Insured catastrophe losses worldwide were only about $20 billion in the first half of 2019, according to an Aon report. That's well below the 10-year average of first-half of the year catastrophe insured losses, $36 billion, and is the lowest level since 2006, according to Aon.

Flash floods in urban areas, such as those in New Orleans, New York and Washington, D.C., in the past three weeks, demonstrate the challenges cities face managing such events. The intensity of rainstorms is growing, according to the 2014 National Climate Assessments, and affected cities face decisions regarding what type of mitigation measures to pursue.

A state audit report says 33 California state offices are falling short in efforts to protect data because of insufficient oversight and security standards. A lack of information security measures is more likely at agencies that don't face mandatory reporting of compliance with state policies on data privacy and security, according to the report.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency after malware attacks on several school systems, and the state is trying to determine whether other government entities have been compromised. The state's Cyber Security Commission is overseeing the response.

Multiple states expanded workers' compensation and death benefits and made other changes to assist first responders during recent legislative sessions. Several legislative changes reflected a stronger correlation between firefighting and cancer.

State and local pensions have less than 73% of assets required to fund future public-worker pensions, according to the Boston College Center for Retirement Research. It might be misguided to estimate the shortfall is correctable if funds earn 7.4% annually, Spencer Jakab writes, and managers should take a more realistic view of growth required.

Studies of free community college programs in Tennessee and Oregon show that initially enrollment at state four-year colleges showed a decline but then evened out, or rose, in the second year of the program. Four-year schools in states with free community college programs are focusing on streamlining transfer systems to ensure a smooth transition for students pursuing a four-year degree.

Seven states have approved legislation to give greater oversight to student loan servicers as the Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau loosen their oversight. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and President Donald Trump say states have no authority over federal student loans, but recent court rulings have strengthened the states' claims to oversee student loan servicers.

On July 26, Greg Case, CEO, Aon plc announced the firm's second quarter results for 2019. For more information on metrics and highlights, visit the Aon Media Room.

According to Aon's 2018 DC and Financial Wellbeing Global Employee Survey, most workers tend to be confident about their finances and their ability to manage their money. But a deeper dive into the data reveals that this confidence may be misplaced. Lurking in many workers' finances is an often-overlooked factor that will hold back financial wellbeing: debt. Learn more.