Insurance Journal’s Most Popular East Region Stories of 2015

As the year 2015 comes to a close, here’s a look at InsuranceJournal.com’s most popular East region news stories of the year. Among the 1,100 stories that were posted in the East region this year, the following were 50 most …

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Oklahoma Medical Examiner Links 5 Deaths to Weekend Storm

The Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office says the deaths of five people in recent days are likely linked to a powerful weekend winter storm. Spokesman Eddie Johnson said that the dead include two women found outdoors in the Oklahoma City area, …

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Connecticut Doctors Say ‘Concussion’ Film Could Mislead

In the last few years, Erik Lanese, athletic trainer at Holy Cross High School in Waterbury, Connecticut, has seen a dramatic increase in the number of diagnosed concussions. The key word is “diagnosed.” Lanese, like many others who deal with …

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Heffernan Insurance Brokers Promotes Maggard to VP in St. Louis

Heffernan Insurance Brokers has promoted Tiffany Maggard  to vice president. She is based in St. Louis, Mo. Maggard first joined Heffernan’s St. Louis team in 2008 as a sales associate. She perfected her knowledge of coverages like auto, property, professional liability, workers’ …

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4.3 Magnitude Quake Knocks Out Power in Central Oklahoma

A strong, 4.3-magnitude earthquake woke many people in the Oklahoma City area early on Dec. 29 and knocked out power to thousands of homes, the latest in a series of temblors that’s prompted state regulators to call for more restrictions …

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Vikings ‘Photo Bomb’ Sign Suit Against Wells Fargo now in Federal Court

The Minnesota Vikings’ “photo-bombing” lawsuit against Wells Fargo has been moved to federal court. Last week the team sued Wells Fargo in Hennepin County District Court, saying the bank is using illuminated rooftop signs on two buildings near the Vikings’ …

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Court: Ohio Consumer Laws Don’t Apply to Insurance Estimates

The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that laws protecting consumers from deceptive practices don’t apply to insurance company repair estimates. The court made that ruling on Dec. 29 in the case involving a Columbus insurer, voting 5-2 to overturn a …

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Delaware Extends Driving Privileges to Undocumented Immigrants

Dozens of people in Delaware have begun the process of obtaining a new state-issued card that will give driving privileges to those in the country illegally. The News Journal of Wilmington, Delaware, reports that applications became available on Sunday, six …

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With Year About to End Quakes Shake Southern California, Washington

A moderate earthquake shook an inland area of Southern California near San Bernardino on Tuesday night, giving a start to thousands across a heavily populated area with more than one person comparing it to a rumbling big rig. There were …

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‘Average’ Would Describe Wyoming Wildfire Season, Forester Says

Wyoming firefighters put out a typical number of wildfires in 2015 despite a surge in blazes nationwide. The Casper Star-Tribune reported that Wyoming state forester Bill Crapser says the state’s weather helped. According to Crapser, Wyoming’s spring was wetter than …

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Utah’s Texting While Driving Stops Rise Again in 2015

More people were pulled over for texting, emailing or checking Facebook on their cellphones behind the wheel on Utah’s highways in a six-month snapshot of 2015, marking a second year of growth in stops since the law was tightened, according …

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New Empire Group Launches Excess Liability Program for Real Estate Risks

New Empire Group has launched a new excess liability program for real estate as part of their Prime Umbrella Program Portfolio. The program offers low minimum premiums and will provide limits of coverage from $5 million to $25 million. Higher limits …

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Flood Threat Continues in Georgia as More Rain Moves into State

More rain moved into Georgia on Wednesday as forecasters warned that another 1 to 2 inches was expected to fall across much of the area by week’s end, adding to the deluge that already saturated the state in recent days, …

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Tarpey Insurance Group Acquires Wilson Insurance in Massachusetts

Tarpey Insurance Group Inc., a family-owned and operated independent agency based in Wakefield, Massachusetts, with four additional locations in the state, announced that it has acquired the assets of the Wilson Insurance Agency located in Melrose, Massachusetts. The terms of …

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GHP Taps Locke as Sales Executive in Colorado

Glatfelter Healthcare Practice has named Dudley Locke as sales executive. Locke will be based in Denver, Colo. And assume responsibility for GHP business west of the Mississippi River. This will allow John Lewis, the former Western region associate, to relocate …

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12 Insurance Talks to Hear Before the Ball Drops

As a property/casualty insurance professional, you had a lot on your plate in 2015. You didn’t get to watch, listen to or read everything you wanted. From the 2015 Wells Media archives, here are some talks you may have missed. …

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China Anti-Terrorism Law Raises Implementation Concerns: European Chamber

The vague wording of China’s new counter-terrorism law raises concerns about how telecommunications carriers and network service providers will be expected to implement the regulations in practice, the European Chamber of Commerce in China said on Tuesday. The law, approved …

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QBE Insurance Opens Kuala Lumpur Office to Boost Malaysia Business Prospects

QBE Insurance Malaysia has opened a new office in the heart of Kuala Lumper city, expanding the company’s branch network in the country to a total of 15 locations, across eight states. QBE Insurance Malaysia, which is part of the …

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ACE Offers Renewable Energy Environmental Protection Policy in U.K. & Ireland

ACE Group has launched ACE Renewable Energy Environmental Protection, a dedicated environmental policy for companies in the renewable energy industry in the U.K. and Ireland. ACE Renewable Energy Environmental Protection covers the spectrum of environmental risks faced by renewable energy …

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Coal Mine Deaths at Record Low of 11 in 2015

Amid layoffs and idled operations, the U.S. coal industry is close to setting a record low for on-the-job deaths in coal mines. In late December, there were 11 deaths in coal mines nationwide for the year, putting the industry on …

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Obamacare Enrollment Reaches 8.5 Million in 38 States Using Federal Exchange

More than 8.5 million people have signed up for individual health plans through Obamacare’s government-run shopping market this year or had their coverage renewed, U.S. officials said Wednesday. The report tallies enrollees for 2016 coverage through Dec. 26 in 38 …

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Fierce North Sea Storm Forces Oil Rig Evacuations; Worker Killed

A fierce storm in the North Sea forced oil firms to evacuate rigs and shut down production on Thursday, with drilling installations under threat from a drifting barge that strong winds had ripped from its anchor. BP said it was …

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How to Turn New Year’s Resolutions Into Habits

New Year’s resolutions are fun to make. They are also easy to break. Josh Klapow, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, says the key to setting resolutions that stick is to turn those resolutions into …

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Insurance Safety Group Cites 63 Vehicles as Top Safety Picks

Nearly 50 vehicles meet tougher criteria for 2016 to take home the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick+ (Plus) award, earning good ratings in all five IIHS crashworthiness evaluations and an advanced or higher rating for front crash …

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Tennessee Announces $2.8M in Restitution Paid to Policyholders in 2015

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Consumer Insurance Services Division announced that more than $2.8 million was repaid in 2015 as a result of the department’s restitution efforts on behalf of Tennessee consumers. “The Department is an advocate …

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Lawsuits Filed Against South Carolina Homeowner Who Killed Intruder

Two lawsuits have been filed by the mother of a man who was fatally shot by an Anderson, South Carolina, homeowner who said someone was trying to break into his house. The Anderson Independent-Mail reports Jo Pickens, mother of Leandus …

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Tennessee Issues Weekend Flood Warning for Mississippi River

Authorities issued a flood warning Dec. 29 for the Mississippi River in Memphis due to heavy rain in the central United States. Emergency preparedness officials in Shelby County, which includes Memphis, said Tuesday that the flood warning begins on Saturday. …

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Top 10 Southeast Stories of 2015

Ridesharing, drones and medical marijuana garnered a lot of attention from the insurance industry in 2015, and readers in the Southeast were no exception. Among the most popular stories in the Southeast included Florida’s attempts at regulating ridesharing, medical marijuana …

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Nationwide Private Client, Burns & Wilcox Donate $50K to Detroit Charities

Property/casualty insurance organizations Nationwide Private Client and Burns & Wilcox together have donated nearly $50,000 to Detroit-area charitable organizations. Living Arts and City Year Detroit each received a $24,684 Partners in Giving donation to help fund youth arts programs and …

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‘Couldn’t Stand the Weather’ Sums Up South Central News in 2015

If you scan the song/album list of the late, great Texas blues guitar powerhouse, Stevie Ray Vaughan, you’ll get an inkling of what the major stories from Insurance Journal’s South Central region in 2015 were about: the weather and its aftereffects. Titles from Stevie …

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Hoverboard Catches Fire at Houston-Area Mall

Smoke briefly filled part of a large Houston-area shopping mall after a hoverboard caught fire. Police in the northeast Houston suburb of Humble say security staff at the Deerbrook Mall used a fire extinguisher to put out the small blaze …

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Insured Loss Estimate from Dallas Tornadoes Pegged at $1.2B, So Far

Texas is dealing with approximately $1.2 billion in insured losses so far from nine confirmed tornadoes that struck the metro-Dallas area on Dec. 26 and killed 11 people, according to preliminary estimates from the Insurance Council of Texas. The group based …

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Judge OKs 2 Shareholder Class Actions Against Facebook Over IPO

A federal judge has certified two shareholder class actions accusing Facebook Inc. of hiding concerns about its growth forecasts prior to the social media company’s May 2012 initial public offering. U.S. District Judge Robert Sweet in Manhattan said retail and …

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NFP Acquires Vanorsdale Insurance Services in California

NFP Property & Casualty has acquired San Diego, Calif.-based Vanorsdale Insurance Services Inc. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The firm’s president, Doug Galloway, will assume the role of director of NFP and will report to Paul Saich, California …

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Massachusetts Officials Urge Drone Owners to Be Safe Over Holidays

State officials in Massachusetts are urging drone owners to fly responsibly this holiday season. The state Department of Transportation released suggested guidelines for operating the small, unmanned aircrafts this week. They say drones should not be flown over populated areas, …

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Mass. Consumer Comments Highlight Concerns Over Home Insurance Rates

The Massachusetts Division of Insurance recently published on its website written public comments that the Division has received in conjunction with its informational hearings on the state of the Massachusetts home insurance marketplace. The consumer comments illustrate how some Massachusetts …

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Norman-Spencer Agency Adds Organisciak, Promotes Norman

The Norman-Spencer Agency Inc., a national insurance provider and program administrator based in Dayton, Ohio, has added Jodie Organisciak as concrete senior underwriter and promoted Jason Norman to recreational marine senior underwriter. Organisciak has more than 10 years in the …

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Florida Lawmakers to Industry: We Want YOU to Join State Flood Insurance Market

“We think the time is right for you all to explore the [Florida] flood insurance market.” That was the message Florida Senator Jeff Brandes gave insurance industry attendees at the first ever Florida Flood Insurance Conference on Dec. 9 in …

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State of Emergency Declared in Missouri; National Guard Activated

In response to historic flooding in some areas of the state, Gov. Jay Nixon activated the Missouri National Guard to protect local communities and support emergency response personnel. The Guard’s responsibilities will include providing security in evacuated areas and directing …

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Aspen Bermuda Limited Applies for Reinsurer Status in North Dakota

The North Dakota Insurance Department announced that Aspen Bermuda Limited has applied for certified reinsurer status in North Dakota. All interested parties are invited to submit written comments in connection with this application to: Edward Moody, CFE, CPA Director of Insurance …

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State of Emergency Extended in Oklahoma

Gov. Mary Fallin is extending a state of emergency to all 77 Oklahoma counties after another winter storm brought ice to western and central parts of the state and heavy flooding in the east and northeast. Fallin issued an executive …

