Wisconsin Says Flood Damage Estimate Now Nearing $20M

Wisconsin emergency management officials say the damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure from flooding that started last week is now approaching $20 million. In an update on Sept. 28, the State Emergency Operations Center put the damage to homes …

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Builders of New Orleans Jail Sued by Sheriff

The man under fire for his management of the new jail in New Orleans has filed a lawsuit against the general contractors who built the facility. Sheriff Marlin Gusman’s suit seeks approximately $3 million for missed deadlines that delayed the …

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Michigan School District Pays $30K to Settle High School Bullying Case

A former Michigan high school tennis player and her mother were paid $30,000 in settlement of a lawsuit that alleged she was bullied while on the varsity team. Michelle Karpinski, community relations manager for Portage Public Schools, says the money …

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Texas Mutual Virtual Reality Safety Training Module Wins Innovation Award

Workers’ compensation insurer, Texas Mutual Insurance Co., announced it has accepted the Strategy Meets Action (SMA) Innovation in Action Award for its development of Safety in a Box, which uses virtual reality (VR) technology for workplace safety training. The Innovation in …

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Matthew Becomes Category 3 Hurricane in Central Caribbean Sea

Hurricane Matthew has strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale while moving west- southwestward over the Caribbean Sea, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Friday. Matthew was located about 495 miles (800 kilometers) southeast …

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California Governor Approves Public Adjuster Reform Bill

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill that establishes fair practices standards for public insurance adjusters and enhances consumer protections. Senate Bill 488, authored by state Sen. Marty Block, D-San Diego, and sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, was …

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Argo Group Names Schaffer to Lead U.S. Commercial Programs in Colorado

Bart Schaffer will now be leading U.S. commercial programs at Argo Group. Schaffer is located in Denver, Colo. Schaffer was previously head of binding operations within Argo Group’s Colony Specialty company. Schaffer joined Colony Specialty in 2007 as regional vice …

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JLT Re Names Brodsky Senior Vice President in Washington Workers’ Comp Unit

JLT Re has named John Brodsky a senior vice president in Seattle, Wash. Brodsky will be part of the workers’ compensation unit, and will focus on the expansion and development of JLT Re’s casualty practice. He was previously with Guy …

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Heavy Rains in North Carolina Bring Floods, Prompt Rescues

Storms that dumped as much as 8 inches of rain prompted rescues from rising waters and the closing schools in two North Carolina counties. Storms inundated areas around Raleigh and to the south overnight Wednesday, knocking out power to some …

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Argo Group Names AIG’s Hernandez to Lead International Business

Bermuda-based specialty insurer Argo Group International Holdings announced the appointment of Jose A. Hernandez to lead the company’s international business, which includes all insurance and reinsurance operations outside of the U.S. Hernandez joins Argo from American International Group where he …

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Maryland’s Amended Premium Increase Notice Requirement to Take Effect

The reenacted Maryland Insurance Article set to take effect on Saturday, Oct. 1, is expected to lift the administrative burden and lack of clarity caused by mandatory notification of minor premium increases, according to a press release issued by the …

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European Union Nations Fast-Track Approval of Paris Climate Agreement

European Union nations agreed to a fast-track ratification by the 28-member bloc of the Paris climate agreement, a step that could enable the most sweeping accord to combat global warming to come into force next month. The European Parliament, whose consent …

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CNO Financial Ends Ties with Beechwood Re, Sues Over Hedge Fund Exposure

CNO Financial Group Inc. on Thursday said that two of its subsidiaries were terminating agreements with reinsurer Beechwood Re, after regulators in two states said that many assets managed by Beechwood were not compliant with insurance company guidelines because of …

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New Jersey Train Service Suspended as Investigators Seek Cause of Crash

Thousands who rely on the Hoboken terminal in New Jersey may face longer than usual commutes and heavy crowds on Friday as investigators try to determine why a commuter train crashed into the station, killing a woman and injuring more …

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Japanese Creditors Oppose Takata Seeking Bankruptcy Protection

All five bidders seeking to bail out Japan’s beleaguered Takata Corp. have presented restructuring plans that require the air bag maker to file for bankruptcy protection, people with knowledge of the process told Reuters. But some Japanese creditors have opposed …

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Wal-Mart Employee Sets 3 Fires Inside Massachusetts Store

Police are looking for an employee of a Massachusetts Wal-Mart they say set three fires inside the store, forcing the disposal of all the food on the sales floor. Police say they identified the suspect through security video. She was …

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European Food Safety Agency to Release Data on Weedkiller Roundup

Europe’s food safety watchdog will release data from some of the scientific studies it reviewed in its assessment of glyphosate, an ingredient in Monsanto’s widely used herbicide Roundup and subject of a fierce row over possible cancer risk. The European …

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Saudi Arabia Greets 9/11 Lawsuit Bill with Public Silence, Private Bristling

A U.S. law allowing lawsuits against Saudi Arabia over the Sept. 11 attacks met a stony silence from Riyadh on Thursday but some Saudis bristled, saying the kingdom should curb business and security ties in response. The Senate and House …

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Greenberg: Managers’ Concerns Fueled Auto Warranty Reinsurance Deal

Less than an hour into the third day of testimony in the fraud trial of former American International Group Inc. Chairman Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, the judge took the reins. New York State Supreme Court Justice Charles Ramos interrupted Assistant Attorney General …

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Wells Fargo Employees Claim They Were Fired for Reporting Sales Tactics

At least five Wells Fargo employees have sued the bank or filed complaints with regulators alleging that they were fired after reporting the opening of customer accounts without their permission, according to a Reuters review of lawsuits and complaints to …

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Kittmann Named Director, Strategy, Performance & Administration at AF Group

AF Group, based in Lansing, Michigan, has announced Keri Kittmann as director, Strategy, Performance & Administration. In her new role, Kittmann will guide the strategic planning and implementation efforts for the organization and will support the president of AF Group. …

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Federal Investigators Conclude West Virginia Chemical Spill Was Preventable

A 2014 chemical spill into the water supply of 300,000 West Virginians could have been avoided if a company inspected its storage tanks and saw two tiny holes forming at the bottom, federal investigators said Wednesday. Almost three years after …

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Gilleland Joins Brightway, The Lambert Family Agency in Michigan

Brightway, The Lambert Family Agency in Muskegon, Michigan announced it has added Camber Gilleland as its newest agent. Gilleland joins the agency from the healthcare industry, where she worked in administration and finance for 15 years. Brightway Insurance is a …

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Study Links Obesity to Higher Workers’ Compensation Costs

Obese and overweight workers are more likely to incur high costs related to workers’ compensation claims for major injuries, reports a study in the September Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and …

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Hurricane Hermine Declared Major Disaster; Federal Funds Available to Florida

President Barack Obama has officially declared a major disaster for areas in Florida affected by Hurricane Hermine. A news release says Obama signed the disaster declaration Wednesday. The president’s action makes federal funding available to residents and businesses in Citrus, …

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Apartment Fire Near South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach Leaves 17 Homeless

Fire officials are trying to determine the cause of a fire that damaged 12 apartments near Myrtle Beach, S.C., leaving 17 people homeless. Media outlets report that the fire broke out late Tuesday afternoon at the complex in the Carolina …

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Mutual Boiler Re Adds Risk Improvement Coverage to Equipment Breakdown Policies

Mutual Boiler Re, a provider of equipment breakdown reinsurance and related services to insurance companies in North America, is now offering risk improvement insurance coverage to its clients and their commercial policyholders as one of the new additional coverages on …

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ESIS Launches Life Sciences, Real Estate, and Staffing Industry Practices

ESIS, Inc., Chubb’s risk management products division, has launched three new industry practices for life sciences, real estate and hospitality, and staffing firms. According to Keith Higdon, senior vice president, Partnership Services for ESIS, the new Life Sciences, Real Estate …

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Regulators Say South Carolina Nuclear Fuel Plant Put Workers at ‘Substantial’ Risk

Federal regulators say they’ve found there was a “substantial potential” for an accident that could have injured workers at the Westinghouse nuclear fuel plant near Columbia. Media outlets report the preliminary results of an investigation into a uranium built up …

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Granzow Joins Texs-Based RHSB as Vice President

Shellie Granzow has joined the Texas-based independent insurance brokerage firm, RHSB, as vice president of Personal Client Services and Private Client Practice Group. She brings with her an extensive background in personal and commercial property/casualty insurance, as well as work …

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Insurance Commissioner: Overdose Death Rate High in Louisiana

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Louisiana’s drug overdose death rate exceeds the national average, the Louisiana Department of Insurance reported. In addition, a recent study released by the Workers Compensation Research Institute found that one in six …

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Obama Administration Releases Rules on Paid Sick Leave, Pay Data Reporting

The Obama administration on Thursday finalized rules requiring federal contractors to provide paid sick leave to employees and expanding the type of data employers must provide on their pay practices. U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez told reporters in a phone …

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Idoux Promoted to Sr. VP at Lockton Dunning Benefits

Lockton Dunning Benefits (LDB), based in Dallas, has promoted Steve Idoux from vice president to senior vice president. Idoux has more than 14 years of experience with employer health and welfare plans. He joined Lockton Dunning Benefits in 2007 as …

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Ohio State Law Aims to Reduce ‘Zombie’ Vacant Properties

A new Ohio law is being viewed as a national model for eliminating zombies — zombie properties, that is. The measure that took effect on Sept. 28 speeds up foreclosures on vacant and abandoned properties, called zombies because they languish …

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Texas Insured Property Losses Setting Record in 2016

Damaging hail storms and wide-spread flooding have caused record setting losses for both homes and automobiles this year in Texas, according to a state insurance trade group. This year’s insured losses for the first two quarters already surpass every year’s …

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Arkansas Woman Sentenced to 3 Years in Jail for Insurance Fraud

A Little Rock, Arkansas, woman has been sentenced to a three-year prison sentence after being convicted of felony insurance fraud in a case involving a reported car accident involving a U-Haul rental vehicle. The Arkansas Insurance Department says that two …

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Flood Damage in Wisconsin Approaching $10M

Wisconsin emergency management officials say the damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure from flooding that started last week is approaching $10 million. In an update night, the State Emergency Operations Center put the damage to homes and businesses at …

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132K Pounds of Tyson Chicken Nuggets Sold at Costco Recalled

Tyson Foods Inc. says it’s voluntarily recalling more than 132,000 pounds of chicken nuggets after receiving reports that “hard, white plastic” was found in some nuggets. The Springdale, Arkansas-based company said that the 5-pound bags of fully cooked panko chicken …

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Typhoon Meranti Insured Losses in China Could Top $1 Billion: AIR Worldwide

Insured losses on mainland China from September’s Typhoon Meranti are expected to fall between $650 million (CNY 4.3 billion) and $1.15 billion (CNY 7.7 billion). According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, the wide range in its modeled insured losses reflects uncertainty in the …

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Supreme Court to Hear ‘Disparaging’ Trademark Case Similar to NFL’s Redskins’

The U.S. Supreme Court accepted a new case with implications for the Washington Redskins’ name controversy, agreeing to decide whether the federal government can withhold legal protections for trademarks it concludes are disparaging. The justices on Thursday said they’ll consider …

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Feds go after Silicon Valley Firm over Alleged Hiring Bias

The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit accusing a fast-growing Silicon Valley software company of systematically discriminating against Asian job applicants. Palantir Technologies was co-founded by prominent tech financier Peter Thiel, with backing from an investment arm of …

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Insurer Groups’ Supported Bills Signed into law by California Governor

