Weekly Articles

Jul 26-Aug 1, 2026

AG initials

Insurance Market

Aon Reports Second-Quarter 2026 Results

Aon reported second-quarter 2026 total revenue of $4.2 billion, up 2%, with 5% organic revenue growth, adjusted operating income of $1.2 billion and adjusted EPS of $3.81, up 9%. The company returned $775 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends while reaffirming its full-year 2026 guidance for mid-single-digit or greater organic growth and margin expansion.

Arch Capital Group Ltd. - Arch Capital Group Ltd. Reports 2026 Second Quarter Results

Arch Capital Group reported second-quarter 2026 net income available to common shareholders of $1.0 billion, or $3.00 per share, and after-tax operating income of $893 million, or $2.56 per share, with an annualized operating return on average common equity of 15.3%. The company delivered solid underwriting results across its segments, recorded $201 million in current accident year catastrophe losses, and repurchased $1.2 billion of shares while increasing book value per common share to $68.04.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. - Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Announces Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. reported second-quarter 2026 revenues before reimbursements of $3.96 billion, up from $3.18 billion in the prior year, with adjusted diluted net earnings per share of $2.84. The combined Brokerage and Risk Management segments delivered 24% revenue growth, including 6% organic growth, reflecting strong client retention and new business generation.

Ategrity Specialty Insurance Company Holdings Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results

Ategrity Specialty Insurance reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $33.5 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, with gross written premiums rising 23.4% to $206.8 million and a combined ratio of 85.9%. Underwriting income grew 66.9% to $16.0 million, driven by strong growth in both casualty and property lines and improved expense leverage.

Brown & Brown, Inc. announces second quarter 2026 results

Brown & Brown reported second-quarter 2026 total revenues of $1.7 billion, up 30.4% year over year, driven largely by acquisitions, while organic revenue declined 0.7% and organic revenue with contingents rose 0.7%. Diluted net income per share was $0.84 and adjusted diluted net income per share reached $1.07, with the company noting solid overall results and positive momentum heading into the second half of the year.

Earnings call transcript: AXIS Capital Q2 2026 earnings miss weighs on shares

AXIS Capital reported second-quarter 2026 operating earnings of $2.84 per share, missing estimates, alongside revenue of $1.75 billion that slightly exceeded forecasts, a combined ratio of 93.1% and 6% growth in gross written premiums. The company highlighted disciplined growth in specialty insurance, reduced reinsurance exposure and continued capital returns, though shares fell sharply on the earnings miss amid softening market conditions.

European Insurance 2026 Mid-Year Outlook: Profita | S&P Global Ratings

S&P Global Ratings' European Insurance 2026 Mid-Year Outlook expects most European insurers to maintain solid profitability with muted growth for the rest of the year, supported by improving investment returns, strong technical performance and solid capital positions. The agency believes rated insurers are well placed to weather challenges such as inflation, market volatility and any economic impact from the Middle East conflict without affecting their ratings.

Hippo Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results

Hippo reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $10 million and adjusted net income of $21 million, with gross written premium rising 61.5% to $482 million and the combined ratio improving to 95.8%. The company raised its full-year 2026 guidance, now expecting over $1.65 billion in gross written premium and up to $70 million in adjusted net income.

Howden selects Miami as its Americas headquarters

Howden has selected Miami as the headquarters for its Americas commercial insurance broking business to support growth across the region and strengthen its presence in a key business hub connecting the U.S. and Latin America. The move builds on the company's rapid U.S. expansion, which now includes more than 1,300 colleagues and 3,000 clients, alongside significant growth in its Latin America and Caribbean operations.

Markel Group reports 2026 second quarter and six-months results

Markel Group reported second-quarter 2026 operating revenues of $4.0 billion and adjusted operating income of $436 million, with its Insurance segment delivering a 93% combined ratio and 40% growth in adjusted operating income. The company continued disciplined capital allocation through $237 million of share repurchases in the quarter and noted ongoing improvement in its insurance underwriting operations.

