California investigators say two Southern California towing company owners underreported payroll and paid workers off the books, leading to nearly $5.9 million in lost workers’ compensation premiums. The case also triggered a payroll tax evasion investigation.

Investigators say a planned rear-end collision involving a rental vehicle and a Porsche Cayenne led to nearly $39,000 in insurance payouts before claim inconsistencies and cellphone records exposed the alleged scheme.

Prosecutors allege the officer collected disability benefits while participating in skydiving and intense gym workouts.

Higher medical costs, cumulative trauma litigation, and social inflation are driving severity and pressuring reserves, with California signaling a potential market shift.

Utilities across the West are increasingly cutting power during high-risk weather, reshaping wildfire prevention strategies and claims exposure for insurers.

A Bloomberg editorial urges policymakers to focus on resilience, legal reform, and mitigation rather than capping rates or penalizing insurers as premiums climb nationwide.

Business groups argue California’s climate reporting mandates compel political speech and impose nationwide compliance burdens as the Ninth Circuit weighs constitutional limits.

A proposal would require advance notice to homeowners and bar insurers from relying on aerial images older than 180 days when making coverage decisions.

Rates may be leveling off, but jury behavior, litigation funding, and documentation demands continue to drive claim severity and settlement complexity heading into 2026.

Appeals court says fraud claims may rely on public records without violating California’s public disclosure bar.

SB 876 would mandate upfront claim payments, double ALE limits, and impose new timelines for insurers after wildfire disasters.

Courts require more than a positive THC test to prove workplace marijuana impairment. Here’s what claims adjusters need to know post-AB 2188.

A California officer faked a disabling injury while collecting benefits, only to be caught performing manual labor on his property. The case underscores the vigilance required in high-risk workers’ comp claims.

A Minnesota woman was awarded $65.5 million after a jury linked her mesothelioma to long-term use of Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder. The company plans to appeal.

The 2025 Los Angeles wildfire was the costliest ever, but quieter, relentless storms caused even more damage nationwide. The result is soaring insurance costs and shrinking coverage options.