Morning Briefing: Anthem denies planning to ditch Cigna deal

Anthem denies planning to ditch Cigna deal… Uber considering new Alberta insurance deal… Americans lack emergency funds says insurer’s study…

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Anthem denies planning to ditch Cigna deal
Anthem has refuted a report by the New York Post suggesting that it is in talks to end its planned $48 billion merger with Cigna.

The Post cited unnamed sources for the claims and reported that Anthem’s CFO John Gallina had talked to analysts about plans to buy certain assets from Aetna.

However, Anthem spokeswoman Jill Becher told Bloomberg that there were no talks regarding ending the deal or payment of a ‘breakup fee’. She said that the two companies were still talking with state regulators and the US Department of Justice to get approval for the deal.
 
Uber considering new Alberta insurance deal
Uber says it is reviewing the newly-approved ride-sharing insurance policy and other rules in Alberta to decide if it will resume operations in the province.

Alberta’s transportation minister Brian Mason announced Tuesday that an insurance policy for services like Uber will be available from this Friday but insisted that drivers must upgrade their drivers licence to class 1, 2 or 4.

CBC News reports that the insurance policy, arranged by Alberta’s superintendent of insurance together with Intact Insurance, would have to be purchased by Uber on behalf of its drivers. The policy includes $1 million statutory accident coverage and $2 million public liability.
 
Americans lack emergency funds says insurer’s study
A survey by Zurich has found that most Americans do not have sufficient savings to cope in the event of illness or becoming disabled.

The insurer discovered that 1 in 4 would run out of money within a month and that a third of respondents had lost income from an illness or disability that lasted more than 6 months.

“The survey results illustrate what we feared—most people have inadequate protection against the loss of income caused by illness, disability or the death of the primary wage earner,” said John Miskel, head of Corporate Life and Pensions for Zurich North America.

Many of those polled were unaware of income protection insurance
 

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