Ryan Specialty Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results

Ryan Specialty reported second-quarter 2026 total revenue of $916.6 million, up 7.2% year-over-year with organic revenue growth of 6.7%, and adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.74, up 12.1%. The company returned approximately $284.5 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends while navigating softening conditions in the specialty insurance market.

SiriusPoint Ltd. - SiriusPoint Reports Second Quarter 2026 Net Income of $69m, Return on Equity of 12.0% and Operating Return on Equity of 13.8%

SiriusPoint reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $69 million, a return on equity of 12.0% and an operating return on equity of 13.8%, with a core combined ratio of 91.4%. Core gross written premiums rose 6%, driven by 15% growth in Insurance & Services offset by a 9% decline in Reinsurance, while book value per diluted common share excluding AOCI increased 3% in the quarter.

Swiss regulator opens enforcement proceedings against Zurich Insurance | Reuters

Swiss regulator FINMA has opened enforcement proceedings against Zurich Insurance after some Swiss customers were sold corporate life and pensions policies at prices lower than those agreed with the regulator. The regulator has imposed a sales ban on certain policies in Zurich's Swiss corporate life and pensions unit, limiting it for now to existing customers, though the company says the ban will have no impact on its bottom line.

The Hanover posts record net income of $192m as CEO confirms retirement

The Hanover Insurance Group reported record second-quarter 2026 net income of $191.6 million and operating income of $189.2 million, with a combined ratio of 91.2% and net premiums written up 4.6%. President and CEO John C. Roche also confirmed his planned retirement at the end of 2026, with Dick Lavey set to succeed him.

WTW Reports Second Quarter 2026 Earnings

WTW reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $2.5 billion, up 9% (5% organic), with adjusted diluted EPS of $3.35, up 17%, and an adjusted operating margin of 19.5%. The company announced its Propel AI Acceleration Plan targeting approximately 30% adjusted operating margin by 2028 and increased its share repurchase authority by $1.5 billion.

Reinsurance Market

Aon's Reinsurance Solutions delivers revenue of $711m in Q2'26

Aon's Reinsurance Solutions generated revenue of $711 million in the second quarter of 2026, up 3% (5% organic) from the prior year, driven by growth in treaty placements, facultative business and its Strategy and Technology Group. For the first half of 2026 the unit delivered $1.99 billion in revenue, representing 6% growth (4% organic).

AXA XL Re's premiums down 9% for H1'26 as segment navigates softer market

AXA XL Reinsurance reported gross written premiums and other revenues of €1.8 billion for the first half of 2026, down 9% year on year, as the segment reduced volumes to prioritize profitability amid a softer market with pricing declining by 5%. The pullback formed part of a broader cycle-management strategy within AXA XL, where overall division earnings still grew 4% at constant exchange rates.

Conduit Holdings reported solid interim results

Conduit Holdings reported solid interim results for the first half of 2026, with an undiscounted combined ratio of 92.6%, a return on equity of 7.8% and comprehensive income of $80.3 million. The company continued to rebalance its property portfolio toward excess of loss business, maintained capital discipline amid softening rates and declared an interim dividend of $0.18 per common share.

Everest Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results

Everest Group reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $559 million and net operating income of $585 million, with an annualized net operating income ROE of 14.9% and a core businesses combined ratio of 90%. Core gross written premiums declined 7.1% to $3.7 billion as the company prioritized underwriting discipline, while book value per share rose to $398.83.

PartnerRe Ltd. Reports First Half 2026 Results | PartnerRe

PartnerRe reported first-half 2026 net income of $447 million and operating income of $689 million, with an operating return on equity of 12.6%. The Non-life segment delivered an underwriting profit of $396 million and a combined ratio of 85.1%, while Life and Health contributed a net allocated underwriting profit of $76 million and net investment income reached $491 million.

