The wildfire outbreaks in Hawaii have reportedly destroyed 1,700+ buildings thus far, indicating a potential extensive loss for the re/insurance industry, while the death toll has risen to 55, with as many as 1,000 people missing.

Maui faces a long road to recovery from the devastating blazes this week -- Hawaii’s deadliest natural disaster since 1960. At least 55 people have died.

The Supreme Court on Thursday temporarily blocked a settlement reached with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that required members of the Sackler family who once controlled the company to pay $6 billion but shielded them from future lawsuits over the nation’s opioid crisis.

When a self-driving car is involved in an accident, its data tells the story -- which can be essential to crash investigators to determine who or what was at fault, as well as to automakers, so they can make their self-driving systems smarter and safer.

JoAnn Pickel, director of operations at Pacesetter Claims Service, started in the insurance industry after her husband landed an underwriter job with State Farm. In short order, they had a claims position open.

President Joe Biden has approved a disaster declaration for Hawaii and ‘ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires,’ according to the White House.

On June 3, 2023, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo signed into law AB 398 (the Act) which modifies the Nevada insurance code by restricting the types of liability policies that can be offered in the state.

Ferocious wildfires, fueled by relentless winds and bone-dry conditions, have turned Hawaii’s tranquil landscapes in Maui and the Big Island into an apocalyptic scene. Many homes and businesses have been destroyed in the historic area of Lahaina, Maui.

When Hurricane Laura hit Lake Charles in August 2020, Aaron Sonnier’s roof was badly damaged. He was lucky: his insurance company quickly paid for repairs. But when he started noticing more damage to the house in the following months, things got messy.

The insurance industry has been deeply shaken by the impacts of climate change, leading to substantial payouts across the nation. This trend has prompted a new regulatory requirement in Michigan, specifically targeting larger insurance firms, to openly disclose their climate change vulnerabilities and strategies for mitigation.

When determining whether insurance coverage exists for a claim, a crucial consideration is whether the claim involves an event or occurrence that took place in a state other than where the relevant policy was delivered. This is often the case for large companies with national operations or markets.

A California state board is set to vote Aug. 10 on whether to allow tech companies Waymo and Cruise to launch a massive expansion of driverless taxi fleets in San Francisco, but the stakes are far bigger than local politics.

While nobody knows exactly what it will take to recruit, retain and develop the next generation of insurance professionals, this much is certain: The traditional paths that once brought people into our industry are evolving and are no longer the only option.

Over the past few years, inflationary pressures have made a notable impact on the economy -- and on home insurance premiums. According to CoreLogic’s U.S. National Building Cost Trends report for Q2’23, building material costs for carpet, insulation, brick and concrete have continued to rise, increasing overall residential reconstruction costs by an average of 1.9% from February to May 2023 nationwide.

‘While the Constitution addresses many weighty issues, the type of pork chops California merchants may sell is not on that list’ may be the most memorable single quote of the U.S. Supreme Court’s most recent term (see National Pork Producers Council v. Ross). But, here, we look at other cases and analyze other quotes that will be of interest and consequence to claims professionals.