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The Allstate Corporation Announces Fourth Quarter 2023 Results

The Allstate Corporation has announced the availability of its fourth-quarter 2023 financial results. The company filed a Form 8-K, which includes the earnings release and investor supplement, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Interested parties can access these materials on the company's page at sec.gov or at www.allstateinvestors.com.In a press release, The Allstate Corporation stated that it will be hosting a conference call and webcast on Thursday, February 8, at 9 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the fourth-quarter results. Investors and analysts are...

How the Insurance Industry is Addressing Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss

In a recent episode of the ESG Insider podcast, the focus was on how the insurance industry is tackling the dual challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. Rebekah Clement, Corporate Affairs Director at Lloyd's of London, emphasized the importance of considering both issues together, stating, "The two are inextricably linked, and it is so, so important that we're looking at both of them in the round."While the industry has made progress in addressing climate change, there is still work to be done in understanding and addressing biodiversity loss. Clement...

Kempton Takes the Helm of Nationwide's Personal Lines Business

Casey Kempton has been chosen as the new leader of Nationwide's personal lines property business, according to an announcement made by Mark Berven, Nationwide P&C President and Chief Operating Officer. Kempton's appointment comes as she brings a strong track record of success in both personal lines and commercial lines.Berven highlighted Kempton's exceptional qualifications, stating, "Casey stood out in particular thanks to her strong track record of performance excellence, deep experience in using data insights and technology to fuel growth and innovation, and her...

Celebrate Black History Month through music with H.E.R.

Black Americans have played a significant role in shaping the music industry, leaving an indelible mark on various genres such as country, jazz, and hip-hop. Their contributions continue to resonate with music lovers around the world. As we commemorate Black History Month, Grammy-award winning artist and Nationwide spokesperson H.E.R. is taking the initiative to educate and inspire through the power of music. H.E.R. will be sharing captivating Black music facts on Nationwide's social media channels, providing a platform for individuals to discover interesting insights and...

Cigna Medicare sale clears path for future acquisitions

The Cigna Group has announced its plan to sell its Medicare business, a move that industry analysts believe will position the managed care insurer for future acquisitions. The divestiture, in which Cigna will sell its Medicare businesses to Health Care Service Corp. for approximately $3.7 billion, comes at a challenging time for Medicare Advantage as insurers face growing medical costs associated with the plans due to delayed care caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.According to S&P Global Ratings analyst Francesca Mannarino, Cigna's Medicare segment lacked the necessary...

Insurance Information Institute Highlights Accomplishments in 2023 Annual Report

The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) has released its 2023 Annual Report, showcasing the organization's achievements in a year marked by a record number of weather and climate disasters in the United States. These disasters resulted in at least $1 billion in damages.In his Annual Report letter, Triple-I CEO Sean Kevelighan emphasized the significance of climate risks and the insurance industry's response to them. He stated, "Triple-I is making clear how U.S. insurers and reinsurers have long been seeing the impacts of increased climate risk and are promoting a...

The Challenges and Opportunities in the Cyber Insurance Market

The cyber insurance market is facing significant challenges due to the rapidly evolving information security landscape. In a recent episode of Next in Tech, analysts Thomas Mason, Dan Kennedy, and Scott Crawford discussed the complexities surrounding cyber insurance and the technologies associated with it.Insurers have traditionally played a crucial role in managing risk for businesses. However, the rise of cyberattacks, such as ransomware, has brought about a new kind of existential risk that has forced insurers to reevaluate their strategies. Thomas Mason, one of the...

Texas Clears Significant Homeowners Rate Increases in Q4 2023

Texas regulators have approved several significant homeowners' insurance rate increases in the fourth quarter of 2023, making it one of the most impactful states in terms of rate hikes in the United States. According to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence, Texas regulators cleared 46 rate increases during the quarter, with 10 of them ranking among the most substantial in the country.One of the most significant rate hikes was granted to State Farm General Insurance Co. by California state regulators. The company's overall rate was increased by 20%, resulting in a...

Commercial Lines Outperform Personal, Though Underwriting Losses Persist: Triple-I/Milliman Report

The property/casualty industry continues to face challenges in underwriting losses, according to the latest report from the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and Milliman. The 2023 net combined ratio for the industry is forecast to be 103.9, with commercial lines performing better than personal lines. Commercial lines have a net combined ratio of 97.7, while personal lines have a ratio of 109.9.The main driver of the adverse results is the record levels of severe convective storm losses. Despite this, the industry is experiencing growth, with a forecasted net...

Protective Insurance Rebrands as Progressive Fleet & Specialty Programs

Progressive Insurance, the leading commercial auto insurer in the U.S., has announced a rebranding for its large fleet commercial line coverage. Formerly known as Protective Insurance, it will now be called Progressive Fleet & Specialty Programs (Progressive Fleet). This name change reflects the integration of businesses and highlights Progressive's expanded expertise in large fleet transportation and niche insurance programs for the transportation and delivery industries.Karen Bailo, Progressive's Commercial Lines President, stated, "This announcement was part of our...