Reinsurance market to benefit from newly launched EXPAS explosion risk intelligence platform

EXPAS has launched a new explosion risk intelligence platform that translates engineering evidence and the performance of critical controls into measurable indicators of operational explosion risk for industrial sites. The tool is designed to help insurers, reinsurers and brokers improve risk selection, underwriting and loss prevention by providing ongoing visibility into how controls evolve between traditional assessments.

Second quarter 2026 results | SCOR

SCOR reported second-quarter 2026 net income of EUR 171 million, contributing to EUR 397 million for the first half, with a P&C combined ratio of 79.5% and an annualized return on equity of 16.3%. The Group's estimated solvency ratio rose to 220% and Economic Value increased 10.5% at constant economics, reflecting strong performance across P&C, L&H and investments.

Litigation & Mass Torts

Coinbase Beats Much of Customer Lawsuit Over US Token Sales

A U.S. judge dismissed most of a customer class-action lawsuit against Coinbase that accused the exchange of illegally selling unregistered securities, eliminating claims on "matched" transactions that represented nearly all of its trading volume. Plaintiffs may still pursue claims related to the remaining 0.03% of volume involving Coinbase's own inventory transactions.

J&J to Pay $5.5 Billion to Settle Talc-Related Cancer Claims

Johnson & Johnson has agreed to a $5.5 billion commitment to resolve years of litigation claiming its talc products caused ovarian cancer, contingent on participation from lead plaintiff firms representing at least 95% of the claims. The proposed settlement aims to provide finality to the long-running lawsuits, which the company has consistently denied while previously setting aside significant reserves for the matter.

Mercedes-Benz Recalling 310,000 US Vehicles Citing Risk of Failure to Detect Open Door

Mercedes-Benz is recalling 310,667 vehicles in the U.S., including various CLA, A-Class, C-Class and other models, because a corroded micro-switch in the driver's door lock may fail to detect an open door. The defect could prevent the auto-park brake from engaging and lead to a vehicle rollaway; dealers will replace the door lock free of charge.

Novo Nordisk Must Face Shareholder Suit Over CagriSema Weight Loss Trial

A U.S. judge has ruled that Novo Nordisk must face part of a shareholder lawsuit accusing it of defrauding investors about a clinical trial for its CagriSema weight-loss and diabetes treatment, specifically regarding statements on dosing protocols and tolerability. While the judge dismissed many other alleged misstatements, the surviving claims center on whether the company misled investors about trial design ahead of disappointing results that caused a sharp drop in its American depositary receipts.

Commercial Lines

Conning estimates US MGA premiums reached $128bn in 2025

MGAs play a major role in underwriting and distributing commercial and specialty (including excess & surplus) business, and the growth described is heavily tied to those segments. Insurance Market is the broader fit, but Commercial Lines is a valid alternative depending on how strictly you want to apply the categories.

Hippo Sees Q2 Net Income Jump on Casualty, Commercial Lines Growth

Hippo reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $10.1 million, up sharply from $1.3 million a year earlier, with net written premium rising more than 71% to $183.2 million and the combined ratio improving to 95.8%. Growth was driven by expanded commercial multiperil and casualty writings as the company focused on underwriting profitability and portfolio diversification.

Emerging Risks & Technologies

Cost of a Data Breach Reaches Record $5 Million on Average

IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report finds that artificial intelligence has radically shifted the cyber risk landscape, with the average cost of a data breach reaching a record nearly $5 million as AI-driven attacks rose 56% and added about $1 million to breach costs. The study notes that 92% of organizations hit by AI-related breaches lacked proper AI-access controls, while the U.S. average reached a record $11.5 million and healthcare remained the most expensive industry.

Hormuz war risk cover tops $10m for single VLCC trip :: Lloyd's List

War risk insurance premiums for Strait of Hormuz transits have surged, with cover for a single very large crude carrier (VLCC) trip exceeding $10 million amid renewed US-Iran hostilities and Houthi attacks. Some insurers are quoting rates of 7.5% to 10% of hull value and showing growing reluctance to cover vessels with Saudi links, raising concerns that insurance availability could become a major constraint on Gulf shipping.

