Washington Court Sets High Bar for Challenging Construction Liens
A Washington appeals court ruled that disputed questions involving contractor performance, workmanship, and payment generally cannot be resolved through the state’s expedited construction lien procedure.
August 20
Legislation & Regulation
Liability
Litigation
Property
Washington
Washington Wildfires Destroy More Than 600 Structures, Force 60,000 Evacuations
Multiple fast-moving wildfires remain 0% contained as evacuations continue across the Spokane region. Claims adjusters should prepare for significant residential, commercial, and infrastructure losses as damage assessments begin.
August 3
Catastrophe
Property
Risk Management
Washington
Water Damage Tops Home Insurance Claims Despite Homeowners Fearing Fire
A new PEMCO survey shows many homeowners overestimate fire risk while underestimating costly water damage, creating opportunities for insurers and agents to promote leak detection technology during policy renewals.
June 30
Property
Risk Management
Technology
Underwriting
Oregon
Washington
Washington Restaurants Ordered to Pay $750K in Unpaid Wages
A federal court ordered four Washington restaurants to pay $750,000 in back wages and damages to 42 workers after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found overtime, minimum wage, child labor, and retaliation violations.
June 29
Legislation & Regulation
Litigation
Washington
West Coast Chemical Tank Failures Spotlight Inspection Gaps and Industrial Safety Risks
Deadly incidents in Washington and California are drawing attention to chemical storage inspections, emergency planning, and the risks tied to aging industrial tanks. Regulators and safety experts say maintenance failures can quickly escalate into major claims events.
May 28
Catastrophe
Legislation & Regulation
Liability
Litigation
Property
California
Washington
Washington Court Bars Insurers From Suing Defense Counsel via Assigned Malpractice Claims
A ruling tied to a $5M settlement and discovery failures restricts insurers from pursuing assigned malpractice claims against defense counsel under reservation of rights.
April 8
Insurance Industry
Legislation & Regulation
Liability
Litigation
Washington
Washington Landlord Sues State Farm Over Seven-Adjuster Water Damage Claim
A Spokane Valley landlord alleges repeated adjuster turnover and underpayment left a rental property uninhabitable for months and triggered lien filings and litigation.
February 6
Insurance Industry
Legislation & Regulation
Litigation
Property
Washington
Frozen Pipes Drive $628 Million in State Farm Water Damage Losses
New claims data shows freeze-related water losses remain a major severity driver, with average payments exceeding $30,000 and repairs stretching for months.
January 27
Catastrophe
Insurance Industry
Property
Risk Management
Illinois
Oregon
Tennessee
Texas
Washington
High Noon Recalls Vodka Seltzers After Label Mix-Up with Celsius Energy Drinks
High Noon is recalling vodka seltzers mistakenly labeled as Celsius energy drinks, leading to a risk of accidental alcohol consumption. No illnesses have been reported.
August 1, 2025
Insurance Industry
Legislation & Regulation
Property
Risk Management
Florida
Michigan
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
States Move to Require Speed-Limiting Tech for High-Risk Drivers
In response to rising traffic deaths, several U.S. states are advancing legislation requiring speed-limiting devices in vehicles driven by repeat offenders or high-risk drivers.
May 7, 2025
Auto
Legislation & Regulation
Risk Management
Technology
California
District Of Columbia
Georgia
New York
Virginia
Man Wanted After Allegedly Faking Supermarket Fall to File False Insurance Claim
Authorities in Kittitas County, WA are searching for a suspect accused of staging a fall in a grocery store to file false insurance claims totaling nearly $10,000.
April 18, 2025
Fraud
Insurance Industry
Litigation
Property
Washington
Two Fraudsters Admit to $577 Million Cryptocurrency Scam
Two Estonian men have pleaded guilty to running a $577 million cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of thousands worldwide. They now face up to 20 years in prison.
February 17, 2025
Fraud
Legislation & Regulation
Litigation
Technology
Washington
Global Insurance 2025: Navigating Challenges to Achieve Growth
The global insurance industry faces inflation, natural disasters, and shifting demographics but finds opportunities for innovation and expansion into emerging markets.
December 9, 2024
Catastrophe
Property
Risk Management
Technology
California
Florida
New York
Washington
Homeowners Face Triple Disaster Risks and Insurance Gaps
Over 33,000 U.S. homes face extreme risks from three natural disasters, exposing gaps in insurance coverage and highlighting the urgent need for multi-peril resilience planning.
December 3, 2024
Catastrophe
Insurance Industry
Property
Risk Management
California
Florida
Texas
Washington
Legal System Abuse: The New Name Driving Insurance Industry Reform
Insurance leaders at Triple-I’s 2024 Joint Industry Forum rebrand "social inflation" as "legal system abuse" to improve communication and drive legal reform for cost control.
December 3, 2024
Fraud
Legislation & Regulation
Litigation
Risk Management
Florida
Georgia
Kansas
Louisiana
Washington