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Maine Police Stumped by Rise in Pedestrian Deaths in 2015

Maine law enforcement officials are perplexed by a troubling year-end statistic: 2015 has been the worst year for pedestrian deaths in nearly two decades. Numbers compiled by the Maine Department of Transportation and Maine Bureau of Public Safety indicate 18 …

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FEMA Continues to Examine Thousands of Sandy Claims Review Cases

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) still has thousands of Superstorm Sandy claims review cases that are waiting to be examined, latest figures show. FEMA said that as of Dec. 11, the agency has closed 2,694 Sandy flood insurance claims …

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Buildings Damaged by Storms in Louisiana; No Injuries Reported

A storm system damaged buildings and cut power across Louisiana on Sunday night and Monday morning, but no injuries were reported. Strong winds blew trees onto at least eight mobile homes in Blanchard, northwest of Shreveport. A business and several homes had …

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Officials: ‘Affluenza’ Teen, Mother Fled to Mexico, now Detained

A Texas sheriff said an arrest warrant will be issued for a Texas woman who was found with her son in Mexico, a teenager on probation after killing four people in a drunken-driving wreck and invoking an “affluenza” defense Tarrant …

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Robert C. Quirk of San Antonio-Based Quirk & Co. Passes

San Antonio, Texas-based wholesale insurance broker, Quirk & Company, announced the passing of its president and CEO for the past 41 years, Robert (Bob) C. Quirk. Born in 1946, Quirk graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1967 …

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Floods of Five Rivers Head from Midwest to U.S. Industrial South

Brace yourself, U.S. South. The Mississippi River is coming, and so are the Arkansas, the Red, the Ohio and the Missouri. The water on the Mississippi River is already so high that Missouri has closed interstate highways. Governor Jay Nixon …

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Tokio Marine Kiln Appoints Dreblow as Head of Corporate & Commercial Property

Tokio Marine Kiln (TMK), the provider of specialist and corporate insurance, has appointed Paul Dreblow as head of Corporate and Commercial Property in its London office. The newly created position will see Dreblow responsible for large commercial (LCP) and mid-market …

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ARCO Counter-Sues in Ongoing Legal Battle with Montana Residents

An oil company has counter-sued residents of the Montana communities of Opportunity and Crackerville who are seeking an environmental cleanup. The Montana Standard reported that the Atlantic Richfield Co. filed a lawsuit against 97 residents, claiming their long legal fight …

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CNA Hardy Appoints Rollins as Direct & Facultative Property Senior Underwriter

CNA Hardy, a specialist commercial insurance provider for clients within the Lloyd’s and company markets, has appointed Jason Rollins as direct & facultative property senior underwriter. Previously, Rollins was an operational underwriter at International Mining Industry Underwriters (IMIU), where he …

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Judge Orders PG&E to Face Most Charges in Deadly California Pipeline Blast

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. must face the most serious charges related to a 2010 explosion that killed eight people in a San Francisco suburb as the utility heads to a jury trial next year over claims it ignored the …

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Storm Frank Batters North Britain; Total Storm Losses Could Top $4.5 Billion

Torrential rain and gale force winds battered northern Britain on Wednesday, cutting power to thousands of homes and forcing some to evacuate flooded streets in the third major storm in a month. The Environment Agency said Britain had faced an …

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Insurance Fraud Hall of Shame Reveals 2015 Inductees

Blown up houses, staged wrecks and bogus spine surgeries were among the damage inflicted by nine convicted scammers newly selected to the Insurance Fraud Hall of Shame. They were enshrined by the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud. The Hall of Shame …

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Cargill to Sell Crop Insurance Business to Silveus

Cargill Inc. agreed to sell its crop insurance unit, the latest move by the giant U.S. agricultural commodity trader and producer to reshape its business amid low crop prices. The insurance operation will be sold to Silveus Insurance Group, Minneapolis-based …

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Ridesharing Dominates 2016 Western Region Headlines

Goodbye the news year 2015, and while there will be no shortage of headline-making topics to associate with the passing year, there was one subject that dominated Insurance Journal’s Western region news stories. Care to guess? No if fair if …

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Willis Completes Acquisition of France’s Gras Savoye

Willis Group Holdings plc, the global risk advisory, re/insurance broking, and human capital and benefits firm, announced the completion of its acquisition of Gras Savoye, the leading French insurance broker. On April 22, 2015, Willis Group announced it planned to acquire the remaining …

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Expect P/C Insurance Price Stagnation in 2016: Kroll

After a banner 2015 for the U.S. property/casualty insurance sector, pricing pressures will lead to stagnation or rate declines in 2016, Kroll Bond Rating Agency Inc. predicted. Pricing will either be flat or down over the next 12 to 18 …

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Top 10 Property/Casualty Insurance News Stories of 2015

The year 2015 was a year during which the property/casualty insurance industry worried and learned about disruptive forces, new competitors, new leaders and emerging risks. Also, some of the industry’s news revived long-running stories. It was a year when P/C …

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Judge Orders Online Poker Company to Pay Kentucky $870M

A Kentucky state judge ordered an online poker company to pay Kentucky $870 million and sternly rebuked the company for making “a calculation that breaking the law was good for business.” Casino-style gambling is illegal in Kentucky. Yet between 2006 …

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Alabama Storm Damage Reports Roll In as More Rough Weather Hits State

  Birmingham, Ala., city officials say more than 70 structures sustained some type of damage after a Christmas Day tornado touched down in the city. Birmingham spokesman April Odom said a preliminary assessment found that the storm damaged 72 structures …

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Mississippi Highway Patrol Reports 250 Accidents Over Christmas Holiday

The Mississippi Highway Patrol says five people died on state and federal highways during the Christmas holiday period from Wednesday through Sunday. In Lee County, 19-year-old Boonville resident Chaniqua Pierce died Dec. 24 on Mississippi when her car hit a …

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Dog Bites, Golf, and Sperm Banks: The Top Southeast Lawsuit Stories of 2015

It was another year of lawsuits and settlements for the insurance industry to pay and learn from. In 2015, some of the top headline makers in the Southeast included a huge uninsured motorist payout for GEICO, a $36 million dog …

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NFP Acquires Absolute Advantage in Arizona

NFP Property & Casualty has acquired Lake Havasu City, Ariz.-based Absolute Advantage Insurance Services LLC. The deal transaction closed on Dec. 4. Absolute will operate from the existing NFP office in Lake Havasu City, and Brian Castle will assume the …

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California Earthquake Authority’s 2016 Changes Aim to Increase Policy Count

It’s about the closest thing to DIY earthquake insurance as one can get, though there’s definitely no indication that the newest consumer-friendly features being rolled out by the California Earthquake Authority will enable people to do without their agents. CEA …

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ACE Appoints Two Senior Leaders in European Management Team

ACE Group announced two appointments within its European management team, with immediate effect. Drazen Jaksic, currently executive vice president for Combined Insurance in Europe and Asia Pacific, has been appointed to the role of senior vice president, Accident and Health …

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Bribery Probe Into N.J. Lab Nets $12M, More Than 2 Dozen Doctors

An ongoing federal investigation of a New Jersey medical laboratory has netted guilty pleas from more than two dozen doctors, the latest from a physician who admitted taking cash bribes from lab employees. Bret Ostrager, 50, a Woodbury, New York, …

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Southeast Continues to Get Hammered by Strong Storms, Tornadoes

Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Mobile, Ala., say a tornado was reported in Molino in northwest Florida on Monday. The line of strong thunderstorms also moved into storm-battered Alabama on Monday, bringing the threat of tornadoes, stiff winds …

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Conn. State Police Responded to 460 Accidents Over Christmas Weekend

Connecticut State Police responded to more than 460 accidents and busted 40 people for driving under the influence over the Christmas holiday weekend. Troopers say the number of accidents from Wednesday morning through Sunday night was up significantly from the …

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Top 20 P/C Insurance Lists of 2015

During the course of 2015, Insurance Journal published numerous property/casualty insurance lists and rankings. The following were the most popular. Top P/C Insurance Lists and Rankings of of 2015 Top 100 Independent Agencies How States Rate on Insurance Regulation Top …

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Forecasters Warn of Big Snowfall in Southeast South Dakota

A major winter storm impacting the central U.S. is not expected to cause major problems in the Dakotas, but it’s likely to add to what already has been a busy year for snow removal in South Dakota’s largest city. Sioux …

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Oklahoma Restaurant Faces Suit over Wage, Child Labor Violations

The U.S. Labor Department has accused a Wichita Mountains roadside restaurant of violating wage and child labor laws. A U.S. District Court complaint filed in Oklahoma City says Meers Store & Restaurant owes more than $181,000 to workers for unpaid …

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Lighthouse Insurance Agency Joins St. Louis-Based Insurance Alliance

Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a network of nearly 100 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Southern Illinois, recently added Lighthouse Insurance Agency as its newest alliance member. Founded in 1987 by owner Steve Lacine, Lighthouse Insurance Agency specializes in …

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Texas’ ‘King of Torts,’ Joe Jamail, Dies at 90

Joe Jamail, the Texas billionaire who became the richest practicing attorney in the U.S. after winning jury verdicts in civil lawsuits that included a $10.5 billion award for Pennzoil Co. in its landmark case against Texaco Inc. during the 1980s, …

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Retired State Auto Chairman, President and CEO, Robert H. Moone, Passes

State Auto Financial Corp. announced its former Chairman, President and CEO Robert H. (Bob) Moone died on Friday, Dec. 25, 2015. He was 72 years old. “I was blessed to have gotten to know Bob in recent months,” said State Auto …

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Wisconsin Bill Would Allow Children to Drive More Powerful ATVs

Wisconsin Republicans are pushing a bill that would allow children under 12 to drive more powerful all-terrain vehicles on state trails. Right now, children under 12 can drive an ATV or a utility terrain vehicle on private property under adult …

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Texas Tornadoes, Midwest Flooding Leave at Least 24 Dead

At least 11 people died and dozens were injured in strong tornadoes that swept through the Dallas area and caused substantial damage this weekend, while 13 people died in flooding in the Midwest. It was the latest of a succession …

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AIR Worldwide: At Least 9 Tornadoes in North Texas; Extent of Damage Unknown

Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide reported that the huge storm system that impacted the United States from New Mexico to Michigan and Georgia over the Christmas holiday weekend delivered at least nine tornadoes in North Texas. In addition to tornadoes, …

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Oswego Valley Insurance Agencies Acquires Banach Insurance in N.Y.