Japan Earthquake Insurance Claims May Exceed $1.1 Billion, BI Estimates - Bloomberg

Bloomberg Intelligence estimates that insurance claims from this week's earthquake in Japan may exceed the 175 billion yen ($1.1 billion) average for the country's six previous major tremors. Analyst Steven Lam said industry-wide claims could reach the low hundreds of billions of yen.

How AI Is Improving Insurance Performance---and Why Oversight Still Matters

Artificial intelligence is increasingly used across insurance to speed up claim intake, document review, triage, customer service and payment controls, delivering measurable gains in processing capacity and efficiency. However, the article stresses that faster workflows do not automatically improve claim outcomes, and independent human oversight remains essential to validate accuracy, reserves, litigation strategy and overall performance.

Insurer Rewards Can Boost Climate Resilience Spending, Aon Says

Aon Asia Pacific CEO Jennifer Richards urged insurers to reward companies that invest in climate resilience through better pricing rather than solely penalizing risky assets with higher premiums. Speaking at a Bloomberg summit, she highlighted the large global protection gap for natural disasters and the need for better data and incentives to close it, particularly in Asia.

Japan Earthquake Insurance Claims May Exceed $1.1 Billion, BI Estimates - Bloomberg

Bloomberg Intelligence estimates that insurance claims from this week's earthquake in Japan may exceed the 175 billion yen ($1.1 billion) average for the country's six previous major tremors. Analyst Steven Lam said industry-wide claims could reach the low hundreds of billions of yen.

Lockton Launches Global Data Centers & Digital Infrastructure Practice

Lockton has launched a global Data Centers & Digital Infrastructure Practice to provide integrated risk advisory and insurance solutions for the infrastructure powering AI, cloud computing and digital connectivity. The practice, led by James Nelson in the U.S. and Sam Baker in the U.K., supports the full lifecycle of data center and related projects for owners, operators, developers, investors and technology providers.

Lower losses, growing risks: the natural disaster review for the first half of 2026 | Munich Re

Munich Re's review of natural disasters in the first half of 2026 shows global losses of nearly US$112 billion (of which US$44 billion were insured), slightly below the ten-year average, with the most destructive event being a double earthquake in Venezuela that caused billions in losses and thousands of fatalities. The period was also marked by record-breaking heatwaves in Europe and North America linked to climate change, while a looming Super El Niño raises concerns about heightened extreme weather risks in the second half of the year.

Origin Says About 900,000 Customers' Data Accessed in Breach

Origin Energy reported that about 900,000 current and former customers had their data accessed in a security breach first identified as a possible threat in early July. The energy retailer is working with cybersecurity specialists to contain the incident, joining a series of major Australian companies hit by cyberattacks in recent years.

People Moves

MNK Group - MNK International continues expansion with the appointment of William Wakeham to lead new International Energy division

MNK International has appointed William Wakeham as Managing Director of its new International Energy division to expand energy broking capabilities across renewable energy, conventional energy, battery storage, data centres and related infrastructure. Wakeham, who brings more than 30 years of industry experience focused on markets in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Eastern Europe, will lead the development of an engineering-led approach aimed at making projects more insurable and resilient.

W. R. Berkley Corporation Names Christopher L. Moede President of Berkley Risk

W. R. Berkley Corporation has appointed Christopher L. Moede as president of Berkley Risk, effective immediately. He succeeds John ("Jack") M. Goodwin, who has been named chairman of the business.

W. R. Berkley Corporation - W. R. Berkley Corporation Announces Senior Executive Appointments

W. R. Berkley Corporation has appointed Daniel R. Westcott as executive vice president and named Robert R. Coyne, Jr. as president of Berkley Re America, succeeding Westcott. In addition, Robert C. Hewitt has been named chairman of Berkley Re, with all appointments effective immediately.

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