Insurance Market Source | Summer 2026 by H.W. Kaufman Group

INSURANCE MARKET SOURCE | SUMMER 2026 INSIGHTS FOR BROKERS AND AGENTS

NEWS YOU CAN USE

MANUFACTURING & DISTRIBUTION

$25M ‘Tomato Fraud’ Lawsuit Tests Food Authenticity Claims California consumers recently filed a $25M class-action lawsuit against Cento Fine Foods alleging the company’s canned tomato products were falsely marketed as containing authentic San Marzano tomatoes. The lawsuit claims the tomatoes do not have the taste and other attributes of authentic San Marzano tomatoes. Cento Fine Foods says the allegations are meritless.

“The lawsuit could cause a huge loss of sales, even if the company is not found liable.” — Andrew Chen

Senior Broker, Commercial Insurance Burns & Wilcox, San Francisco, CA

PERSONAL LIABILITY

Teen E‑Bike Crash Leads to Charges Against Mother A California mother is facing felony charges after prosecutors said her teenage son struck and seriously injured an 81-year-old man while riding a highpowered electric motorbike. As e-bikes become more common on public roads and in neighborhoods, insurance professionals say families may not fully understand the potential liability exposures — and how they can change depending on how the vehicle is classified. “If you injure somebody and they are severely hurt, you are likely going to get sued. That is just what is going to happen. You should always have a Personal Umbrella.” — Pamela Alphabet Associate Vice President, Regional Practice Group Leader Personal Insurance, Burns & Wilcox, Scottsdale, AZ

CONSTRUCTION INSURANCE WEBINAR

Terms & Conditions That Can Impact Coverage Seemingly minor changes in policy language can create significant coverage gaps for Construction risks.

In this on-demand webinar hosted by Denis Brady, President, Burns & Wilcox, Brokerage Division, San Francisco, CA, Burns & Wilcox, our experts discuss key terms, conditions, and exclusions that can influence underwriting decisions and claim outcomes, including action-over, subcontractor exclusions, hot work operations, subsidence exposures, residential limitations, and work height restrictions.

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EXPERT INSIGHTS "Action-over exposures are relatively common in the construction world, and when worker injury exclusions are buried in endorsements, they can create a nightmare scenario when a claim occurs. That is why it is critical to review every endorsement, compare coverage instead of focusing solely on price, and fully understand the contractual risk transfer provisions and additional insured requirements." — David Gross, Vice President, Managing Director, Broker, Casualty Burns & Wilcox, Brokerage Division, North Dallas, TX

"A hot work exclusion can apply to a wide range of operations, including metal erectors, fabricators, and welding contractors. The purpose of this exclusion is really to encourage strong risk controls. Review the form, make sure employees remain on site for the required period after work is completed, and maintain fire suppression equipment and other safeguards to help mitigate a loss." — Brittani Marrott, Manager, Commercial Insurance, Burns & Wilcox Salt Lake City, UT

"Subsidence is a subset of earth movement and is most relevant in construction because of the potential for soil compaction. What makes this exclusion particularly important is that the insured does not necessarily have to do anything to trigger it. If a claim is attributed to earth movement or subsidence, it can leave contractors in a really difficult position." — Alex Fifelski, Broker, Burns & Wilcox, Brokerage Division, Atlanta, GA

ACCESS MARKET OVERVIEW

HIGH-VALUE SOLUTIONS

Market Insights The High-Value Solutions market is stabilizing as carrier competition increases, reinsurance conditions improve, and E&S capacity expands. While underwriting discipline remains strong, carriers are showing greater flexibility for catastrophe-exposed and complex properties, particularly in wildfire-, wind-, and flood-prone areas. Demand for high-value properties also continues to expand as wealth migration drives growth beyond traditional markets and increases the need for specialized insurance solutions. As market conditions improve, brokers and agents have an opportunity to revisit prior coverage decisions — including higher deductibles and coverage limitations — while exploring E&S solutions aligned with current client needs.

ACCESS MARKET OVERVIEW

EXPERT INSIGHTS

"As the market continues to soften, now is the ideal time to revisit coverages that clients may have chosen to reduce or decline during the hard market to manage rising premiums. Have those conversations with your wholesalers about removing water damage limitations or increasing some of those special limits." — Kris Guasch, Associate Managing Director, Underwriter, Personal Insurance Burns & Wilcox, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

“While we are seeing areas of success throughout the country, the true E&S exposures remain. Whether it is wildfire concerns, elevated protection classes, water severity issues, or wood roofs, we are able to get creative with deductibles, forms, coverages, and carrier appetite to find solutions for our clients." — Sarah Chandonnet, Director, Private Client, Burns & Wilcox Detroit/Farmington Hills, MI

"We are not just underwriting the property, we are evaluating the owner and ownership structure. If a home is titled in the name of an LLC, trust, or corporation and that information is not accounted for, it can affect eligibility, delay policy issuance, or create gaps in coverage." — Albert Reed, Manager, Senior Underwriter, Personal Insurance Burns & Wilcox, San Francisco, CA

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

$19M Sea Lion Habitat at Center of Design and Construction Lawsuit A $19 million Denver Zoo sea lion habitat is at the center of a lawsuit alleging design and construction failures, ranging from improper pool water levels to cracking structures. The Denver Zoological Foundation recently filed a lawsuit over the habitat renovation, alleging that both the project’s design firm and contractor failed to perform their obligations.

“We are talking about a specialized habitat that will house sea lions. It is not only about structural engineering, but also animal safety and regulatory compliance. Failure to meet these standards can have a lot of ripple effects.” — Prince Owusu Sekyere

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Underwriter, Professional Liability, Burns & Wilcox, Toronto, ON

HEALTHCARE

Study: AI Generates ‘Severe’ Errors in 22% of Medical Cases A recent Stanford and Harvard study found medical AI systems generated severe clinical errors in a significant percentage of patient cases. Many healthcare professionals are using AI tools on the job, with one recent survey finding that almost half of nurses use generative AI at work. These reports point to an evolving risk landscape for healthcare professionals, who could face an increased risk of clinical errors linked to AI.

“Having hands-on physician oversight is extremely important, especially in the initial stages of implementation.” — Chris Valenzuela Broker, Professional Liability, Burns & Wilcox, Los Angeles, CA

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

‘Accidental Landlords’ on the Rise A growing number of homeowners are becoming what is being referred to as accidental landlords, or property owners who intended to sell their homes but instead rented them out after listings sat on the market too long. When a property becomes tenant-occupied, the owner will typically need to change their Homeowners Insurance policy. “Oftentimes the home is an individual’s biggest asset, and it only takes one bad thing to happen to wipe that all away.” — Morgan Nielsen

Underwriter, Personal Insurance Burns & Wilcox, Denver, Colorado

HABITATIONAL

Condo Collapse Prompts Evacuation, Inspections Residents fled a condominium building in suburban Chicago after a floor gave way without warning. Officials said they would review records and inspect at least 10 other residential buildings built 50 to 60 years ago with similar below-ground garages, as investigators work to determine whether the collapse was linked to maintenance or the structure’s age.

“Think about the potential losses that could happen with the building type you have. What are the risks, do you have the adequate coverages for that, and are there any exclusions for those loss types?” — Malcolm Jeffris

Broker, Commercial Insurance, Burns & Wilcox, Denver, CO

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