Two insurance groups praised California Gov. Jerry Brown over his signing on various insurance-related legislation. Brown recently approved legislation co-sponsored by the Association of California Insurance Companies to enable California insurance customers to conduct more activities electronically. Brown signed Assembly …

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Insurance Company Wants Out of Delaware Child Porn Defamation Suit

A federal judge has ruled that an insurance company is obligated to defend the ex-wife of serial political candidate Richard Korn in a defamation lawsuit he filed against her. Liberty Mutual argued that a homeowner’s policy it issued to Magda …

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Fitch Assesses Slowdown in E&S Market

Excess and surplus lines underwriters continued to outperform the U.S. property/casualty industry at large in terms of combined ratio in 2015, Fitch Ratings said in a new market review. The report also cautions that premium growth in the E&S sector …

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Owners of a Massachusetts Contracting Company Charged in Workers’ Comp Fraud Scheme

The owners of Caron Contracting, a Fall River, Mass., based contracting company, have been indicted on charges of workers’ compensation fraud over failure to disclose the true nature of their company’s work, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced in a …

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Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New Jersey Inaugurates Board

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New Jersey (IIABNJ), a Trenton, N.J., based non-profit organization representing independent insurance agents and employees in local communities throughout New Jersey, inaugurated Gerald F. Ford III as IIABNJ Chairman during its annual business meeting. …

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Greenberg Pressed for Details on Auto-Warranty Program in Reinsurance Trial

A New York state court judge warned Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, the 91-year-old former chairman of American International Group Inc., that his fraud trial might last a year unless he answered questions more fully. The admonishment came during Greenberg’s second day …

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China State-Owned Firm Managers Held Personally Liable for Bad M&A Deals

Business development managers at Chinese state-owned firms have been put on notice: mess up on M&A deals and you can be held personally liable – for life. Under new rules unveiled by China’s State Council, or cabinet, last month, managers …

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Corporate Pilots Often Neglect Required Safety Checks

Corporate pilots routinely take off without performing required safety checks, a study of thousands of flights by a trade group has found. Prompted by the 2014 crash of a corporate jet that killed billionaire Lewis Katz, which occurred after pilots …

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Ohio State Sen. Hackett Named NAMIC’s 2016 State Legislator of the Year

The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies announced today that Ohio state Sen. Bob Hackett has been named the association’s State Legislator of the Year. Hackett was tapped as the top state legislator for 2016 for his leadership in sponsoring …

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Liberty Mutual Adds 2 Excess Casualty Products for Large Companies

Liberty Mutual Insurance has launched two new excess casualty products for large companies: the Utility Follow Form Excess for the power and utility sectors, and the Integrated Occurrence Form for the large corporate sector. Both are available from Liberty Surplus …

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Florida Governor Issues Emergency Rule on Public Notice of Pollution Events

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has issued an emergency rule requiring public notification of pollution events within 24 hours, a move that comes after it took weeks to notify local residents about a fertilizer plant that leaked millions of gallons of …

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Alabama Water Utility Sues 30-Plus Flooring Companies Over Water Pollution

The Water Works and Sewer Board in Gadsden, Ala., has filed a lawsuit against more than 30 carpet and textile companies over pollution in the city’s water supply. Media outlets report that the lawsuit, filed Sept. 22, says the companies …

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University in South Carolina Awarded $25K to Study Climate Change on State’s Coast

College students will be working to gauge the impact of climate change along the South Carolina coast, one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation. The Sun News reports that Coastal Carolina University has received a $25,000 National Science Foundation …

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North Carolina Woman Accused of Filing $42K Property Claim With 2 Companies

A woman in North Carolina has been arrested and charged with insurance fraud for allegedly submitting a duplicate property claim, according to North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin. Kathryn Taylor Reynolds, 39, of Dobson has been charged with one count …

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NAMIC Taps Harford Mutual’s Linkous as Chairman

The new chairman of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies is Steve Linkous, president and CEO of Bel Air, Maryland-based Harford Mutual Insurance Companies. In his address at the group’s annual convention in Vancouver, Linkous urged members to seize …

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Sit Down for This One: Self-Driving Chair Takes Stress Out of Waiting in Line

Japanese car maker Nissan has designed a self-driving chair for those who can’t stand standing in line waiting to get into their favorite restaurant, concert, motor vehicle office or other popular venue. The autonomous chair automatically advances as the line …

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Making Auto Insurance Affordable for Your Teen Driver

It’s what every parent dreads. Your teenager gets a learner’s permit and you have to teach them to drive. After that, you have to let them try their wings on their own as a full-fledged driver. Beyond the nail-biting fear for their saf...

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Senate Overrides President’s Veto of Saudi Arabia 9/11 Lawsuit Bill; House to Vote Next

The Senate defied a last-ditch lobbying effort by the White House and Saudi Arabia by voting Wednesday to override President Barack Obama’s veto of a bill that would allow the kingdom to be sued for involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks. …

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Oklahoma to Hold Free Forums for Workers’ Comp Agents, Adjusters

Workers’ compensation professionals in Oklahoma will have the opportunity to learn crucial information about the industry at two free events. The Oklahoma Insurance Department and the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) will host the 2016 State Advisory Forums on …

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North Dakota Insurance Department to Hold Agent Forums in October

The North Dakota Insurance Department has scheduled five agent forums for Oct. 3 – Oct. 6. The forums are held annually and agents can earn continuing education credits for attending. North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm Hamm, along with four …

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Michigan Counties Work Comp Fund Distributes $28K in Safety Grants

The Michigan Counties Workers’ Compensation Fund (MCWCF) announced grants to agencies in nine counties to help reduce employee accidents and injuries on Sept. 17 at the 2016 Michigan Association of Counties Annual Conference. These sums are part of the MCWCF’s …

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Wisconsin Commissioner Names Legislative Liaison, Public Information Officer

Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance Ted Nickel has appointed Elizabeth Hizmi as legislative liaison and public information officer (PIO) at the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI). Prior to her appointment as legislative liaison and PIO, Hizmi served as the …

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Former South Dakota Police Chief Found Guilty in Murder-for-Insurance Case

A Gregory County jury on Sept. 26 found a former South Dakota police chief guilty of first degree murder in the death of his pregnant fiancee in 2009. Prosecutors accused Russell Bertram, 64, of killing 26-year-old Leonila Stickney in 2009 …

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Flood Estimates Rise in Minnesota; South Dakota Storms Damage 18 Homes

Estimates of flood damage from last week’s flood are rising in Waseca, Minnesota, officials say, and in neighboring South Dakota weekend storms damaged homes in the Oglala area. In Minnesota, Waseca County’s emergency management director, Nancy Lageson, said the county’s …

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Police: Artifacts Damaged as Vehicle Crashes into Oklahoma Museum

Police say a vehicle has crashed into an Enid, Oklahoma, museum and caused extensive damage to the building and irreplaceable artifacts inside. KOCO-TV reports that a driver lost control of his vehicle early Saturday morning, rolled several times and crashed …

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Governor Declares 2 Texas Counties State Disasters Due to August Floods

Two South Texas counties have been declared state disaster areas following late-summer heavy rain and flooding. Gov. Greg Abbott on Sept. 26 announced the disaster declarations for Atascosa and Wilson counties. The time frame involves severe weather and flash flooding …

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Jury Awards $13.6M in Williams Olefins Louisiana Plant Explosion Case

A Louisiana jury awarded a total of $13.6 million to four men injured in the 2013 explosion at the Williams Olefins Geismar plant. The Advocate reports a jury in Iberville Parish ruled late on Sept. 26 that the company, several …

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XL Catlin Launches Logistics Services Insurance to Address Supply Chain Risks

To help U.S. businesses manage the risks of storing, handling and transporting goods from here to there, XL Catlin has introduced a new logistics services insurance policy.  XL Catlin’s Logistics Services Coverage Solutions provides a logistics company with tailored inland …

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DTRT Insurance Group Acquires Miami-Based Setnor and Associates

DTRT Insurance Group (Do The Right Thing) has acquired Setnor and Associates, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage firm based in Miami. The acquisition will expand DTRT’s footprint into a new city and market where the company said it …

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Former Verizon Worker in Alabama Accused of Selling Customer Phone Records

A former Verizon Wireless technician is accused of using the company’s computers to obtain customers’ private call records – plus data showing where customers’ phones were – and then selling them to an unnamed private investigator, federal prosecutors said. Daniel …

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Facebook Claims ‘Zero Tolerance’ for Terrorist Activity

Lawyers for Facebook Inc. on Tuesday sought to assure a U.S. judge overseeing lawsuits by victims of militant attacks in the Middle East that it took a “zero tolerance” approach to any communications that may promote terrorist threats or activity. …

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Aetna Offering Discounts on Apple Watch for Health Monitoring

Aetna Inc. will give some customers and employees discounts on Apple Inc.’s smartwatch, offering the potential that incentives from the insurance industry could boost sales of the technology giant’s wearable device. The health insurer, which covers about 23 million people …

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New York Conference Panelists Suggest Close Look at Data Collection and Cyber Policies

Panelists at the 2016 Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) Cyber Liability Symposium held Tuesday at the Hilton Midtown in New York City urged companies to take a closer look at data aggregation practices as regulators have begun to take a …

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Topa Names Provencher Senior Vice President in Claims in California

Topa Insurance Group has named Judith Provencher senior vice president in claims in its Calabasas, Calif. office. Provencher Oversees all claims operations within the Topa group, including Topa Insurance Co., a California domiciled company, and Dorchester Insurance Co., a U.S. …

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USGS: Quake Swarm Jostled Part of Southern California

A series of minor earthquakes rattled a rural area of Southern California near the U.S.-Mexico border this week, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. No injuries or damage were reported after more than 35 temblors struck in the morning in what …

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Takata Takeover Deals Scrutinized for Handling of Recall, Liability Costs

Takata Corp. and some of the world’s biggest carmakers face an extensive — and expensive — to-do list as they try to resolve the worst safety crisis in the auto industry’s history. Executives for the Tokyo-based maker of air bags …

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Deutsche Bank Sells Insurance Unit to Britain’s Phoenix Group

Deutsche Bank AG has sold its British insurance business Abbey Life to Phoenix Group Holdings as it sheds non-core assets and reduces its balance sheet in an effort to reassure anxious investors and meet regulators’ demands. Phoenix, Britain’s largest owner …

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Merlin Admits Liability; British Court Levies Fine in Rollercoaster Accident

A British court fined Merlin Entertainments 5 million pounds ($6.5 million) on Tuesday over a rollercoaster crash at its Alton Towers theme park in June last year that seriously injured five people. Merlin, the world’s second-biggest visitor attractions group behind …

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Investors Urge Food Giants to Lessen Meat Reliance to Lower Risk

A group of 40 investors managing $1.25 trillion in assets have launched a campaign to encourage 16 global food companies to change the way they source protein for their products to help to reduce environmental and health risks. The investors, …

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Drought Conditions and Drying Water Supply Raise Concerns of Fires in Rhode Island

Fire officials in Rhode Island say water sources that continue to dry up amid ongoing drought conditions in southern New England are raising safety concerns. Tiverton fire Capt. Bruce Reimels tells WLNE-TV the town has just four dry hydrants and only …

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Pennsylvania Hospital Sued Over Firing of Employees Who Refused Flu Shots

Federal authorities are suing a Pennsylvania hospital, alleging religious discrimination in the firing of six employees who refused to get flu shots. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Erie, Penn., by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Saint …

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Pennsylvania’s Henderson Brothers Hires Murphy