Oswego Valley Insurance Agencies LLC (OVIA), an independent agency based in Oswego, New York, with five additional offices in the Central New York region, announced that it has acquired Banach Insurance Agency in Pulaski, New York, effective Jan. 1, 2016. …

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Hub New England Hires Minichiello as Employee Benefits President

Hub International New England LLC, a division of Hub International Limited, has hired Mim Minichiello as president of the New England Employee Benefits Practice. Minichiello will focus on providing leadership and implementing employee benefit initiatives across the New England region, …

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Oregon Woman Stuck by Car Files Suit over Designer Clothes

A Portland, Ore. woman struck by a drunken driver in a crosswalk has filed a lawsuit seeking $4,600 for the designer clothes she was wearing at the time, on top of the cost of her medical bills. The Oregonian reported …

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California Wildfire Contained, Now Comes Worries About Landslides

As firefighters mopped up the remains of a wildfire on the Southern California coast, authorities turned their focus to a new concern: a landslide if rain pounds the charred hills. In a heavy rain, the denuded soil could threaten nearby …

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Wall Street May Create UK-Like Registry of Misbehaving Bankers, Traders

Bankers’ misdeeds would be cataloged, by name, on a private registry for hiring managers under a proposal that’s gaining traction as Wall Street firms struggle to restore reputations damaged by the financial crisis and the Libor and foreign-exchange scandals. When …

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Expert: How Payroll Misclassification Impacts California Workers’ Comp

Premium misclassification or payroll misclassification is a significant issue for the workers’ compensation industry, according to Bret Shroyer, a solutions architect for Denver, Colo.-based Valen Analytics. Shroyer estimates that roughly $22 billion of payroll is misclassified each year, and the …

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Heffernan Executive Named Chair of California Trucking Association Chapter

Owen Oakley, vice president at Heffernan Insurance Brokers, has been named chairman for the San Francisco chapter of the California Trucking Association. Owen previously served as a Steering & Planning Committee representative for the association. His new duties include overseeing membership growth …

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Dollar General Claim Challenges Tribal Sovereignty Before Supreme Court

The idea that American Indian tribes are sovereign has a checkered history, in which it’s been both a sword for taking away Indians’ land and a shield for protecting some vestige of self-determination. Tribal sovereignty was before the U.S. Supreme …

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Big ‘I’ Names Hanley as Director of Agency E&O Program

The Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (Big “I”) has named James Hanley as the new director of its agency errors and omissions insurance program. Hanley will lead the insurance and risk management program that is offered to member …

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Ironshore Names DeSantis of Farmers as CEO of Wright & Co.

Ironshore has named Anthony J. DeSantis as chief  executive officer of Wright & Co, a wholly -owned program administrator subsidiary. He will be responsible for leading Wright & Co.’s existing direct to consumer platform, as well as building upon the …

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IRS Extends Employers’ Reporting Deadlines Under Obamacare

The U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue Service said they are extending some Affordable Care Act reporting deadlines to help companies meet the requirements. Employers will have two more months past Feb. 1 to give individuals forms for reporting on offers …

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U.K. Insurers Could Face Storms Claims Totaling $2.2 Billion: KPMG

U.K. insurers may face claims totaling as much as 1.5 billion pounds ($2.2 billion) from businesses and homeowners for damage caused by two storms this month, according to consultant KPMG LLP. Heavy rain and flooding is estimated to have caused …

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Tokio Marine Kiln Hires Brand & Lynchehaun as Liability Underwriters in London

Tokio Marine Kiln (TMK), the provider of specialist and corporate insurance, has appointed Andrew Brand and Dervla Lynchehaun as liability underwriters in its London office. With more than a decade of experience, Brand joins TMK from QBE Insurance where he …

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Willis to Join S&P’s 500 Index on Jan. 4

Willis Group Holdings Plc, the insurance broker that’s planning a merger with consulting firm Towers Watson & Co., will join the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and replace Fossil Group Inc. The change will occur after the close of trading on Jan. …

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Australia Wildfire Insurance Losses Double to A$53 Million ($38 Million)

Losses from wildfires that destroyed more than 100 homes along a popular tourist stretch in southeastern Australia more than doubled in two days to A$53 million ($38 million) and are expected to climb further, the Insurance Council of Australia said. Bushfires that …

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Apple Seeks $180M More in Patent Damages from Samsung

Just over a week after Samsung paid Apple more than $548 million for infringing the patents and designs of the iPhone, Apple asked a U.S. court to force its biggest smartphone rival to cough up even more. In court papers …

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Harpers Ferry Rebuild Underway in West Virginia Despite Expense

It’s been nearly five months since a fire broke out in Harpers Ferry that devastated its historic commercial district and caused millions of dollars in damages. Residents and nearby fire departments swarmed the town’s streets in the early hours of …

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OxyContin Makers to Settle Lawsuit with Kentucky for $24 Million

The maker of OxyContin will pay Kentucky $24 million over the next eight years as part of the settlement of a long-running lawsuit that accused the company of misleading the public about the addictiveness of the powerful prescription drug. The …

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Tennessee Adds 100th Captive Insurance Company

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) announced the licensing of Tennessee’s 100th captive insurance company on Dec. 22. In 2011, Gov. Bill Haslam signed the revised State of Tennessee’s Captive Statute which made the state’s existing captive insurance …

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Cab Drivers Fight Back as Uber Looks to Expand to Upstate New York

New York State lawmakers returning to Albany for the usual debates over taxes and spending will also take on an issue even more basic to many New Yorkers — the options for getting home from the train station, the airport …

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Newtown Victims’ Families to Split $1.5M From Homeowner’s Insurance

The families of more than a dozen victims of the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, will split $1.5 million under recently finalized settlements of lawsuits against the gunman’s mother’s estate. A lawyer for several victims’ families says the settlements …

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Christmastime Storm Ravages Southeast States

The death toll in the Southeast climbed to 18 on Saturday after days of tumultuous weather – unusual warmth, tornadoes and torrential downpours – wreaked havoc during the Christmas holiday. Two deaths attributable to weather were reported Saturday in Mississippi: …

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Mass. Workers’ Compensation Rating & Inspection Bureau Proposes Rate Hike

The Workers’ Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts (WCRIBMA) has submitted a rate filing to the Division of Insurance on behalf of its members. The Dec. 23 filing recommends a 6.4 percent increase in average rates for industrial classes …

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Pair of Quakes Rattle Central Portions of Oklahoma

Two earthquakes have rattled portions of Oklahoma that are becoming accustomed to experiencing many of the temblors. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a 3.4 magnitude quake near Medford Sunday. Shortly before that, the survey recorded a 2.5 magnitude quake near the …

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Tornado Touched Down in Western Ohio: Weather Service

The National Weather Service has that confirmed a rare December tornado touched down in western Ohio. The weather service says the tornado had an estimated maximum wind speed of 65 mph and did not cause any injuries. The Dayton Daily …

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Minnesota Vikings Sue Wells Fargo over Rooftop Signs

The Minnesota Vikings say Wells Fargo is using illuminated rooftop signs on two buildings near the team’s new stadium in an effort to “photo bomb” the facility, which is named for a Wells Fargo competitor. The Vikings sued Wells Fargo …

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President Signs Disaster Declaration Following Idaho Windstorm

President Barack Obama signed a disaster declaration for Idaho due to a powerful windstorm in the northern part of the state in November and ordered federal aid. The money can be used by state, tribal, local governments and some private …

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Texas Storms That Spawned Tornadoes Kill at Least 11

Tornadoes that swept through the Dallas, Texas area caused substantial damage and at least 11 people died either from the storm or related traffic accidents and dozens of people were injured. It’s the latest of a succession of freakish winter-weather …

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Widow of Oregon Man Killed In SUV-Train Crash Files Suit Against Union Pacific

The wife of one of two people killed when a freight train struck an SUV at a rural crossing in Oregon seeks $2.7 million in a wrongful death lawsuit against Union Pacific and several workers. The suit alleges there were …

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Parts of New Mexico Crippled by Epic Snowstorm

New Mexico had to deal with the fallout of a record-breaking snowstorm that crippled parts of the state, leaving a trail of traffic accidents and shutdowns. In Albuquerque, police say officers responded to 178 weather-related accidents by 9:30 p.m. just …

from News – Insurance Journal

California T Ferraris Recalled Over Possible Fuel Leaks

Ferrari North America Inc. recalled the 2016 California T convertibles it made over a two-month period this year because of the risk of fuel leaks. The California Ts produced between Sept. 8 and Nov. 11 may have a low-pressure fuel …

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Judge Slows Outcome of California Uber Drivers’ Suit

Uber Technologies Inc. won a ruling that may put off the outcome of a bid by California drivers to be treated as employees in a lawsuit that has grown dramatically in both size and potential liability. U.S. District Judge Edward …

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NSM Insurance Group Hires McClellan as Producer in Pennsylvania

NSM Insurance Group, a program administrator based in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, has hired Kyle McClellan as a producer on the NSM Retail sales team. Most recently, McClellan worked at Creative Financial Group as a wealth management and business planning advisor for …

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AXA to Buy Liberty Ubezpieczenia, Polish P&C Operations of Liberty Mutual

AXA announced it will acquire Liberty Ubezpieczenia, the Polish property & casualty operations of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group for 92.3 million Polish Zloty ($23 million), plus the net asset value outstanding as of the date of closing. Liberty Ubezpieczenia is …

from News – Insurance Journal

Who’s In, Who’s Out? 2015 Was Year of Replacing P/C Insurance CEOs

During 2015, a surprising number of top executives of property/casualty insurance carriers stepped down, opening the door for new leaders at the helm of some of the industry’s best-known brands. The replacements and successions happened for a variety of personal …

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Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires Australia’s Strathearn Insurance Brokers

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired 100 percent of the capital stock of Strathearn Insurance Group Pty Ltd., headquartered in Perth, Australia. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1993, Strathearn provides commercial insurance and risk management …

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ACE Appoints Future Leadership Team for P&C Business in Asia Pacific

ACE Group announced the future commercial property & casualty leadership team for the new Chubb Group in Asia Pacific. These appointments will take effect upon completion of the acquisition of Chubb, which is expected in the first quarter of 2016. …

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ICA Declares Christmas Day Bushfires in State of Victoria a Catastrophe

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has declared a Catastrophe for areas of Victoria’s Great Ocean Road region affected by Christmas Day bushfires. ICA CEO Rob Whelan said the declaration enabled the insurance industry to escalate its response to assist …

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ABI Confirms Insurers’ UK Flood Coverage Efforts; Losses May Top $1.6 Billion

Mark Shepherd, General Insurance Policy Manager at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said: “Insurers will be doing everything possible to help customers hit by the latest floods. “They will be operating 24 hour emergency helplines to give customers immediate …

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Floods Force Mass Evacuations in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil

Widespread floods have forced nearly 140,000 people from their homes in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil following days of torrential rains that drenched a region where the countries border each other. Paraguay is the hardest hit with at least 100,000 …

from News – Insurance Journal

Florida Seeks Information on String of Jacksonville Arsons

The Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office is looking for information about a string of arsons that occurred early the morning of December 8th, 2015, in Jacksonville, Fla. Around 3:00 a.m., a porch surveillance camera captured an image of the suspect, …

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South Carolina Lawmaker Plans to Seek Additional Aid for Farmers

The state House’s budget leader says he wants to reassure South Carolina farmers devastated by October’s flooding disaster that the Legislature will help them out. Lawmakers must help farmers survive direct crop losses estimated at $376 million, said Ways and …

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Alabama Couple Sues Hoverboard Makers Over House Fire

An Alabama couple has filed suit blaming a popular Christmas toy for a fire that badly damaged their home near Huntsville. The lawsuit filed Dec. 22 by Judge and George Gregory claims battery-powered hoverboards caught fire on Nov. 23, causing …

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Telemedicine Gaining Acceptance Among Patients, Insurers

Telemedicine services, which allow doctors to treat patients via video, are gaining acceptance among consumers and insurance companies as it becomes clearer when a virtual visit is appropriate, industry executives say. Telemedicine has been more widely offered over the last …

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Latest Death by Takata Air Bag Linked to Recall System Flaw

From 2010 to 2012, Honda Motor Co. said it made multiple attempts to notify the owner of a 2001 Accord that the car’s air bag was faulty and needed replacing. Last July, with the car sold to another person and …

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Chinese Insurance Investment Rule Changes Send Stocks Lower

China’s stock market posted its biggest one-day fall in two weeks on Thursday, as investor interest in blue chips suddenly cooled after regulators tightened rules for insurers investing in listed firms. The blue-chip CSI300 index fell 1.0 percent, to 3,829.40, …

