Business Insurance

Financial Times reports that insurance against gun violence is becoming a booming business in the United States. Products covering active-shooter incidents and related liabilities are attracting growing demand from schools, businesses and event organisers amid the persistent toll of shootings. The rise points to how private markets are adapting to a risk that public policy has not resolved.

Analysts surveyed by the Financial Times expect insurance premiums to increase again in 2026, continuing the upward trend in pricing across the sector. The outlook points to further cost pressure for households and businesses, with forecasters citing ongoing claims inflation and market conditions as reasons rates are unlikely to ease next year.

German insurer ERGO Group has created a chief AI officer role, a senior position dedicated to steering the company's use of artificial intelligence. The move signals how insurers are formally embedding AI oversight at executive level as the technology reshapes underwriting, claims and customer service.

The Wall Street Journal profiles Mark Walter, the financier who transformed a dull insurance business into a major lender willing to take on significant risk. The piece examines the strategy behind the shift, the growth it produced, and what the company's aggressive lending approach means for the broader financial sector as investors and analysts weigh the implications.

Tanzania has introduced a mandatory inbound travel insurance requirement for all foreign visitors entering the country. Law firm Dentons issued a legal alert detailing the new rule, which is expected to affect tourists and business travellers alike. Travellers will need to obtain the insurance as part of entry requirements, adding a new cost and paperwork step to trips to Tanzania.

Adtech company 33Across has rebranded as WealthStage, shifting to an advertising platform aimed at banks, trading apps, lenders, brokers and insurers. The platform uses an AI engine to score household wealth, positioning itself for an estimated $124 trillion in wealth changing hands by 2048. Industry observers are questioning which data sources feed the system and what parts of the 33Across business remain.

UnitedHealthcare has appointed Hunter as president of the company, a leadership change announced as its fully insured employer business continues to shrink. The move signals a strategic push to stabilise a segment facing enrollment losses, and industry watchers are weighing what new leadership means for the insurer's employer coverage strategy.

A Lisbon-based startup is building insurance products for AI agents, aiming to cover the risks that arise when autonomous software acts on behalf of businesses. The company is positioning itself at the intersection of the AI boom and the growing need for liability protection as companies deploy agents in real-world operations.

Humanos, a Lisbon-based startup, has raised $3.2 million in funding to build tools that score the risk of AI agents and provide insurance against their failures. The company aims to address growing concerns about accountability and liability as businesses increasingly deploy autonomous AI agents in critical operations.

North Dakota's Insurance Commissioner has ordered an artificial intelligence company to cease doing business in the state. The order was announced via local news in North Dakota. Details about the company's identity, the specific violations, or the reasons behind the directive have not been disclosed in the available reporting. The case highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of AI firms by state insurance regulators.

Analysts are taking a closer look at Oscar Health, the technology-focused health insurer, arguing that its recent gains in insurance market share are only one element of its broader strategy. The discussion centres on whether the company can convert membership growth into durable profitability, and what else in its plan — pricing, technology and cost management — will determine its long-term performance.

Washington state’s Department of Labor & Industries has proposed an increase in workers’ compensation insurance rates for employers. The proposal, reported in the Tri-Cities business press, would raise premiums that businesses pay to fund the state-fund workers’ comp system. Employers and business groups typically weigh in during the public comment period, arguing over costs versus benefit adequacy.

Los Angeles organisers are seeking $650 million in insurance coverage for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to Sports Business Journal. The move highlights the scale of financial risk tied to hosting the event, protecting against potential disruptions. Details about insurers or coverage terms were not disclosed, and it is not yet clear how the policy would fit into the Games' broader budget and risk planning.

The US Small Business Administration has made disaster loans available to cover damage from the December 2025 storm, according to KLAS 8 News Now. The low-interest loans are intended to help residents and businesses repair damage not fully covered by insurance, a standard federal response following severe winter weather in affected areas.

Insurance group Everest has sold its Canadian retail insurance operation, according to industry reporting. The sale means Everest will exit writing retail insurance business directly in Canada, though details of the buyer, price and timing have not been disclosed in available coverage. No further comment from the company has been reported yet.

Relation Insurance Services has acquired LaPlaca Insurance, an agency based in Philadelphia, as part of a push to expand its presence in the city and surrounding market. The deal adds LaPlaca's book of business and local client relationships to Relation's growing national brokerage network. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed in early coverage.

