Injuries, Property Damage Reported from Tornadoes in Iowa, Wisconsin

Thunderstorms that spun off tornadoes as they rumbled across Iowa injured at least two people, mowed down crops and damaged homes and farm buildings. In Wisconsin, at least one person was reported injured, as well. Tornadoes were reported on June …

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Alleged Safety Violations Bring Proposed $610K in Fines for Ohio Company

A federal safety agency has proposed a $610,000 penalty against a central Ohio company for exposing workers to machine hazards and harmful levels of silica. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a statement that violations were found during …

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Officials: New Minot Flood Plain Map Could Hike Insurance Premiums

Minot, N.D., leaders say the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s proposed new flood plain map could raise insurance premiums for thousands of property owners. The preliminary map shows about 4,000 properties along the Souris River moving from preferred flood risk to …

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Texas Agencies, Higginbotham, Jeannette Blanton Insurance Merge

Fort Worth, Texas-based Higginbotham has partnered with the Jeannette Blanton Insurance Agency Inc., a branch office of Dallas-based Independent Insurance Group Inc. Jeannette Blanton Insurance is located in Ennis, Texas. The seven-person office is operated by Jeannette Blanton-Monnat and endorsed by the Association …

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Ratings of San Antonio’s Wright National Flood Insurance Affirmed

A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the long-term issuer credit rating of “a-” of Wright National Flood Insurance Co. (WNFIC) in San Antonio, Texas. The outlook of these credit ratings (ratings) is stable. The ratings reflect WNFIC’s …

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Guilty Plea in Arkansas U-Haul Rental Insurance Scam

A Jonesboro, Ark., woman has been sentenced to five years’ probation, court costs and restitution after pleading guilty to her role in a staged automobile accident in 2014 involving a U-Haul rental. Jennifer Haggins, 31, entered a plea of guilty …

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Proposed Ohio Legislation Adds Opportunities for Self-Insurance

Ohio is one of the few states that does not allow private insurers to participate in the workers’ compensation system, although it permits larger employers to “self-insure” to administer and pay their own claims directly. Legislation introduced two weeks ago …

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Zimmerman Named to Louisiana Workers’ Comp Advisory Council

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has appointed Marc L. Zimmermann, Ph.D., of Prairieville, to the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council. Zimmermann is a psychologist in private practice and will serve as a representative of the Louisiana Psychological Association on the …

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Willis Re North America Names Ingle Head of Analytics

Brian Ingle will lead the Analytics team for Willis Re North America following Alice Underwood’s appointment as head of Risk Consulting and Software. Ingle will report to Jim Bradshaw, CEO, Willis Re North America. Ingle joined Willis Re in 2006 …

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Bank of England Governor Warns Investors Failing to Consider Climate Risks

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said he’s concerned investors aren’t doing enough to assess threats that global warming will have on assets they purchase. The central bank governor who also leads the Financial Stability Board advising the Group of …

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Arizona Residents Evacuated as Wildfires Sweep Western U.S.

An Arizona wildfire that forced thousands from their homes and came dangerously close to consuming a town was 43 percent contained by Thursday evening, authorities said. Roughly 1,400 evacuated residents of the community of Mayer were allowed to go home …

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Workers’ Comp Insurer Cancels Policies for Hawaii Pot Firms

Hawaii’s largest workers’ compensation insurer is canceling insurance policies for seven medical marijuana dispensaries preparing to open this summer. Hawaii Employers’ Mutual Insurance Co., citing concerns over criminal liability since the drug is considered illegal by the federal government, notified …

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Federal Judge Permits Some VW Investor Claims Over Diesel Scandal

A federal judge in California on Wednesday allowed some claims to proceed by investors who sued Volkswagen AG over its diesel emissions scandal, but agreed to the German automaker’s request to dismiss parts of the lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Charles …

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PCI Adds Former Treasury, Federal Insurance Official Ledoux to Policy Team

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) said Chris Ledoux, who has served as an advisor on insurance issues for the Treasury Department and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) and worked to establish the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), …

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EXIN Acquires 75% Stake in Ethniki Insurance from National Bank of Greece

EXIN Financial Services Holding B.V. has purchased a 75 percent stake in insurer Ethniki Hellenic General Insurance S.A. from the National Bank of Greece (NBG) for €718 million (US$819.2 million). Amsterdam-based EXIN said NBG will retain a 25 percent stake …

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Grenfell Tower Fire Puts Cloud over Energy Efficiency Industry’s Building Materials

The fire that killed at least 79 people in a residential tower in London earlier this month has delivered a blow to an often overlooked section of the green industry that’s crucial to delivering energy efficiency. Local authorities across the …

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Family of New Jersey Train Crash Victim Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The family of a woman killed when a New Jersey Transit commuter train slammed into a station last year filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Tuesday against the agency. Fabiola Bittar de Kroon’s family is seeking unspecified compensatory damages in …

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Alliant Hires New York’s Kenny to Facilitate Eastern Expansion

Alliant has hired Kevin T. Kenny to its Alliant Americas division. In his new role, the New York-based executive vice president and managing director will play an integral role in expanding the middle market division’s reach throughout the Eastern United States. “Kevin …

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Maine’s Clark Insurance Hires McCarty as Director of Loss Control

Clark Insurance, a Portland, Maine-headquartered, 100-percent employee owned agency, has hired Tim McCarty as the director of loss control services. McCarty has decades of national experience in the safety field. In his new role, McCarty will be providing and coordinating …

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New Jersey’s RPA Insurance Services Hires Kruger from Integro

RPA Insurance Services, a Parsippany, N.J.-based regional insurance agency, has hired Susan Kruger as the head of claims for Innovative Coverage Concepts (ICC) and Restaurant Programs of America (RPA). Kruger brings more than twenty-five years of insurance experience to her …

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Insurers Say They Need Access to Data from Automated Car Systems

Property/casualty insurance carriers want future federal rules governing driverless vehicles to guarantee insurers “reasonable” access to data from cars with automated driving systems. “The increasing automation of the driving function is likely to result in significant change for the auto …

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QBE Chile Completes Management Buyout; Rebrands as ‘Unnio’

QBE Chile Seguros Generales S.A. has completed a management buyout by purchasing the company in May 2017 from QBE Latin America Insurance Holdings. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Following the completion of the deal, QBE Chile rebranded …

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Skuld Names Kohmann as Head of Oslo Business Unit as Urdal Retires

Marine insurance provider Skuld announced that Kristoffer Kohmann is the new head of Skuld Oslo 2, one of its Oslo business units. Kohmann will succeed Ketil Urdal who, after 16 years with Skuld and a career spanning 20 years in …

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New AIG CEO Duperreault Wants to Pursue Acquisitions, Slow Buybacks

American International Group Inc.’s new chief executive Brian Duperreault said on Wednesday the company would likely slow the pace of share buybacks and instead spend on acquisitions. “I’d love to find great additions to the company. I think the important …

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Global Shipping Still Reeling from Cyber Attack; Insurers Warn of Coverage Gaps

Global shipping is still feeling the effects of a cyber attack that hit A.P. Moller-Maersk two days ago, showing the scale of the damage a computer virus can unleash on the technology dependent and inter-connected industry. About 90 percent of …

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Zurich’s Fergot Heads to CNA as Vice President of Underwriting in California

CNA has named Gregg Fergot as vice president of underwriting. Fergot will be based in San Francisco and report to Dieter Korte, senior vice president of customer segments. He will be responsible for leading the technology segment in implementing strategic and operational objectives. Fergot has …

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BCU Risk Advisors Adds Marsh’s Shapiro in Nevada

BCU Risk Advisors has named Kerry Shapiro director of marketing and development in its newly opened Las Vegas, Nev. office. Shapiro most recently ran the national sales office for Marsh PCS. He was previously with Azumidex and Aon. BCU provides …

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Ironshore M&A Unit Updates Transactional Liability Product for Healthcare Risks

  Ironshore’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Tax unit has updated its transactional liability product to address regulatory risks in the healthcare sector. Ironshore now offers a single limit and single retention coverage policy for healthcare transactions with capacity limits of …

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Wife of Orlando Nightclub Shooter Dropped from Victim Civil Suit

The wife of the gunman in the Orlando nightclub shooting has been dropped from a civil lawsuit brought by survivors of the massacre and victims’ families. An amended complaint filed last week in state court in South Florida dropped Noor …

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North Carolina Lawmakers Hammer Out Details of $100M in Hurricane Relief

Lawmakers are figuring out how to spend $100 million earmarked in the recently approved North Carolina budget for continued cleanup and rebuilding from Hurricane Matthew. The House approved unanimously Wednesday a measure to distribute the funds for things like low-income …

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SUNZ in Florida Promotes Bolinder to COO, Appoints Distefano Chief Technology Officer

SUNZ Insurance Company, a large deductible workers’ compensation carrier, has promoted Karen Bolinder from director of Financial Operations to chief operating officer. In her new position, Bolinder will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of SUNZ Insurance with direct oversight …

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Facts About Fireworks: 11,000 Injuries, 4 Deaths in 2016

The Fourth of July means fireworks across America and that can mean thousands of injuries and trips to hospital emergency wards. An estimated 7,600 of the total 11,000 fireworks-related injuries in 2016 were treated in hospital emergency departments during the …

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EPS Settlements Group Rebrands as Arcadia

EPS Settlements Group announced today the company’s refreshed brand, including its new name – Arcadia – and logo. Arcadia was born out of a desire to create long-term financial security and an improved quality of life for injured people. The …

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Perry to Chair State Bar of Texas’ Insurance Law Section

Meloney Perry, founder of the Dallas-based insurance defense law firm Perry Law P.C., has been elected as the 2017-18 chair of the Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. The state bar’s Insurance Law Section enables attorneys to address areas …

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Appeals Spent, Iowa Egg Executives in Salmonella Case Ordered to Prison

A father and son whose Iowa-based egg production company caused a massive 2010 salmonella outbreak have exhausted their appeals and a federal judge has ordered them to begin serving prison sentences. The U.S. Supreme Court declined in May to hear …

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State Sues Flint, Michigan, over Water Deal Refusal

The state of Michigan has sued Flint, alleging that the city council’s delay in approving a broadly backed recommendation to buy water long term from a Detroit-area system is endangering public health in the wake of a man-made crisis that …

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One Call to Open Office in Springfield, Missouri

One Call Care Management (One Call), a provider of workers’ compensation care management services, is opening a new office in Springfield, Mo. One Call will begin operations in August 2017 in 31,512 square feet of an existing building, located at …

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Texas Stamping Office: Surplus Lines Cyber Growth Keeps Up with Demand

In Texas and across the nation, the surplus lines insurance market is keeping up with the increase in demand for cyber liability protection, according to the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX). Surplus lines insurers have evolved over the …

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Increase in P/C Insurers’ Losses in 2017 Will Again Be Driven by Auto: S&P

Private auto net incurred losses will increase by nearly 7 percent in 2017 to a new record of approximately $154 billion, reflecting elevated volume and costs of claims, according to a new S&P Global market outlook. According to the U.S. …

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California Wildfire Destroys Ranch Home of ‘Big Bang Theory’ Star

The home of “Big Bang Theory” star Johnny Galecki has been destroyed in a wildfire in California. Nicole Perna, a spokeswoman for the 42-year-old actor, says his home on a ranch in the San Luis Obispo area was destroyed by …

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California Broker Launches National Expansion into Captive Insurance Market

Sacramento, Calif.-based Owen-Dunn Insurance Services has embarked on a national expansion with the launch of ODI Group Captive to meet demand from mid-size business owners for captive insurance. In addition to creating its new group captive, the brokerage brought on …

