Articles

As the demographic of the average American renter changes, so too do their insurance needs. Renters today tend to be older with higher incomes and stronger credit profiles, and they often remain at the same address for several years, according to a recent report from TransUnion. The median renter is now 40 years old with a $56,000 household income and a TransUnion proprietary credit score of 652,...

My May 2026 column about the enforceability of an exclusionary endorsement that was not listed in a policy's schedule of endorsements began with this quotation that referenced "endorsements hiding in plain sight": "Insurance rarely fails loudly. It fails quietly, through definitions, territorial carve-outs, and endorsements hiding in plain sight." -- Yehuda Daniel Katz I begin this month's column...

Cyberattacks and inflation are at the top among concerns for business leaders, according to a recent survey from The Hartford. The insurer's 2026 Risk Monitor report is based on a survey of 500 U.S. midsize and large businesses. Results put both cyber risks and economic risks at the top for 77% of respondents. Cyber remains the most persistent and top-of-mind risk for midsize and large businesses,...

Uncertainty in the economy and environmental regulation, the continuing impact of social inflation, and the construction industry's ongoing business challenges are complicating exposures for project owners, developers, and contractors. Amid these trends, the environmental and construction professional liability insurance market remains dynamic. Navigating that market becomes easier when brokers, u...

Professional liability insurance for real estate professionals--commonly referred to as errors and omissions (E&O) coverage--is often treated as a routine placement. Yet, for brokers advising clients involved in real estate, this line of business presents both persistent risk and a meaningful opportunity to add value. Real estate E&O is shaped by a unique mix of legal exposure, transaction...

Construction insurance brokers say the current market is a good time to build stronger relationships with insureds because attention does not have to be so focused on pricing but can instead be more on the complex risks in the business. By reviewing the risks, brokers can arrive at a deeper understanding of their insureds' approach to risk and be in a better position to structure a program tailore...

Nonprofit organizations face an increasingly complex and evolving risk landscape today as they navigate changing regulations, heightened scrutiny, and cuts to funding. One of the most significant risks facing nonprofits stems from mission creep, where organizations begin offering services beyond their core expertise, such as a disaster relief organization that begins offering counseling services,...

There are many reasons a business or individual might buy umbrella coverage. They may have current assets that they want to shield from the potential for loss. They may also be planning to shield future assets. They may just want the added security of knowing that in the event of a catastrophic liability claim, they are protected--and with judgments on the rise, who can blame them? The insured may...

If you're an insurance professional, I'm guessing your personal auto insurance policy probably includes uninsured and/or underinsured motorists (UM/UIM) coverage. Why? Because you know that, on average, at least 15% of drivers on the road carry zero auto liability insurance, according to the Insurance Research Council (IRC) as reported by the Insurance Information Institute (III). In some states,...

The church insurance market is fracturing, and most independent agents are watching from the sidelines. That's a mistake. Over the past 18 months, the landscape for insuring houses of worship has shifted faster than at any point in recent memory. Specialized carriers that once dominated the space--names that church administrators trusted for decades--are shrinking their appetites, non-renewing acc...

The overall landscape of the entertainment world is changing. Increasing cost pressures, labor challenges, the emergence of AI, and the changing appetite of consumers are pushing TV and film makers in new directions. "The business in general has been a little weird over the last year and a half or so," said Marc Idelson, CEO at Reel Media, a Burbank, California-based managing general agency that s...

As the summer season of outdoor music festivals gets ready to begin, organizers and their insurance partners must prepare for all risks. One critical safety protocol is adequate security. While security has always been a hot-button issue in festival risk management it's become a problem that needs a better solution, according to Mona Grabowski, producer and entertainment practice leader for HUB In...

Misclassification of employees as independent contractors robs workers of thousands of dollars per year and reduces revenue for social safety net programs, according to a new Economic Policy Institute analysis of 11 commonly misclassified jobs. The report estimates that as many as 10% to 30% of employers misclassify workers as independent contractors. That leads to those workers missing out on cri...

Industry executives who described insurance and reinsurance markets as "rational" in the not-so-distant past are now using words like "dumb" and "bizarre" to characterize soft-market competitor moves happening faster than expected, and in unusual places. W. Robert Berkley Jr., chief executive officer and president of W.R. Berkley Corporation, began his opening remarks on a first-quarter earnings c...

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) reports that acts of violence rank as the third-leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the country. Research also shows that workplace assaults have been increasing in number, with healthcare workers and teachers most often being the victims. There are, however, indications that assaults against teachers may be declining. Workplace...