Highway Heroes at Risk: Study Examines Characteristics of Fatal Roadside Worker Crashes

A new study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety sheds light on the alarming dangers faced by roadside assistance providers who risk their lives daily to help others. The study reveals that the number of fatal crashes involving these workers may be significantly higher than previously reported.According to the study, 123 roadside assistance providers were killed by passing vehicles between 2015 and 2021, a figure that dwarfs the approximate 34 noted in national crash data. This discrepancy is attributed to the failure of state police crash report forms to...

Humana's Stock Plunges Amid Increased Medicare Advantage Utilization

Humana Inc. experienced a significant drop in stock value following the release of its fourth-quarter 2023 results, which revealed higher-than-anticipated costs associated with Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage refers to expanded versions of government-subsidized health plans aimed at seniors. The increased utilization of services led to elevated medical loss ratios, impacting managed care insurers throughout 2023.Humana's earnings call on January 25 highlighted the unexpected rise in Medicare Advantage medical costs, which reached 91.4%, surpassing the 89% estimate...

NWSL Players Gain Professional Development Experience with Nationwide

A group of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) players recently took part in a unique professional development program offered by Nationwide, the insurance and financial services company. Dorian Bailey, Shea Groom, Savannah Madden, Addisyn Merrick, and Cassie Miller spent two weeks at Nationwide's corporate headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, as part of the program called "Experience Nationwide."During their time at Nationwide, the players had the opportunity to learn about various aspects of the company's business. They interacted with leaders and associates from...

US Insurtech Market Shows Signs of Recovery

The US insurance technology, or insurtech, market is showing signs of recovery in 2024. Industry consolidation is well underway, and companies that have managed to weather the storm are making progress on their expense reduction plans. Public market investors are also showing renewed interest in growth stocks, leading to a rebound in insurtech stock prices.According to a report by S&P Global Market Intelligence, insurtech stocks have performed well in 2023, with a market-cap weighted index of these companies up 22.2% compared to a decline of 54.0% in 2022. This recovery...

Setting a well-being vision for the year with good intentions

The new year is a time for fresh starts and setting intentions for personal growth and well-being. According to Tina Thornton, a registered nurse and associate vice president of wellbeing and safety at Nationwide, creating a well-being vision involves thinking about who you want to be in the new year and setting intentions that are personal and meaningful to you.To begin, Thornton advises recording your vision by writing it down. This helps to solidify your ideas and give them more weight. By putting your vision on paper, it becomes a concrete goal rather than a vague...

Nationwide's Medical Stop Loss Team Celebrates Two Decades of Protecting Businesses

Nationwide's Medical Stop Loss (MSL) team is commemorating over 20 years of providing crucial protection to businesses with self-funded healthcare plans. As healthcare costs continue to rise in the United States, employers are exploring alternative methods to manage expenses. Self-funding health plans have emerged as a cost-effective solution, but they also carry the risk of businesses being liable for significant medical costs should their employees experience serious illnesses or catastrophic claims.Medical stop loss insurance serves as a safeguard for businesses,...

Freeze & Thaw: Bad Mix For All

A new year and winter season bring with them a reminder about the importance of winter weather awareness, particularly when it comes to frozen pipes and ice dams. These two phenomena can cause significant water and structural damage, leading to costly repairs and insurance claims.According to State Farm, from August 2022 to August 2023, they paid out over $806 million for more than 32,000 claims related to frozen pipe and water damage. The average claim amounted to $25,000. Comparing this to the previous year, from 2021 to 2022, State Farm paid $181 million for...

The Right Kind of Magic: State Farm Launches New Creative Campaign with Top Celebrities and Athletes

State Farm, the well-known insurance company, is set to launch a new creative campaign called "The Right Kind of Magic." This campaign combines the star power of top-tier celebrities and athletes with the iconic State Farm jingle and the beloved character Jake from State Farm.The campaign will kick off on Thanksgiving Day during the Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast on NBC. Jimmy Fallon, the popular late-night talk show host, will perform the magic jingle that will make Jake from State Farm appear in the "You’re Joking" spot.Following the parade, the campaign will...

Mayo Clinic surgeon: ‘Mayo Clinic has been a leader in the field of kidney transplants for six decades’

Earlier this month, surgeons at Mayo Clinic's Rochester location performed the first-ever robotic-assisted kidney transplant in the state of Minnesota. The procedure was completed by Timucin Taner, M.D., Ph.D., division chair of Transplant Surgery and Patrick Dean, M.D., according to a press release from Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic department chair: ‘We are excited to collaborate with Oxford Nanopore on this effort to develop new clinical tests’

Mayo Clinic recently announced a multi-year partnership with Oxford Nanopore, a developer of the new generation of nanopore-based molecular sensing technology, to develop improved testing methods for diseases like cancer and genetic disorders, according to a press release from Mayo Clinic.