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Steamship Services Publishes Revised War and Piracy Area Warnings

Following a review by Steamship Services Joint War Committee, the War Breach areas have been revised and amended. War and Piracy warnings have been amended for the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and the Southern …

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Former Southern California Insurance Broker Found Guilty of Stealing Premiums

Mia Chang, 51, former insurance broker and owner of Lotte Insurance Services in Southern California, was sentenced for felony insurance fraud and grand theft. Moments after her arrest Chang returned $19,218 in stolen premiums with interest to the owner of …

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Maine Group Urges Law for Drivers Under Marijuana Influence

A Maine working group has recommended that lawmakers pass legislation setting a blood-level limit for drivers under the influence of marijuana. The group, which includes state troopers and marijuana legalization advocates, recommended that marijuana should be regulated but disagreed on …

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Pennsylvania’s Donegal Buys Out Activist Investor’s Shares for $70M

Gregory M. Shepard, an activist investor who’s been a major stockholder of Pennsylvania-based Donegal Group and a frequent critic of the company, has sold his shares to the company Tuesday, according to securities filings. Shepard’s stake consisted of 3.675 million …

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Zurich North America Forms Captive Insurance Company in Vermont

Zurich North America has selected Vermont as the domicile for a new sponsored cell captive company, according to the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation. The captive, Hoplite Reinsurance Company of Vermont, is Vermont’s 1,052nd license. “We are delighted that Zurich …

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Koos Joins Hylant in Michigan as President

Hylant has named Linda Koos president of its Ann Arbor, Mich. office. She will be responsible for the overall vision, direction, growth and success of the Ann Arbor office. Koos has more than 25 years of insurance industry experience. Prior …

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ACE Announces Future Field Leadership Team for Boston Region

ACE Limited announced the leadership team it intends to appoint for the Boston region of the company’s North America field organization. The appointments will take effect upon completion of the acquisition of Chubb, which is expected in the first quarter …

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Pedestrian Deaths in Minnesota Rising Again

The number of pedestrians struck and killed is on the rise in Minnesota a year after it had dropped, and officials say distracted walking appears to be a big factor. As of mid-December, the number of pedestrian deaths this year …

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Texas Man Who Drove Car into Gulf Sentenced For Insurance Fraud

An exotic car salvage yard owner in Lufkin, Texas has been sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to insurance fraud. The Houston Chronicle reported that in November 2009, Andy House drove his sports …

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More than $1B in Fed Disaster Funds for Texas Unspent Since Dolly, Ike

More than a third of the $3 billion in federal disaster recovery funds available for Texas after 2008 hurricanes Ike and Dolly remains unspent, as legislators prepare for hearings on how to speed up the process. Several state reports and …

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Wisconsin Asbestos Lawsuit Reinstated by Appeals Court

A Wisconsin appeals court has reinstated a woman’s lawsuit alleging asbestos at a number of Milwaukee businesses killed her husband. Sandra Brezonick filed a lawsuit in 2012 against a number of companies alleging her husband, John Brezonick, suffered from asbestos …

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Montana County Reaches $650K Settlement in Asbestos Exposure Case

Yellowstone County, Mont. has agreed to pay $650,000 to settle a case brought by a former courthouse janitor who eventually died of mesothelioma. The Billings Gazette reported the county reached the settlement in November with the estate of Lauren DuPuis, …

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Owners of Hotel Cleaning Firm in California Charged with $7M Workers’ Comp Fraud

The owners of a janitorial company serving luxury hotels in Southern California and Nevada are charged with running a $7 million workers’ compensation insurance and tax evasion scam, prosecutors announced Monday. Hyok “Steven” Kwon and Woo “Stephanie” Kwon were arrested …

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Heffernan Names Mason Assistant Vice President in California

Heffernan Insurance Brokers has named Christopher Mason as assistant vice president of employee benefits in its San Francisco, Calif. office. Mason previously has worked with employee benefit brokers and human resource managers. He has experience in group insurance products in …

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Obamacare Sign-Ups Reach 8.3 Million in 2015

About 8.3 million people have signed up for health coverage through Obamacare’s U.S.-run shopping markets this year, the U.S. said Tuesday, surpassing last year’s total and signaling good news for hospital and health insurance companies. At about the same point …

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City of Hope Research, Treatments Boosted by Insurance Industry Pocketbooks

When many people in the insurance industry think of the City of Hope, they probably associate it with the well-publicized National Insurance Industry Council’s Spirit of Life Award gala each year that has raised millions and brought together industry professionals …

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IICF Unites P/C Industry for Record Year of Giving

Charity begins at home… and in the office. The year 2015 was a record-setting one for charitable giving and volunteering by property/casualty insurance professionals in offices across the  insurance industry. Leading the charitable activities for the industry is the Insurance …

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Largest U.S. Electric Company On Alert for Cyberattacks

The country’s largest electricity company is on alert for cyberattacks that aim to hamper the critical flow of power and is listening to U.S. intelligence agencies about potential threats, the Duke Energy Corp. executive heading electronic protection efforts said. Duke …

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Warm 2016 May Help Put Climate Change on The Map – Even Higher That Is

If you think you heard a lot about climate change in 2015, wait till next year – or next week depending on how you want to look at it. Next year may be on track to the be warmest year …

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Greece’s Eurobank to Sell 80% Stake in Insurance Unit to Fairfax for $345 Million

Greece’s third-largest lender Eurobank agreed to sell an 80 percent stake in its Eurolife ERB insurance subsidiary to Canada’s Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd for €316 million ($345 million) on Tuesday, deepening ties between the two firms. Toronto-based investment holding firm …

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Lac Megantic Train Crash Victims’ Fund to Begin Payments without CP Rail

A C$460 million (US$330.46 million) settlement fund for victims of the 2013 Lac-Megantic crude-by-rail disaster will begin disbursements this week without the participation of Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd [CP], the monitor involved in the payments said on Tuesday. Forty-seven people …

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Peru Insurance Regulator Approves AIR Worldwide’s Earthquake Model

Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, a division of Verisk Analytics, announced that its earthquake model for Peru has been officially approved by Peruvian insurance regulator Superintendencia de Banca y Seguros (SBS) to offer catastrophe modeling services to local insurance companies …

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Polish Insurer PZU Shares Rise after Tax Proposal Watered Down

Shares in Polish insurer PZU SA jumped most in three months as lawmakers watered down the size of a planned tax on Polish insurance companies. Shares of the country’s largest insurer rose as much as 3.4 percent, the most since …

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CoreLogic Buys Mississippi-Based Appraisal Software Maker for $475 million

Real estate information provider CoreLogic is buying Oxford, Miss.-based FNC Inc. for $475 million. CoreLogic, based in Irvine, Calif., announced the purchase Dec. 17, saying it wants to integrate FNC’s real estate appraisal software into its products. “We expect property …

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Strait Joins Amerisure as VP, Strategic Project Management and Process Design

Cheryl Strait has joined Farmington Hills, Mich.-based  as vice president of Strategic Project Management and Process Design. Strait is responsible for leading the delivery of business process management, enterprise project and portfolio management, and metric and measurement services. She will …

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Westfield Insurance Foundation Awards $695K to 40 Nonprofits

During the fourth quarter, Westfield Insurance Foundation, independent private foundation endowed by Westfield Center, Ohio-based Westfield Insurance, awarded $695,000 to 40 nonprofits for their efforts related to disaster relief, family stability and safety. The donations brought the Foundation’s total giving …

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Texas Repeals Retrospective Workers’ Comp Rating Plan Manual

The Texas Department of Insurance has issued an order to repeal the rules, factors, values, endorsements, and forms in the Texas Retrospective Rating Plan Manual (Texas Retro Plan) for new and renewal workers’ compensation policies written on a retrospectively rated basis …

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Distillery Drops Trademark Suit Against University of Kentucky

Kentucky Mist Moonshine has dropped a federal lawsuit against the University of Kentucky over trademarks. James Francis, a lawyer for the eastern Kentucky distillery, tells the Lexington Herald-Leader the two sides are trying to work out an agreement. Kentucky Mist …

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North Carolina Governor Signs Executive Order on Worker Misclassification

The North carolina General Assembly failed to negotiate this year final legislation addressing companies intentionally mislabeling workers to avoid paying taxes and other benefits. So North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has taken a step himself. McCrory announced Dec. 18 he …

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New Program Administrator Method Insurance Services to Offer Coverage in 10 States

Newly formed Method Insurance Services, a program administrator offering property and casualty insurance, has begun operations in Omaha, Neb. The company plans to offer workers comp and other P&C insurance products to independent agents in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, …

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Forecasters Warn of Severe Storms, Possible Tornadoes in Alabama

Forecasters say severe storms – including the threat of tornadoes – will be possible on Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday evening across Alabama. The National Weather Service in Birmingham says an area that includes metro Birmingham and several other cities will …

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Southern Mutual Insurance Co. Elects New Officers, Taps DeLamater as President

Dan DeLamater was elected president of Southern Mutual Insurance Co. effective Jan. 1, 2016 at the company’s recent Board of Directors meeting. The Board of Directors also elected Kim McClain as vice president and secretary, Mitch Parham as assistant vice …

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Pennsylvania Officials Offer Tips on Home Holiday Safety

The holiday season is a festive time, which often means homes are decorated and family and friends visit. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is offering some tips on how to keep this season happy by avoiding potentially dangerous and costly …

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Ratings of Pennsylvania-Based ARI Mutual Downgraded

A.M. Best has downgraded the financial strength rating to B (Fair) from B+ (Good) and the issuer credit rating to “bb” from “bbb-” of ARI Mutual Insurance Company based in Newtown, Pennsylvania. A.M. Best also has maintained the under review …

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South Carolina City Had Wettest Year on Record in 2015

It’s been a good year for ducks in Charleston as the National Weather Service reports that 2015 has been the wettest year on record. The Weather Service says that the record was set about 1:30 a.m. on Friday when the …

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Study: Florida’s Crackdown on ‘Pill Mills’ Linked to Fewer Painkiller Overdose Deaths

A crackdown on Florida’s “pill mills” – clinics dispensing large quantities of prescription painkillers often for cash-only and without proper medical examinations – appears to have dramatically reduced the number of overdose deaths in the state from these drugs and …

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Why Specialist Brokers Need to Become Content Marketers: Commentary

If you’re only an occasional consumer of marketing advice, you might think it’s crucial to learn everything there is to know about analytics and Big Data to effectively promote yourself and your brokerage. Between reading about programmatic ads and marketing …

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Alliant Adds Behnke to South Florida Practice

Alliant Insurance Services, a nationwide specialty insurance brokerage firm, has announced that Jason Behnke has joined its Alliant Americas division as vice president. The Miami Beach-based Behnke will work closely with midsized businesses throughout the region to deliver comprehensive programs …

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Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Georgia-Based Managed Healthcare Solutions

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Managed Healthcare Solutions, Inc. in Atlanta. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Established in 2000, Managed HealthCare Solutions (MHS) provides employee benefit consultation, management and brokerage services for clients throughout the southern United States. …

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Brethren Mutual Hires Foltz as Personal Lines Underwriting Manager in Maryland

The Brethren Mutual Insurance Company in Hagerstown, Maryland, has hired Kimberly Foltz as Personal Lines underwriting manager. Foltz brings 26 years of insurance experience in property/casualty marketing and sales with Travelers Insurance Company, Agency Insurance Company, Progressive Insurance, and Metro …

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IT Workers, Doctors, Dentists Less Likely to Lose Jobs to Robots

