Skyline's Vanguard Newspaper, Insurance Pro Edition

INSURANCE AGENTS · Oklahoma City, OK · Monday, October 19, 2026

LUMBER & TRADE

Commerce Lowers Combined Duties on Most Canadian Softwood Lumber

The U.S. Department of Commerce on Oct. 14 finalized the seventh annual administrative review of antidumping and countervailing duties on softwood lumber from Canada, according to HBS Dealer, which relayed the findings from the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA). The combined antidumping and countervailing duty rate for most covered Canadian producers falls from 35.16% to 24.75%.

Producers that were not individually selected for review face separate rates of 10.64% for antidumping duties and 14.11% for countervailing duties. A separate 10% tariff under Section 232 remains in place. Including that tariff, the combined burden on most covered producers drops from 45.16% to 34.75%. Earlier preliminary findings had projected a rate of about 25%, so the final figure is slightly lower. Rates for individual producers may differ from the headline figure, and the new rates take effect once the determination is published in the Federal Register.

The NLBMDA said tariff uncertainty continues to complicate sourcing, product availability and project planning for lumber dealers. The association called for stable trade relations with Canada, arguing that predictable trade conditions support housing affordability.

Because the headline rate applies to most, but not all, covered producers, the rate for any specific supplier should be confirmed against the published Federal Register notice.

Property-Casualty Outlook

PROPERTY-CASUALTY OUTLOOK

Triple-I and Milliman Project 94.0 Industry Combined Ratio for 2026

The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and Milliman forecast a 94.0 net combined ratio for the U.S. property-casualty industry in 2026, according to Insurance Business US, which reported the findings on Oct. 15 from a members-only webinar. Homeowners recorded their best first half in more than a decade, with a direct incurred loss ratio of 49%, though the first half of 2025 included the Los Angeles wildfires.

Homeowners net written premium growth is forecast at 6.4% for 2026, the slowest pace since 2020. Triple-I said early Hurricane Isaias loss estimates are unlikely to change industry profitability materially, though hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.

Personal auto net written premium is forecast to fall 0.6%, with a 95.5 combined ratio, while Triple-I expects the Federal Reserve to tighten through 2027.

Wildfire Watch

WILDFIRE WATCH

Norte Fire Damages Homes in Orange County as Southern California Wildfires Burn

The Norte Fire started at about 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16, near San Clemente, according to Beinsure. It grew from about 10 acres to 250 acres within an hour and reached 570 acres by Friday evening, spreading into San Juan Capistrano. At least six homes were damaged or destroyed, several of them multimillion-dollar properties. About 16,000 residents and 6,000 homes were under evacuation orders. The Orange County Fire Authority reported 5% containment on the morning of Oct. 17, and two firefighters were treated for heat-related injuries. The cause is under investigation. California has secured a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fire Management Assistance Grant.

Elsewhere in the region, the Bryson Fire in Malibu had burned about 147 acres and was 39% contained, with no structures reported damaged. The Peak Fire in Azusa has been stopped. Red Flag Warnings were in effect through 8 p.m. Saturday for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Southern California Edison’s preemptive power shutoffs peaked above 100,000 customers, and more than 90,000 remained without power at the time of reporting.

The Insurance Agents Spotlight

AGENCY CONSOLIDATION

Keystone Agency Partners Buys Orange County Brokerage Infinity Assurance Group

Keystone Agency Partners has acquired Infinity Assurance Group (IAG), an independent insurance brokerage in Orange County, California, according to a Dealroom note published Oct. 18. The purchase price was not disclosed. The transaction took effect Aug. 3, 2026, and Dealroom described it as Keystone’s first California Platform Partner and its first West Coast expansion.

IAG serves clients in manufacturing, construction, transportation, logistics and hospitality. Founder and chairman John Kookootsedes and CEO Eric Doll will remain with the firm, and the team, client relationships and community presence are expected to continue. According to the reporting, IAG gains access to national carrier relationships, technology and producer development. Insurance Journal ranks Keystone 17th among the largest U.S. retail brokers and among the fastest-growing firms in the top 50.

Dan Girardi, Keystone’s chief strategy officer, also commented on the transaction. Dealroom characterized the deal as part of ongoing consolidation in the independent agency market.