Health insurance startup Devoted Health has raised $1.2 billion in new funding as it pushes to grow its business. The Massachusetts-based insurer, which sells Medicare Advantage plans, is one of the larger private fundraises in the sector this year. The round signals continued investor appetite for tech-driven healthcare companies despite a tougher funding climate for startups.

Apple has renewed its licensing agreement with Qualcomm even as it continues developing its own in-house modem chips, a dual-track strategy highlighting how central patent licensing remains in the semiconductor business. Commentators are weighing whether the renewal signals Apple's internal modem efforts need more time, or whether it simply wants insurance against delays while reducing dependence over the long term.

Blue Cross insurers claim AI tools generated close to $1 billion in additional costs, according to a Reuters report. The figure is surfacing in litigation, with the insurers arguing the technology added substantial expenses rather than savings. The claim is drawing attention as businesses reassess the real financial returns of AI adoption.

Ad-tech company 33Across has rebranded as WealthStage, pivoting to serve banks, lenders, brokers, insurers and trading apps. The new platform offers an AI engine that scores household wealth, betting on an estimated $124 trillion in assets changing hands by 2048. Industry observers are questioning which data sources will feed the engine and how much of the original 33Across business will remain.

The insurance industry is cutting jobs, according to a Barron's report, which argues that artificial intelligence is not the sole driver of the layoffs. The article suggests broader business factors are behind the employment declines, though specific causes and figures are not detailed in the available coverage.

A court has ruled that Dairy Farmers of America must continue paying its share of health insurance costs for union employees after the company closed its St. Albans Creamery in Vermont. The decision means the dairy cooperative cannot end its premium contributions for laid-off union workers despite the plant's shutdown, offering them continued medical coverage while they face job loss.

Insurance broker Lockton says the gap between climate-related losses and insurance coverage is growing, as extreme weather events drive up damages faster than insurers are willing or able to cover them. The warning highlights rising uninsured exposure for businesses and households as natural catastrophe losses increase worldwide.

Small businesses are increasingly using Kalshi, the event contracts trading platform, to protect themselves against financial risks such as inflation, tariffs, and market swings. The company allows firms to hedge by taking positions tied to economic outcomes. Coverage highlights how traders and business owners are treating prediction markets as an alternative to traditional insurance and futures tools.

A Moneyist columnist answers a reader wondering whether to launch a pet-sitting business after learning a friend's company grosses $300,000 a year while she pays herself only $50,000. The question highlights how high revenue does not guarantee high take-home pay, once costs, insurance, staffing and taxes are factored in, and has prompted debate about whether such service businesses are worth starting.

An insurance technology executive says artificial intelligence will revolutionize employee benefits for small businesses, according to Insurance Business. The claim suggests AI tools could make benefits administration cheaper and more accessible for smaller firms that have traditionally lacked the resources of large employers. No further details from the executive's remarks were available.

Relation Insurance Services has acquired a family-owned insurance agency in Pennsylvania, continuing the brokerage's pattern of growth through acquisitions. The deal adds the agency's book of business and local client relationships to Relation's national platform. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Industry observers track such deals closely as consolidation continues across the US insurance brokerage sector.

Maryland has enacted a new law requiring travel advisors to hold insurance, a move aimed at strengthening consumer protection in the state's travel industry. Industry publication Luxury Travel Advisor raises questions about whether the requirement goes far enough to protect travellers or adequately address the sector's needs. Travel professionals in Maryland are now assessing how the mandate will affect their businesses and compliance obligations.

ReSource Pro has launched ProTalks, an original series focused on insurance technology and operations. The company, which provides operational and technology services to the insurance industry, says the series is aimed at sharing insights on innovation, digital transformation and efficiency with insurance professionals. The announcement was distributed via Business Wire, and there is little public reaction so far.

More than a year after the wildfire that devastated Lahaina, Maui, many businesses along the town's historic Front Street have yet to reopen, leaving the once-bustling tourist strip largely empty. Local reporting highlights questions over rebuilding timelines, insurance and lease disputes, and whether the area can regain its role as the economic and cultural heart of West Maui.

The European Union is developing a climate insurance plan aimed at narrowing the protection gap — the share of climate-related losses not covered by insurance. As extreme weather events increase across Europe, growing numbers of homes and businesses face uninsured damage. Officials hope the plan will expand coverage and improve resilience, though details of how it would work remain to be set out.