Henderson Brothers Inc., an independent insurance agency based in Pittsburgh, Penn., has hired Christine Murphy as a client consultant in its employee benefits division. In her new role, Murphy will use her six years of industry experience to build relationships …

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Florida Regulators Order 14.5% Workers’ Comp Rate Increase in Response to Court Rulings

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) announced today that it has given contingent approval for an overall statewide workers’ compensation rate increase of 14.5 percent to take effect Dec. 1, 2016. The rate increase is in response to two …

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Sierra Specialty Taps Sergeant for Ag/Livestock Marketing

Sierra Specialty has named Mike Sergeant in marketing in its agri-business department. Sergeant will specialize in marketing ag and livestock insurance products. His 34 years of experience. Sergeant started with Hartford Insurance Co. in 1981 in their livestock department. Sierra …

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California Earthquake Authority Sees Surge in New Policies

The California Earthquake Authority has seen a significant increase in the purchase of CEA policies so far in 2016, according to its top executive. CEA now has more than 908,000 policies in force, an increase of roughly 29,000 policies in …

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Stone Creek Names Brooks Assistant Commercial Account Manager in California

Stone Creek Insurance Agency has named Sinead Brooks an assistant commercial account manager in its Lafayette, Calif. headquarters. Brooks has three years of experience and specializes in the niche of construction, but also has experience with wrap-ups, technology and restaurants. …

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Ex-AIG CEO Greenberg Testifies in Reinsurance Trial

Former American International Group Inc. Chairman Maurice “Hank” Greenberg says he got personally involved in an “insignificant” business deal at the insurance giant 18 years ago to teach some managers a lesson. Now, that deal is part of a fraud …

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Rash of Property, Auto Fires in Arkansas Town Thought to Be Arson

Police in Helena-West Helena, Ark., say six separate fires that caused about $120,000 in property damage are being investigated as arson. The first occurred on Friday close to a public housing development where firefighters found a vehicle fully engulfed in …

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XL Catlin Appoints Chambers as Country Manager, Hong Kong – Insurance

XL Catlin’s insurance operations announced the appointment of Jamie Chambers as country manager for Hong Kong. In his new role, Chambers will be responsible for driving XL Catlin’s insurance business and market presence in Hong Kong. He takes on this …

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Vandals Damage More than 100 Vehicles in St. Louis

St. Louis, Mo., police are looking for suspects after more than 100 vehicles were damaged over the weekend, either by pellet guns or BB guns. KTVI-TV reports that many of the vehicles had their windows shot out, including several along …

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Lower Flood Insurance Rates Coming to Louisiana’s St. Charles Parish

Officials say as many as 4,000 homeowners in Louisiana’s St. Charles Parish may be eligible for a dramatic reduction in flood insurance rates. Starting Oct. 1, residents on the parish’s east bank may be eligible for something called a “preferred …

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St. Louis Area Landfill Operator Settles Suit with 34 Homeowners

The operator of a suburban St. Louis landfill where an underground fire is producing a strong odor has reached a settlement in federal lawsuits filed by nearly three dozen nearby residents. Bridgeton Landfill LLC announced the settlement on Sept. 23. …

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Global Risk Partners Buys Marshall Wooldridge, a UK Broker with Growth Plans

Global Risk Partners Limited (GRP), the acquisitive insurance broking and managing general agent investment vehicle, has acquired Marshall Wooldridge, a UK commercial insurance broker which controls in excess of £20 million ($25.2 million) GWP. Marshall Wooldridge has served the business …

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Simmons Named Chief Marketing Officer at Armed Forces Insurance

Leavenworth, Kansas-based Armed Forces Insurance (AFI), which serves current and retired members of the uniformed services, their children and Department of Defense civilians, has promoted Lori L. Simmons to chief marketing officer and vice president, Marketing and Corporate Communications. Simmons, …

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New York Cyber Conference Panelists Stress Importance of Unified Cybersecurity Plan

As cyber attacks become a growing concern with advances in technology, firms should be working to establish a cybersecurity plan that is cohesive across business operations to effectively reduce damage and cyber insurance claims, according to panelists at the 2016 Professional …

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2 New Insurers Approved to Operate in Arkansas

The Arkansas Insurance Department announced that two companies have been approved to begin offering insurance products in the state. Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Allen Kerr has granted authority to Motorists Life Insurance Co. (MLIC) of Columbus, Ohio, to write life, accident …

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Stanford Opens Newest Florida Brightway Office in Jacksonville

Brightway Insurance has expanded its network of insurance retail locations in Jacksonville, Fla., with the addition of insurance agent and new Brightway Agency Owner Anne Stanford, who opened the company’s newest office Sept. 26. Stanford has more than 20 years …

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UK Financial Sector’s Optimism Plunges in Wake of Brexit Vote

Optimism about the outlook for Britain’s financial services sector is at its lowest point since the financial crisis, a survey of finance firms showed on Monday. The latest survey of 115 financial services firms by business lobby CBI [Confederation of …

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Insurers Encouraged by Latest Round of Covered Agreement Talks

Insurers say they are encouraged by the most recent developments in the covered re/insurance agreement negotiations between the United States and European Commission. Following the latest round of the talks, held Sept. 21-22 in Washington, D.C., the United States and …

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North Carolina Supreme Court Upholds Blame on DOT for Crash that Killed 3

North Carolina’s highest court has upheld earlier rulings that the state Department of Transportation’s failure to install traffic signals at a Charlotte-area intersection helped cause an accident that killed three, including two children. The state Supreme Court affirmed Friday the …

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California Rural Communities Evacuated in Wake of Heat-driven Wildfire

More evacuations were ordered Tuesday as a growing wildfire threatened remote communities in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. The blaze in a rugged area 30 miles south of San Jose destroyed one home and charred more than 1.5 square miles of dry …

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USGS: Moderate Quakes Off Oregon, California Coasts

Scientists say two moderate earthquakes occurred off the Oregon and California coasts late Saturday and early Sunday but neither triggered a tsunami warning. The U.S. Geological Survey says a 5.0 earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean about 93 miles southwest …

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Typhoon Megi Hits Taiwan, Bringing 20 Foot Waves, Power Cuts; RMS Comments

Typhoon Megi lashed Taiwan with wind and rain on Tuesday, bringing 20-foot-high waves and knocking pedestrians off their feet in Taipei. More than 280,000 households lost electricity, state-owned utility Taiwan Power said on its website. About 5,000 people were evacuated, …

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Hawaii Governor Asks Obama for Disaster Funding for Maui flooding

Hawaii Gov. David Ige said he plans to ask President Barack Obama for federal assistance to help Maui communities clean up and repair areas damaged by flooding through Iao Valley. The state and Maui County have already issued disaster declarations …

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Universal P&C’s Direct-to-Consumer Homeowners Site Now Selling in 10 States

Universal Direct, a direct-to-consumer online platform for Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. homeowners insurance, is now available  in Florida, Hawaii and North Carolina. With these additions, the direct business model is now available in 10 states, including Delaware, Georgia, …

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Runners Sidelined by New Jersey Bomb Blast Join NYC Race

A group of runners whose New Jersey race was canceled after a pipe bomb exploded on the route linked arms as they joined a New York City race Sunday, and said they had no fear about taking part. The racers, …

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Gas Explosion in New York Home Injures 7

Seven people were injured in a gas explosion in a private home in the New York City borough of the Bronx, the city’s fire department. Six people were transported to a hospital, a department spokesman said. Their conditions were not …

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SWIFT Expects Cyber Attacks on Banks to Increase

SWIFT, whose messaging network is used by banks to send payment instructions worth trillions of dollars each day, said three clients were hacked over the summer and cyber attacks on banks are set to increase. The theft of $81 million …

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The State of Property Crime in U.S.

Property crimes resulted in losses of $14.3 billion in the U.S. in 2015, with $4.9 billion of those losses due to motor vehicle thefts, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. The FBI report, Crime in the United …

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Obama Onboard with Road Testing of Autonomous Vehicles

Automated cars have the backing of President Barack Obama, who’s signed off on what’s largely been a hands-off approach to regulating the burgeoning industry, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. The U.S. is allowing road trials by the likes of …

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Pennsylvania Bomb Squad Removes Suspicious Package Near Hotel

Authorities say a suspicious package was removed from outside a Bethlehem hotel while a Celtic festival was being held in the city. The Morning Call reports that police and the fire department’s bomb squad were called at about 8 p.m. Saturday …

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Massachusetts Educators, Police to Discuss Campus Safety at Conference

Keeping students safe on college campuses is the focus of an upcoming conference in Massachusetts. The state Department of Higher Education says the gathering scheduled for Wednesday at the DCU Center in Worcester is expected to attract hundreds of officials …

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What’s Ahead in Health Care Workers’ Compensation?

For the 2017 accident year, health care systems will face a complex environment of emerging risks that will have a direct impact on workers’ compensation, according to analysts at Aon Global Risk Consulting. The risk consulting business recently released its …

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Workers’ Compensation for PEOs and Their Employees

Professional employer organizations (PEOs) began their rise after the adoption of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 cleared a path for the creation and expansion of such entities. Between 780 and 980 professional employer organizations operate across …

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Tropical Storm Julia Leaves Wet Mess Behind in North Carolina

Damage from flooding in eastern North Carolina approached the level of destruction left behind by Hurricane Irene in 2011, Gov. Pat McCrory said Friday. But instead of the hurricane’s storm surge, the cause of this week’s flooding was days of …

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Duke Energy to pay $6M for North Carolina Chemical Plant Spill

Duke Energy Corp. has agreed to pay a $6 million fine for a big spill that coated the Dan River with liquefied coal ash in 2014, North Carolina’s environment agency said Friday. The fine holds Duke Energy accountable for violations …

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Could Trouble with Comp Products from Berkshire Affiliates Land in Brokers’ Laps?

Insurance brokers who sold allegedly illegal workers’ compensation products from Berkshire Hathaway affiliates involved in legal and regulatory troubles in New York and California could end up being strapped with liability issues that may not be covered by their professional …

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Starr Buys Wright USA from Ironshore, Subsidiary of China’s Fosun

Starr Companies has acquired Wright USA from Ironshore Insurance Services, a subsidiary of China’s Fosun Group. Wright USA is an insurance agency and third-party administrator principally providing Federal Employee Professional Liability (FEPLI) as well as disability, life, dental and other …

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ICW Group Now Writing Workers’ Compensation in Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia

ICW Group Insurance Companies has begun writing workers’ compensation four additional states—Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia. The San Diego-based company says the move bolsters its presence across the Midwest and South, while enabling it to better serve agents with clients …

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Private Mortgage Insurers’ Bigger Slice of Freddie Mac Pie Smaller Than Hoped

Mortgage insurance companies are getting a long-awaited shot at expanding their business with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But it’s shaping up to be less lucrative than they had hoped. Freddie Mac on Monday planned to say it will start …

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Texas Sets Workers’ Comp Discount, Interest Rate for Q4 2016

The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation has set a rate of 4.11 percent for any interest or discount provided for in the state’s workers’ compensation statute. The rate is effective for the fourth quarter of 2016. This rate …

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US Agency: Exxon Trying to Dodge Blame for Arkansas Leak

Exxon Mobil Pipeline Co. is trying to “escape responsibility” for not considering that a pipeline that ruptured in Arkansas was susceptible to seam failure despite a history of such problems, according to a federal agency. Exxon Mobil is challenging a …

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Supplier Denies Listeria Was in Product Shipped to Blue Bell

A supplier of cookie dough that Blue Bell Creameries blamed for a possible listeria contamination of some of its ice cream said that its product tested negative for the pathogen before it was sent to the Texas-based company. Blue Bell …