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JLT Specialty Names Aon’s Schaeffer Senior Vice President in California

JLT Specialty USA has named Jennifer Schaeffer senior vice president. Schaeffer will be based in Based in San Francisco, Calif. She will focus on business development with specialties in technology, fintech and private equity. Schaeffer has experience in corporate risk …

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New York Subway Train Derails, Scaring Passengers and Injuring Dozens

A subway train derailed Tuesday as it entered a station, tossing people to the floor, forcing hundreds of shaken-up passengers to evacuate through darkened tunnels and delivering another jolt to a transit system plagued by aging equipment and reliability problems. …

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Global Cyber Attack Affects Shipping, FedEx, Emails and More

The global cyberattack that has been wending its way across continents since Tuesday started creating real consequences at some businesses even as the virus’s spread seemed to be abating. FedEx Corp. said it could suffer a “material” financial impact after …

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Burns & Wilcox Expands Footprint in Pennsylvania, Plans More Hires

Burns & Wilcox, a wholesale insurance broker and underwriting manager, has increased its footprint in Pennsylvania with an office move and expansion for its Pittsburgh office to accommodate its growing team and revenue. Burns & Wilcox has relocated its Pittsburgh …

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Driver Fairness Bill Passes Delaware General Assembly

The Delaware State Senate has voted nearly unanimously (24-1) to pass House Substitute 1 for House Bill 80 (HS 1 for HB 80). This measure, a substitute to the Department of Insurance’s original HB 80, targets unfair discriminatory practices used …

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FM Global Opens Learning Center Facility in Massachusetts

Commercial property insurer FM Global has opened the FM Global Learning Center, a facility in Norwood, Mass., where employees and clients will explore property-loss prevention and insurance-related training through specially designed classrooms. The 27,000-square-foot, $15 million structure more than doubles the …

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Veterans Can Now Be Reimbursed for Virginia Insurance License Exam Fees

Veterans of the United States Armed Forces and some active duty military and reservists now have a new incentive to become licensed insurance agents in Virginia. The State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance recently received approval from the Virginia Department …

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AIG Shareholders Approve $9.6 Million for Former CEO Hancock

  American International Group Inc. shareholders on Wednesday approved the company’s 2016 compensation for executives, including the insurance giant’s former chief executive, Peter Hancock. Shareholders at the annual meeting in New York voted to award Hancock a total compensation of $9.58 million …

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Uber App Users Can Now Schedule Rides for Others

Uber’s ride-hailing app is making it easier for its users to set up trips for seniors and others who may not know their way around a smartphone but still need help getting around town. The new feature, released on Tuesday …

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Intellectual Property Risks May Not Be Covered by Traditional Products: TMK Expert

Many clients are unaware that intellectual property (IP) risks are frequently inadequately covered by traditional insurance products and, as a result, they actually could be “dangerously underinsured” due to these coverage gaps, according to Ian Lewis, IP underwriter at Tokio …

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Partner Re’s CEO of P&C Walker, Chief Risk & Actuarial Officer Pestcoe to Retire

PartnerRe Ltd. announced that Tad Walker, CEO Property & Casualty, and Marvin Pestcoe, chief risk and actuarial officer, will both retire from the company at the end of the first quarter of 2018. PartnerRe is conducting external searches for Walker’s …

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Guy Carpenter Launches Unit Offering Retrocession Services to Asia-Pacific Clients

Guy Carpenter & Co. has launched a new unit offering dedicated retrocession services to clients in the Asia Pacific region called GC Asia Pacific Retro. GC Asia Pacific Retro provides a wide range of retrocession property solutions, linking with Guy …

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EU Aims to Hike Old-Age Protection with Proposal for Pan-Europe Pension Product

The European Commission proposed on Thursday establishing a new pan-European pension product to increase private savings for old age and boost the growth of an EU industry currently worth some 700 billion euros ($800 billion). The measure is part of …

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G20 Task Force Develops Climate-Related Financial Disclosure Framework Supported by Insurers

A global task force set up by the G20 has developed a voluntary framework for companies to disclose the financial impact of climate-related risks and opportunities, drawing support from more than 100 companies with $11 trillion of assets. There are …

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Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Opens S. Korea Branch Office; CEO Named

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), Allianz Group’s unit for corporate & specialty insurance business, has opened a branch office in South Korea to serve global corporate clients. AGCS said it has become the first foreign non-life insurer in almost a …

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Auto Insurance Market to Shrink by 70% by 2050: KPMG

Autonomous vehicle technology, a rise in on-demand transportation and a shifting of liability to manufacturers will shrink the auto insurance sector by more than 70 percent or $137 billion by 2050, according to updated research by KPMG. In a 2015 report, KPMG …

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84-Year-Old Florida Doc Accused of Illegally Distributing $10M in Pain Pills

Authorities say an 84-year-old Florida doctor is accused of illegally distributing $10 million worth of pain pill prescriptions. Dr. Williem Ouw was arrested June 15 and held in a Fort Lauderdale jail until his release Wednesday on a $500,000 bond. …

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Mississippi Court: Workers’ Comp Benefits Owed to Officer Injured While Speeding

Mississippi’s Court of Appeals says the city of Jackson can’t deny workers’ compensation benefits to a police officer injured in a wreck while he was speeding. The court ruled 10-0 Tuesday that the city must pay former officer Kearney Brown …

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Opioids, Distracted Driving Cited in Rise of Preventable Accidents

More than 130,000 Americans are killed annually by preventable causes, and the number has been climbing at a faster rate recently because of opioid abuse and car crashes involving drivers distracted by mobile devices. The death count jumped more than …

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North Carolina Passes Bill to Limit Opioid Prescriptions

Legislation designed to address North Carolina’s opioid abuse problem is headed to Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk. The House gave final approval Tuesday to a bill that would improve the rules on prescribing and dispensing certain drugs like Oxycotin and morphine. …

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New Flood Insurance Product For Florida Homeowners Available from American Integrity

American Integrity Insurance Group (AI), a Florida-based insurance provider, has unveiled a private flood insurance option for homeowners. AI joins less than a handful of Florida-based insurers to offer its own flood program — and is one of only two …

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Rand Report Recommends Analytics for Fraud Prevention in Workers’ Comp

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation has posted a report from the Rand Corp. with recommendations to prevent fraud in the workers’ compensation system. The Department of Industrial Relations last year requested that the Rand assess medical provider fraud in …

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Nearly 60% of Payments in California Comp in 2016 Were for Medical Services

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California issued report containing estimated California workers’ compensation costs for 2016 based on insured employer experience. The report also reflects payments made by the California Insurance Guarantee Association in the statewide loss payments …

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Missouri Plumbing Contractor Hit with $714K in Fines Over Trench Collapse

A month after a 33-year-old worker died while working in an unprotected trench, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors found another employee of the same Missouri plumbing contractor working in a similarly unprotected trench at another job site. OSHA …

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Corps to Begin Repairing Holes in Arkansas Levees

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials are expected to begin repairing nine sections of a levee along the Black River in northeast Arkansas that was damaged by floods last month. Emergency workers are making plans to cover the holes in …

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After Children Suffer Burns, Indiana Water Park Owners Apologize

A company that operates a northwestern Indiana water park authorities closed after 11 children suffered chemical burns says it’s “profoundly sorry” for the injuries. An advertisement Seven Peaks Resorts placed in local newspapers says the children were burned after an …

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Watkins Insurance Group Welcomes Scott as VP, Finance

Austin-based Watkins Insurance Group, one of the largest full-service, locally owned independent insurance agencies in central Texas, has added Chris Scott as vice president of Finance. Scott brings to Watkins Insurance Group more than 15 years of experience as a …

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Starr Promotes Bessinger to Chief Underwriting Officer for Domestic Companies

Starr Companies has promoted Richard Bessinger to chief underwriting officer of Starr Indemnity & Liability Co., Starr Specialty Insurance Co. and Starr Surplus Lines Insurance Co. Bessinger has 25 years of experience in the insurance industry and long term service …

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Nance Named EVP, E&S Property Business, at AXIS Insurance

AXIS Insurance, a business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, has appointed Marc Nance executive vice president, Excess & Surplus Property. He is based in Chicago. Nance is responsible for growing and managing AXIS Insurance’s E&S property business in the …

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Post-Disaster, BP Stakes Future on Deepwater Despite Surging Shale

About 300 BP workers commute 150 miles by helicopter from the Louisiana coast to a deep-sea drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico that can produce more oil in a day than a West Texas rig can pump in a …

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Alliant Names Laing a Producer in Oregon

Alliant Insurance Services Inc. has named Andrew Laing a producer within the company’s Alliant Americas middle market division. Laing will be based in Portland, Ore. and be responsible for the design and delivery of insurance and risk management solutions to …

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NFP Acquires International Insurance Group in Arizona

NFP Corp. has acquired Flagstaff, Ariz.-based International Insurance Group Inc. Nate Watson, chief operating officer of IIG, will join as managing director of NFP’s property/casualty business and report directly to Terry Scali, CEO of NFP’s P/C business. The sellers, Jim …

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DTRIC in Hawaii Becomes Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Aioi Nissay

Honolulu, Hawaii-based DTRIC Insurance Company Ltd. is now wholly-owned by Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of the MS&AD Insurance Group in Japan. ADI has been DTRIC’s majority shareholder since 1992. This transaction completes ADI’s buyout of the …

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California Continues to Move Toward Letting Customers Sue Banks

California has taken another step on toward allowing state residents to sue financial institutions for fraud, rather than letting banks force customers to settle disputes in arbitration, as a bill inspired by last year’s Wells Fargo scandal passed a key …

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Beef Products Firm Agrees to Settle with ABC in ‘Pink Slime’ Case

South Dakota meat processor Beef Products Inc. has settled its defamation and libel suit against American Broadcasting Company and its reporter Jim Avila, BPI said in a statement on Wednesday. BPI claimed ABC, a unit of Walt Disney Co, and …

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PCI Adds Former Treasury, Federal Insurance Official Ledoux to Policy Team

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) said Chris Ledoux, who has served as an advisor on insurance issues for the Treasury Department and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) and worked to establish the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), …

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Insured Loss Estimates for Cyclone Debbie Rise to US$1.1B: PERILS

The estimate for the property insurance market’s loss for tropical cyclone Debbie has risen to A$1.4 billion (US$1.1 billion) from an initial estimate of A$1.12 billion, according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. Cyclone …

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Arch Expands Travel Insurance Sales Team with 3 from Travelex

Arch Insurance announced additions to its travel insurance sales team. Cory Sobczyk and Dan Povondra have joined Arch Insurance as vice presidents of Business Development. Additionally, Lynn Barty has joined as regional sales director. The newcomers, who bring a combined …

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MS Amlin to Re-Domicile its Post-Brexit European Headquarters to Belgium

MS Amlin, the specialist global re/insurer, plans to re-domicile its European business, Amlin Insurance Societas Europaea (AISE), to Belgium in response to Brexit. MS Amlin said it will keep its global headquarters in London. MS Amlin is already an established …

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House Committee Eyes Removing Bumps in Road for Driverless Vehicle Testing

Republicans and Democrats in Congress sparred on Tuesday over U.S. states setting rules for testing and deployment of self-driving cars and a proposal to allow automakers and technology companies to bypass existing regulations in introducing autonomous cars. Democrats on a …

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How States Rate in Preventing Home, Auto, Work Accidents

No state goes far enough to protect its residents from leading causes of preventable deaths and injuries – commonly known as “accidents” – on the road, in homes and communities and at work, according to the National Safety Council. Despite …

