Many private companies, especially early-stage startups, are struggling to find funding, and often, those that do are experiencing “down rounds.” In a down round, a company typically sells larger stakes to new investors at the same cost or less than what earlier investors paid, driving down the company’s valuation and diluting shareholder values in the process. Down rounds pose multiple risks, from reduced capital support, to shrinking confidence among investors and employees, as well as greater exposure to Directors and Officers (D&O) liability.

When it comes to cyber and professional liability exposures, law firms can’t afford to assume that a professional liability policy is enough to cover all the bases. It’s important to utilize the right coverage needed to address different areas of risk. However, despite growing cyberattacks, many law firms still don’t carry cyber insurance or wrongly assume that their first line of defense against cyber and phishing losses is their Lawyers Professional Liability (LPL) policy.

Ransomware garnered many of the cybercrime headlines in 2021 and 2022. Insurance carriers honed in on its devastating impacts, inspiring many insureds to put proper controls in place to help fend off such attacks. Research indicates that ransomware attacks have declined significantly over the past 12 months compared to 2021, and fewer companies are now paying ransoms. A 2022 survey of 300 U.S.-based information technology (IT) decision-makers regarding the impact of ransomware attacks on their organizations found that 25% of companies were victims of ransomware attacks over the past 12 months, a 61% decline from the previous 12-month period (source 3).

The cannabis industry continues to grow rapidly. Just two years ago, the global market was valued at nearly $18 billion dollars. Expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of more than 25% over the next several years, the industry is expected to be worth a staggering $134.4 billion by 2030 (source 1). Although still federally illegal, the cannabis business is attracting entrepreneurs and investors across the U.S., fueled by state legalization measures, growing sales, and a need for tax revenue. While the cannabis industry seems to be shedding its taboo market status in some areas, many financial institutions, including insurance carriers, still remain hesitant to offer cannabis coverage, with the majority of professional, casualty, and property insurance business finding a home in the E&S marketplace (source 3). In 2023, the insurance market for cannabis organizations is continuing to evolve and present opportunities across all lines.

When utilized appropriately telemedicine can enhance interactions among providers to improve patient care, support provider-to-provider training, expand service capacity, and enable physicians to manage patients with multiple chronic conditions from a distance by remotely monitoring patient health and activities (source 7). Telemedicine is not new, but with the emergence of COVID in 2020 the utilization of telemedicine exploded. The trend lines indicate that the use cases will continue to expand as will the patient base that has grown accustomed to the delivery model.