Computer scientists, doctors and dentists are the jobs least likely to be taken by robots as automation spreads through advanced economies, according to Bank of England Chief Economist Andy Haldane. Speaking in Parliament this month, Haldane said analysis by staff …

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Oklahoma Judge Won’t Toss Suit over Earthquake Damage

An Oklahoma judge has rejected a request from two energy companies to throw out a lawsuit by a woman who claims she was injured in an earthquake caused by the injection of wastewater. Lincoln County District Judge Cynthia Ferrell Ashwood …

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P/C Industry Growing and Aligning Its Charitable Giving

U.S. property/casualty insurers have increased their charitable giving by an average of 15 percent since 2011, to an industry total of $575 million, outpacing inflation and moving closer to what many industry leaders believe the public expects, according to the …

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Fatal Auto Pedestrian Accidents on the Rise in Texas

The number of fatal auto pedestrian accidents in Texas has risen 36 percent since the Texas Department of Transportation began keeping the records in 2010, recently released National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show. Overall traffic fatalities in Texas rose …

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Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires The Hawk Agency in Illinois

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired The Hawk Agency Inc. in Peoria, Ill. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Thomas D. Fliege and his associates at The Hawk Agency will continue to operate in their current location under …

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Driverless Cars Give Lawyers Bottomless List of Defendants

Imagine a robot car with no one behind the wheel hitting another driverless car. Who’s at fault? The answer: No one knows. But plaintiff’s lawyers are salivating at the prospects for big paydays from such accidents. If computers routinely crash, …

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Measure in Hawaii Aims to Treat Uber, Lyft Like Taxi Companies

Two Honolulu council members want ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft to operate more like taxi companies. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that the city bill includes a variety of changes. Among them, the measure seeks to broaden the definition of …

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Socius Names Bell Senior Vice President in California

San Francisco Socius Insurance Services Inc. has named Ian Bell senior vice president. Bell joined Socius Insurance Services in 2013 and works on the firm’s management and professional liability team. Socius Insurance Services is a property/casualty and management liability wholesale …

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M.J. Hall Names Marsh Assistant Vice President in California

M.J. Hall and Company Inc. has promoted Sarah Marsh to assistant vice president. Marsh is part of the firm’s Stockton, Calif. team. She will continue to underwrite and broker excess and surplus line business in the Western U.S. She focuses …

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Europe’s Banks Increased Infrastructure Investments Erodes Insurers’ Returns

The return of banks into the European infrastructure market is denting insurers’ ability to enhance their investment returns by funding the roads, bridges and wind farms of tomorrow. European politicians have encouraged insurers to channel more of their €10 trillion …

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S&P Revises Outlook on Global Multiline Insurer XLIT to Positive; Affirms Ratings

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on the global multiline insurer XLIT Ltd. and its operating companies (collectively XL) to positive from stable. S&P has also affirmed its ‘A-‘ issuer credit and senior debt ratings on XLIT …

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Best Reports Bermuda Inching Toward Solvency II Equivalence

A.M. Best has issued a briefing report, which notes that “Bermuda moved one step closer to achieving Solvency II equivalence on November 26, 2015 when a delegated act regarding the equivalence of the supervisory regime for insurance and reinsurance undertakings …

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Rescuers in Southern China Race to Find Landslide Survivors

Almost 3,000 rescuers have been dispatched to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen to search for any survivors of the landslide on Sunday that’s left dozens missing at a local industrial park. One body was retrieved early Tuesday morning, the …

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P&I Premiums Expected to be Under Pressure at 2016 Renewals: Willis Report

A report from Willis Group Holdings notes that “despite P&I Clubs announcing that they are trying to achieve on average two percent increases in premium, ship owners with good records can look forward to reductions in premiums for protection and …

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Ratings of Cincinnati Specialty Underwriters Insurance Co. Upgraded

A.M. Best has upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to A+ (Superior) from A (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) to “aa-” from “a” of The Cincinnati Specialty Underwriters Insurance Company (CSU). The outlook for the ICR is revised to stable from positive …

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Wisconsin Fire Outlook Towers Being Taken Out of Commission

Dozens of towers built mainly in the 1930s and 1940s for spotting forest fires in Wisconsin are being taken out of commission. The cost to maintain, repair or replace the 72 towers currently used throughout the state no longer makes …

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Louisiana Whistleblower to Receive $750K

A whistleblower who lost his state contract after reporting his concerns that a state-funded dredging project violated environmental laws is set to receive $750,000 after a Baton Rouge jury ruled in his favor. Dan Collins was under contract to the …

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Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Brown Hobbs & McMurray Insurance

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Brown Hobbs & McMurray Insurance in Urbana, Ill. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1859, Brown Hobbs & McMurray (BHM) is a retail insurance broker providing commercial property/casualty, employee benefits, risk management …

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Delaware Decriminalizes ‘Personal Use’ Marijuana Possession

Delaware has officially decriminalized possession by adults of small amounts of marijuana. A decriminalization law signed in June by Delaware Gov. Jack Markell took effect Dec. 18. The law makes possession by an adult of a “personal use” quantity of …

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Cross Insurance Acquires Knapp Schenck & Company in Boston

Cross Insurance, an independent insurance agency based in Bangor, Maine, with more than 35 offices in the Northeast, announced the purchase of Boston-based independent agency Knapp Schenck & Company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Knapp Schenck & Company …

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N.J. Legislators Approve Bill Preventing Foreclosures for Sandy Victims

A bill heading to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s desk would prevent mortgage foreclosure for New Jersey homeowners whose houses were damaged by Superstorm Sandy. The bill, which passed the Legislature on Dec. 17, would prevent foreclosures for up to …

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Mother Sues Chipotle After Teenage Son Sickened at Boston Restaurant

The mother of a 16-year-old suburban Boston boy who got sick after eating at a Chipotle Mexican Grill has filed a negligence lawsuit against the Denver-based restaurant chain. The Boston Globe reports the suit, filed Dec. 17 by Andrea Dow …

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Maryland Commissioner to Meet With Local Farmers to Discuss P/C Insurance

Maryland Insurance Commissioner Al Redmer, Jr. and Secretary of Agriculture Joe Bartenfelder will hold a joint meeting to promote awareness of insurance products available to the state’s agricultural community. The meeting will be held at Maryland Natural Resources Conservation Service …

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Flood, Fraud & the Florida Market: McCarty Talks Hot Insurance Topics in 2015

It was another busy year for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR). From conducting the annual property/casualty data call and subsequent stress test of Florida property insurers, to working on the depopulation efforts of Citizens, to calling out the …

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Pennsylvania Court Issues Liquidation Order for Regis Insurance

Regis Insurance Company, a Pennsylvania-domiciled insurance company, was recently issued an order of liquidation by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Regis, a writer of small commercial business based in Paoli, Pennsylvania, was licensed in and domesticated in Pennsylvania in 1979. …

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Obama Administration Urges Supreme Court to Reject Marijuana Lawsuit

Despite its opposition to making marijuana use legal, the Obama administration is urging the Supreme Court to reject a lawsuit from Nebraska and Oklahoma that seeks to declare Colorado’s pot legalization unconstitutional. The Justice Department’s top courtroom lawyer said in …

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Insurance Death Master Settlement Nets North Dakota More Than $138K

North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm says the state will receive more than $138,000 in settlement agreements over use of the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File, or DMF. Hamm says life insurers have used the DMF for many years …

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New Flood Maps May Aid Big Development in Louisiana Parish

Revised flood maps could aid a developer’s proposal to build on one of Jefferson Parish’s last large undeveloped tracts. Lafayette-based Southern Lifestyle Development says it’s in talks to buy 2,000 acres in Avondale, near the TPC of Louisiana golf course …

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Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Brown Hobbs & Mcmurray in Illinois

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Brown Hobbs & McMurray Insurance in Urbana, Ill. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Thomas Brown, Paul Hobbs, William Hobbs, Dick and Rich McMurray, and their associates will continue to operate in Urbana under the direction of Michael Pesch, head of Gallagher’s …

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Landslide Hits Central Oregon Coast Home and Kills Woman

A 70-year-old woman died and her husband suffered injuries when a landslide struck their vacation home on the central Oregon coast. Officials say Dolores Miller died when the landslide struck the home near Florence at about 3:20 a.m. Friday. Siuslaw …

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U.S. Spending Bill to End Oil Export Ban

Congress passed a $1.1 trillion spending measure that averts a U.S. government shutdown and ends a 40- year-old ban on crude oil exports, a plan that ensures fiscal peace in Congress through most of 2016. The Senate passed the bill …

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N.Y. Court: Doc May Owe 3rd Party for Not Warning Patient About Driving on Meds

New York’s highest court has reinstated a medical malpractice suit against a Long Island hospital and the doctor and physician’s assistant who gave painkillers to a woman who subsequently crashed her car. The suit was filed by the driver of …

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Oregon Wife Files $7.9M Suit After Husband Crushed by Dump Truck

A Medford, Ore. woman has filed a lawsuit against two construction companies after he husband was crushed to death by a dump truck in a construction area on Interstate 5 near Cottage Grove. The Mail Tribune reported that Karee Battenfield …

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At Least $243M for Cleanup From 2 Massive California Fires

Cleaning up from two destructive Northern California wildfires this fall will cost at least $243 million, far exceeding the cost for other recent blazes, state officials estimated as they transferred more money from the state’s rainy day fund to help …

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A Look at the Highest Paid U.S. Corporate Director Posts

  Outsize pay for chief executive officers has been a bone of contention among shareholder activists for years. What’s less known is that the directors on board-compensation committees — the very people who decide to give out those large CEO …

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Marketform M&A Underwriter O’Reilly Moves to London as Sector Expands

Specialist Lloyd’s underwriter Marketform announced that M&A underwriter Astrid O’Reilly is relocating from Singapore to London as the company looks to strengthen the M&A product offering within the European markets. She joined Marketform in June 2015 and, successfully set up …

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Best Says Ironshore’s Ratings ‘Not Immediately Affected’ by Fosun Investigation

A.M. Best has commented that the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of Ironshore Insurance Ltd. (Bermuda) and its affiliated operating  companies: Ironshore Indemnity Inc. (Minneapolis, MN), Ironshore Specialty Insurance Company (Phoenix, …

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S&P Affirms Zurich’s Ratings; Outlook Stable

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its ‘AA-‘ insurer financial strength rating and ‘AA-/A-1+’ long- and short-term counterparty credit ratings on Swiss-based global multiline insurer Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd. and its ‘AA-‘ rating on Zurich’s core subsidiaries, all with …

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Best Maintains Negative Outlook on Global Reinsurance Sector

A.M. Best announced that it is holding to “its 2016 outlook for the global reinsurance sector at negative, citing the significant ongoing market challenges that will hinder the potential for positive rating actions over time and may eventually translate into …

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PartnerRe Establishes Branch Office in Dubai

Bermuda-based PartnerRe Ltd. announced that its subsidiary, Partner Reinsurance Europe SE, has been granted a license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to operate as an Authorized Firm in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), effective December 16, 2015. …

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Milliman Report on Europe, Japan, Asia Insurers Sees Increased Embedded Value

Global consulting and actuarial firm Milliman, Inc. has announced the availability of two new reports detailing embedded value (EV) results for 32 major insurance companies in Europe and Japan and 14 major insurance companies operating in Asia. The reports examine …

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Wells Fargo Renews Hunt for Insurance Brokerages to Buy

Wells Fargo & Co is restarting efforts to expand its insurance brokerage business through acquisitions after previously announced M&A aspirations did not pan out. Laura Schupbach, executive vice president and head of Wells Fargo Insurance, said she “hit the pause …