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London-Based Ed Taps Gallagher’s Blacker as Managing Director of P/C

Ed, the London-based reinsurance, wholesale and specialty broker, announced the appointment of James Blacker as managing director of property and casualty. Blacker will take up his role in December and report to Chris Bonard, CEO – Ed Specialty. Blacker brings …

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Zurich Acquires UK Online Rental Car Insurance Provider, Halo

Zurich, together with its travel insurance unit Cover-More, has completed the acquisition of Halo, a specialist, UK-based online rental car insurance platform. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Zurich said it is becoming increasingly active in the fast-growing …

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Businesses Underestimate Long-Term Effects of Cyber Attacks: Lloyd’s

Businesses in Europe underestimate the “slow-burn” effects of cyber attacks and need to prepare more fully for a loss of customers, a fall in share price and other potential consequences, Lloyd’s of London said in a report on Wednesday. The …

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Ex-Executive in Maryland Sentenced for Stealing $4.5M from Firm

A former executive for a national construction company who, federal prosecutors say, stole $4.5 million from her employer and spent it on expensive cars and restaurant meals has been sentenced. Forty-six-year-old Wendy Collins pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She was …

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Pennsylvania’s Penn Community Bank Hires Three

Penn Community Bank, a Bucks County, Penn.-based independent, mutual financial organization, has hired three professionals to its administrative, lending, and insurance teams. Peter R. Palumbo joins Penn Community Bank as a mortgage loan officer, and Renee Schoeller joins as an …

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Massachusetts’ Knight-Dik Insurance: 100 Years, Four Generations

When Thomas Babb launched his insurance agency – Thomas Babb Insurance Agency – in an 11-story building in downtown Worcester, Mass., in 1917, he also launched a legacy that would span a century of growth and four generations of leadership. …

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Kinsale Launches Liability Product for Public Officials

The Public Entity Division of Kinsale Insurance Company is now offering public official liability coverage that provides for damages and defense costs for wrongful acts alleged against a public entity, an elected or appointed public official, or an employee. Employment …

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A.M. Best Revises Outlooks to Negative for Georgia Farm Bureau Group Members

A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “bbb-” of Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company (GFBMIC ) and …

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West Virginia City Sues Liberty Mutual for $20M Over Claim Denial

A West Virginia city has filed a federal lawsuit seeking a $20 million insurance claim to cover damages at its hydroelectric plant. The Intelligencer reports that the lawsuit was filed this month in U.S. District Court in Wheeling. The city …

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Commentary: Florida High Court Med Mal Award Cap Ruling Ignores Market History

In its recent ruling that the cap on noneconomic damages for personal injury awards or settlements in medical negligence cases was unconstitutional, the Florida Supreme Court ignored why these caps were put into place—to ensure patients’ access to care and …

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‘WannaCry’-Like Cyber Attack Spreading to Firms Globally

A new cyberattack similar to WannaCry is spreading from Europe to the U.S. and South America, hitting port operators in New York, Rotterdam and Argentina, disrupting government systems in Kiev, and disabling operations at companies including Rosneft PJSC, advertiser WPP Plc. and …

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Senate Republicans Delay Healthcare Vote as Support Wanes

U.S. Senate Republican leaders postponed a vote on a healthcare overhaul on Tuesday after resistance from members of their own party, and President Donald Trump summoned Republican senators to the White House to urge them to break the impasse. The …

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Regulators Fine Georgia County $294K for Sewage Spills

DeKalb County in Georgia has been fined $294,000 for spilling sewage into public waterways and underreporting the number of spills to environmental regulators. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the fines were levied this week. The largest part of the fine, $147,500, …

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Federal Aid Now Available to Rain-Swamped Louisiana Farmers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated Evangeline Parish in Louisiana as a primary natural disaster area as the result of losses and damages caused by heavy and excessive rain that occurred from April 4, 2017, through May 23, 2017. …

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$950K in Upgrades Planned for Minot, North Dakota, Levees

The North Dakota State Water Commission has agreed to pay more than $950,000 to Minot to help cover the cost of repairs and upgrades to the city’s existing levee system. The project includes removing trees and repairing erosion damage along …

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Russian, Ukrainian Firms Hit by Major Ransomware Attack

A major ransomware attack on Tuesday hit computers at Russia’s biggest oil company, the country’s banks, Ukraine’s international airport as well as global shipping firm A.P. Moller-Maersk. Moscow-based cyber security firm Group IB said hackers had exploited code developed by …

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Arkansas Insurance Agents Name State Auto Company of the Year

The Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas (IIAAR) selected Columbus, Ohio-based State Auto Insurance Companies to receive the group’s Company of the Year award. State Auto was presented with the award at the IIAAR’s 116th Annual Convention in Grapevine, Texas. The …

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Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust to Pay $3M in Philando Castile Settlement

The mother of Philando Castile, a black motorist killed by a Minnesota police officer last July, has reached a nearly $3 million settlement with the city that employed the officer, avoiding a federal wrongful death lawsuit that attorneys said could …

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Higginbotham, Painter & Johnson Financial Merge Operations

Fort Worth-based independent insurance broker, Higginbotham, and Painter & Johnson Financial have merged their insurance operations in Central Texas. Painter & Johnson Financial is a broker of insurance, securities and employee benefits, based in Brownwood, Texas. It has individuals licensed to offer …

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Southeast Michigan a Leader in Smart Road Technology

Southeast Michigan is becoming a leader in developing “connected” roads and traffic signals that will “talk” directly to the next generation of cars. The features are the building blocks that will eventually guide self-driving cars safely to their intended destinations …

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Alaska Marijuana Board to Revisit On-Site Consumption

The Alaska Marijuana Control Board will discuss three different options for on-site marijuana consumption proposed by board members at its next meeting. Board member Loren Jones’s proposal would make it legal to try marijuana then leave. The site couldn’t have …

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2 Fires at California Rehab Center Being Looked into by Arson Investigators

An arson team in California is investigating after two vacant buildings were destroyed by fire at the 129-year-old Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles County. Officials say crews responded to the first fire around 2:30 a.m. Monday …

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Snowmelt-driven California River Swelling Forces Evacuation of 90 Homes

Authorities say 90 homes remain under mandatory evacuation orders following levee breaches along a river in California, the result of the state’s huge springtime snowpack melting in the summer heat. The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office posted aerial photos showing several …

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Utah Blaze Now Nation’s Largest Active Wildfire

The nation’s largest wildfire is burning in Utah and has forced more than 1,500 people from their homes and cabins in a mountain area that’s home to a ski town. Firefighters battled high winds Monday as they fought a fire …

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USI to Acquire Wells Fargo Insurance Businesses

Wells Fargo is selling its insurance business to national brokerage USI Insurance Services. USI will acquire Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA that includes brokerage and consulting, employee benefits and property/casualty national practices, along with Safehold Special Risk, small business insurance, …

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Hiscox USA Names Nevin Chief Operating Officer

Specialty insurer Hiscox has a new chief operating officer for its Hiscox USA business unit.  Josh Nevin brings more than a decade of experience in operations and business development to his new role. Nevin will be based in Atlanta and …

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Safety Groups Urge Government to Set Rules of Road for Driverless Vehicles

Basic rules of the road are needed before lawmakers allow companies from Apple Inc. to Ford Motor Co. to dramatically expand testing of self-driving cars, safety and consumer advocates will tell lawmakers today. Automakers should be required to certify the …

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Chubb Names Sherman to Lead North America Management Liability Business Unit

Chubb has appointed Leigh Anne Sherman to lead its Private/Not-For-Profit Management Liability business within the North America Financial Lines division. Sherman will have overall responsibility for leading the unit’s retail business, which focuses on providing directors and officers liability, fiduciary liability, employment …

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P/C Insurers’ Net Income Dropped 42.2% in Q1; Catastrophe Losses Topped $7 Billion

The U.S. property/casualty insurance industry saw its net income fall to $7.7 billion in first-quarter 2017 from $13.4 billion in first-quarter 2016, a 42.2 percent decline. Also, its overall profitability as measured by its annualized rate of return on average …

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Two Twisters in New Jersey Leave Mess, No Injuries Reported

Two tornadoes touched down in a New Jersey community as severe thunderstorms roared through the state, weather forecasters said. The first tornado hit Howell Township around 7:20 a.m. Saturday, while the second touched down about six minutes later, the National …

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More New York Malt Barley Farmers Eligible for Crop Insurance

Malt barley farmers in 44 upstate New York counties are now eligible for crop insurance from the federal government. Malt barley is a necessary ingredient in beer and spirits, and the lack of crop insurance had hindered expansion of the …

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XL Catlin Expands Inland Marine Business, Hires Klein in Maryland

XL Catlin is continuing to expand its inland marine field operations with the recent addition of Maria Klein as a senior underwriter in Baltimore, Md. “For the last several years, we’ve been expanding our operations, putting our inland marine insurance expertise closer to their clients, …

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OceanPoint Acquires Christopher & Regan Insurance in Rhode Island

OceanPoint Insurance Agency has acquired Christopher & Regan Insurance of North Kingstown, R.I. The acquisition comes as OceanPoint Insurance has been seeking to expand its coverage in North Kingstown and South County, President and CEO Doug Mayhew said in a …

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ABI Warned About Risks of Modern Building Materials Before Grenfell Tower Fire

“External cladding, made from combustible material can often cause significant fire spread upwards and between buildings, which is a particular concern for areas of high building density.” This now sadly prophetic statement was the Association of British Insurers’ response in …

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CNA Hardy Names Neon’s Marriott as Head of Cargo, Lloyd’s

CNA Hardy, a specialist commercial insurance provider for clients within the Lloyd’s and company markets, announced the appointment of Alistair Marriott as head of Cargo for its Lloyd’s platform. Reporting to Carl Day, head of Energy and Marine, Marriott will …

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Oil & Gas Industry Faces More Frequent & Sophisticated Cyber Attacks: Deloitte

Three out of four oil and natural gas companies fell victim to at least one cyber attack last year as hacking efforts against the industry become more frequent and sophisticated. That’s the finding from a report released Monday by industry consultant …

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MGA Pen Underwriting Launches Specialist Cover for UK Construction Market

Pen Underwriting* has launched a new product to address the UK construction industry’s wide-ranging, complex risk exposures. Backed by “A”-rated capacity from specialist insurer CNA Hardy, the single wording, multi-section cover can be offered on an annual or single-project basis …

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Arconic Stops Selling Cladding for High-Rises After Grenfell Tower Tragedy

Arconic Inc. said on Monday it will stop global sales of plastic-filled aluminum cladding panels for use in high-rise buildings after a fire in London’s Grenfell Tower, which used those Arconic panels, killed at least 79 people. Shares of the company, …

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XL Catlin, McGowan Companies to Offer Coverage for Workplace Violence

XL Catlin has entered into an exclusive underwriting agreement with The McGowan Companies to provide workplace violence insurance to U.S. businesses. Nearly two million American workers are victims of workplace violence each year, according to the Occupational Health and Safety …

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Former Kentucky Teacher Receives $500K Settlement in Retaliation Lawsuit

A former teacher and volleyball coach is receiving a $500,000 settlement in a lawsuit against a Kentucky school district where she said she became the victim of a retaliation campaign for advocating for equal treatment of male and female athletes. …

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Cheaper Cyber Insurance in the Works for Apple, Cisco Customers

Apple Inc. is working with Cisco Systems Inc. to help businesses that primarily use gear from both companies to get a discount on cyber-security insurance premiums, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said on Monday. Sharing a stage with Cisco CEO …

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Scott Picks Public Service Commissioner Patronis as New Florida CFO

Gov. Rick Scott has tapped Jimmy Patronis, a member of the Florida Public Service Commission and a former Florida State Representative, as Florida’ next chief financial officer, according to a statement from the governor’s office. “I am honored to appoint …

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Brunson Appointed President & CEO of Gulfstream, Catawba Insurance Cos.