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Cole Named St. Louis Branch Production Leader for CNA

CNA has appointed Maria Cole assistant vice president, branch production leader for the St. Louis branch. Cole will lead CNA’s St. Louis team in cultivating deeper relationships with producers, accelerating CNA’s market presence, and shaping a portfolio of mutual profitable …

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Security Firm to Pay $115K in Suit over Retaliation at Michigan Site

Security giant Guardsmark has agreed to pay $115,000 and to provide other relief to settle a retaliation discrimination case brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced. EEOC sued Guardsmark for retaliating against a security guard …

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Report: Some Illinois Insurance Companies Forcing Roof Replacements

  When Dennis Roberts’ car insurance started getting a bit too expensive, he did what a lot of consumers do and shopped around. Then he picked a new company and switched both his home and auto coverage, never expecting what …

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Business Interruption Tops List of Risks Facing Global Organizations: Survey

Business interruption, property damage and general liability are the top three risks faced by businesses, non-governmental organizations and governmental agencies operating outside the U.S., according to the Summer/Fall edition of “Clements Worldwide Risk Index.” In fact, business interruption and property …

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Tokio Marine Management Rebrands to Tokio Marine America

Tokio Marine Management Inc. (TMM), a commercial property/casualty insurer for large- and middle-market companies and a U.S. subsidiary of Tokio Marine Holdings in Japan, is rebranding to Tokio Marine America (TMA). The company says its new brand represents the “company’s strategic …

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Fire Season in Wyoming’s Yellowstone Seen as One of Worst in Decades

The wildfire season this summer in Yellowstone, Wyo. is being called the worst in decades. A larger percentage of Yellowstone National Park burned this summer than in any year since 1988. The wildfire season of 2003 was also one of …

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Arizona Court Considers Allowing Homeowners Lawsuit over Yarnell Fire

Attorneys for Yarnell residents who lost their homes in the deadly 2013 Arizona wildfire are asking the Court of Appeals to allow their clients to sue the state. KJZZ-FM reported that previously homeowners sued the state Forestry Division, but a …

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Weather Service: Tornados Touch Down Hundreds of Miles Apart in Utah

Two tornados touched down hundreds of miles apart in Utah, damaging about two dozen buildings and knocking out power to thousands of people, the National Weather Service Confirmed. The severe weather on Thursday also flooded streets and dropped golf-ball-sized hail …

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Oregon Cities Are Considering Clearing Way for Uber

City officials in the Oregon cities of Bend and Redmond are looking to entice Uber to town by changing city ordinances that would pave the way for ridesharing services. The Bulletin reported that both cities are looking into additional and …

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California Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Yelp Review Suit

The California Supreme Court has agreed to consider a lawsuit that Yelp.com warns could lead to the removal of negative reviews on the popular site. The court agreed last week to take up an appeal by Yelp of a lower court …

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Penn State and Insurer Settle Fight Over Payments to Sandusky Sex Abuse Victims

Penn State has settled a court fight with its insurer over payments to victims of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, a case that revealed new allegations about how early late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno knew of …

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Maine Headquartered MEMIC Promotes Meinke

The MEMIC Group, a Portland, Maine, headquartered workers’ compensation specialty insurer, has promoted Scott Meinke to executive underwriter for the Atlantic region. Meinke initially joined MEMIC in 2014 as a senior production underwriter, in which he worked to develop business …

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Cyber Risk Costs Not Big Enough to Spur Investment by Businesses

The cost of a typical cyber breach to an American company is much less than generally estimated, providing one possible explanation for why companies do not invest more to improve computer security, according to a new RAND Corp. study. The …

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Aspen Re Names Hough as Managing Director for Asia Pacific

Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd. announced that its reinsurance segment, Aspen Re, has appointed Philip Hough as managing director, Asia Pacific. Hough will be based in Singapore and will report to Aspen Re Chief Executive Officer Thomas Lillelund. Hough joined Aspen …

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Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America Elects Costello to Executive Committee

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) has announced that John Costello has been elected as an at-large executive committee member. In this role, Costello will work to provide general direction and guidance as a member of the IIABA executive …

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Trump Hotels Settles with New York Attorney General Over Data Breaches

Trump International Hotels Management LLC agreed to pay $50,000 to settle with New York State over data breaches that exposed 70,000 credit card numbers and other personal information, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced on Friday. The company, which …

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Suit Against Yahoo Claims ‘Gross Negligence’ Over Data Breach

Yahoo Inc. was sued on Friday by a user who accused it of gross negligence over a massive 2014 hacking in which information was stolen from at least 500 million accounts. The lawsuit was filed in the federal court in …

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ArgoGlobal Launches Cyber Division; Heaton Named Cyber Class Underwriter

ArgoGlobal, the Lloyd’s insurer and member of Argo Group, announced the launch of its Cyber division with the appointment of Russell Heaton as cyber class underwriter. He takes up his role with immediate effect and reports to Ryan Barnes, head …

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Brit Receives Preliminary Approval from Lloyd’s to Launch Syndicate 2988

Brit Ltd., the London-based specialty insurer, has received in principle approval* from the Lloyd’s Franchise Board to launch a new syndicate, Syndicate 2988. The syndicate plans to begin underwriting business attaching on or after January 2017, subject to completion of …

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More than 3/4s of UK CEOs Mull Moving Headquarters as Result of Brexit: KPMG

The U.K.’s vote to leave the European Union has left more than three-quarters of chief executive officers saying they would consider moving their headquarters or operations outside Britain, according to a survey of 100 business leaders by the accountancy firm …

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Study Finds Few Injuries on Obstacle Course Runs

Obstacle course runs like Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash are becoming more popular and are relatively safe for participants, a Canadian study suggests. Only about 1 percent of participants are injured during these races, and most of the injuries are …

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South Carolina Sees Nearly as Many Opioid Deaths as Traffic Accidents in 2015

Experts are warning about the dangers of opioid and heroin abuse in South Carolina, pointing out that almost as many people die from overdoses of such drugs as are killed in accidents each year on the state’s highways. During a …

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SpaceX Explosion Linked to Helium System Breach

SpaceX said Friday that evidence points to a large breach in the rocket’s helium system during a routine prelaunch test that turned into a devastating fireball three weeks ago. The Falcon rocket and a satellite were destroyed in the Sept. …

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Florida Residents Near Sinkhole Filled with Fertilizer File Federal Lawsuit

A federal lawsuit was filed late Thursday by three central Florida residents who live near a fertilizer plant where more than 200 million gallons of contaminated wastewater leaked into one of the state’s main underground sources of drinking water. The …

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Ponderosa Insurance Introduces Self-Storage Property & Liability Program

Ponderosa Insurance Agency has introduced a self-storage property and liability insurance available directly to U.S. self-storage operators that includes more coverage such as flood and California/Pacific Northwest earthquake. Ponderosa is a subsidiary of Repwest Insurance Company. Together with its signature …

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California Wells Fargo Ex-Employees File $2.6B Class Action Against Bank

Two former Wells Fargo & Co. employees have filed a class action in California seeking $2.6 billion or more for workers who tried to meet aggressive sales quotas without engaging in fraud and were later demoted, forced to resign or …

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Presidential Veto of 9/11 Saudi Arabia Lawsuit Bill Faces Possible Override

President Barack Obama on Friday vetoed legislation allowing families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia, which could prompt Congress to overturn his decision with a rare veto override, the first of his presidency. Obama said …

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Protests Over Police Shooting Shut Down North Carolina’s Capitol City

Streets appeared calm early Thursday in downtown Charlotte after a second night of violent protests over the deadly police shooting of a black man, although at least three major businesses were asking their employees to stay home for the day …

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QBE North America Adds Manufacturing E&O Endorsement to Product Liability Coverage

QBE North America’s Commercial Insurance business has introduced a manufacturing E&O endorsement to its product liability product offering. The manufacturing E&O endorsement is a claims made coverage form providing broad coverage on a simple rating basis. This endorsement closes a …

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Texas DPS Pledges to Work on Preventing Profiling of Motorists

The Texas Department of Public Safety says it will regularly review traffic stop data to ensure minority motorists aren’t being stopped and searched at higher rates than white drivers. DPS now will review traffic stops for individual troopers, rather than …

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Tulsa Geoscience Center Gets Earthquake Sensor; Area Now Has 3

With no signs earthquakes will stop rumbling in the state anytime soon, Oklahoma museums and schools are being targeted to participate in a nationwide citizen science project that tracks — or catches — seismic activity to learn more about quakes …

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Ag Disaster Declared in 24 Louisiana Parishes, 2 Texas Counties

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has named 24 Louisiana parishes and two Texas counties agricultural disaster areas because of last month’s storms and flooding. Eleven parishes are primary disaster areas, and the others are adjacent to them, the Louisiana Department …

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Canada’s Regulator Tightens Capital Requirements for Mortgage Insurers

Canada’s financial services regulator released new draft capital requirements for federally regulated mortgage insurers to better reflect growing risks in the country’s housing markets. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions said Friday the new requirements, which will come …

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New Mexico to go after $193M in Premium Taxes

New Mexico failed to collect at least $193 million in taxes on insurance premiums over the past five years, even as the state struggles this year to close a major budget shortfall, according to an independent review of collections. New …

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Hailstorm Caused $4M in Damage to City in New Mexico

A small city in southeastern New Mexico is recovering after being hit with a strong hailstorm. The Hobbs News-Sun reported that Jal was struck this weekend with hailstones bigger than golf balls that caused an estimated $4 million in damage. …

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Exxon to Pay $12M to Settle over Yellowstone Oil Spill

Exxon Mobil Corp. will pay $12 million for environmental damages caused by a pipeline break that spilled 63,000 gallons (238,474 liters) of crude into Montana’s Yellowstone River and prompted a national debate over lax pipeline safety rules, officials said Wednesday. …

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Former California Rideshare Driver Charged with Assaulting Multiple Passengers

A former driver for Uber and Lyft has been charged with sexually assaulting several women while on the job, and Southern California investigators said that there are likely more victims. An 18-year-old college student reported that she was assaulted Friday …

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How Clinton, Trump Differ on Health Reform

If Democrats keep the White House come November, millions of Americans could gain health-care coverage. If Republicans take it back, millions could become uninsured. A new study ran the numbers under the proposals of both U.S. presidential candidates. Donald Trump’s …

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12 Extreme Weather Events of the Summer of 2016

The summer of 2016 has lurched from one extreme weather disaster to another at great cost in lives and damages. Here are just some of the worst and weirdest, according to insurance statistics and meteorologists:  Flooding in China’s Yangtze Basin …

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Man Charged in New Jersey Apartment Fire That Destroyed Three Buildings

A 19-year-old has been charged with setting his former New Jersey home ablaze, leaving four firefighters hurt, three buildings destroyed and 20 residents displaced. The Jersey Journal reports a criminal complaint says Matthew Nathan was arrested Sunday afternoon and faces charges …

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Advent Launches Bespoke Products U/W Unit; New Team Joins from Beazley

Lloyd’s insurer Advent announced the launch of its Bespoke Products underwriting unit, led by Paul Driver and Philip Misztela, and supported by Stuart Cowen. The new team will report to Advent CUO William Beveridge. John Marks, who founded the portfolio …

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New Jersey Shore Town Still Considering Settlement for Gay Ex-Officer

Officials in a Jersey shore town say they need more time to consider a proposed $369,000 settlement with a gay former police officer who filed a discrimination lawsuit. The Press of Atlantic City reports the Cape May City Council was …

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Massachusetts’ The Hanover Insurance Group Hires Farber

