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Each week we pick the construction insurance stories worth your time from other outlets. A few lines in our own words, why it matters, and a link to the full piece. Read theirs.
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Picked the week of November 9, 2026
Business Insurance · Gavin Souter ·
Zurich North American premiums rise 5% as construction business grows
Zurich said its U.S. construction premiums grew 17% in the first nine months of 2026, helped by infrastructure and technology projects. North American property and casualty gross written premiums rose 5% to $18.69 billion while North American rates held flat. Global commercial rates fell 1%, mostly on softer large-property pricing.
Why it mattersBig carriers are growing construction books on flat rates. That's room for brokers to push for the endorsements project requirements ask for, not just price.
Read the full story at Business Insurance ↗Insurance Journal · William Rabb ·
Florida Men Charged With Creating Sham Insurance Now Face Federal Indictment
A federal grand jury indicted two Destin, Florida men tied to The Wave Insurance and Hydrogen Deep, neither licensed to write property and casualty coverage in Florida. Prosecutors allege they collected more than $651,000 in premiums and issued falsified certificates of insurance. Both pleaded not guilty; trial is set for December 14.
Why it mattersThe carrier named on a certificate is worth checking against state insurance records. A COI can name a company that isn't allowed to write the coverage at all.
Read the full story at Insurance Journal ↗Business Insurance · Gavin Souter ·
Idaho high court revives injured worker's lawsuit against contractor
In Bauer v. Scott Myers and Sons Roofing, the Idaho Supreme Court revived a plumber's negligence suit against a roofer after a balcony railing the roofer allegedly reinstalled gave way. Whether one trade is shielded from suits by another trade's workers, the court said, turns on whether the GC controls the work, not on contract labels.
Why it mattersTrades on the same job can end up suing each other, which is exactly when real GL limits and correct additional insured endorsements get tested.
Read the full story at Business Insurance ↗Business Insurance · Louise Esola ·
Insurer prevails in coverage dispute over carpenter's death
An Illinois appellate court ruled that Mt. Hawley owes Stone Development no indemnity for a carpenter killed on his first day at a Waukegan hotel site, because the policy's employee injury exclusion applied. Stone had no workers' comp in force. The estate holds a $2.65 million agreed judgment; Mt. Hawley paid $250,000 toward it.
Why it mattersGeneral liability usually excludes the contractor's own employees. If the certificate shows GL but workers' comp isn't active, that injury may have almost nowhere to land.
Read the full story at Business Insurance ↗Insurance Journal ·
Seven Charged in $100 Million Workers' Comp Fraud in Florida
Florida authorities charged seven people in an alleged $100 million workers' comp scheme. Prosecutors say shell companies bought thin coverage by underreporting payroll, then rented their certificates of insurance to subcontractors for a fee while crews were paid in cash. Ten insurers are named as alleged victims, and more than $2.4 million was seized.
Why it mattersA genuine certificate can sit on top of a policy that was never meant to cover the crew on your site. The COI alone can't tell you whose workers are insured.
Read the full story at Insurance Journal ↗Summaries are COI Journal's own. We link to the original and don't republish it. We're not affiliated with these outlets, and we never take payment for a pick. Know a story we missed? Send it to us.