Nan D. Brunson has been appointed full-time president & CEO of Gulfstream Property & Casualty Insurance Co. and its affiliates, as well as president & CEO of Catawba Insurance Co. Brunson currently serves as vice president of Business Development at …

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Senate Health Bill in Jeopardy as 3 Republican Senators Oppose

At least three Republican senators said they would vote to block the current version of their party’s health-care bill from advancing, endangering Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to repeal Obamacare.Republican Susan Collins of Maine late Monday said she would vote …

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Alliant, USI in Running to Acquire Wells Fargo Insurance

Alliant Insurance Services Inc. has emerged as the front-runner to buy Wells Fargo & Co.’s insurance business, people familiar with the matter said. The San Francisco-based bank could announce a sale of its Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA brokerage within …

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Tropical Storm Cindy Drenches Southeast

Floodwaters from Tropical Storm Cindy covered timberland and fields across the rural Deep South on Saturday, but the sun peeked out enough to offer hope that the worst was over. Swollen by heavy rains and flowing quickly, the Chickasawhay River …

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Texas Ex-Track Coach’s Discrimination Suit to Proceed

The Texas Supreme Court has refused to block a sex and race discrimination lawsuit filed against the University of Texas by former women’s track coach Bev Kearney, who was forced out after the school learned of a romantic relationship with …

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Oklahoma’s Tulsa County to Pay Ex-Deputy $138K in Wrongful Termination Suit

Tulsa County has agreed to pay nearly $138,000 to a former sheriff’s deputy to settle a wrongful termination lawsuit that claimed he and others were ousted in fallout from the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man in 2015. County …

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Lloyd’s to Cut 10% of UK Employees on Soft Market Pricing Pressures

Lloyd’s of London is planning to cut 10 percent of its staff in the UK as the world’s oldest insurance market looks to streamline operations and reduce costs amid continued pricing pressure on its members. Lloyd’s plans to introduce a …

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Missouri Judge OKs $1.5M Settlement in Brown Family Wrongful Death Suit

A federal judge in St. Louis on June 20 approved a $1.5 million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Michael Brown Sr. and Lezley McSpadden. Their 18-year-old son was unarmed on Aug. 9, 2014, when he was fatally …

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Jury Says Syngenta Must Pay Kansas Farmers $217.7M in GMO Corn Case

A U.S. jury has ordered Syngenta AG to pay $217.7 million to more than 7,000 Kansas farmers over its decision to commercialize a genetically modified strain of corn before China approved importing it. The June 23 verdict by a federal …

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Halter Named Director of AF Specialty

AF Group, headquartered in Lansing, Mich., has appointed Eric Halter as director of AF Specialty, a new brand focused on providing fronting capacity to insurance carriers, managing general agents, reinsurance intermediaries and captive managers. Halter will partner with entities who …

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EU Insurance Contracts Should Remain in Place After Brexit: Lloyd’s CEO Beale

Existing European Union insurance policies should stay in place after Britain leaves the bloc because the process of dividing them into British and EU contracts would be too complex, Lloyd’s of London Chief Executive Inga Beale said. The Lloyd’s of …

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Number of Compound Drug Prescriptions Falling in Texas Workers’ Comp System

A report released in May by the Texas Department of Insurance – Division of Workers’ Compensation shows that while the number of compounded drug prescriptions in the workers’ comp system grew between 2010 and 2014, there was a steady decrease …

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AIR Worldwide Launches Crop Hail Model for Canada

Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide announced it has released a Crop Hail Model for Canada to provide crop insurers with a probabilistic view of crop hail risk in Canada. Based on 10,000 simulations of potential annual hail activity, the …

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RPG Promotes D’Onofrio to CEO of WKFC Underwriting and CorRisk

Ryan Specialty Group (RSG) announced that Dawn D’Onofrio has been promoted to chief executive officer and president of WKFC Underwriting Managers and CorRisk Solutions. D’Onofrio previously served as chief underwriting officer for both RSG subsidiaries. As CUO since 2011, D’Onofrio …

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Utah Tattoo Parlor Settles with Man Who Has HIV

A 27-year-old Utah college student with HIV has reached a settlement with a tattoo parlor that denied him service based on his medical condition. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that denying the student service was a violation of the Americans …

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$300K Settlement in 2012 Utah Fire to be Paid by Insurer

Utah officials have reached a $300,000 settlement with a man accused of starting a 2012 fire that led to the evacuation than 1,000 northwestern Utah homes. The Daily Herald reported the Utah County Commission approved the settlement with Kenneth Nielsen …

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California Assembly Speaker Sidelines Single Payer Bill until 2018

California Association of Health Underwriters President Rick Coburn applauded actions taken by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, to sideline a bill that would create a single payer healthcare system in the state until next year. The Speaker postponed any further …

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Hartford Group to Transfer 29% of Pension Liabilities to Pru

Insurer Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. said on Monday it would transfer $1.6 billion, or 29 percent, of its pension liabilities to Prudential Financial Inc. Hartford is the latest U.S. firm to transfer its pension obligations as rising interest rates …

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Supreme Court to Review Protections for Whistleblowers from Retaliation

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to take up a case that promises broad implications for when corporate insiders who blow the whistle on alleged misconduct can be shielded from retaliation by their employers. The justices will hear Digital …

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Former Connecticut Software Company Manager Gets 2 Years for Taking $1.7M

A former payroll manager at a Connecticut software company has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after she acknowledged stealing $1.7 million from her job. The U.S. attorney’s office says 46-year-old Penny Roy, of Wethersfield, Conn., was sentenced …

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Massachusetts Worker Injured on the Job Wins $750K Jury Award

A Massachusetts jury has recently awarded $750,000 to a man who suffered severe leg injuries while working for a landscaping business that did not carry workers’ compensation insurance. A lawyer for 52-year-old Jose Hernandez tells The Berkshire Eagle that her client …

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Powered by Homegrown Insurtech, HCI to Expand Flood Insurance Sales to 9 States

As Congress tries to figure out how to change the federal flood insurance program to encourage more private insurer involvement, one Florida insurer isn’t waiting to wade deeper into the private flood insurance business. It is taking its Florida flood …

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New York Woman, Three Others Charged with Killing Her Mother

Authorities say a 22-year-old New York woman and three other people have been charged in the killing of the woman’s mother for insurance money. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office says the suspects include 52-year-old Julie Martin’s daughter, from Sodus, a …

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New Jersey Man Charged with Insurance Fraud, Theft by Deception

A Middlesex County, N.J., man has been charged with insurance fraud and theft by deception for allegedly impersonating his deceased mother to obtain cheaper renters insurance under her senior-discounted policy and for falsifying claims for jewelry and other items stolen …

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As Agents’ Needs Change and Startups Emerge, Big ‘I’ Looks to Remain Relevant

Spencer Houldin is chairman of the nation’s largest and oldest agents’ association, the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (Big “I”). He is also co-president of the family-run Ericson Insurance Advisors, an 80-year old agency serving the greater New …

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Planned Sale of Israel’s Phoenix Holdings to China’s Yango Is Scrapped

Israeli energy conglomerate Delek said its planned sale of a controlling stake in Israeli insurer Phoenix Holdings to China’s Fujian Yango Group has been called off by both sides after it failed to secure regulatory approval. It did not give …

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Whirlpool Fridge Started London’s Grenfell Tower Fire that Killed at Least 79

A deadly fire that killed at least 79 people in a London tower block started in a Whirlpool Corp. fridge and spread at “unexpected speed” through the building’s exterior cladding, police said, indicating they’ll pursue charges if criminal offenses are …

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Everest Re Taps Hiscox’s Kelly to Lead International Casualty Facultative Unit

Everest Re Group, Ltd. announced that Matthew Kelly has joined the group as vice president and head of the Reinsurance Division’s International Casualty Facultative unit and is based in Everest Re’s Miami Office. He will be responsible for worldwide casualty …

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Allianz Sells Private Bank OLB to Private Equity Firm Apollo for $336M

German insurer Allianz said it had agreed to sell its 90 percent stake in private bank Oldenburgische Landesbank (OLB) to U.S. private equity firm Apollo for 300 million euros ($336 million). Apollo, which is consolidating the northern German banking market …

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General Motors Agrees to Settle Hundreds of Ignition Lawsuits

General Motors Co. has agreed to settle federal lawsuits by as many as 203 plaintiffs over defective ignition switches in its vehicles, a Friday court filing shows. Settlement terms are confidential, but the accord could also resolve hundreds of state court …

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Automakers Grapple with What To Do with Drivers in Autonomous Vehicles

Automakers are using tiny cameras, sensors to track drooping heads, steering wheel monitors and audible alerts to ensure drivers pay attention when using advanced driver assistance systems, like Tesla’s Autopilot, that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel. …

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Former Flatiron, Cantor Fitzgerald Execs Launch Premium Financing Firm National Partners

Denver-based National Partners, a new premium finance company, said that it will open for business and begin processing loans on July 2. Since its formation in July 2016, NP has been building out its software system and securing the state …

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In Biggest Data Breach Settlement Yet, Anthem to Pay $115 Million

Anthem Inc., the largest U.S. health insurance company, has agreed to settle litigation over hacking in 2015 that compromised about 79 million people’s personal information for $115 million, which lawyers said would be the largest settlement ever for a data breach. The …

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Florida Medical Marijuana Law Signed by Scott

  Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation Friday to implement the medical marijuana amendment voters approved last year. Amendment 2, approved by 71 percent of the voters in November, took effect on Jan. 3 and required that laws had to …

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Alabama Governor Requests Disaster Declaration for Farmers Hit by Storm

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is asking for federal assistance for farmers because of crop losses from Tropical Storm Cindy. Ivey sent a letter Friday to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue asking for a disaster declaration in some Alabama …

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London Underwriters, Trigon to Offer Alabama Homeowners Program

London Underwriters LLC, a national MGA and surplus lines broker, has partnered with Birmingham based wholesaler Trigon Inc., to provide a new and exclusive low-value homeowners program for the state of Alabama. The product will target homeowners (HO3, HO6 and …

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California Chamber and 2 Workers’ Comp Groups File Brief in Utilization Review Case

The California Workers’ Compensation Institute, the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Coalition of Workers’ Compensation have filed a joint amicus brief in Stevens v. WCAB, the long-running court case that challenged the constitutionality of the utilization review/independent medical …

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Wine Named Securities Head, Shultz Asst. Commissioner at Kansas Insurance Dept.

