A bill that would postpone the health insurance tax for two years has been introduced by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and a bipartisan group of lawmakers. Shaheen said the health insurance tax will raise premiums by about $162 per person in the state's individual market and $441 for families in the small-group market.

A cyberattack on a bank or other financial firm could either directly or indirectly cause the next financial crisis, says Sid Yenamandra, CEO of cybersecurity firm Entreda. Firms must guard against cyberattacks with proper risk-mitigation strategies and also should carry insurance that covers them in the event of a cyberattack, he says.

Washington state Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz has offered a proposal for how the state can better manage wildfire risk over 10 years. The plan would include the addition of dozens of firefighters at the state Department of Natural Resources, which also would conduct more controlled burns and enhance its communications with residents who speak little English.

Panelists at a recent industry event said corporate culture is a key concern for underwriters of directors-and-officers insurance, with claims likely to expand beyond harassment to pay equity and gender equality. Cyberrisk, meanwhile, has become a board-level concern in light of high-profile data breaches and the resulting fines, the panelists said.

A storm has brought record low temperatures to parts of New England, where officials and forecasters are warning of potentially life-threatening wind chill. The storm is blamed for deaths from the Midwest to the Northeast, with fatalities resulting from a vehicle accident, a falling tree and a collapsed snow fort built by children.

A Minnesota state senator is proposing that voters decide on a state constitutional amendment in 2020 regarding whether marijuana should be legal for recreational use. Meanwhile, two other state lawmakers are crafting legislation that would allow recreational use, which would be subject to regulations developed by the state Department of Health.

A bill in the Montana state House sponsored by Rep. Dave Fern, D-Whitefish, would add a tax to fireworks sales in order to provide volunteer firefighters with workers' compensation coverage, while a bill in the state Senate by Sen. Fred Thomas, R-Stevensville, would require fire departments to carry workers' compensation insurance. "This is so important because volunteers, firemen, really put their livelihood on the line to take care of their neighbor," Thomas said.

While life insurance application activity among consumers aged 60 and older remains strong, activity for those 44 and younger has been falling sharply since October, according to MIB Group. For 2018, data showed overall life insurance application activity decreased 1.1% in 2018, following a 1.8% drop in 2017.

Paul Forlenza of Paychex discusses what financial advisory firms can do to find and keep talent in the millennial and Generation X demographic sectors. He notes that these groups have different priorities when it comes to benefits such as paid time off, 401(k) plans and flexible work arrangements.

The earliest adopters of 401(k) plans are nearing retirement, and many employers are offering an automatic drawdown option that will make regular payments in retirement. A report from Alight Solutions found 57% of plan sponsors offer auto drawdown of retirement accounts, up from 37% in 2013.