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Many Michigan Business Owners Expect to Hire, Raise Wages in 2016

Small- to mid-sized business owners are experiencing substantial growth and are poised to reinvest in their business and employees in 2016, according to the November 2015 Michigan Future Business Index (posted below). The index is published in partnership with Accident Fund …

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Study: Billions at Stake if Pace of Land Loss Continues on Louisiana Coast

A new state study places a price tag on the costs Louisiana could suffer if land loss continues at the pace predicted by scientists — and it’s in the billions of dollars. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority commissioned the …

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Governor Signs Wisconsin Health Insurance Oversight Bill

Gov. Scott Walker has signed a bill that gives the Legislature’s budget committee oversight of any contract moving Wisconsin public workers into a self-insurance system. The governor signed the bill privately on Dec. 16. The measure comes as Walker’s administration …

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Oklahoma Governor Requests Disaster Declaration for November Storm

Gov. Mary Fallin has requested a major disaster declaration from the federal government for 18 Oklahoma counties affected by a winter storm last month. Fallin’s office announced the request on Dec. 17. If approved, federal funds would be available to …

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Kurtz Named Branch Manager at J.M. Wilson

Insurance wholesale broker J.M. Wilson has hired Gordon Kurtz as branch manager in its Carmel, Ind., office. Kurtz will plan the day-to-day operations of the office, coordinate the staff, and work towards building relationships to foster growth with new and …

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Tennessee Woman Charged with 17th DUI

Police say a Shelbyville, Tennessee woman has been arrested 17 times for drunken driving. WSMV-TV reports Dorothy Hanson’s charges date back to 1985. Police say six of the offenses have taken place in the past 10 years. Police say Friday …

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XL Catlin Increases Aviation Insurance Limits

XL Catlin’s North America Aviation insurance business has increased its aircraft hull and liability limits by 50 percent to accommodate companies with aviation risks in the U.S. and Canada. XL Catlin’s aircraft hull policy limits have been increased to $75 million …

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Florida Supreme Court Approves Medical Marijuana Ballot Measure

The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that a constitutional measure legalizing marijuana for medical purposes can be placed on the ballot for next November’s general election. The seven justices ruled Dec. 17 that the petition and summary satisfy the legal …

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First Major Snowfall in West Virginia Blamed for Dozens of Wrecks

West Virginia’s first significant snowfall this year is to blame for dozens of highway wrecks. There were no reports of deaths, but slick roads Friday night left many drivers and their passengers injured. In Kanawha County, more than three dozen …

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Scottsdale Insurance’s Miller Departs to Lead Parent Nationwide’s Venture Arm

Michael Miller, the longtime president and chief operating officer of Scottsdale Insurance Co., has quietly moved onto a new executive role with corporate parent Nationwide where he’ll manage and spearhead strategic investments for the insurance giant. Miller is the new …

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McKee Risk Management Hires Prinz as Social Services VP in Penn.

McKee Risk Management Inc. in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has hired Lisa Prinz as vice president of the Social Services Practice. Prinz was previously at Harleysville/Nationwide Insurance where she started the Human Services program. Prior to that, she was at …

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Brown & Brown Acquires Ocean Marine Insurance Agency & Affiliates in R.I.

Brown & Brown Inc. announced that its subsidiary Brown & Brown Insurance Agency of Virginia Inc. has acquired certain assets of Ocean Marine Insurance Agency Inc., Ocean Marine Insurance Agency of Massachusetts Inc. and Ocean Marine Underwriters Agency Inc. (collectively …

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Ohio AG: Identity Theft Complaints in Ohio Up over 2014

Identity theft complaints in Ohio have already surpassed the number received last year by about 300, according to the state attorney general’s office. Kate Hanson, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Mike DeWine, said the consumer protection division of DeWine’s office …

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Players Argue Over Potential $750M Winnings in Kentucky Online Poker Suit

Kentucky taxpayers are about to win a multimillion-dollar judgment against an online poker company, and about 14,000 poker players have told a judge they deserve the money since they are the ones who lost it. The Kentucky Justice and Public …

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Drunk-Driving Texas ‘Affluenza’ Teen Sought by Authorities

Authorities are investigating whether a teenager who killed four people in a 2013 drunken-driving wreck — and claimed as part of his defense that he suffered from “affluenza” — has fled with his mother to avoid a potential violation of …

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Lawsuit Alleges Ohio Firefighters Harassed Female Co-Worker

A female firefighter was subjected to equipment tampering, clothing destruction and gender-related slurs at a central Ohio fire department, according to a federal discrimination lawsuit alleging a pattern of sexual harassment. Amie Morningstar of the Circleville Fire Department was also …

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Man Who Drove Bugatti into Gulf Going to Prison for Insurance Fraud

An exotic car salvage yard owner in Lufkin, Texas, has been sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to insurance fraud. The Houston Chronicle reports that in November 2009, Andy House drove his sports …

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Zeman Elected as Chair of Texas Insurance Trade Group

Allstate Regional Counsel Robert Zeman has been elected to serve as chairman of the board of directors of the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT). In a unanimous vote, Zeman was elected a the board’s December meeting. His term begins Jan. …

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Liberty Mutual Creates New Public Entity Division, Hires Kostro to Lead

Liberty Mutual Insurance has created a new practice dedicated to schools, municipalities and other public entities, and has appointed Susan L. Kostro as chief underwriting officer, Public Entity. Kostro will be responsible for growing Liberty Mutual’s book of education and …

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ACE Westchester Enhances Product Recall Insurance Offerings

ACE Group has launched a series of policy enhancements to its ACE Recall Plus and ACE Recall Plus for Small Business coverage. The new policy terms include: Coverage for voluntary, involuntary, and mandatory stock recoveries, market withdrawals, and/or recalls Limits as …

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Bates Joins Burns & Wilcox Special Risk Division

Laura Bates has rejoined Burns & Wilcox as associate vice president, Special Risk Division. Bates, former vice president, Underwriting of Canopius U.S., assumes responsibility for several of the organization’s specialty underwriting units. Burns & Wilcox is the flagship operation of …

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Opinion: California DMV Rules Would Slow Driverless Car Development

The home state of Google Inc., the pioneering company in driverless cars, has just taken steps to make life more difficult – not just for Google, but for all of us who would like to see driverless cars hit the …

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Judge Bars Uber from Imposing New Contract on Drivers in Pay Suit

Uber Technologies Inc. was barred from imposing a new contract on drivers who are suing the company to be treated like employees after a federal judge said the reworded agreement is confusing. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco …

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Propel Insurance in Washington Brings Swan to Senior Living Practice

Tacoma, Wash.-based Propel Insurance announced that Carl Swan has joined the firm’s national senior living practice as a sales executive. Swan comes with significant experience within the industry, having spent the last several years developing creative and forward-thinking risk solutions …

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Driverless Car Accidents Pile Up As They Obey Laws, Humans Don’t

The self-driving car, that cutting-edge creation that’s supposed to lead to a world without accidents, is achieving the exact opposite right now: The vehicles have racked up a crash rate double that of those with human drivers. The glitch? They …

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Wells Fargo Insurance Reports on Hiring Spree

Wells Fargo Insurance said it has hired more than 100 professionals in recent months as it seeks to grow and improve customer service. “Continuing to invest in talent is critical to the success of our business and remains a top …

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Zurich Insurance to Buy Wells Fargo Crop Insurance Unit

Zurich Insurance Group AG agreed to buy a Wells Fargo & Co. crop insurance business for as much as $1.05 billion as the Swiss company puts to work excess cash left over from a separate takeover bid that it abandoned …

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After San Bernardino Shooting, Businesses Review How to Handle Workplace Violence

The terror attack at a social services facility in California has become a sobering reminder to companies of how vulnerable workplaces can be when employees are confronted with active shooters. Since a gun-wielding husband-and-wife team killed 14 and wounded 21 …

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Catalina Completes Allianz Suisse Re Acquisition

Catalina Holdings (Bermuda) Ltd. announced that, following receipt of regulatory approvals from the FINMA the Swiss financial regulator, it has completed its acquisition of Allianz Suisse Ruckversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG (Allianz Suisse Re) from Allianz SE. Allianz Suisse Re will be renamed …

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Chinese Drones Perform Well in Analyzing Tianjin Damage Estimates

When an explosion devastated parts of China’s Tianjin port in August, one insurance company turned to Chinese-made drones to help analyze the rubble and estimate the damages. Comparing satellite photographs of the site ahead of the blast with high-resolution images …

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JBA Releases Comprehensive UK Flood Model before Flood Re Launch

UK-based JBA Risk Management, a global provider of flood modelling services for insurers, reinsurers, and property or asset managers, announced the release of its “high resolution, multi-peril flood model of the UK to assist the insurance industry place household risks …

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Swiss Re 2015 Economic Cat Loss Initial Estimates = $85Bn; $32Bn Insured

Swiss Re‘s latest sigma report preliminarily estimates that total economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters will reach approximately $85 billion in 2015. Insured losses, however, were just $32 billion. In total, approximately 26,000 people lost their lives in …

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U.K. Insurance Bill for Solvency II Regulation Compliance Hits $4.5 Billion

U.K. insurers have invested at least £3 billion ($4.5 billion) to be compliant with new European Union capital rules, known as Solvency II, that come into effect next month, according to an industry lobby group. More than 400 U.K. firms …

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Fitch: Overall P/C Insurance Reserves Adequate; Prior Years’ Favorable Development Continues

Property/casualty insurers continued to take down loss reserves for prior years in 2014, which marked the ninth straight calendar year of favorable development for the industry in aggregate, according to a new report from Fitch Ratings. Fitch also estimates that …

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J.M. Wilson Hires Stum as Transportation Underwriter

J.M. Wilson has added Danyelle Stum as transportation underwriter in its Carmel, Ind., office. Stum will quote new and renewal transportation accounts, and serve independent insurance agents in Indiana. Prior to joining J.M. Wilson, Stum was a claims processor for …

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West Virginia Hospital Association Releases Guidelines to Reduce Opioid Drug Abuse

The West Virginia Hospital Association Board of Trustees has endorsed a set of guidelines to help West Virginia’s hospitals reduce the misuse of opioid prescription drugs. Director of Communications Tina Rymer said in a news release Dec. 14 the guidelines …

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Georgia Agency Owner Accused of 10 Counts of Insurance Fraud

Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens’ announced the arrest of insurance agent Macie Anedra Yawn, 27, of Cochran, Ga. Yawn owned and operated Charles Robinson Insurance Agency in Eastman and is accused of committing 10 counts of insurance fraud. Bleckley County …

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Willis Opens Operational Center of Excellence in Florida

Willis Group Holdings plc, the global risk advisory, re/insurance broking, and human capital and benefits firm, has opened its Operational Center of Excellence in Tampa, Fla. Establishing the Center is part of Willis’s strategy to enhance client service via a robust …

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Nine Californians Nabbed in $24M Workers’ Comp Billing Scheme

Detectives with the California Department of Insurance arrested nine people involved in a complex scheme allegedly targeting more than 230 workers’ compensation insurers and self-insured employers. Siblings Francisco Javier Gomez, Jr., 32, and Angela Rehmann, 38, owners of G&G Interpreting …

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Virginia’s Tangier Island Residents Could Become ‘Climate Change Refugees’

A report says islanders in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay could be among the first “climate change refugees” in the continental United States. The research published in the journal Scientific Reports says residents of steadily shrinking Tangier Island in …