John Wine, current assistant commissioner at the Kansas Insurance Department (KID), has been named securities commissioner within the department, and Clark Shultz has been tapped as Wine’s successor as assistant commissioner. The administrative changes are a result of the upcoming …

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Watkins Insurance Group Expanding to Georgetown, Texas

Watkins Insurance Group announced it is expanding to Georgetown, Texas, and plans to build a new location in the city’s historic downtown. The new building, to be located at 815 South Main Street, will be a two-story development that will …

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Texas Mutual Promotes Green-Hinojosa, Scott to VP Positions

Austin-based workers’ compensation insurance provider Texas Mutual Insurance Co.  has promoted Amy Green-Hinojosa to vice president of the project management office and Nathan Scott to vice president of investments. Green-Hinojosa joined Texas Mutual in 1995 in the premium audit department …

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Texas Stamping Office: Surplus Lines Insurance Premium Up for 2017

Data collected by the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX) shows that insurance premium amounts recorded in May 2017 are higher than totals recorded in May of 2016 or 2015. The information was presented at the second-quarter SLTX Board …

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Partners Specialty Group Adds Swett & Crawford’s Coelho in Kansas City

Partners Specialty Group Inc., an AmWINS Group Co., has added Michael Coelho to its Property team. He is based in Kansas City, Mo. With almost 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, Coelho specializes in finding solutions for challenging property …

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Missouri Becomes 3rd State to Sue Opioid Manufacturers

Missouri on June 21 became the third U.S. state to accuse major drug manufacturers of fraudulently misrepresenting the risks of opioid painkillers now at the center of a national addiction epidemic. Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley said his office filed …

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Zenefits to Pay $3.4M for Fair Labor Act Violations in California and Arizona

Zenefits is in trouble with another government regulator. San Francisco, Calif.-based Zenefits FTW Insurance Services violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by misclassifying 743 account executives and sales development representatives in San Francisco, and in Tempe and Scottsdale, Ariz., as …

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California Judge Will Let San Francisco Subpoena Uber for Driver Information

A California state judge said that San Francisco can demand from Uber records containing the ridesharing company’s driver contact information, the city attorney said. San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera last month sought a court order compelling Uber Technologies Inc. …

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United Valley Adds 2 Members in Southern California

United Valley has added Goodwin Insurance Agency Inc. of Redlands, Calif. and RBP Insurance Services Inc. of Valencia, Calif. to its network. Goodwin Insurance, which was founded in 2004 by agency owners Glenn Goodwin, Nick Goodwin and Holly Grimm, provides …

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Survey: Agents Suggest How Carriers Can Move from ‘Good’ to ‘Great’

One would expect to see high levels of satisfaction between an independent agency and its top carrier, but that isn’t always the case. Peeling back the layers usually reveals fertile ground for improvement and shows the path to higher performance …

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Man Admits He Embezzled $700K from Maine Boatyard

A Massachusetts man who worked as a financial manager for a Maine boatyard has admitted to embezzling over $700,000 from the company. The Portland Press Herald reports 50-year-old Steven Nygren, of Salem, Mass., pleaded guilty to bank fraud, credit card fraud …

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Massachusetts House Approves Bill That Would Redo Recreational Marijuana Law

A bill that would repeal and replace the recreational marijuana law approved by Massachusetts voters in November cleared the House late Wednesday. Critics who lashed out at the proposal accused lawmakers of ignoring the will of the electorate and taking …

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JLT Re Appoints Chubb’s Williams as Partner in Bermuda Operation

JLT Re, the global provider of reinsurance broking and consultancy, has appointed Deanna Williams as a partner in JLT Re’s Bermuda operation. She will report to Charles Withers-Clarke, partner, JLT Re in Bermuda, who said that Williams will focus on …

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Beecher Carlson Expands Energy Practice in the Northeast

Beecher Carlson Insurance Services LLC (Beecher Carlson), a specialized large account insurance broker, has expanded the northeast operations of its energy practice. Sara Kane has been appointed senior vice president. She will be responsible for developing and managing energy risk …

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XL Catlin Promotes E&S Property Insurance Regional Leader in Boston

XL Catlin’s excess and surplus (E&S) insurance team has promoted Caitlin Murphy from senior underwriter to the role of eastern regional vice president of E&S Property. In her new role, Murphy will direct regional underwriting operations and product and business …

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Randall & Quilter to Sell Lloyd’s Agency to Medical Liability Insurer Coverys

Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd. announced it has reached agreement to sell the entire share capital of its Lloyd’s managing agency, R&Q Managing Agency Ltd. (RQMA), to Coverys, a provider of medical professional liability insurance based in Boston, Mass. …

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Weed Warning: Legalizing Marijuana Tied to Rise in Crashes in 3 States by HLDI

Legalizing recreational marijuana use in Colorado, Oregon and Washington has resulted in collision claim frequencies that are about three percent higher overall than would have been expected without legalization, a new insurance report has found. The Highway Loss Data Institute …

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Brexit Critics Now Emboldened to Block Prime Minister’s Plans for ‘Hard Brexit’

When she called a snap election in April, Theresa May said she needed voters’ backing to silence rivals in Parliament who were trying to frustrate her plans for Brexit. Instead, the British prime minister’s electoral humiliation seven weeks later weakened …

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After Drenching Gulf Coast, Tropical Storm Cindy Heads North, East

The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy brought tornadoes and flooding to the U.S. Gulf Coast on Thursday and its heavy rains will drench much of the eastern United States in coming days, forecasters said. Flooding and road closures stretched from …

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Reinsurance Rates Continue to Soften with No End in Sight: S&P

The global reinsurance sector is poised for yet another full year of declining rates, ensuring that a hoped-for bottom of the current market cycle will remain elusive in 2017, Standard & Poor’s said in a new report. The continued downward …

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Protecting Unions Is a Labor of Love for Union Insurance Group

It can be pretty tough keeping an independent insurance agency up and running successfully long-term if you’re just in it for the money, according to the leader of a Chicago-based agency that is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. “You’ve …

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Highly Contagious Citrus Disease Spreads to Alabama

A highly contagious bacterial disease that seriously threatens the U.S. citrus industry has been found for the first time in Alabama. Federal and state plant officials confirm that citrus greening was found in leaf and insect samples at a home …

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Cyber Insurance Premium Volume Grew 35% to $1.3 Billion in 2016

Property/casualty insurers wrote $1.35 billion in direct written premium for cyber insurance in 2016, a 35 percent jump from 2015, according to reports by Fitch Ratings and A.M. Best. The largest cyber insurance writers are American International Group, XL Group …

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North Carolina Senate Passes Legislation to Reduce Opioid Abuse

Legislation aimed at reducing opioid abuse and overdoses has passed the North Carolina Senate with unanimous bipartisan support. The measure approved Wednesday changes how drugs such as OxyContin and morphine are prescribed and dispensed. The painkillers come with a high …

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Norman-Spencer Agency Redesigns Crane Program; Adds New Coverages, Rates

Norman-Spencer Agency, Inc., a national property and casualty insurance provider, has expanded its crane division with a program redesign to include additional coverages and new rates. According to Brian Norman, president of Norman-Spencer, the new program allows the company to …

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Tennessee-Based Reliance Partners Promotes Howell to SVP

Reliance Partners, a leading commercial insurance agency, has promoted Laura Ann Howell to the position of senior vice president. Prior to the promotion, Howell began her career with Reliance Partners in 2015 as vice president, overseeing HR and Finance. She …

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Oklahoma, Other States Call Out California’s ‘Affront to Sound Insurance Regulation’

It’s difficult to decide whether Dave Jones is underdog prize fighter Rocky Balboa or reigning champ Apollo Creed? He’s the insurance commissioner of the most populated state in the nation and that makes him a powerful figure. But with a …

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Insurtech Startup Buys MGA in California with Product for Agents in Mind

Insurtech startup Bridger has purchased Pleasanton, Calif.-based SCJ Insurance Services in another apparent step toward launching what the firm contends will be a “simpler, cheaper, and easier-to-manage automotive insurance.” Bridger CEO Kimo Winterbottom talked about the acquisition with Insurance Journal …

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January, Rupper and Sanders Join RHSB Insurance in Dallas

Dallas-based independent insurance broker RHSB has added Austin January, Dan Rupper and John Sanders as assistant vice presidents. January, AVP employee benefits, is an experienced employee benefits consultant proficient in several functions of human capital management. Prior to joining RHSB, …

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Ex-Missouri Insurance Director Joins Dentons Law Firm in Kansas City

The global law firm, Dentons, has named John M. Huff as a partner in its insurance regulatory practice. He is based in Kansas City. Huff most recently served as director of the Missouri Department of Insurance, where he oversaw one …

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Governor Declares State of Emergency for Nebraska Storm-Damaged Areas

Nebraska’s governor has declared a state of emergency for storm-damaged areas of the state. The June 20 declaration by Gov. Pete Ricketts will let the state respond to local governments in the wake of storms that struck both ends of Nebraska last …

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Tyson Installs Video, Bird Welfare Assessments in Arkansas Poultry Operations

Tyson Foods has installed video cameras in key areas of its poultry operations and will test new ways to slaughter birds — not in response to previous “gotcha” moments but under a corporate philosophy that notes its role as a …

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Green Bay Fan Sues Chicago Bears over Sideline Packers Gear Ban

A Green Bay fan is making a federal case out of a dispute with the Chicago Bears, filing a lawsuit accusing the rival team of violating his free-speech rights by prohibiting him from wearing Packers apparel at Bears’ pregame warmups. …

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Senate Republicans Unveil Secret Draft of Their Heath Insurance Plan

Senate Republicans’ proposal to replace Obamacare would provide an additional $50 billion over four years to stabilize insurance exchanges, relying on a mechanism Republicans have criticized in the past as a way to keep insurers in the marketplace. The plan, released …

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Norway’s Protector Forsikring Insured Grenfell Tower Fire; Price Tag Debated

Olso-based Protector Forsikring is the insurer of Grenfell Tower, the residential block that was destroyed last week by a raging fire that killed 79 people. “Based on the information we have as of now, the damage is estimated at more …

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House Committee Adds 5 More Bills to Its Flood Insurance Reform Package

The House Financial Services Committee advanced five flood insurance proposals on Wednesday, adding to the two bills it passed last week. The House measures seek to reform and reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is set to expire …

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Report Details Death, Panic in Deadly Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire

Voices screamed out, “Fire!” Suddenly, the lights went out and it got harder to breathe. Many of the 36 people killed in the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland huddled together in the dark, and that’s where they died of …

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London Tower Destroyed by Fire Built with Cladding Used Across England

About 600 high-rise apartment blocks in England have been fitted with cladding similar to that used on the London tower in which 79 people died in a devastating fire last week, Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said. Tests are being …

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Dalia Named Chief Financial Officer at California-based Alliant

Newport Beach, Calif.-based Alliant Insurance Services Inc. has named Reshma Dalia to chief financial officer of Alliant’s specialty group. Dalia will work with the management team on operational, financial and strategic growth initiatives for the group. The recently-formed group includes …

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Chubb’s Crooks Named XL Catlin’s Inland Marine Director in California

XL Catlin has named Russell Crooks as vice president and national inland marine director. Crooks is based in San Francisco. He will liaise with brokers and clients throughout the Western U.S. to address inland marine insurance needs, including motor truck …

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Pennsylvania Introduces Legislation to Limit Surprise Balance Bills

Pennsylvania House Health and Insurance Committee Chairs Matt Baker and Tina Pickett have introduced legislation to protect health care consumers from surprise balance bills in a move Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller has praised. “When patients receive medical care, they …

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NYC Fire Officials Say Three Workers Injured at Construction Site

Three construction workers were injured in Queens when the roof of a two-story brownstone undergoing renovations collapsed. It happened on 28th Road in Astoria just before 4 p.m. Tuesday. Fire officials say a load of material that had been placed …

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Confie Completes Two Acquisitions in New York

Confie, a national provider of personal and commercial lines insurance, has completed two acquisitions in New York. In the Bronx, N.Y., area, Confie acquired Tremont Spirit Insurance Inc. Tremont is a provider of non-standard auto insurance. This acquisition serves to …

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Maine-Based Clark Insurance Elects Cote to Board of Directors

Bret Cote has been elected to the board of directors of Portland, Maine-based Clark Insurance, according to agency president G. Jeffrey Shaw. Cote joined the agency in 2007 and helped establish an office in Manchester, N.H., that now employs ten …

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UK Plans $1B-Plus Investment in Driverless & Electric Vehicle Technology

