Intel

More companies in the U.S. and Canada are incorporating the use of biometric data into their operations, raising unease for some consumers, and prompting a number of class-action lawsuits over information that may be collected improperly. Airports are among the latest industries to join the trend, with CBC News recently reporting on airlines like Air Canada and various airports implementing…

Despite the continued “flight toward profitability” for most carriers, moderation in both rate and capacity is occurring in many insurance sectors. Most rates are rising, but the level of increases is slowing. Capacity is generally available but often requires creativity. On the Casualty side, some classes remain stressed while carriers are competing for business in others. These and other trends…

The title of this quarter’s overview and forecast could easily be: “Profitability Matters.” That is especially true in the Property space for both Personal and Commercial policies. The industry faces daily challenges from CAT storms and events, making every state subject to immediate loss from hurricanes, wildfires, and convective storms—defined as severe local storms associated with wind, thunder, lightning, heavy…

We have seen few changes in the Property & Casualty (P&C) marketplace from Q1 through Q2 of 2023, however, the broader picture is becoming clearer now that 2022 year-end financial filings are available. According to ALIRT Insurance Research, the discrepancy between Personal and Commercial Lines Composite underwriting is historically wide. Namely, the Personal Lines Composite combined ratio of 109 percent…

A candle company in Mayfield, Kentucky, is being accused of threatening to fire factory workers who wanted to leave the building before dangerous weather approached. A new lawsuit filed in December by employees of Mayfield Consumer Products claims multiple workers were prohibited from leaving the facility Dec. 10, 2021, despite the company having at least three hours of notice about…

A class-action lawsuit recently filed against Twitter Inc. alleges the company did not give employees the legally required notice before laying off 50% of its workforce. The mass layoff affected about 3,700 jobs and came days after Elon Musk acquired the company for $44 billion and began implementing various overhauls. Filed on Nov. 3 in a…

Two daughters of the late Paul Newman have filed a lawsuit against their father’s nonprofit organization, claiming that the Newman’s Own Foundation has “lost its way” since their father’s death and is not preserving and honoring his legacy, CNN Business recently reported. Filed in Connecticut by sisters Susan and Nell Newman, the suit alleges breach of fiduciary duty by the…

The voice assistant “Alexa” featured on Amazon’s Echo Dot and other devices has been collecting data on millions of customers without their knowledge and using it for targeted advertising, a new lawsuit against the company alleges. Filed June 8 in the U.S. District Court in Seattle, Washington, the lawsuit seeks class-action status and claims that Amazon…

A new lawsuit filed July 5 accuses Raytheon Technologies Corporation of retaliation and discrimination against an unvaccinated employee who was told he can no longer work from home. In the lawsuit, a principal electrical engineer alleges he was discriminated against by the defense technology company when it withdrew his permission to work from home and later suspended him for not…

A virtual “try-on” tool for sunglasses offered by Louis Vuitton collected customers’ facial scan data without their consent, violating the Illinois Biometric Privacy Protection Act, a new lawsuit against the luxury brand alleges. The proposed class-action suit, filed April 8, claims the LVMH corporation’s North America unit took biometric data from online shoppers when they used their webcams to try…

Cryptocurrency’s shift into the mainstream was validated on Super Bowl Sunday, when fans watching the Feb. 13 event were so engaged with a commercial by the cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase that the company’s website temporarily crashed. Coinbase aired a 60-second ad featuring a bouncing QR code that, upon being scanned, brought fans to a promotional site offering $15 in free…

Supply chain shortages linked to seaport backlogs, a lack of truck drivers and other constraints could mean toy stores are unable to keep up with holiday shopping demands this year, setting up business owners and consumers for a season that some say will be “unlike any other.” Although President Joe Biden told retailers Nov. 29 that the White House would…