Bipartisan Bill Seeks Federal Penalties for Staged Auto Accidents
A bipartisan House bill would establish federal criminal penalties for staged or fabricated vehicle crashes tied to fraudulent insurance claims, with prison terms increasing when the schemes cause serious injury or death.
September 9
Auto
Fraud
Legislation & Regulation
McKinsey: Farmers Turn to AI as Weather, Costs Strain Agriculture
McKinsey’s survey of 5,500 farmers finds extreme weather is a leading threat to farm profits in several markets, while growers facing tighter margins are delaying purchases and adopting AI for day-to-day decisions.
September 9
Catastrophe
Insurance Industry
Property
Risk Management
New York Contractors Charged Over Alleged Workers’ Comp Insurance Fraud
Four contractors are accused of submitting fraudulent workers’ compensation insurance records while seeking Nassau County home improvement licenses. Separate labor enforcement cases have returned nearly $650,000 to 138 workers this year.
September 9
Fraud
Insurance Industry
Legislation & Regulation
Workers' Compensation
New York
TRIA Reauthorization Won’t Eliminate Terrorism Insurance Coverage Gaps
Congress is moving toward extending the federal terrorism insurance program through 2034, but certification requirements, cyber risks and exclusions in underlying policies could still determine whether losses are covered after an attack.
September 8
Catastrophe
Insurance Industry
Legislation & Regulation
Property
Technology
EPA Plan Could Reduce Public Notice for Data Center Air Pollution Permits
An EPA proposal would eliminate minimum federal public-notice and comment requirements for certain air pollution permits, leaving states and local agencies to determine how much public participation is required. The change comes as AI data center construction raises questions about pollution, power demand, water use and community impacts.
September 8
Legislation & Regulation
Liability
Property
Risk Management
Technology
Alabama
California
Georgia
Texas
Virginia
Extreme Drought Covers 44% of Puerto Rico as Water and Farm Losses Mount
Extreme drought covered 44% of Puerto Rico by late August after rainfall fell far below normal in parts of the territory. Water rationing, crop losses and dwindling hay supplies have accompanied local and federal disaster declarations.
September 8
Catastrophe
Insurance Industry
Property
Risk Management
Connecticut Occupational Disease Reports Fall 18% as Prevention Guide Targets Workplace Risks
Connecticut workers’ compensation records logged 4,264 occupational disease reports in 2024, down 18% from the prior year, while the state’s broader occupational illness rate remained above the national rate. A new prevention guide focuses on ergonomics, infectious disease, chemical exposures and other workplace risks.
September 8
Education & Training
Insurance Industry
Risk Management
Workers' Compensation
Connecticut
Florida Aviation Crashes Put Liability and General Aviation Risk in Focus
A Boeing 767 cargo overrun in Miami left five people dead and could involve the aircraft operator, lessor and other parties, while a separate fatal general aviation crash near Titusville highlights a very different aviation loss exposure.
September 8
Insurance Industry
Liability
Property
Risk Management
Florida
$320 Million Bitcoin Exploit Hits Liquid Network
Purported white-hat hackers removed roughly 4,000 bitcoin from Liquid Network’s federation wallet, forcing the settlement network to halt new transactions. Blockstream attributed the incident to a software flaw rather than stolen private keys.
September 8
Insurance Industry
Technology
Hurricane Marie to Bring Dangerous Surf, Coastal Flooding Risk to Southern California
Marie is expected to remain well offshore, but forecasters warn its swell could produce dangerous rip currents, large waves and coastal flooding along Southern California, with the strongest effects expected Sunday and Monday.
September 3
Catastrophe
Property
Risk Management
California
Adjusters Say Disputed Claims Create a Workload That Never Goes Away
Adjusters discussing high-volume claims work say a small number of persistent disputes can consume time for weeks or months while new assignments continue arriving.
September 3
Education & Training
Insurance Industry
Risk Management
Maryland Court Awards Workers’ Comp to NFL Player Injured in Virginia
A Maryland appellate court found that Curtis Brooks was a covered employee when he tore his Achilles tendon at the Washington Commanders’ Virginia training facility, even though he never played a game or performed work in Maryland.
September 3
Litigation
Workers' Compensation
Maryland
Virginia
Federal Judge Strikes Down New York’s $75B Climate Damage Fund
A federal judge ruled that New York exceeded its authority by requiring major fossil fuel producers to finance $75 billion in climate-related infrastructure and resilience projects.
September 3
Catastrophe
Legislation & Regulation
Litigation
Property
New York
Swiss Re: AI Raises Cyber Risk as Large Companies Face Insurance Limit Gaps
Swiss Re projects global cyber premiums of $16.4 billion in 2026 while warning that ransomware, data breaches and growing digital dependence can produce losses beyond the limits purchased by some large companies.
September 3
Insurance Industry
Risk Management
Technology
Underwriting
California Man Convicted of Arson, Auto Insurance Fraud in Burned Jeep Scheme
A Kern County jury convicted Daniel Montes of arson and automobile insurance fraud after prosecutors said he stripped and burned a Jeep Gladiator as part of a plan to generate an insurance claim. Jail calls and videos recovered from his phone helped expose the scheme.
September 3
Auto
Fraud
Litigation
California