The UK government plans to invest more than 800 million pounds ($1 billion) in new driverless and zero-emission vehicle technology as it seeks to boost its economy while leaving the European Union. Investment in research and new recharging infrastructure is …

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J&J Seizes Supreme Court Ruling on Out-of-State Cases to Fight Talc Cancer Claims

Johnson & Johnson is seizing upon a U.S. Supreme Court ruling from Monday limiting where injury lawsuits can be filed to fight off claims it failed to warn women that talcum powder could cause ovarian cancer. New Jersey-based J&J has been …

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Officials Say 7 Coal Miner Deaths This Year Raise Questions About Training

Seven U.S. coal miners died in accidents so far this year, most of them with less than a year of experience at that particular job and mine, according to federal officials. In all of last year, eight miners died. Tim …

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Aon Appoints Marcell to New Position of President of Aon Benfield

Aon Benfield, the reinsurance intermediary and capital adviser of  Aon plc, has appointed Andy Marcell to the new position of president of Aon Benfield. Marcell will begin the role with immediate effect and will report to Eric Andersen, chief executive …

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Cape Analytics Now Offering Property Data in 8 Additional States

Cape Analytics, a start-up that relies on machine learning, computer vision and geospatial imagery to produce propriety property data for insurance carriers and others, is expanding. After a start in Florida, the California-headquartered company is now offering its data coverage …

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Bitcoin Startup, Blockchain, Raises $40M in New Funding From Heavy Hitters

Blockchain, the London-based bitcoin currency service provider, has raised $40 million of fresh funding, representing one of the largest investment rounds in the financial technology sector since Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. New investors in the company, which …

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Tropical Storm Cindy Bears Down on Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Cindy churned slowly on Wednesday across the Gulf of Mexico toward an expected landing on the Texas-Louisiana border, after claiming the life of a vacationing child and threatening to bring flash floods from Texas to Florida. The storm …

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The Hanover & Chaucer Launch Dublin-Based International Specialty Insurer

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. and its subsidiary, Chaucer, announced that they will form a Dublin-based company, Chaucer Insurance Co. DAC (Chaucer Dublin), to write international specialty insurance business. The Central Bank of Ireland has approved the new venture. “Chaucer Dublin will provide us …

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1 Killed in Alabama Mining Accident

Officials say an accident at a coal mine near Birmingham, Ala., has left one person dead. A statement from the West Virginia-based Seneca Coal Resources says a rail-hauling accident happened Monday night at the company’s Oak Grove Mine in western …

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South Carolina Issues Insurer Deadline Related to New Moped Safety Law

The South Carolina Department of Insurance has issued a deadline for auto insurers in the state if they plan to make any coverage or rate changes related to recently passed moped safety legislation. The new moped law, which takes effect …

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Confie Acquires Valetta and EZ in Arizona

Confie has acquired Arizona agencies Valletta Insurance in Phoenix and EZ Insurance in Tucson. Both Valletta and EZ are providers of non-standard auto insurance. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Huntington Beach, Calif.-based Confie announced the acquisitions as part …

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Tropical Storm Cindy Heads Toward Texas/Louisiana Border

The National Hurricane Center reports that a tropical storm warning is in effect from San Luis Pass Texas to the mouth of the Mississippi River as Tropical Storm Cindy moves closer to the central Gulf Coast. The storm system as …

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Kentucky Supreme Court Finds No Bad Faith as a Matter of Law in Auto Lawsuit

The Kentucky Supreme Court in Hollaway v. Direct General Ins. Co. Mississippi Inc., 497 S.W. 3d 733 (Ky. 2016), recently affirmed summary judgment that was granted in favor of the insurance company, finding that the plaintiff did not present a …

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Confie Adds Missouri Retail Insurance Locations

Confie, a California-based national provider of personal and commercial lines insurance, has expanded its insurance agency presence in Missouri. Confie acquired the Rodney D. Young Insurance group’s Missouri retail operations from Loya Insurance Group, which consist of locations in St. …

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Texas Study Links Pollution, Earthquakes to Oil and Gas Drilling

A new study by a nonprofit science organization says oil and gas drilling in Texas is linked to pollution and earthquakes. The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas study found drilling for oil and gas in shale rock …

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H.W. Kaufman Financial’s Loss Control Unit, Afirm, Opens Montreal Office

Afirm, an H.W. Kaufman Financial Group company specializing in loss control inspections, premium audits and risk mitigation services, announced its expansion to Montreal, Quebec. This marks Afirm’s initial presence in the Quebec province, building on its 30-year presence in the …

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Texas Governor Signs Law Amending Captive Insurer Rules

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a measure that tweaks Texas law relating to captive insurance companies. Abbot signed House Bill 1944 on June 15. The bill was authored by Jim Murphy (R – Houston) and sponsored in the Senate …

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Iowa’s ManchesterStory Group Welcomes Aon Benfield’s O’Halleran

ManchesterStory Group (ManchesterStory), a Des Moines, Iowa-based venture capital firm focused on insurance-relevant FinTech and Healthcare companies, has added Michael O’Halleran as a special advisor and chair of the advisory board of the ManchesterStory Venture Fund L.P. O’Halleran is the …

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The In’s and Out’s of Motorcycle Insurance

If you’re considering a motorcycle purchase, be sure to include insurance in your cost estimating equation. Even though there are a few states – Montana, Washington and Florida – that don’t require motorcycle insurance, if...

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QBE Warns Emerging Markets’ Division Hit by Higher Claims

Sydney-based QBE announced that its Emerging Markets’ division has experienced “significantly higher than expected claims activity during the first five months of the year.” As a result, this division is expected to report a first half combined operating ratio of …

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Regulator Fines Contractor Following Oregon Bridge Incident

A contractor has been fined nearly $200,000 for violations discovered after two workers were injured in a mishap on Portland, Ore.’s Ross Island Bridge. Oregon OSHA announced the penalty Monday, following an investigation that found nine safety violations. One of …

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Startup Next Insurance Closes Funding Round Worth $35 Million with Amex Onboard

Next Insurance, a digital insurance agency for small to medium businesses, announced that American Express Ventures has joined its previously announced Series A Round led by Munich Re/HSB Ventures. In May, Next reported the round had reached $29 million and …

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WCRI Researchers Compare States on Injured Workers Returning to Work

From 10 to 18 percent of injured workers never reach “substantial return to work,” according to new research by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) comparing outcomes for injured workers in six states. In its study, Comparing Outcomes for Injured Workers, …

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NYC Planners With Sandy Nightmares Say Barrier May Come Too Late

The warming Atlantic Ocean has raised the risk of another Hurricane Sandy. And still, trillions of dollars of real estate and infrastructure near the shores of New York City and northern New Jersey remain vulnerable to devastation. A storm-surge barrier …

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Connecticut Woman Who Lied About Cancer to Avoid Prison Gets 30 Months

A Connecticut woman who lied about having cancer to avoid reporting to prison on a fraud conviction has been sentenced to more than two years behind bars. Aliyah Davis, of East Windsor, Conn., was sentenced to 30 months by a …

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Dangerous Chemical Could Threaten New Jersey Reservoir

A new report says that a dangerous chemical detected in groundwater near a Superfund site in New Jersey could pose a threat to a nearby reservoir that provides drinking water to as many as 3.5 million people. The report by …

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Lockton Northeast Names Connolly Chairman to Succeed Calabrese

Robert Connolly has been named chairman of Lockton Northeast, succeeding Michael Calabrese, who will continue to serve as vice chairman of Lockton’s Northeast operations. Connolly has been the president of Lockton’s Washington, D.C., office since its founding in 2005. In …

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Senate Confirms New FEMA Chief Long

Brock Long was cleared by the Senate to become President Donald Trump’s emergency-management director Tuesday after gaining the support of one unlikely constituency: environmentalists. While climate advocates panned Trump’s selections to head the Environmental Protection Agency and Energy Department, they …

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Trump Nominee Kaplan to Tilt Labor Board to Republican Majority

President Donald Trump was poised on Tuesday to nominate Washington lawyer Marvin Kaplan to the National Labor Relations Board, nudging the agency toward a Republican majority that could overturn a series of decisions that have riled businesses. Late on Monday, …

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Ed Taps Execs from Willis Towers Watson & BMS to Grow Professional & Executive Risk Team

Ed, the London-based reinsurance, wholesale and specialty broker, announced the expansion of its professional and executive risks offering with five appointments. The team, led by Paul Richards, managing director, comprises: James Baird, director Neal Hughes, divisional director Rupert Alabaster, divisional …

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U.S. Firms Issue Principles for Fairness in Cyber Risk Ratings Used by Insurers

More than two dozen U.S. companies, including several big banks, have teamed up to establish shared principles that would allow them to better understand their cyber security ratings and to challenge them if necessary, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said …

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UK’s Aviva Selling $1.3B in Tobacco Company Holdings

Aviva, Britain’s biggest life insurer, is selling about 1 billion pounds ($1.3 billion) worth of bonds and shares it holds in tobacco companies, joining a global campaign to divest from the industry. The move by insurance companies to sell holdings in tobacco …

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Report Offers Details But No Finding of Cause of Tesla Crash

The Tesla Model S accident that last year sparked a debate about the car company’s partially autonomous driving tools resulted in a cloud of white dust as the sedan plowed underneath a tractor trailer, a witness told investigators. “Just a …

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Businesses Come Out on Top in Current Supreme Court Term

The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with business interests in a series of cases in its current term, which began in October and is due to end next week. In 19 business-related cases that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce participated …

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Supreme Court Sides with Chevron in Blocking Ecuador Pollution Liability Judgment

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday handed a victory to Chevron Corp. by preventing Ecuadorean villagers and their American lawyer from trying to collect on an $8.65 billion pollution judgment issued against the oil company by a court in Ecuador. …

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Arthur J. Gallagher Launches Crime & Management Liability Cover for UK SMEs

Arthur J. Gallagher’s specialist Management Liability Practice has responded to the heightened risk of commercial crime facing SME businesses by creating tailor-made management liability and crime insurance products. The two products are targeted at UK private limited companies. Backed by …

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Allianz Sets Its Sights on Asia-Pacific’s ‘Growth Engine’

Allianz SE, the German insurer that stemmed outflows at U.S. asset manager PIMCO, is now trying to bulk up on the other side of the world. “Asia is still a relatively small part of the overall global portfolio but it …

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Mississippi Drug Overdose Deaths Reach Record High

Drug overdose deaths have reached a record high in Mississippi. The Clarion-Ledger reported that the at least 211 deaths in 2016 were the most in Mississippi’s history. Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics director John Dowdy says the number is derived from …

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Florida CFO Atwater Submits Formal Resignation, Last Day Will Be June 30

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is leaving his job at the end of the month. Atwater on turned in his formal resignation letter to Gov. Rick Scott last week. Atwater announced back in February that he planned to step …

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Florida’s Citizens Approves Policy Changes, 5.3% Statewide Rate Increase for 2018

Homeowners in South Florida, as well as in many other parts of the state, should expect additional rate increases next year from the state-run insurer of last resort. Citizens Board of Governors approved recommended rates and policy changes for 2018 …

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California Commissioner ‘Undeterred’ by Challenges to Climate Disclosure Initiative

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones responded to challenges to his calls for insurers to disclose their investments in fossil fuels. Oklahoma’s attorney general has sent a letter to Jones threatening legal action if that state continues with its policy of …

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Oklahoma AG Threatens California Commissioner on Insurer Fossil Fuel Rules

Oklahoma’s attorney general has sent a letter to California’s insurance commissioner threatening legal action if that state continues with its policy of requiring insurance companies to publicly disclose investments in fossil fuels. Oklahoma’s Attorney General Mike Hunter maintains that California …

