington, have destroyed hundreds of structures and forced more than 60,000 from their homes — about 10% of the population. Three major fires have burned more than 8,000 acres and have not been contained, according to InciWeb, a federal fire-tracking website. There are 17 total fires currently active across Washington, Public Lands Commissioner…

Root Inc. reported second quarter 2026 net income of $25.4 million, an increase of 15% over the same period a year ago. For Q2 the combined ratio came in at 92.1 compared with 95.2 a year ago during the same time. In a letter to shareholders, Root Inc, the parent of insurtech Root Insurance, said the pace of use of artificial intelligence is “expanding what’s possible.” “The earliest generations of Root’s models relied on structured data and machine learning to improve pricing accuracy beyond traditional actuarial methods,” said Alex Timm, co-founder and CEO. “Today, advances in AI and foundation models…

Medtronic must pay an Alabama man and his wife $88 million, a federal jury decided on Tuesday, in the first case to go to trial out of thousands facing the company from people claiming they were injured by hernia-repair mesh implants made by one of its units. Following a three-week trial in Boston, jurors found that Medtronic’s Covidien unit failed to provide an adequate warning about the dangers posed by the mesh implanted in Larry Patterson in 2017, Medtronic and the man’s lawyer said. The failure of Patterson’s hernia mesh implant required significant reconstructive surgery, according to his complaint. The…

Amazon.com Inc.’s Zoox robotaxi division will start charging fares next week in Las Vegas, marking a first in the U.S. for autonomous vehicles without driver controls. Zoox will charge Vegas customers starting Aug. 10, with fares calculated from a base rate, the company said in a statement Wednesday. The trip cost will also take into account distance and the duration of each trip. Zoox declined to reveal more fare specifics. Related: Waymos Are Way Safer Than Human Drivers, IIHS Finds Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo is the clear leader in U.S. robotaxis, operating the largest commercial driverless ride-hailing service, with rivals including…

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt’s bid to become the state’s next governor came up short Tuesday. Schmidt finished third in the Republican Primary, losing to state senator Ty Masterson. Schmidt received 13.7% of the vote. Schmidt was elected insurance commissioner in 2018, and reelected in 2022. Schmidt announced last year she would run for governor. A pharmacist by trade, Schmidt ran on a platform of taking on special interests and bringing property tax relief to residents. The battle to replace Schmidt as insurance commissioner will be between Republican Daniel Hawkins and Democrat Dinah Sykes. Both won their primaries uncontested. Topics…

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a settlement with the entities responsible for distributing Posh, one of Illinois’ bestselling disposable vape brands. The settlement resolves allegations the entities violated the Illinois Youth Prevention Vaping Act by selling unauthorized flavored e-cigarettes and marketing those products in ways that are attractive to youth. Raoul filed a lawsuit in January 2025 as part of a coordinated, bipartisan nationwide effort to hold companies accountable for unlawfully manufacturing, distributing, selling and marketing flavored disposable e-cigarette products. The settlement requires the defendants to pay $20 million that will allow for the continued enforcement of state law…

The Louisiana Department of Insurance has revised the application process for military members to receive a 25% discount on the liability portion of their auto insurance premium. Under a bulletin issued this week by Commissioner Tim Temple, eligible service members will only need to submit the application form one time rather than annually. The discount is available to Active-duty military personnel based in Louisiana; Military reservists based in Louisiana; and Members of the Louisiana Army National Guard or Louisiana Air National Guard. “This law recognizes their service by helping military members save on auto insurance,” Temple said in a statement.…

Following the passing of CEO Michael van der Straaten in July, Antares Global, the specialist re/insurance group, has announced its new leadership structure. Oversight of the Antares Global’s business will remain with Ahmed El Tabbakh, QIC’s group chief business officer – International. The leadership team will report directly to El Tabbakh. (QIC is a major insurer in the Middle East and North Africa region). Mark Graham will continue to lead the Antares Commercial division as Commercial CEO. This division comprises AMAL Syndicate 1274 and Antares Re in Bermuda. Pantelis Koulovasilopoulos will continue to lead the Antares Retail division, as Retail…

Inszone Insurance Services has acquired Chelf Insurance Group, expanding Inszone’s footprint in Oklahoma. Co-owners Justin Crane and Nate Crow officially founded Chelf Insurance Group in 2024. The agency established a significant local presence by acquiring a 50-year-old insurance book in 2025. The agency provides a strong foundation in employee benefits while also offering comprehensive Property and Casualty, Home, Auto, Commercial, and Workers’ Compensation coverage. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Oklahoma Was this article valuable? Yes No Here are more articles you may enjoy. Interested in Mergers? Get automatic alerts for this topic.

Two former Volkswagen AG engineers denied charges they made a combined $300,000 trading on secret information about the German carmaker’s planned $5 billion joint venture with electric-vehicle maker Rivian Automotive Inc. The engineers, Michael Stamp and Marcus Plank, both in the US on assignment from Germany, are charged with conspiracy and securities fraud. They entered not guilty pleas at a hearing in Manhattan Tuesday. The deal between Volkswagen and Rivian was announced June 26, 2024, causing Rivian’s stock price to jump 23%. That allowed Stamp to make $250,000 while Plank cleared $50,000, according to the government. Plank is also alleged…