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Pennsylvania Compensation Rating Bureau Seeks 0.9% Loss Cost Decrease

The Pennsylvania Compensation Rating Bureau (PCRB) has submitted a filing of Pennsylvania loss costs and related rating values with a proposed effective date of April 1, 2016. The filing proposes an overall average loss cost decrease of 0.90 percent. PCRB’s …

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Massachusetts Rejects Mapfre’s Ice-Dam Deductible Request

The Massachusetts Division of Insurance recently denied a request by Mapfre USA Corp. to add an ice-dam deductible to some homeowners policyholders who previously had multiple ice-dam claims. Mapfre USA Corp., the largest commercial home insurer in Massachusetts, had asked …

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North Dakota Insurance Commissioner to Step Down

North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm is stepping down. Hamm tells The Associated Press he will not seek re-election in 2016. Hamm says he has not decided what he will do in the future. The 44-year-old Republican was appointed insurance …

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Mass. Lawmakers Weigh 2-Tiered Driver’s License Identification System

Among the many issues that Massachusetts lawmakers may deal with after returning from recess in January is whether to bring the state into compliance with REAL ID, a federal program that sets new requirements for driver’s licenses and other identification …

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Vermont Court Lets Home Insurer Off the Hook in Pesticide Lawsuit

A Vermont family who said their home was made unlivable by an exterminator who used a banned pesticide has had their lawsuit against an insurance company overturned. Neil and Patricia Whitney said a foster child brought bedbugs into their home …

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Ratings of Texas-Based National Unity Insurance Downgraded

A.M. Best has downgraded the financial strength rating to B+ (Good) from B++ (Good) and the issuer credit rating to “bbb-” from “bbb” of San Antonio-based National Unity Insurance Co. (National Unity). The outlook for both ratings is negative. National Unity operates …

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Eastern Insurance Group Acquires Northwestern Benefits in Boston

Eastern Insurance Group in Natick, Massachusetts, announced that it has acquired Northwestern Benefits Associates, an independent group benefits broker based in Boston, from the broker’s parent company Northwestern Mutual. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Eastern Insurance said Northwestern …

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Illinois’ The Rockwood Company Joins Keystone Insurers Group

Keystone Insurers Group announced its newest franchise partner in Illinois: The Rockwood Company, based in downtown Chicago. The firm, with four offices outside the city, completes Keystone’s network of agents in Chicagoland and adds another major player to Keystone’s growing …

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Austin Agents Honor Ladner with Distinguished Service Award

The Independent Insurance Agents of Austin (IIAA) honored Gerald Ladner, State Auto’s Western Region president, with its Distinguished Service Award for 2015. Ladner won a similar award from the Independent Insurance Agents of Dallas in 2005. The award is given …

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Houston Builder Lands Safety Award from Construction Safety Group

Houston-based D.E. Harvey Builders has been honored with the first ever General Contractor Job Site Safety Award from the TX Construction Association Safety Group. The general contractor won the award for its dedication to keeping job sites safe, according to …

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Alper Services Adds Van Winkle, Washington in Chicago

Alper Services LLC, based in Chicago, has hired Debra Van Winkle as a senior account manager in the Employee Benefits Division and Craig Washington as a senior claims administrator in the Claims Management Services Division. Van Winkle will facilitate benefits …

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Victim of Sexual Assault by Ohio Pastor Seeks Higher Damages

A woman sexually assaulted by an Ohio pastor when she was 15 years old is asking the state Supreme Court to boost the amount of damages paid by the church where the minister worked. Attorneys for the woman and her …

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Dallas OKs Ordinance Requiring Construction Worker Rest Breaks

The Dallas City Council has approved an ordinance requiring rest breaks for construction workers. It requires contractors to give workers a 10-minute rest break for every four hours of work. Council members approved the ordinance in a 10-5 vote at …

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Chipotle’s New Procedures Highlight Food Safety in Wake of E. Coli

Perfect food safety is not possible, but Chipotle is trying to get as close to that ideal as they can with new procedures and testing inside and outside their restaurants, the company’s founder and CEO said during a visit earlier …

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Crawford Names Christensen Executive General Adjuster in California

Crawford & Co. has named Steve Christensen executive general adjuster for Crawford’s global technical services division in the Los Angeles, Calif. office. Christensen has 28 years of insurance experience. His specialties include hospitality, flood, earthquake, hurricane, builders risk, wildfire, construction …

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Ford Announces Autonomous Vehicle Testing on California Roads

Ford announced that it is officially enrolled in the California Autonomous Vehicle Tester Program to test autonomous vehicles on public roads, and fully autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrid sedans are set to take to California streets next year. The testing is …

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Buyers of Expiring Patents See Profit in Infringement Claims

The 1990s may be over but patents from that era live on. U.S. courts are seeing a rash of lawsuits involving old and sometimes expired patents as companies try to squeeze the last bit of profits from their 20-year-old inventions. …

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How to Make U.S. Traffic Safety Programs More Effective: RAND Study

Following a national approach to adopting traffic safety laws is more cost effective than following a state-by-state approach, according to a new RAND Corp. study. Boosting traffic safety funding by 10 percent and allocating the funds to states where it …

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Hiscox Appoints Golder to Head Marine Cargo Business Re-Entry

Hiscox London Market has appointed Richard Golder as Marine Cargo Line Underwriter, marking the insurer’s re-entry into the marine cargo business. Golder will be supported by Jack Bryan who takes on the role of Marine Cargo Underwriter. Golder joins Hiscox …

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Poirer to Succeed Ravn as Church Mutual CEO in January

Church Mutual Insurance Co., a provider of insurance to religious organizations and schools, announced that Michael E. Ravn, chief executive officer, will retire effective January 8, 2016 and will be succeeded as CEO by Richard V. Poirier, current president. Ravn, …

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Congress Adds Corporate Cyber Data Sharing Immunity to Spending Bill

Companies that share data with the U.S. government for cyber security purposes will get more protection from consumer lawsuits under a measure piggybacked onto a massive federal spending bill unveiled in Congress on Wednesday. The cyber-security proposal, widely supported by …

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AIG Plans $3 Billion Stock Buyback

American International Group Inc., the insurer pressured by activist investor Carl Icahn to boost returns, announced a plan to repurchase another $3 billion of shares. The move lifts to $4.3 billion the amount that the company is authorized to buy …

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Wharton Joins Argo Group to Head Bermuda Professional Lines Operations

Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. announced that William M. Wharton has been appointed to serve as head of professional lines operations in Bermuda. He has experience in Asia and Europe, in addition to Bermuda and the US, and “will complement …

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Allied World Global Markets Appoints Cooke to Asia Marine Division

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG announced that Tim Cooke has been appointed Vice President, Regional Head of Marine, based in Hong Kong. He will report to Bart Grefe, Senior Vice President, Head of Marine, Allied World Global Markets. Grefe …

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Specialty MGA Nexus Underwriting Acquires Millstream

Specialty MGA, Nexus Underwriting Management Limited, announced that it has acquired City of London based Millstream Underwriting Limited, an independent managing general agency specializing in travel personal accident and sickness insurance coverage, primarily underwritten on a business to business basis. …

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Fitch’s Sector Outlook for UK Non-Life: Stable – French Non-Life: Negative

Fitch Ratings has issued reports on both the UK and the French non-life insurance sectors. The UK report indicates that “operating conditions within the UK non-life company market are expected to remain stable in 2016.” Fitch said, however, that it …

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Insurance Council of Australia Declares Sydney Storms a Catastrophe

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has declared a catastrophe after storms struck New South Wales, in particular Sydney’s eastern and southern suburbs. The ICA’s bulletin notes that the “storms brought wind in excess of 200kmh [124 mph], heavy rain …

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J.M. Wilson Adds Montgomery as Asst. Underwriter in Missouri

J.M. Wilson has hired Ashley Montgomery as assistant underwriter in its Kansas City, Mo., office. Montgomery assists the property/casualty and transportation underwriting departments with setting up and binding policies for issuance, corresponding with company underwriters, and serving independent insurance agents in …

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New Kentucky Governor Selects Next Public Protection Secretary

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has appointed a Glasgow businessman and former judge-executive to be secretary of the Public Protection Cabinet. Bevin said David A. Dickerson of Glasgow is “a proven business leader and a trusted friend.” Dickerson was Barren County …

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11 West Virginia Workers Injured at Chemical Manufacturer Plant

Eleven contract workers were injured Tuesday in a boiler accident at chemical manufacturer Axiall Corp.’s Natrium plant in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle, the company said. The company said in a statement that the accident occurred around 7 a.m. Tuesday in …

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Feds Investigating Potential Crop Insurance Fraud in Kentucky

Federal investigators say they believe Central Kentucky tobacco farmers, crop insurance agents, tobacco warehouse owners and others conspired to defraud thousands and possibly millions of dollars from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s program that insures crops. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports …

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McCarty Receives ‘Insurance Man of the Year’ Award from LAAIA

Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin M. McCarty was presented with the Latin American Association of Insurance Agencies (LAAIA) “Insurance Man of the Year” Award on Dec. 4. According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), the award was presented to …

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IICF Northeast Benefit Dinner Raises $1.26M for Regional Charities

The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation’s (IICF) 9th annual Northeast Benefit Dinner, held on Dec. 9 at New York City’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, raised more than $1.26 million for regional charities. More than 900 insurance professionals attended the annual event, which …

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A.M. Best Downgrades Specialty Auto Writer Nevada General

A.M. Best has downgraded the issuer credit rating to “bbb” from “bbb+” and affirmed the financial strength rating of B++ (Good) of Nevada General Insurance Co. The outlook for the ICR has been revised to stable from negative while the …

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Rhode Island’s Chestnut Hill Acquires Rotatori Insurance

Chestnut Hill Insurance Group, an independent property/casualty insurance agency in Chepachet, Rhode Island, announced that it has acquired Rotatori Insurance, an independent P/C agency also based in Chepachet. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Chestnut Hill Chief Executive Officer …

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NFS Edge Launches Flood Coverage Option for Condo Associations

NFS Edge Insurance Agency, Inc., a unit of Aon National Flood Services, Inc., through its Insurmark division has launched a new private flood insurance alternative to the Residential Condominium Business Association Package (RCBAP) for condo associations located in high flood …

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Prosecutor to Wait on Charges in Fatal Arkansas Bus Crash

A state police report into a November bus crash that killed six migrant farm workers from Mexico says the driver was “inattentive” in an unsafe manner, but decisions on possible traffic citations or criminal charges will be made after state …

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Preferred Mutual Hires Kellerman as Human Resources Director in New York

Preferred Mutual Insurance Company in New Berlin, New York, has hired Dana Kellerman as director of Human Resources. Kellerman previously worked at General Electric for 15 years leading Global Service Operations and HR teams. In her new role, she will …

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Ohioans Entitled to More Information Under Health Insurance Rule

Ohioans will be able to get more information about healthcare provider networks from health insurance companies beginning in 2016. The rule taking effect in January will require insurance companies to update their directories of those providers at least every three …

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Talley Named Captive Program Manager at Missouri Insurance Department

The Missouri Department of Insurance has appointed John Talley as its new Captive Program Manager. Talley has nearly 25 years of insurance regulatory experience and was most recently chief of Captive Insurance Operations for the New Jersey Department of Banking …

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Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Licensed in New Hampshire

Universal Insurance Holdings Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company (UPCIC) received a certificate of authority from the New Hampshire Insurance Department approving UPCIC as a licensed insurance entity in New …

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Wisconsin Insurance Regulators Implement Electronic Filing Tool