The Hanover Insurance Group Inc., a Worcester, Mass. based holding company for several property and casualty insurance companies, has appointed Jeffrey M. Farber as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Farber succeeds Eugene M. Bullis, who has served as …

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Coface Appoints Murer as New Jersey Based CEO of North America

Coface, a French trade credit insurer, has appointed Fredrik Murer as CEO of its North America region, which is headquartered in East Windsor, New Jersey. In his new role, Murer will report to Group CEO Xavier Durand. Murer is replacing …

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Big ‘I’ Agents Promote McPhillips to Lobbying Team

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big “I”) has promoted Jennifer McPhillips to vice president for federal government affairs. McPhillips first joined the Big “I” team in 2006 after working for Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa). She has climbed …

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Gibraltar Weighs Post-Brexit Reinvention if UK Loses Passporting Rights

Gibraltar, a rocky British enclave on Spain’s southern tip that has positioned itself as a springboard for finance to the European Union, may have to reinvent itself after Britain voted to split from the bloc. Fund managers and insurers have …

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Massive Yahoo Breach Happened 2 Years Ago

Yahoo Inc. said on Thursday that at least 500 million of its accounts were hacked in 2014 by what it believed was a state-sponsored actor, a theft that appeared to be the world’s biggest known cyber breach by far. Cyber …

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R&Q Acquires U.S. Sports Captive Insurer in Runoff

London’s Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd. said it has acquired United States Sports Insurance Co., a wholly owned captive insurer of USA Swimming Inc. for $2.1 million. The company being acquired was incorporated originally under the laws of Barbados …

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Asta Gets Preliminary Lloyd’s Approval to Manage Blenheim Syndicate 5886

Asta, the Lloyd’s third party managing agent, announced it has received “in principle” approval* from the Lloyd’s Franchise Board to establish and manage Blenheim Syndicate 5886. Asta expects to commence underwriting policies incepting on or after Jan. 1, 2017. Nick …

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Demand for Environmental Impairment Liability Cover Rises in Europe: Marsh

There has been a marked increase in the number of companies purchasing environmental impairment liability (EIL) cover across Europe in recent years, mainly due to an increase in regulation and buyer awareness, according to a report published by Marsh. From …

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Judge Claims Facebook Not Taking Terrorism Threat Seriously

A federal judge slammed Facebook Inc., saying the social media giant might not be doing enough to deter terrorists from using its platform. U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn, New York, also accused Facebook’s lawyers — by sending a …

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Lloyd’s Insurer Advent Names Gray as Direct & Facultative Property Consultant

Lloyd’s insurer Advent has appointed Jonathan Gray as consultant for its direct & facultative (D&F) property division. He takes up his role with immediate effect and will report to Nigel Fitzgerald, CEO. Gray brings more than four decades of underwriting …

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Ironshore’s IronPro Launches Cyber Crime Product for English & Welsh Solicitors

IronPro, Ironshore’s financial and professional lines unit, is introducing Ironshore CyberCrime and DataProtect for English and Welsh Solicitors. Paragon International Insurance Brokers, a London-and-Bermuda-based independent global insurance broker, will exclusively market this product in conjunction with cyber monitoring and alert …

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Kentucky Residents Sue Over Arsenic Found Near Montgomery Co. Homes

Some residents are suing a wood treatment company that once operated a site in rural Montgomery County where the state detected higher-than-normal arsenic levels. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports Mary and John Sparks, Gwen Burns and Cole Caddell filed the civil …

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Florida Gov Orders Investigation into St. Petersburg Sewage Spill

Gov. Rick Scott has ordered the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to investigate a sewage spill in St. Petersburg. Heavy rain during Hurricane Hermine overloaded the city’s sewer systems, sending millions of gallons of sewage to flow into streets and …

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State of Emergency from June Floods Extended in 5 West Virginia Counties

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin is extending a state of emergency for five West Virginia counties devastated by floods in June. Tomblin announced the extension until Oct. 21 for Clay, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Nicholas and Webster counties to ensure that state resources …

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Wisconsin’s Robertson Ryan Adds Maloney, Flath and Swinton

Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency, Robertson Ryan & Associates (RRA), announced it has hired Garrett Maloney, Robert Flath and Brittany Swinton. Maloney joined RRA as a vice president and is based in the Waukesha office. He is an insurance agent for property/casualty …

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Iowa Insurance Division: Assessments for Second Injury Fund Total $8M

The Iowa Insurance Division reported that insurers and self-insured employers in the state are being assessed $8 million to in order to pump up the coffers of the state’s Second Injury Fund. The IID said sufficient funds are not available to meet …

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Ohio Restaurant, Management Firm to Pay $1.4M to Settle Sexual Harassment Suit

The owner/operator and management company for a Columbus Texas Roadhouse restaurant will pay $1.4 million and furnish significant equitable relief to settle a class sexual harassment suit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced. …

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S&P: Impact of August Floods on Credit for Affected Louisiana Parishes Will Differ

The 22 Louisiana parishes that were impacted by record flooding in August will experience varying degrees of economic and financial stress, according to S&P Global Ratings. This is because local governments all have different credit strengths and weaknesses, and the …

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Kansas Insurance Commissioner Announces Don’t Text #Just Drive Campaign

Kansas has launched a campaign against texting while driving that includes a contest for university fans. The Kansas Department of Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer announced the campaign. The campaign’s message, Don’t Text #Just Drive, is being promoted through a contest. …

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What Climate Change Has to Do with Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tsunamis

Climate change will cause more earthquakes. It’s as simple as that. Deniers, start your engines. If that isn’t enough to enflame the smoldering embers of discourse within those ready to pounce on any and all climate change notions they deem …

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Michigan Educator Is InVEST Program’s Teacher of the Year

Monique Colizzi, who taught InVEST insurance courses at Charlotte High School (CHS) in Charlotte, Michigan, has been honored with the 2016 InVEST Teacher of the Year Award. The InVEST program, which is affiliated with the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers …

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National Flood Insurance Program Buys $1M in Private Reinsurance, Plans More in 2017

The federal government has contracted with private reinsurers to improve the National Flood Insurance Program’s claims paying ability and reduce the need for the NFIP to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to cover future claims. The Federal Emergency Management Agency …

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Judge: Investors Can Sue Arkansas-Based Wal-Mart as Group Over Bribe Claim

An Arkansas judge has ruled Wal-Mart Stores Inc. investors may bring fraud claims against the retailer as a group, clearing a hurdle in a lawsuit over bribes it allegedly paid to help open new stores in Mexico. The ruling will make it …

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JenCap Holdings Acquires Missouri-Based M.J. Kelly Co.

New York-based JenCap Holdings LLC has acquired privately-held M. J. Kelly Co. (MJK), a managing general agency and wholesale insurance brokerage based in Springfield, Missouri, with offices in nine states throughout the Midwest and Southeast. Since 1986, MJK has been …

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Texas Nonsubscriber Specialist CPro Associates Buys Accident Insurance Services

Dallas-based general agency CPro Associates Inc. has acquired Accident Insurance Services Inc., also of Dallas. Both companies specialize in Texas nonsubscriber occupational injury benefit plans. The stock purchase transaction becomes effective Oct. 1. Alan Hardin, CEO and founding partner of CPro Associates, …

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House Speaker Ryan Backs Louisiana Flood Aid In Spending Bill

House Speaker Paul Ryan says he supports an immediate infusion of flood aid to Louisiana as part of a temporary government-wide spending bill that’s atop the congressional agenda before lawmakers leave Washington for the fall campaign. The bill also provides …

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to Remove Asbestos from New York Factory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to stop the potential spread of asbestos at the former Arkell and Smiths Sack Co. facility in Canajoharie, N.Y. Exposure to asbestos can lead to lung cancer and mesothelioma. “At the request …

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Group Suing Chemical Giant Dow over Pesticide Used in California

Chemical manufacturing giant Dow fails to warn people in farming communities throughout California when a potentially dangerous pesticide is applied to nearby fields, health advocates claimed in a lawsuit filed Tuesday. Telone is among the most commonly used pesticides in …

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Home Insurers, Agents Face Satisfaction Gap with Affluent Gen Y Customers

Overall, home insurers are performing better in customer satisfaction as they compete more on improving the customer experience than on price. However, there is one up-and-coming affluent consumer group — the Gen Y generation or those ages 22 to 39— …

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New Jersey Homeland Security Monitoring Special Events After Bombing

New Jersey’s Homeland Security Preparedness Office is asking officials to tell it when there are special events in their towns. The request comes after a pipe bomb exploded before the start of a charity race in Seaside Park on Saturday. …

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Massachusetts Based John Hancock Insurance Company Names Watters a Director

The Board of Directors of the John Hancock Life Insurance Company has elected Linda A. Watters as a director at its recent board meeting. John Hancock is the Boston, Mass., headquartered U.S. division of Manulife Financial of Toronto. Watters has served …

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Burns & Wilcox Names CRC’s Fuhrman to Retail Agency National Relationship Post

H.W. Kaufman Financial Group and Burns & Wilcox announced that Marc Fuhrman will join the firm in a new role as national relationship manager. Fuhrman, based in Los Angeles, formerly served as senior vice president of National Agency Relations at …

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NSI Insurance Group Acquires New York Based KMH Insurance Services

NSI Insurance Group, a Miami Lakes, Florida, based privately held insurance agency, has acquired KMH Insurance Services, a New York based specialty insurance broker focused on serving marine and equine customers. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. KMH president …

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New MGA Verve to Target Liability Market for Insurance Agents, Insurers in U.S.

Newly-launched managing general agency Verve Risk Partners plans to target U.S. professional and management liability risks, focusing on insurance companies and captives as well as insurance agents and brokers. The London-based MGA has been launched by Castel Underwriting Agencies Limited, a …

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U.S. Autonomous Vehicle Policy Attempts to Straddle Lanes of Safety and Innovation

The new U.S. policy on self-driving cars received a mixed reaction from highway-safety advocates who acknowledged the life-saving potential though warned of a world of “human guinea pigs.” The Transportation Department’s new guidelines give carmakers and states “the green light …

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The Hartford Attracting Bidders for Annuity Runoff Business

Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. is working with JPMorgan Chase & Co. to see if the insurer can find a buyer for Talcott Resolution, the unit that includes U.S. variable annuities, according to people familiar with the matter. Apollo Global …

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Mandatory Arbitration Clause Could Thwart Wells Fargo Customers’ Lawsuits

Wells Fargo & Co. customers aiming to sue the bank over bogus accounts opened in their names may be in for an unpleasant surprise: the fine print requires them to take their claims to an arbitrator instead of a court. …

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Beazley Names Sanchez as International Breach Response Services Manager

Beazley, the London-based provider of data breach response insurance, has appointed Rafael Sanchez as Beazley Breach Response Services (BBR Services) manager, International, to manage the breach response services provided with its international data breach business. Beazley said it has helped …

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Aspen Risk Management Enters Renewal Agreement with Liberty Specialty Markets

Aspen Risk Management Ltd. (ARML), the regional UK property and casualty business of Aspen Insurance, has entered into a renewal rights agreement with Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), which is part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. Under the agreement, LSM’s UK …

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Lloyd’s to Move Some Business to EU if UK Loses Post-Brexit Passporting: Chairman

The Lloyd’s of London insurance market will be ready to move some of its business to the European Union as soon as Britain starts divorce proceedings from the bloc, its chairman said on Thursday, the first indication that its plans …

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3rd Party Managing Agent Asta Invests in Specialist MGA OverArk