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California Surplus Lines Don’t Want to be Left out of State’s Marijuana Regs

California’s surplus lines industry is trying to clear up the haze over a proposed regulation that require medical marijuana businesses to purchase insurance only from admitted carriers. The regulation is one of several regulations under consideration at a series of …

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Michigan Court Rules for Westfield Insurance in ‘Employee v. Contractor’ Case

The Michigan Court of Appeals has reversed the ruling of a trial court in a case involving whether a commercial insurer or a personal insurer is responsible for paying no-fault personal injury protection benefits when a worker is injured in …

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$6 Million Invested in New U.S. Wholesale Broker XPT Led by Veterans Ruggieri, Smith

London-based private equity firm B.P. Marsh & Partners has invested $6 million in a startup New York-based specialty lines insurance distributor that is headed by several well-known wholesale insurance executives. The management team at the new firm, which is named …

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California Temporary Total Disability Rates for 2018 to Increase

California’s 2018 minimum and maximum temporary total disability rates will increase on Jan. 1, 2018, the state’s Division of Workers’ Compensation announced on Tuesday. The minimum TTD rate will increase from $175.88 to $182.29 and the maximum rate will increase …

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Lending Club’s Dolan Joins Metromile in California as Chief Financial Officer

San Francisco, Calif.-based Metromile has named Carrie Dolan chief financial officer. Dolan is joining Metromile to help lead the company’s next phase of growth. Dolan most recently served as CFO of Lending Club, an online credit marketplace connecting borrowers and …

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Arrowhead in California Launches Harder-to-Place Workers’ Comp Subsidiary

Arrowhead General Insurance Agency Inc. in San Diego, Calif. has launched a workers’ compensation wholesale brokerage arm that provides market access and specializes in harder-to-place risks and multi-state accounts. The subsidiary is called Valiant Insurance Services LLC. Currently Valiant is …

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Nearly 80% of Georgia Peach Crop Wiped Out by Weather

Georgia’s peach crop is suffering much worse than expected after an overly warm winter and a hard freeze in early spring. Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the end of May that nearly 80 percent of the …

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Weight of Swollen Reservoir Blamed for Arkansas Earthquake Swarm

Earthquakes in northern Arkansas are being linked to the weight of extra water at a flood-swollen reservoir. Earthquake geologist David Johnston works with the Arkansas Geological Survey. He says the added weight of the water at Bulls Shoals Lake likely …

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Hamilton Announces New Responsibilities for 2 Execs in Bermuda Business

Hamilton Insurance Group, the Bermuda-based holding company for insurance and reinsurance operations in Bermuda, the U.S. and at Lloyd’s, has announced two senior role changes in its Bermuda operations. Keith Bernhard now holds the title of chief audit officer, reporting to Interim Group CEO David Brown. …

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Former Arkansas Home of President Clinton a Total Loss After Fire

A northwest Arkansas house once occupied by former President Bill Clinton that was damaged by fire has been deemed a total loss. The home now owned by Stephanie and Robert Dzur and occupied by Stephanie Dzur’s father burned June 8. …

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Fire Damage at North Dakota Business Expected to Be in Millions

Damage from a fire at a Bismarck, N.D., recreational vehicle business is expected to be in the millions of dollars. The blaze at Capital RV happened Sunday morning. A shop and several motor homes inside were damaged, and the business’s …

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Ratings of Indiana’s American Agricultural Insurance Co. Upgraded

A.M. Best has upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the long-term issuer credit rating (Long-Term ICR) to “a” from “a-” of American Agricultural Insurance Co. (AAIC)  in Indianapolis, Ind. The outlook for these ratings has been …

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Louisiana Economy on Upswing; Job Picture Improves

Seasonally adjusted data for the month of May shows that total nonfarm employment gained 10,500 jobs over the month for a new figure of 1,983,200, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC). This is the largest over the month gain …

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Chubb Opens Office in Reading, UK; Davison, Glover Appointed to Local Team

Chubb announced it has opened a new office in Reading, Berkshire, in the UK, and has appointed two key members to the local team, as it continues to build its local presence across the UK and Ireland. Mark Davison has been appointed senior …

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JLT Specialty Makes Leadership Changes at North America Aerospace Practice

Global specialty broker and risk advisor JLT Specialty USA has made several leadership appointments in its Aerospace practice in North America. The appointments include elevating Phil Gingell, who most recently served as president of the JLT’s aerospace division in North …

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Warranty Group’s Warsop Joins York Risk Services

York Risk Services Group, which is owned by Onex Corp., said that Thomas Warsop has joined the company as chairman of the board. Warsop joins York after having served as CEO of The Warranty Group for almost five years. Prior …

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Utah Drivers Lie About Medical Conditions to Keep Motoring, Officials Say

State officials say many Utah residents lie about their medical conditions so they can keep driving without restrictions. The Salt Lake Tribune reports the state relies on people to report medical conditions themselves, which creates a scenario where lying is …

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Mass. Court Says Arbitration is Allowed in Underinsured Motorist Claim Suit

The Massachusetts Appeals Court has ruled that Arbella Mutual Insurance Company did not engage in unfair settlement practices by demanding arbitration in a lawsuit involving an underinsured motorist claim. In the case, Heather Chamberland vs. Arbella Mutual Insurance Company, plaintiff …

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Nevada’s Recreational Marijuana Sales Launch Hinges on Court Decision

Nevada’s marijuana regulators are working furiously to launch recreational sales on July 1, a fast-approaching deadline that could hinge on a court deciding whether the powerful liquor industry should be guaranteed a piece of the pot pie before tourists and …

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Rocket Ship, Flying Vehicle or Driverless Car? Guess Which Americans Fear Most

If the future were now, American travelers would feel safer on a rocket to space than being a passenger in a self-driving or autonomous vehicle, a survey by travel and specialty insurer Allianz Global Assistance USA finds. With experimental transport …

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U.S. Sen. Schumer Pushes for Heroin Combat Teams in New York

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is calling for federal help in the fight against opioid addiction in New York. Schumer is asking the Drug Enforcement Agency to provide the state with one of four special heroin enforcement teams being formed to …

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Supreme Court Declines to Hear ‘Dancing Baby’ Copyright Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a closely watched copyright dispute known as the “dancing baby” case over a company’s move to take down a home video posted online showing a toddler joyfully bouncing to the late …

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Legacy Specialist Compre to Acquire Irish Captive Insurer Equinox CA Europe

Compre, the independent insurance and reinsurance legacy specialist, today announces it has agreed to acquire Equinox CA Europe, a captive insurer of global engineering and construction conglomerate SNC-Lavalin. The Ireland-based captive insured the activities of SNC-Lavalin’s business in France from …

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AXIS Insurance Taps Zurich’s Anzelc to Lead New Data and Analytics Unit

AXIS Insurance, a business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd., announced the appointment of Meghan Anzelc, Ph.D., as vice president, Data and Analytics. In this new role, Anzelc, a trained physicist and data scientist, is responsible for implementing a strategy …

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UK, EU Insurers & Banks Need ‘New System’ for Doing Business Post-Brexit

British and European Union banks need a new system to let them do business with each other after Brexit to avoid splitting markets, Britain’s finance minister Philip Hammond said on Tuesday. Britain, the EU’s biggest financial market, is leaving the …

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Kaplansky Insurance Acquires Gath Insurance in Massachusetts

Kaplansky Insurance, an independent, locally owned insurance agency based in Needham, Mass., has acquired Gath Insurance Agency in Lowell, Mass. Gath Insurance provides a range of insurance services to both personal and commercial clients. The addition of Gath marks the …

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EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants Acquires Connecticut’s After Inc.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, has acquired After Inc., a product warranty analytics firm based in Norwalk, Conn. The acquisition was made primarily to further strengthen and grow EPIC’s …

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Seeman Holtz Acquires Direct Choice in California

Seeman Holtz Property and Casualty Inc. has acquired Stevenson Ranch, Calif.-based Direct Choice Insurance. With Colby Singer at helm, his team specializes in helping clients find the lowest possible rates for auto, home, life and business insurance with major insurance …

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Supreme Court Limits Out-of-State Residents Joining Class Actions

The U.S. Supreme Court gave companies a new tool to defeat some legal claims, siding with Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. in a bid to limit a consumer lawsuit in California over its Plavix blood thinner. The justices, voting 8-1, said the …

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Fire Caused by Lightening Bolt Damages 12 Florida Apartments

A bolt of lightning started a fire that damaged 12 apartments in Florida. Orlando Fire Department spokeswoman Ashley Papagni told the Orlando Sentinel that lightning struck the attic of one apartment in the complex Friday afternoon. The fire spread across …

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DTRT Insurance Group Acquires Insurance Authority of Florida

DTRT Insurance Group, Inc. (Do The Right Thing) has acquired Insurance Authority, Inc., a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage firm based in Sunrise, Fla. Insurance Authority has been serving the residents of Sunrise & Greater Fort Lauderdale communities since …

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PURE Expands E&S Homeowners Coverage to South Carolina

The PURE Group of Insurance Companies has expanded its PURE Programs excess & surplus (E&S) line offering designed to protect higher risk homes insured for $1 million or more, into South Carolina. With this expansion of the offering, PURE policyholders in South Carolina have …

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Biglari Holdings Inc. to Acquire Pacific Specialty Insurance Co. in California

Biglari Holdings Inc. and Pacific Specialty Insurance Co. announced a definitive agreement for a subsidiary of Biglari Holdings to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the parent company of California-based Pacific Specialty and its affiliated agency, McGraw Insurance Inc., …

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Arrowhead Acquires TriCoast Insurance Services in California

Brown & Brown subsidiary Arrowhead General Insurance Agency Inc. has acquired substantially all of the assets of Camarillo, Calif.-based TriCoast Insurance. The announcement was made on Monday by J. Scott Penny, chief acquisitions officer of Brown & Brown, Inc., and …

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Moody in Colorado Joins Board of RiskProNet International

Troy Moody, chief operations officer of Moody Insurance Agency Inc. in Colorado, has been elected to the board of directors of RiskProNet International. Moody Insurance Agency offers risk management solutions, insurance, bonding, employee benefits and personal lines. The agency has …

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3 Tennessee Prosecutors Join Forces in Suit Against Opioid Drug Makers

A new lawsuit invokes the plight of a baby born dependent on opioid drugs, as three Tennessee prosecutors and the baby’s guardian accuse several drug manufacturers of unleashing an epidemic through deceptive marketing about the risks of addiction to painkillers. …

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Markel UK Launches Media, Creative Industry Coverage

Markel UK has launched a package policy for media and creative industries that provides a wide range of covers to a broad selection of businesses, as well as access to a free debt recovery helpline, provided by solicitors DWF. Markel’s …

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Texas Seeks Input on Draft Compound Drug Rule Amendments

The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) is now accepting comments on informal draft compound drug rule amendments. An informal draft of amendments to 28 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §§134.500, 134.530, and 134.540, available on the TDI …

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Texas-Based Cunningham Lindsey Names Daniel as U.S. COO

Cunningham Lindsey, a Dallas, Texas-based global loss adjusting and risk management services company, has appointed Larry “Dan” Daniel as chief operating officer (COO) of its U.S. loss adjusting business. Daniel will provide strategic direction for U.S. operations to enhance service …

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Arkansas Insurance Regulators OK Allied World, Vantapro Specialty Acquisition

The Arkansas Insurance Department has approved the acquisition of two domestic affiliated companies, Allied World Surplus Lines Insurance (AWSLIC) and Vantapro Specialty Insurance Co., by Swiss and Canadian companies. AWSLIC and Vantapro are each an Arkansas domiciled insurance company and …