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) announced the State Based Systems (SBS) implementation for Wisconsin, making it the 29th state to license SBS. SBS is an electronic filing tool created for NAIC members to increase efficiency in regulatory functions. …

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Official: 2015 Is Oklahoma’s Wettest Year

An Oklahoma official says 2015 is the state’s wettest year on record, beating a rainfall record set in 1957. The Oklahoman reports that the state has seen an average of 48 inches of rain this year, topping the previous record …

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Austin Cracking Down on Unsafe Rental Properties

Austin code enforcement officials are trying to crack down on unsafe rental properties by adding more properties to its repeat offender list. The Austin American-Statesman reports that city officials have more than doubled the number of properties designated as repeat …

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Penn. Counselor Allegedly Billed Insurance $600K for Fake Office Visits

Pennsylvania’s attorney general says a western Pennsylvania family counselor billed an insurance company more than $600,000 for sessions that never occurred. Investigators announced insurance fraud and theft charges on Dec. 9 against 33-year-old Lisa Wally, a McKeesport woman who practiced …

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Nearly $60M Settlement Reached in Washington Fire

A settlement of nearly $60 million has been reached for people who suffered damages as the result of a 2012 blaze near Cle Elum, Wash. lawyers said Monday. Rod Nelson with Abeyta Nelson law firm said in a release that …

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Commercial Broker Trade Group CIAB Adds 4 to Staff

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB) announced four additions to its association staff. John P. Fielding is joining as in-house general counsel. Fielding has spent the last nine years with the law firm Steptoe in its Washington, D.C. …

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Willis Strengthens Bermuda Team with Warren, Fisher Appointments

Willis Group Holdings announced the appointment of two senior two senior executives to its team at Willis Bermuda for its captive and insurance operations. Nick Warren has been appointed Managing Director for Willis’s captive operation, Willis Management (Bermuda) Ltd. He …

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Investors Betting Against Hedge Fund Reinsurers Hurt by Losses, Weak Investments

The shorts are targeting one of Wall Street’s best known short sellers. Bearish investors have piled on bets against a reinsurer started by hedge fund manager David Einhorn as the company’s losses climbed. Short interest on Greenlight Capital Re Ltd., …

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7 Actions for Closing Out 2015 As If It Were a New Year

Every year, we do it on the same day at the same time. The instant the calendar changes from the old year to the new one, we convince ourselves that this year will be different. We’re going to do everything …

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Cyclist, Pedestrian Traffic Deaths on Rise in U.S.

More Americans are walking and bicycling to work, which is great as a means to reducing the risk of heart disease, obesity, and stress. But there’s a grim side to this otherwise healthy change in behavior: More pedestrians and cyclists are …

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EU Adopts New, Tougher Rules For Tracking Jetliners

The European Union on Wednesday adopted new rules to make it easier to track jetliners, stepping up international efforts to prevent a repeat of the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines jet with 239 people on board. The move is the …

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Allied World Launches Global Crisis Management Division

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG announced the launch of “a new Global Crisis Management Division, which is comprised of Structured Trade Credit, Political Risk, Multi-Buyer Trade Credit & Product Recall, which will operate under the leadership of Todd Germano, …

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Typhoon Melor Hits Philippines with Fierce Winds and Flooding: AIR

A report from catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, describes Super Typhoon Melor, known locally as Nona, as having struck the Philippines on Monday, December 14, 2015, at around 3:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. local time) near Batag, Laoang, in the eastern …

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Qatar Re Granted License by Dubai Financial Services Authority

Qatar Reinsurance Company Limited (Qatar Re) announced that the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has granted the firm a license to operate in and from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), which became effective as of 22 November 2015. “The …

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Lloyd’s Announces Plan to Launch Proprietary Insurance Index in 2016

Lloyd’s of London has announced that it “plans to launch its own insurance based index in mid-2016. This would be the first index for diversified risk, showing loss ratios and focused on insurance performance. “The availability of detailed insight into …

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Ironshore Launches Professional Liability Coverage for Global Mining Sector

Ironshore International has launched a professional liability product designed to provide protection for risk exposures within the mining sector worldwide. Ironshore’s dedicated product provides coverage to engineers and consultants engaged in all aspects of the mining process from exploration through …

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13 Challenges Filed Over Medical Marijuana Licenses Awarded to Florida Nurseries

When Florida’s Office of Compassionate Care named five nurseries to grow and distribute medical marijuana in the state, many expected there would be a few challenges filed – but not the more than a dozen that had landed by Monday’s …

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Worker Killed at Colgate-Palmolive Plant in South Carolina

Authorities say a 51-year-old worker has been killed after a pressurized hose broke loose at the Colgate-Palmolive plant in Greenwood, S.C. Greenwood County Coroner Sonny Cox told media outlets that Billy Alexander of Aiken died after an aluminum pipe hit …

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BB&T-Oswald Trippe and Co. Adds Associates to Florida Offices

BB&T- Oswald Trippe and Company has expanded with new associates hires to its Florida offices. . Lisa Feanny has been named a personal lines sales associate for Miami. Feanny has 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. She previously worked for State Farm, Royal …

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Cavignac & Associates in California Names Ouk Account Manager

San Deigo, Calif.-based Cavignac & Associates has named Vy Ouk a commercial lines account manager. Ouk will serve as the main contact person at the agency for her assigned customer accounts, identifying exposure to loss for these clients, educating them …

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Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Centennial Insurance Agency in Colorado

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Centennial Insurance Agency LLC based in Pueblo, Colo. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Mark Swanson, David Swanson, Doug Helzer, Tom Ratzlaff and their team will continue to operate in their current Colorado and New Mexico locations under the direction of James G. McFarlane, …

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Blue Bell Ice Cream Returning to More Texas Outlets

Most of Texas will have Blue Bell ice cream this week after months of cleaning production plants and regulatory reviews following listeria contamination. The Brenham-based company on Dec. 14 began returning ice cream to more retail outlets. Sites include Abilene, …

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J.M. Wilson Adds Henderson-Paul as Asst. Underwriter in Illinois

J.M. Wilson has hired Cassie Henderson-Paul as Assistant Property/Casualty Underwriter in its Arlington Heights, Ill., office. Henderson-Paul assists the property casualty underwriting department with setting up and binding policies for issuance, corresponding with company underwriters, and serving independent insurance agents …

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Delaware City Pays $15K Deductible in Settling Police Kick Lawsuit

Officials say a Delaware city has paid its $15,000 insurance deductible in settling a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union after a white police officer kicked a black suspect in the head and broke his jaw Officials confirmed …

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Kansas Sees More, but Mostly Weak, Tornadoes in 2015

Meteorologists say Kansas saw more tornadoes than normal this year, but all but a few were weak and short-lived. The Wichita Eagle reports there were 108 tornadoes in Kansas by the end of August, 18 more than normal for that …

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After Seeing Truck in Jihadist Photo Texas Plumber Sues Dealer

A Texas plumber is suing a truck dealer after a vehicle emblazoned with his company’s name and phone number — and carrying gun-toting fighters — appeared in a photo circulated by purported Islamic extremists. Mark Oberholtzer filed the lawsuit against …

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Medical Care, Compensation Increase for Texas Nuclear Plant Workers

The past few years have seen an increase in the number of workers at a nuclear weapons plant in the Texas Panhandle who have been compensated and given medical care for conditions caused by exposure to plant hazards. Those hazards …

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OneBeacon Launches Cyber Liability Product for Information Technology Risks

OneBeacon Technology Insurance, a member of OneBeacon Insurance Group, has introduced a modular technology professional liability product – Information Technology Solutions-Complete – to address technology companies’ exposure to cybersecurity and communication liability risks. Through its menu-driven approach, customers can customize …

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Ohio’s Ride-Hailing Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature

Ohio’s Transportation Network Company (TNC) bill, Sub. HB 237, is headed to Gov. John Kasich for his signature, according to the Ohio Insurance Institute. The insurance industry trade group has sent a letter to the governor in support of the …

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Delaware Warns Insurers About Circumventing PIP Subrogation Claims

The Delaware Department of Insurance is reminding auto insurers that broad release language in settlement agreements which technically preclude a personal injury protection (PIP) carrier from pursuing its subrogation claim is unenforceable pursuant to the 21 Del. C. § 2118(g) …

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Clear Blue, New U.S. Commercial Insurance Fronting Operation, Opens for Business

A newly-formed commercial insurance fronting provider, Clear Blue Financial Holdings LLC, said it has officially launched with two fully-licensed fronting carriers and will begin servicing clients immediately. To launch its fronting operation, Puerto Rico-based Clear Blue Financial Holdings last month …

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Once Profitable, Maine’s Community Health Options Is Now Losing Millions

The lone health insurance cooperative to make money last year on the Affordable Care Act’s public insurance exchanges is now losing millions and suspending individual enrollment for 2016. Maine’s Community Health Options lost more than $17 million in the first …

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Central California Organizations at Odds over Explosion Liability

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Foundation for Public Safety has filed a claim against the county seeking reimbursement after an employee struck a gas pipeline and caused an explosion in April. The county employee was building a dirt berm at a …

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Uber Will Expand Ridesharing Service to Ogden, Utah

Uber is coming to Ogden, Utah. The ridesharing company already operates in Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake Tribune reported it mentioned the expansion on its Utah-specific Twitter account on Friday. It’s expected to happen in the coming week. Uber …

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Lockton Names Roark Senior Vice President in Colorado

Lockton’s Mountain West practice in Denver announced that Mike Roark has joined the firm as its senior vice president and construction practice leader. Roark comes to Lockton from the Moody Insurance Agency, where he was executive vice president. Previously he …

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Seattle City Council Votes to Allow Uber Drivers to Unionize

Seattle’s City Council voted unanimously to give collective bargaining rights to drivers-for-hire, such as those who work for rideshare companies Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. The bill, proposed by city council member Mike O’Brien, requires taxicab and for-hire car …

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Today Is Deadline for 2016 Healthcare Enrollment Under Obamacare

Rising premiums and shaken faith among insurers have cast a cloud over sign-up season for President Barack Obama’s health care law, and now it’s crunch time again. Tuesday is the deadline for millions of uninsured procrastinators to sign up in …

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Airlines Banning, Safety Agency Investigating Hoverboards Over Fires

Hoverboards may be on many people’s Christmas lists but they present a conundrum for airlines, which are mulling the best way to transport the popular devices that could present a fire risk. The three largest U.S. airlines, American Airlines Group …

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Supreme Court Hands Businesses Another Victory on Arbitration

The U.S. Supreme Court fairly predictably sides with corporations in their clashes with consumers, but the business-friendly rulings often come in unpredictable packages. Consider the latest high court decision reinforcing the ability of companies to fend off class-action lawsuits and …

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How to Wrap That Toy Drone Christmas Gift in an Insurance Policy

The next wave of hobby drones will be wrapped in boxes underneath Christmas trees before they fill the skies. If industry sales projections come true, the holiday season will put tens of thousands of relative novices at the controls of …

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Integro Acquires UK’s Entertainment Insurance Partners Limited

Global insurance brokerage and risk management firm Integro Insurance Brokers Holdings Ltd. announced that it has acquired London-based Entertainment Insurance Partners Limited (EIP), the parent company of Robertson Taylor Insurance Brokers Ltd., Robertson Taylor International Insurance Brokers Inc., Walton & …

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Marsh Names Barton to Succeed Alway as Head of Jelf Group

Following completion of its acquisition of Jelf Group, first announced in September, Marsh has made a change in management. It has appointed Phil Barton to be CEO of Jelf in succession to Alex Alway, who is to become a non-executive …

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