Asta, the London-based third party managing agent and specialist MGA investor, has concluded a transaction to finance the development of OverArk Ltd. Asta will take a minority equity stake in OverArk and will also support the company’s infrastructure, including finance …

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Florida Residents Want Water Tested After Leak of 200M Gallons of Fertilizer

Dozens of residents who live near a Florida fertilizer plant that has leaked more than 200 million gallons of contaminated water into a drinking water aquifer have asked for their water wells to be tested for pollutants. The Mosaic Co., …

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Appalachian Underwriters Adds Reilly as Property Broker in Florida Office

Appalachian Underwriters, Inc. has added a new property broker, Aaron Reilly, to the Sarasota, Fla., office. Reilly will be developing new business opportunities throughout the country in various property and casualty placements, including catastrophic wind, within the following classes: habitational, …

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AAIS Files New Standardized Personal Auto Program Nationwide

American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS), a national not-for-profit insurance advisory organization governed by its member companies, announced the filing and approval of a new standardized Personal Auto Program available for the P/C insurance industry. Alabama leads the states in …

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Hiscox USA Expands Allied Healthcare Coverage to Pharmacies

Hiscox has launched a new coverage designed specifically for pharmacies that will complement Hiscox’s existing tailored forms in Allied Healthcare, including ambulance and medical transportation, beauty salon and day spa, and home healthcare products. Hiscox’s set of coverages are customized …

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Atlanta OKs Ridesharing Services at Airport

The Atlanta City Council has approved a plan to allow Uber and other ridesharing services at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. WXIA-TV reports the city council approved the plan 14-1 at its Monday meeting. It will take effect January 1, 2017. …

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West Virginia Lawmakers Approve $85M in Flood Relief

West Virginia lawmakers have finished a brief session addressing recovery costs from deadly floods in June. The Senate adjourned Tuesday after confirming gubernatorial appointments. The House of Delegates adjourned Monday. Senators unanimously approved a bill Monday allocating $85 million for …

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Former L.A. Broker Convicted of Stealing Insurance Premiums

Martin McCloskey, 69, of Piñon Hills, Calif., pleaded guilty this week to three felony counts of grand theft and theft of fiduciary funds after defrauding his customers by failing to remit to insurance companies more than $58,000 in premiums he …

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Listeria Fear Prompts Kellogg’s Eggo Waffle Recall

Battle Creek, Michigan-based Kellogg Co. is recalling about 10,000 cases of its Eggo Nutri-Grain Whole Wheat Waffles in 25 states because they could be contaminated with the bacteria listeria. Listeria can cause serious and even deadly infections. It primarily affects …

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AF Group Names AIG’s Kuss as Sr. VP, Chief Claims Officer

AF Group, based in Lansing, Michigan, hired Jeff Kuss as senior vice president and chief claims officer. Kuss will lead a team responsible for claims administration, investigative services, medical management, large loss, subrogation and workers’ compensation practices for the organization. …

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Worldwide Facilities Taps Perry As a Broker in Arizona

Worldwide Facilities LLC has added Aaron Perry to its team of brokers in Phoenix, Ariz. He focuses on construction and manufacturing. Perry has six years of wholesale insurance experience. He was previously with firms including Horizon Risk Insurance Services Inc., …

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NIF Group Adds Property, Inland Marine Coverage to Luxury Homebuilders Program

NIF Group, Inc. and ProSight Specialty have added property and inland marine coverages to the Luxury Homebuilders and Remodelers Program currently available in Calif., Ariz., Nev., and Wash. The Luxury Homebuilders and Remodelers Program is designed for the “high-end” general …

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Chubb Rolls Out New Business Owner’s Policy for Small Business

Chubb is rolling out a new business owner’s policy, Chubb BOP. Crafted for small businesses, Chubb BOP incorporates protection for property and liability exposures, a supporting umbrella liability product, and the option to add workers’ compensation, commercial auto, and management …

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Orchid Underwriters Expands Commercial Lines Programs into North, South Carolina

Orchid Underwriters, a specialty underwriter of excess & surplus insurance focusing on coastal properties, is expanding its commercial lines products into North Carolina and South Carolina. This is in addition to the current states of Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, and …

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Fix to Pipeline Leak Responsible for Southeast Gas Shortage Expected Today

A main gas line is expected to restart Wednesday with a temporary bypass after a leak and spill in Alabama led to surging fuel prices and some gas shortages across the South, a company official said Tuesday. The roughly 500-foot …

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McKinney to Join Kemper as Chief Financial Officer

Chicago-based insurer, Kemper Corp., announced that James “Jim” J. McKinney will join the company in November as senior vice president and chief financial officer. McKinney will report directly to Joseph P. Lacher, Jr., Kemper’s president and chief executive officer. He …

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Flood Damage Aid Sought by East-Side Detroit Residents

Residents of Detroit’s east side are seeking flood aid for property damage connected to July rainstorms. More than 1,000 claims have been filed with the Detroit Water Sewerage Department in connection to the July storms, The Detroit News reports. Flooding …

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4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Northern Oklahoma

The U.S. Geological Survey says a 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck extreme northern Oklahoma late Monday and was widely felt throughout parts of Kansas. No injuries or damage were reported. The earthquake was centered near the town of Wakita, which is right …

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Whole Foods Reaches $3.5M Settlement with EPA over Environmental Waste

Whole Foods Market Inc., headquartered in Austin, Texas, has reached a $3.5 million settlement with regulators over the disposal of products that were once for sale but later classified as hazardous waste. The Environmental Protection Agency announced the fine and …

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Michigan Orders Former Agent to Stop Selling Fake Auto Insurance Certificates

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) has told a Farmington man to stop selling fraudulent automobile insurance certificates through his company, SBS Agency. DIFS issued cease and desist order to Terrell Lee Smith also known as “Sam.” …

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Answer Financial’s Beard Joins Car Insurance Comparison Markeplace, The Zebra

Austin, Texas-based car insurance comparison marketplace, The Zebra, has added Steve Beard as vice president of sales operations. Beard joins The Zebra after directing carrier relations at Answer Financial, which was acquired by Allstate with Esurance in 2011. Prior to …

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21 States, Business Groups, Insurance Agents Sue to Block Obama Overtime Pay Rule

Officials from 21 U.S. states on Tuesday filed a lawsuit claiming an Obama administration rule to extend mandatory overtime pay to more than 4 million workers will place a heavy burden on state budgets. Hours after the states announced their …

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New York Businesses Advised to Check Insurance in Wake of Chelsea Terrorism Bombing

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has identified the incident where a bomb went off from inside a dumpster in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood, injuring 29 people, as an act of terrorism. “I said yesterday I believed it was an act …

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California Wildfire Now Costliest in U.S. History to Fight at $200M

A wildfire burning for nearly two months on California’s scenic Big Sur coast has surpassed $200 million in firefighting costs, becoming the costliest to fight in U.S. history, according to data released this week. The fire has cost $206.7 million …

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Autonomous Vehicles Involved in Arizona Crashes

Google says three of its self-driving vehicles were involved in crashes in the Phoenix, Ariz. metro area in August. The California-based company says its drivers were manually controlling the vehicles during two of the accidents, but the third was operating …

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Allianz Names Mah North America Winery Team Lead in California

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty has named Dennis Mah winery team lead for North America. Mah is based in Sacramento, Calif., and he will report to Karen Walter, West zone farm and ranch lead. Mah will be responsible for developing …

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Peer-to-Peer Personal Lines Insurer Lemonade Opens for Business in New York

Peer-to-peer insurance startup Lemonade is open for business in New York, nine months after the startup’s debut and initial venture funding announcement. The New York-based company, which its founders promise will reinvent the insurance business model and make insurance a …

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CoverHound Small Business Commercial Suite Goes Live

Online personal insurance seller CoverHound is adding business insurance offerings—including workers’ compensation and commercial auto—to its online platform at CoverHound.com. Focusing on small businesses with fewer than 20 employees and gradually expanding to cover larger businesses, CoverHound will offer coverage …

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19 Insurance Firms to Support Homeless Youth in Covenant House New York Event

On September 23, 109 individuals from 19 different insurance companies in the tri-state area are participating in the Sleep Out (Re)insurance Edition to support homeless youth served by Covenant House, a New York headquartered, privately funded charity that seeks to …

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Ex-Head of Pennsylvania Hospice Faces Insurance Fraud Charges

A woman who formerly headed a suburban Pittsburgh hospice faces sentencing on a health care fraud charge accusing her of using patients who weren’t terminally ill to collect millions of dollars in false Medicare and Medicaid claims. Former Horizons Hospice …

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Massachusetts Resisting Drugmakers’ Efforts to Weaken Anti-Opioid Measures

Massachusetts appears to be bucking efforts by makers of prescription painkillers to kill or weaken measures aimed at stemming the tide of prescription opioids. The drugmakers say they’re combating the addiction epidemic, but The Associated Press and the Center for …

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Metromile Auto Insurer Gets $192 Million, Mark Cuban and Mosaic’s 50 State Licenses

Fueled with $191.5 million from billionaire Mark Cuban and other investors, Metromile Inc. is now poised to complete its journey as a full-service car insurance company. The startup Wednesday said it had acquired Mosaic Insurance Inc. — a $22 million …

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Stop Cutting Prices, Bank of England Warns Insurers

The London insurance market should not keep cutting prices to secure business because low interest rates mean investment earnings can no longer cushion poor underwriting, the Bank of England said. The key challenge for the industry, which has endured 10 …

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Global Risk Partners Acquires U.K.-based SLK General Insurance Services

Global Risk Partners Ltd. (GRP), the London-based insurance broking and managing general agent investment vehicle, has acquired the commercial and personal insurance broker, SLK General Insurance Services Ltd., based in Ely, Cambridgeshire in the U.K. SLK Insurance’s management team will …

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JLT Re Appoints Garnett as Managing Director, Malaysia

JLT Re, the London-based reinsurance broker and consultant, announced the appointment of Jonathan (Jo) Garnett as managing director, Malaysia, subject to regulatory approvals. Garnett will be based in JLT Re’s Kuala Lumpur office and will report to Stuart Beatty, CEO, …

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Zurich Launches Commercial Insurance Unit; Shea Named as Head

Zurich Insurance Group AG named James Shea to head a new unit that will combine its global corporate and commercial businesses as part of a company-wide restructuring. Shea, 50, joins from American International Group Inc. where he headed global financial …

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CNA Appoints Chubb’s Hernandez to Commercial Risk Control Post

CNA has named Steve Hernandez as senior vice president, Commercial Risk Control. Hernandez succeeds Bill Boyd who announced his retirement earlier this year after 12 years of service at CNA and a 38-year career in the insurance industry. In his …

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No Injuries Is Goal But World Hockey Cup Players Score Insurance Just in Case

Every day over the summer, Johnny Gaudreau thought about not having a contract. Gaudreau worried about it and obsessed over it but he wasn’t going to let stalled negotiations with the Calgary Flames keep him from playing in the World …

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USI Insurance Services to Acquire Johnson & Bryan in Atlanta

USI Insurance Services has entered into an agreement in principle to acquire Johnson & Bryan, a retail property-casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage firm based in Atlanta. The acquisition will expand USI’s footprint into a new city and market where …

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One Area of Miami Declared Zika-Free While Zika Zone in Miami Beach Expanded

Authorities declared a victory Monday in stemming further infections of Zika in Miami’s Wynwood arts district, but continued to caution pregnant women about traveling to the city and surrounding areas out of concerns for catching the virus. The U.S. Centers …

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SIAA Forms New Master Agency in California, Names Three to Staff Office

Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance announced the formation of a new master agency in support of planned growth in the northern California region. Strategic Independent Insurance Agency Solutions is headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif., and will service member agencies across 19 …

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Florida Awaiting Final Workers’ Comp Rate Decision

The rate impact of recent Florida Supreme Court rulings on the state’s workers’ compensation system is currently in the hands of regulators, as the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) decides on the National Council on Compensation Insurance’s (NCCI) filing seeking …

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Lockton Launches Corporate Terrorism Product with London Markets

Insurance broker Lockton, in conjunction with London Market insurers Hiscox, Beazley, Talbot and XL Catlin, have launched a new product – Terrorism Crisis Solutions (TCS) – designed to offer corporate clients a combined terrorism cover that encompasses a wide range …

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Hurricane Ike-Damaged Roofs to Get Repaired — 8 Years After Storm

Blue tarps that still cover hundreds of storm-damaged homes in Houston — including some houses battered by Hurricane Ike in 2008 — could finally be gone thanks to a new city program that’s promising to perform long-overdue roof repairs. In …

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Lightening-Damaged “Hair Curlers’ Sculpture Back in Kansas City Skyline

A lightening-damaged sculpture is again a fixture of the Kansas City skyline after undergoing repairs. Designed by New York artist R.M. Fischer, their official name is the Sky Station sculptures, although locals call them the “hair curlers.” Kansas City engineering …

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Rockhill Insurance Group Names Abney, Upton to Leadership Positions

Rockhill Insurance Group, a member of Columbus, Ohio-based State Auto Insurance Group, has tapped Jack Abney to lead its environmental underwriting unit as vice president – environmental. Rockhill also announced it has named Tracy Upton to lead its new E&S …

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Willis Names Shay Western Financial and Executive Risk Practice Leader

Willis Towers Watson has named Charles Shay leader in financial and executive risk in North America’s West region. The financial and executive risk practice delivers tailored risk management and risk transfer solutions to help companies protect executives and key assets. …

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Jim Carrey Sued in California for Wrongful Death of Ex-Girlfriend

The husband of Jim Carrey’s former girlfriend is suing the actor, accusing him of illegally supplying Cathriona White with prescription drugs that resulted in her death. The wrongful death lawsuit filed by White’s husband, Mark Burton, in Los Angeles Superior Court, …

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Seattle Techies Seek Ban on Human Drivers on Stretch of I-5

If you have nightmares about robots taking over the world, here’s something that might really scare you: some tech industry veterans in Seattle want to ban human drivers from a 150-mile stretch of Interstate 5 and reserve it for self-driving …

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Aspen U.S. Appoints Chubb’s Feighan as Head of Accident and Health

Aspen U.S. Insurance has appointed Michael Feighan as senior vice president and U.S. head of Accident and Health. Feighan joins Aspen from Chubb where he served as chief marketing officer for Accident and Heath from May 2015 to March 2016. …

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Changes at the Top of Hub International: Cohen, Gulliver, Lineker

Insurance broker Hub International Limited (HUB) has named Marc Cohen, currently regional president of HUB East Region, as president of HUB International as part of a restructuring of top management. Cohen will replace Richard Gulliver, currently president of HUB International, …

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Massachusetts Based XS Brokers Hires Kent to Connecticut Office

XS Brokers, a Quincy, Mass., headquartered independent insurance brokerage, has hired Jason Kent as a broker in the firm’s Connecticut office. His hiring comes as the firm has seen continued growth in its Connecticut, New York and New Jersey territories, …

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Deutsche Bank Debt Insurance Cost Jumps

The cost of insuring Deutsche Bank’s debt against default rose around 8 percent on Friday after the U.S. Department of Justice asked the lender to pay $14 billion to settle an investigation into its selling of mortgage-backed securities. Data provider …

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The Institutes Offers Insurance Data Analytics Designation

Insurance education provider The Institutes has launched an Associate in Insurance Data Analytics (AIDA) designation. The four courses leading to the designation provide an overview of advanced analytics and its application to the risk and insurance industry. The Institutes said …

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Evergreen Insurance in New York Acquires Sheridan’s Assets

Evergreen Insurance & Risk Management, a Monsey, New York, based insurance brokerage for investment real estate, has acquired the assets of Sheridan & Company Group LLC and T.J. Sheridan & Co. Inc. Terms of the deal, which closed in September, …

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Medical Marijuana Laws Linked to Fewer Opioid-Related Fatal Crashes

There have been fewer drivers killed in car crashes who tested positive for opioids in states with medical marijuana laws than there were before the laws went into effect, according to a new study. The study, conducted at Columbia University’s …

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More Than $500K Donated to Delaware Officials to Address Rising Opioid Deaths

As the number of overdose deaths from prescription painkillers has soared in recent years, pharmaceutical companies that manufacture opioid painkillers, and allied advocacy groups, have donated more than $500,000 to state and federal elected officials and major political parties in …

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Yale University Responds to Ex-Basketball Captain’s Lawsuit in Sex Assault Case

Yale University denies it was trying to make an example of former basketball captain Jack Montague when it expelled him over a sexual assault allegation. The school filed its formal response late Friday to Montague’s federal lawsuit, which accused the …

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$500 Million Lawsuit Accuses NASCAR of Racial Discrimination

NASCAR was hit with a $500 million lawsuit accusing the auto racing body of racial discrimination for preventing black-owned teams and drivers from competing, including in the Sprint Cup Series. Terrance Cox and his company, Diversity Motorsports Racing LLC, filed …

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States Seek Delay in European Union Insurance Investor Rules

Most European Union states want to postpone new EU rules meant to protect investors in life insurance, funds and other retail financial products because parts of the reform might be misleading. In a joint statement, 23 of the 28 EU …

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U.S. Judge Allows Class Action Alleging State Farm Bankrolled Judge

Some customers of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. claim the company conspired to help elect an Illinois Supreme Court candidate so he could vote to throw out a $1 billion award against the company. Now they will be able to …

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U.S. to Unveil Safety Standards for Autonomous Vehicles

The Obama administration’s proposed guidelines for self-driving cars, to be formally unveiled Tuesday, include 15 benchmarks automakers will need to meet before their autonomous vehicles can hit the road. The companies will have to show how their virtual drivers will …

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Why Insurers Must Pick Up Their Technology Pace

The insurance industry is on the horns of a dilemma: how to use new technologies to improve their operations and how to insure the risks these new technologies present to their customers. The pace of technology is changing at faster …

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South Carolina to Provide $35M in Aid to 1,250 Farmers Hit by 2015 Floods

Nearly 1,250 farmers in South Carolina will get more than $35 million in aid for their losses during last October’s massive floods. The Department of Agriculture said in a news release Thursday that 88 farmers will receive the maximum award …

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Florida-Based Brightway Insurance Selects Heidelberg as Communications Manager

Brightway Insurance has named Courtney Heidelberg as its public relations and communications manager. Heidelberg brings 16 years of experience as a professional communicator to Brightway, where she leads communications efforts including serving as the primary contact for media. Brightway Insurance …

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Surplus Lines Office: Compliance Required after Essex/Evanston Merger

The Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLSOT) is alerting surplus lines insurance professionals in the state that due to the merger of Markel companies Essex Insurance Co. (Essex) into Evanston Insurance Co. (Evanston) on June 30, 2016, Essex has …

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Loechner to Manage Gulf Coast Territory for XL Catlin’s US Marine Insurance Business

XL Catlin has promoted Jeffrey Loechner to Gulf Coast territorial manager for its U.S. Marine insurance business. He assumes underwriting and management responsibility for ocean cargo, blue and brown water hull, P&I, and excess and primary marine liabilities in Texas, …

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Following Flint Tainted-Water Crisis, Michigan Slow to Enact Policy Reforms

In the year since Flint’s man-made drinking water crisis exploded and was exposed primarily as a failure of state government, Michigan has allocated $234 million toward the public health emergency that exposed children to lead and has been linked to …

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New York Bombing Suspect in Custody, Investigation Continues

A suspect has been taken into custody in connection with a bomb that went off from inside a dumpster in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood, injuring 29 people. Mayor Chris Bollwage of Elizabeth, New Jersey, said Ahmad Khan Rahami was taken …

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Hiscox Launches Combined Cyber Risk, Professional Liability Coverage for Hospitals

Hiscox has combined the services of its healthcare and cyber underwriters to launch Healthcare Threat Protect to coordinate with a hospital’s professional and general liability as well as their growing cyber exposures. Healthcare Threat Protect is an all-in-one policy with …

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Ohio Etching Plant Fined $256K for Workplace Safety Violations

Federal safety inspectors are recommending that a Cleveland, Ohio, etching company face $256,000 in penalties for safety and health violations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration posted an imminent danger notice at A-Brite Plating in April after learning a 40-year-old …

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Louisiana’s Flooding Response Costs Could Reach $81M

Louisiana’s share of response costs to the August flooding could reach $81 million or more. That’s the estimate lawmakers received on Sept. 16, in a first accounting by Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration about the possible exposure for a state …

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Hickman Tapped to Serve on Oklahoma Workers’ Comp Panel

An attorney who most recently served as policy director and counsel to Oklahoma House Speaker Jeff Hickman has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission. Gov. Mary Fallin on Sept. 15 named Jordan Russell to …

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Pain Care Lobby Gave $3.5M in Ohio Political Donations as Opioid Deaths Climbed

As Ohio’s overdose epidemic has climbed toward a record high, an army of lobbyists representing makers of prescription painkillers and their allies poured more than $3.5 million into Ohio political coffers. Pharmaceutical companies and allied groups belonging to the Pain …

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2 Mexican Physicians Sentenced in Texas for Fake Accident-Related Insurance Fraud

Prosecutors in South Texas say two doctors from a family medicine clinic in Mexico must serve nearly three-year U.S. prison terms for insurance-related fraud. Dr. Mayolo Melchor and 61-year-old Dr. Bertha Hernandez-Melchor, of Reynosa, Mexico, were sentenced on Sept. 15 …

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Larson Joins CNA from Chubb, Named Sr. VP – Financial Institutions, Management Liability

Chicago-based CNA has appointed Paul Larson to senior vice president, Financial Institutions and Management Liability, effective Oct. 3. He will be responsible for driving strategy and profitable growth for both of these high-performing areas. Larson joins CNA with more than 24 …

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Ohio Ex-Inmate Wins $3M in Suit after State Failed to File Answer

A former inmate has won $3 million in a lawsuit against an Ohio prison after the state failed to file an answer for several years. John Henricks, 59, of Fulton County, had sued now-retired Dr. Ida Gonzalez and the Pickaway …

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Appalachian Underwriters Names Budde Western Regional Vice President

Appalachian Underwriters Inc. has named Jeanette Budde Western regional vice president in the firm’s Scottsdale, Airz. office. Budde’s role will focus on profitably growing workers’ compensation business and other product lines in the Western U.S. Budde has experience in workers’ …

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Covered California Prices for Small Business to Rise 5.9%

Small business employees who get health coverage through the Covered California health insurance exchange will see an average price increase of 5.9 percent next year. The figure announced last week affects roughly 28,000 people who work for companies with up to 100 …

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Flooding on Hawaiian Island Prompts Emergency Proclamation

Maui residents and emergency crews are cleaning up following heavy downpours that flooded homes and caused landslides. Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa signed an emergency proclamation after the storm last week, which dropped nearly 10 inches of rain near Iao Valley. …

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California Moving to Study Balcony Safety After Fatal Berkeley Collapse

California is moving to study state balcony standards after a fatal collapse in Berkeley sent shock and horror across the globe last year. Legislation Gov. Jerry Brown signed last week creates a working group to recommend ways to construct better balconies …

