Juries' "nuclear" verdicts plague insurers

Dec 19, 2024
Plaintiff compensation for pain and suffering is climbing. Insurers question the basis for huge awards and say they have to charge higher rates.
Average jury awards to compensate personal injury victims increased around 250% between 2009 and 2019, according to the Swiss Re Institute.
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Believe it or not, most people like their health insurance

We take a look at how Americans feel about health insurance and what causes those feelings to change.
While most people are OK with their health insurance, those who utilize their insurance more often have more problems.
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Insurance premiums are rising, even as inflation cools. Here's why.

Dec 12, 2024
Inflation sent rates up at first. But factors like complex vehicle technology and climate change risk are keeping costs high.
New technology that's more costly to repair is part of what's pushing up car insurance.
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Demand for weight loss drugs is rising, though many insurers won't cover them

Dec 12, 2024
The drugs are expensive out of pocket. Even with insurance, high co-pays can also limit who has access to them.
Despite list prices from around $1,000 to $1,500 a month, weight loss drugs have surged in popularity over the past year.
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Dramatic insurance spikes threaten to put homeless housing providers out of business

Nov 28, 2024
The rise in premiums has less to do with the threat of extreme weather and more to do with the very nature of the business: providing housing for people exiting homelessness.
Insurance costs are threatening many supportive housing projects.
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How insurers are paying for Helene and Milton

Nov 5, 2024
As communities recover from Helene and Milton, insurance sometimes needs insurance of its own.
Debris piled up in The Village Potters Clay Center. Hurricane Helene swept through Asheville, North Carolina, in late September, flooding the pottery studio up through the second floor.
Courtesy Sarah Wells Roland

Recent hurricanes could test the growing catastrophe bond market

Oct 24, 2024
Cat bonds help insurers spread risk to investors. Extreme weather created by climate change may disrupt the balance of risk and reward.
Waves crashed along the Florida coast as Hurricane Milton approached on Oct. 9. Catastrophe bond investors play in a risky market.
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For public good, not for profit.

Long-term care is too expensive for most people

Oct 9, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris is proposing Medicare take on these costs, as most Americans rely instead on unpaid care from family.
“Paying for care at home can be in the order of tens of thousands of dollars," said Tricia Neuman at the health policy nonprofit KFF.
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Traveling to an Oasis concert next year? You might want to consider insurance.

Oct 2, 2024
If you’re planning to see a musical act, especially one with a troubled history, here's how to hedge against a cancellation and financial loss.
Noel, left, and Liam Gallagher will take part in an Oasis reunion tour next year.
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Zillow adds climate risk scores to property listings

Sep 30, 2024
New tools also help home shoppers evaluate insurance costs.
More than 80% of potential homebuyers said they consider climate risk in their decisions, according to a recent Zillow survey of its users.
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