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Michigan Truck Driver Wins Appeal Over Insurance, Leg Injury

The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a Detroit-area man who is seeking insurance benefits for injuries suffered when he got out of his pickup truck. Daniel Kemp tore a calf muscle while stretching on his tiptoes to …

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Michigan’s Amerisure Insurance Names Spaude as VP, Finance

Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Amerisure Insurance has promoted Chris Spaude to vice president of finance. In this position, Spaude directly reports to Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Matt Simon. Spaude will be responsible for, and collaborate with, Amerisure’s strategic and operational …

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Massachusetts Public Works Employee Dies After Lawn Tractor Overturns

Officials say a Massachusetts Department of Public Works employee has died after a lawn tractor he was driving overturned and landed on top of him. Police say the Plainville DPW employee was cutting grass Thursday near a town pumping station. …

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Supreme Court Finds Government Can’t Block Disparaging Trademarks

The U.S. Supreme Court said the federal government can’t constitutionally withhold legal protections for trademarks seen as disparaging, throwing out a 70-year-old provision as a free-speech violation. The ruling was unanimous, although the court splintered in its reasoning. The decision …

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Travelers Launches Online System in UK, Providing Quick Mgmt Liability Quotes

Travelers Insurance Co. Ltd. in the UK has launched a new online system that enables UK brokers to receive management liability quotes and bind coverage for their clients in a matter of minutes. Accessed through the My Travelers e-trade platform, …

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Butler Succeeds Morrison as Chubb North America Field Operations President; Updyke Promoted

Gerard “Jerry” Butler has been appointed senior vice president, Chubb Group, division president, North America Insurance. In his new role, he will have responsibility for the field organization in North America, which includes 48 offices in the United States and …

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Willis Towers Watson Makes 4 Seniol Appointments in North America Corporate Risk Unit

Global insurance broker and risk consultant Willis Towers Watson has made a series of regional senior appointments across its Corporate Risk and Broking (CRB) segment in North America. The following individuals will be responsible for driving the overall CRB growth strategy, value proposition …

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California Judge Says TV Network Owes $2M in Sex Abuse Cover-Up Lawsuit

An Orange County, Calif. judge says Trinity Broadcasting Network is responsible for the entire $2 million a jury awarded in an alleged sex abuse cover-up. The judge ruled that TBN is on the hook for the full amount jurors awarded …

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Alaska Governor Signs Bill Paving Way for Uber, Lyft in the Frontier State

Gov. Bill Walker has signed legislation paving a way for ride-share companies, such as Uber and Lyft, to do business in Alaska. Anchorage Republican Sen. Mia Costello, a supporter of the measure, called it a jobs bill. The bill classifies …

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3.6M Temblor Shakes Washington Area Northwest of Seattle

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake shook an area of the Olympic Peninsula northwest of Seattle, Wash., the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed. The USGS says the small earthquake occurred at about 8:55 p.m. with a depth of 51 kilometers, or nearly 32 …

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Northwest Wyoming Hit by Earthquake Swarm

A swarm of earthquakes hit the northwestern part of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming last week, the U.S. Geological Survey has confirmed. The USGS says the quakes occurred in a backcountry area of Yellowstone National Park, about 8 miles northeast …

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Hackers Target Canada Miners, Casinos, Demanding Bitcoin Ransoms: FireEye

The same hacker targeting Canadian casinos and mining companies for extortion since 2013 is planning more attacks, researchers at cyber security company FireEye Inc said in a report on Friday. FireEye said it believes that a single hacker or hacking group that …

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How Advertising Spend, Underwriting Results Relate to Auto Insurers’ New Business Yield: J.D. Power

Insurers with the strongest new business yield rates also have strong combined ratios in personal auto in the J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study. We define new business yield rates as the proportion of prospective customers who purchase with …

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Arch Re’s Canada Branch Names Aon Benfield’s Dagneau as CEO

Arch Reinsurance Co. announced that François Dagneau will be appointed to the position of chief executive officer of the Arch Reinsurance Co. Canada Branch in June. Dagneau will replace Patrick McGuiness, who is retiring from Arch. Dagneau joins Arch Reinsurance …

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Delaware Raises Minimum Auto Liability Limits for the First Time in 30 Years

Delaware Governor John Carney has signed into law legislation that will increase the state’s minimum auto liability insurance limits. The state last adjusted the minimum auto liability insurance limits approximately 30 years ago. House Bill 114, sponsored by Rep. Bryon …

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Authorities: 18 Injured After Ferry Crashes into Jetty in Massachusetts

Eighteen people were injured after a high-speed ferry struck a jetty in Hyannisport, Mass., and began taking on water, authorities said. The U.S. Coast Guard and steamship authority said the ferry, Iyanough, hit the jetty and grounded on the rocks …

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Two More Plead Guilty in Connecticut Auto Insurance Scam

Two Connecticut men have been convicted of staging car crashes to defraud insurance companies. Federal prosecutors say 32-year-old Mackenzy Noze, and 33-year-old Jonas Joseph, both of Norwich, Conn., were convicted by a jury Thursday of multiple fraud and conspiracy offenses. …

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‘Complicated’ Brexit Talks Begin with Questions Over What Britain Wants

Almost a year since Britons voted to leave the European Union, Brexit talks finally began on Monday amid confusion over what exactly the U.K. government wants from the divorce. What U.K. Brexit Secretary David Davis describes as the “most complicated …

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Facebook Opens Up About How It Is Removing Terrorist Content

Facebook Inc. on Thursday offered new insight into its efforts to remove terrorism content, a response to political pressure in Europe to militant groups using the social network for propaganda and recruiting. Facebook has ramped up use of artificial intelligence …

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South Dakota Workers’ Comp Lawyers Say Insurers’ Plan Would Limit Worker Rights

Lawyers who represent injured workers in South Dakota are preparing for a proposal from the insurance industry that would limit their ability to pursue legal claims against insurance companies that are intentionally dishonest. Insurance industry representatives were scheduled to present …

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City Colleges of Chicago to Settle Age Discrimination Lawsuit for $60K

City Colleges of Chicago will pay $60,000 to settle a federal discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC), the federal agency announced. In its lawsuit, the EEOC charged that Harold Washington College, part of the City Colleges …

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Tragic London Fire Raises Questions About ‘Stay Put’ High-Rise Safety Rule

A catastrophic blaze at a London apartment tower has brought new scrutiny to a long-accepted, counterintuitive rule for people in tall buildings: If the blaze breaks out elsewhere in the structure, don’t automatically run for the stairs. Stay put and …

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Cosby Still Faces Multiple Civil Suits

Although Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial ended in a mistrial on Saturday, his legal problems persist as he faces assault and defamation claims in civil lawsuits, where the bar for evidence is lower than in criminal cases. In civil lawsuits …

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Trump Reverses Obama Stand, Supports Employers Requiring Class Action Waivers

The Trump administration on Friday sided with employers in a Supreme Court case over the rights of workers to bring class action lawsuits against companies, court documents showed. Reversing a position staked out earlier by the Obama administration, which backed employees, …

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Florida City Employee Steals $93K for Butt Lift, Personal Bills

A Florida city says a former employee stole money to get a butt lift. A Gainesville city report released Wednesday said Natwaina Clark stole $93,000 from the city, using $8,500 on the cosmetic surgery. The Gainesville Sun said the report …

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2% Rate Hike Approved for North Carolina Auto Insurers

North Carolina’s insurance regulator says he’s reached a deal with auto insurers for a premium increase of just over 2 percent instead of the nearly 14 percent average increase companies sought in February. The state Insurance Department said Thursday the …

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Orchid Underwriters Expands Commercial Lines into Alabama, Mississippi

Orchid Underwriters Agency, LLC, a specialty underwriter of catastrophic coastal insurance, announced that it expanded its Commercial Lines business to two new states, Alabama and Mississippi. The two new states join New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana and …

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New Aon Professional Liability Coverage Available for 300-Plus Small Business Classes

Aon Affinity, the affinity business of Aon plc, has launched Aon Professional Liability Plus, a nationwide program that provides malpractice insurance to more than 300 classes of traditionally hard-to-place small businesses. The program, underwritten by an A-rated carrier, offers coverage …

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Former I.I.I. President, Mechlin D. Moore, Passes Away at 87

Mechlin D. Moore, former president and chief executive officer of the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), passed away on Tuesday, June 13, following a lengthy battle with cancer. Moore, of Rye, New York, led the I.I.I. from 1979 until his retirement …

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Cardinal Health Seeks Dismissal of Drug Suits in 6 West Virginia Counties

A pharmaceuticals distributor has asked a federal judge to dismiss lawsuits filed by six West Virginia counties over the opioid crisis, arguing that they were filed too late and the matter was already addressed in a state suit. Cardinal Health …

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Father, Son Workers Killed at Mississippi Sewer Lift Station

Authorities believe a father and son who died while working on a sewer lift station in Mississippi were overcome by odorless methane gas. News outlets report that 45-year-old Terry West and his 20-year-old son Gage West were among three men …

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Texas-Based Atlas Resource Partners Faces Federal Age Bias Suit

A federal agency has charged a Fort Worth, Texas-based company with discrimination for firing an experienced production foreman fired because of his age. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said it has filed a lawsuit against Atlas Resource Partners. …

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Uber Sued by Rape Victim Who Says It Violated Her Medical Privacy

A woman sued Uber Technologies Inc. on Thursday claiming top executives at the ride-hailing company improperly obtained her medical records after she was raped by a driver in India, according to court documents. The lawsuit, filed in a California federal …

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Nebraska Bank Sued for Paying Women Less Than Men

A Nebraska bank violated federal law by paying women and men unequally for jobs with the same required skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged. According to the EEOC, Christine Schwieger began …

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Billings Named VP, Predictive Analytics at Midwest Employers Casualty

Midwest Employers Casualty has promoted Brian Billings to vice president of Predictive Analytics. As the Midwest Employers Casualty strategy evolved from data acquisition to leveraging data assets, Billings led the effort to deploy machine learning technology for the early identification …

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Parts of West Texas Hit with Grapefruit Size Hail

Wind gusts of up to 72 miles per hour and hail as large as grapefruit struck the Midland/Odessa, Texas-area on June 14, damaging roofs and shattering automobile windshields, the Insurance Council of Texas reported. Insurance company catastrophe teams report a …

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Kansas Traffic Deaths Averaging More than 1 Per Day

Kansas officials say the troubling increase in traffic fatalities across the state is accelerating. AAA spokeswoman Jennifer Haugh told the Wichita Eagle that Kansas is currently averaging more than one traffic fatality a day. Statistics from AAA shows that there …

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In Arkansas Lawsuit, Farmers Blame Herbicide for Crop Damage

A group of Arkansas farmers have filed a class-action lawsuit against the makers of the herbicide dicamba that they blame for damaging their crops. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Jonesboro, Arkansas, against Monsanto Co. and BASF Corp. …

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House Committee Advances 2 Flood Insurance Bills; More to Come

The House Financial Services Committee on Thursday passed two bills to reform the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). One is a broad reform proposal that seeks to encourage more private insurance and move the program toward actuarial-based rates, while the …

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Blockchain Firm Bitfury Teams with Insurance Broker Risk Cooperative

Blockhain technology company The Bitfury Group said it is partnering with the Washington, D.C. insurance advisory and brokerage firm Risk Cooperative to pioneer blockchain applications in the $60 billion insurance intermediation market. The Bitfury Risk Cooperative partnership seeks to leverage …

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