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California Suit Could Put an End to Critical Reviews, Yelp Warns

Yelp.com is warning that a California lawsuit targeting critical posts about a law firm could lead to the removal of negative reviews and leave consumers with a skewed assessment of restaurants and other businesses. Lawyer Dawn Hassell said the business …

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New Verisk Unit to Serve Energy Sector Insurance, Risk Management

Verisk Insurance Solutions has launched a new energy insurance unit focused on risk assessment, rating, and risk modeling for the oil and gas, petrochemicals, power generation, and metals and mining industries. To develop the new unit for use by the …

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Internet Insurance Group Launches Online Insurance Platform for Small Businesses

Internet Insurance Group (IIG), a Waltham, Mass., based insurance agency that sells commercial insurance to small businesses, has launched its flagship website, SmallBusinessQuote.com. The firm has been working to build out its product offerings over the past year by building …

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AIR Worldwide Expands Global Terrorism Risk Model

Catastrophe risk modeler AIR Worldwide has expanded the capabilities of its terrorism risk model to support scenario testing for the United States and 27 other countries to help companies assess the impact of different attack scenarios on their portfolios and …

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Apex Insurance Services Opens New Jersey Office, Promotes Galati

Apex Insurance Services, a Glen Allen, Va., headquartered insurance and reinsurance solutions provider for public entities and educational institutions, has promoted Justin Galati to vice president of brokerage following the opening of its new office location in Mt. Laurel, N.J. …

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Pennsylvania City Fleet Supervisor Admits Theft in $400K Auto Shop Fraud

A former city fleet supervisor in Philadelphia has admitted to theft and conspiracy charges in a scheme that prosecutors say steered work to an auto body shop that overcharged the city more than $400,000. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Robert Otterson also …

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Treasurer of Rhode Island Charity Sentenced for Stealing Nearly $186K

The treasurer of a Rhode Island children’s charity has been sentenced to prison for stealing nearly $186,000 from the organization. U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha says Robert Lonardo, of Burrillville, was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Providence to six months …

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Murphy Joins CFC in London as Claims Director

Specialist lines underwriting agency CFC has appointed Margaret Murphy as Claims Director. Murphy joins the business from the New York law firm, Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, where she was a partner. She has experience representing U.S. and …

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Trump Sends Mixed Message on Food Safety Standards

The Trump campaign pitched rolling back food safety regulations in a fact sheet, arguing they are burdensome to farmers and “overkill.” But the campaign later deleted the proposal from its website and offered no explanation. After sending out the fact …

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First Lawsuit Over Wells Fargo Sales Practices Filed

  Wells Fargo & Co. was sued by customers in what may be the first of many lawsuits to come after disclosures that employees created unauthorized accounts to boost the bank’s fees. Three Utah customers sued the bank Friday in …

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Senate Bill Would Help Claimants of Artwork Stolen by Nazis

Heirs trying to recover artwork lost to Nazi looting during World War II could get some help under a bill approved by a Senate panel on Thursday. The bipartisan legislation backed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on a voice vote …

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Beazley Adds ArgoGlobal’s Paulin to Aviation Team in France

Beazley announced that Christophe Paulin will join at the end of this month as an aviation underwriter, managing its aviation business in France and developing its aerospace/products portfolio worldwide. He will be based in Beazley’s Paris office following an initial …

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Many Safety Reforms Suggested After ‘Miracle on Hudson’ Rejected, Unresolved

In the seven years since an airline captain saved 155 lives by ditching his crippled airliner in the Hudson River, there’s been enough time to write a book and make a movie, but apparently not enough to carry out most …

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P/C Insurers’ Underwriting Loss Worsened in First Half

Catastrophes, lower favorable loss reserve development and challenging market conditions continued to pressure U.S. property/casualty insurers through the first half of the year, leading to an underwriting loss of approximately $2.3 billion and a 3.5 percent decline year-over-year in net …

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U.S. Lawsuit Against Samsung Claims Injuries from Galaxy 7 Explosion

Samsung Electronics Co. was sued on Friday by a Florida man who said he suffered severe burns after his Galaxy Note 7 smartphone exploded in his front pants pocket. The lawsuit by Jonathan Strobel may be the first in the …

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Charter Bus Crashes Into North Carolina Overpass Killing 4, Injuring At Least 40

North Carolina state troopers say four people were killed and more than 40 were injured in a charter bus crash Saturday near Rockingham. Between 40 and 50 people were hurt in the crash and all were transported to hospitals, Hamlet …

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Porsche Denies Liability as Investor Lawsuits Mount Over VW Diesel Scandal

Porsche Holding SE was caught up in the Volkswagen AG emissions debacle as investors raced to file German lawsuits ahead of the one-year anniversary of the scandal. A group of institutional investors filed a pair of lawsuits, seeking 2.8 billion …

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Scientists Predict Climate Change to Cause More Droughts, Flooding in Carolinas

Experts warn the Carolinas will face droughts and deluges in coming years. Scientists, farmers and water managers met in Charlotte last week to explore ways to deal with coming dry weather and the sudden flooding that the experts say will …

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Report: Alabama No. 1 in Country for Prescription Opioid Use

Alabama has the highest level of prescription opioid use in the country, and companies that make the painkillers and their allies have hired an average of 18 lobbyists annually in the state since 2006 to push their policies. A joint …

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Florida Regulators Approve Rate Increase for Citizens Policyholders

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation approved a 6.4 percent overall rate increase for 2017 for Citizens Property Insurance Corp. homeowners’ multiperil policyholders across the state. According to Citizens, the increase is necessary to address what it calls a disturbing …

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Re/Insurers Need to ‘Reinvent’ Products to Participate in New Economy: XL’s McGavick

The re/insurance industry needs to innovate and become more efficient. It is facing more risk, but premiums are declining. Some of its products have become shop-worn and less relevant. Competitive pressures are immense. These are just some of the negative …

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Suspect Confesses to Arson at Mosque Of Orlando Nightclub Shooter

An ex-convict who posted anti-Islamic rants online confessed to setting fire to a mosque that the Orlando nightclub shooter occasionally attended, and said he was embarrassed by the crime, according to an arrest affidavit released Thursday. St. Lucie County sheriff’s …

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Number of People Without Health Insurance Down in Oklahoma but Uninsured Rate Still High

A new federal study shows the number of Oklahomans without health insurance has fallen by 6 percent since 2010, but the state still has one of the highest percentages of uninsured residents in the country. The study released this week …

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Chubb Expands Cyber Risk Engineering Offerings Into the U.K., Ireland

Chubb has expanded its cyber risk engineering capabilities in the U.K. and Ireland, as it continues to invest in building its cyber enterprise risk management proposition in the region. Chubb’s U.K. and Ireland dedicated cyber risk engineering team, headed by …

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QBE Approved by Treasury for $73.5 Million in Surety Bond Capacity

QBE Insurance Corp. (QBEIC) has been approved by the United States Department of Treasury as a Certified Company with an underwriting limitation (also referred to as a Treasury Listing) of $73.5 million per bond. This builds upon a previously approved …

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Missouri Lawmakers Override Veto, Loosen Gun Laws

  Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature has used its supermajority to significantly loosen the state’s gun laws and potentially tighten its voting requirements as lawmakers overrode numerous vetoes of Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon. The sweeping guns legislation would allow most adults to …

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XL Catlin Updates Coverage for Design Professionals to Address Emerging Risks

XL Catlin has enhanced its design professional insurance policy form to address architects’, engineers’ and other design businesses’ changing professional liability insurance needs. According to Doug Strong, chief underwriting officer of XL Catlin’s Design Professional insurance business in North America, …

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Minnesotans on Employer Health Insurance Plans See Modest Rate Hikes

The majority of Minnesota residents aren’t experiencing the hefty health insurance rate hikes that shoppers who buy their coverage individually will see, according to data released by the federal government. More than half of Minnesota residents are covered by employer …

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Lawyer: $1.9M Settlement in Sandra Bland Wrongful Death Lawsuit

A lawyer for the family of Sandra Bland, a black Chicago-area woman who died in a Texas jail after a contentious traffic stop last summer, says a $1.9 million settlement has been reached in the family’s wrongful death lawsuit. Attorney …

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Louisiana Police Jury Seeks to Recover Stolen Money, Sues Insurer

The Rapides Parish Police Jury has hired a law firm to try to recover money they say was stolen from the District Attorney’s Office by an employee. The police jury, which is the governing authority for the parish, agreed to …

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Case Before Iowa Supreme Court Pits Water Supplier Against Farmers

The Iowa Supreme Court heard arguments and must now decide whether to weigh in on a federal lawsuit that pits the water supplier to 500,000 central Iowa residents against upstream farmers accused of contaminating rivers with nitrates from crop fertilizer. …

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California School Creates Degree for Self-Driving Car Engineers

Auto and tech companies are in a race to get self-driving cars to the public, but as with many cutting-edge technologies, there aren’t enough trained engineers to meet the demand for talent. So Mountain View, Calif.-based online higher education company Udacity …

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Judge Rules Uber Can Settle with Customers over Tips

Uber Technologies Inc. won permission to settle claims it misled consumers by charging them a 20 percent “gratuity” even though drivers got only about half of it. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco on Thursday gave preliminary approval …

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Wells Fargo Facing Disclosure Questions Over ‘Phantom’ Sales Scandal

A phantom account scandal at Wells Fargo & Co. has put the U.S. bank’s disclosure policies under a harsh spotlight. Despite press reports that a federal regulator and the Los Angeles prosecutor were investigating sales practices at retail branches of …

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New York Regulators Announce Emergency Measure to Protect Some Health Insurers

New York’s Department of Financial Services has issued an emergency regulation intended to help the state’s health insurers deal with a federal requirement that puts some under sharp financial stress. The federally mandated program for adjusting financial risk under the …

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XL Catlin to Buy Australian Underwriting Agency Brooklyn

Specialist insurer XL Catlin has agreed to acquire Australia’s  Brooklyn Underwriting from Paul Hines. Brooklyn is an underwriting agency in Australia and a Lloyd’s approved coverholder, that has been operating in the Australian market for more than two decades, Brooklyn …

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City of Boston Launches Urban Mobility Program, Prepares to Test Driverless Cars

Boston, Mass., Mayor Martin J. Walsh, the Boston Transportation Department and the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, announced the launch of a new program to explore autonomous technologies within the City of …

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AIG Selling Stake in Ascot Lloyd’s Syndicate; Will Keep Bermuda, Reinsurance Ties

American International Group Inc.has agreed to sell its interest in Ascot Underwriting Holdings Ltd. (AUHL) and related syndicate-funding subsidiary Ascot Corporate Name Ltd. to Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) for $1.1 billion. CPPIB is an investment management organization that …

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Change in Pennsylvania Long Term Care Partnership Policy Inflation Requirements to Take Effect

Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller announced a change in guidance allowing greater flexibility in federally required inflation protection for long term care partnership policies. This flexibility means more consumer choice for Pennsylvanians and should allow insurers to mitigate or even …

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Lawyers Readying Shareholder Suits Over Fox-Ailes Sex Harassment Claims

The Fox News-Roger Ailes sexual harassment scandal has created plenty of headaches for parent company 21st Century Fox. Here’s another one: potential shareholder litigation. At least three plaintiffs law firms are looking at possible suits alleging harm to investors. There are …

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Drugs in U.S. Workplace at Highest Level in Decade

Following years of declines, the percentage of employees in the combined U.S. workforce testing positive for drugs has steadily increased over the last three years to a 10-year high. An analysis of nearly 11 million workforce drug test results by …

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