Former Postal Worker Sentenced in Texas for Federal Workers’ Comp Fraud

A U.S. district judge in Texas has sentenced a former postal employee to 21 months in federal prison for participating in a scheme to defraud the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Worker’s Compensation Program (OWCP) U.S. Attorney John Parker …

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FEMA to Reimburse Tennessee Facility Owners for Storm Repairs

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it plans to reimburse facility owners in 14 Tennessee counties for repair costs from storm-related damage on May 27 and 28. FEMA says in a news release that the notice applies to the public …

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Midwest Crops Stressed by Worsening Drought Conditions

Drought conditions are getting worse in several states, and extreme heat and weeks with little rain have begun to stress corn, soybeans, wheat and livestock in some areas. The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor recently released by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln …

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North Dakota Insurance Department Publishes Air Ambulance Guide

The North Dakota Insurance Department has released a guide showing which air ambulance companies operating in North Dakota have contractual agreements (in-network) with the state’s three major health insurance companies – Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Sanford Health …

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Spencer Promoted to Insurance Agent at Leavitt in South Dakota

Leavitt Recreation & Hospitality Insurance (LRHI) in Sturgis, S.D., has promoted Nick Spencer to insurance agent; he specializes in home and auto insurance for individuals and families. Spencer has been working for LRHI for more than a year and moved …

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Massive Blaze Breaks Out at Alabama Chemical Plant

A plant that produces agricultural chemicals caught fire Saturday in southwest Alabama, blanketing the area with potentially hazardous smoke and prompting an order for people to stay inside. Police said the fire began before dawn at a factory operated by …

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Report Finds Decline in Public School Violence, Bullying

The number of violent attacks and incidents of bullying in American public schools has gone down in recent years, according to a federal report published Thursday. Violence and bullying were more frequent in middle schools than in high schools or …

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More Counties Could Be Without an Obamacare Insurer in 2018

With Republican efforts to dismantle Obamacare in disarray, hundreds of U.S. counties are at risk of losing access to private health coverage in 2018 as insurers consider pulling out of those markets in the coming months. Republican senators failed this …

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Wells Fargo Faces Proposed Class Action Over Unwanted Car Insurance

A new lawsuit accuses Wells Fargo & Co. of racketeering violations and fraud after the bank admitted to charging several hundred thousand borrowers for auto insurance they did not ask for or need, causing many delinquencies. The proposed class action …

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Jeatran Named Marsh & McLennan Agency President; Mott Becomes Chief Operating Officer

Marsh & McLennan Agency (MMA), the middle market agency subsidiary of Marsh, appointed Bill Jeatran as president and Christina Mott as chief operating officer. Both will report to David Eslick, chairman and CEO of MMA. As president of MMA, Jeatran …

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Trucking Company Settles Fatal South Carolina Crash for $11M

A trucking company has agreed to pay $11 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of a South Carolina trucker who burned to death last year after colliding with a gasoline tanker that was blocking a rural highway …

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California Earthquake Authority Policy Sales up 5.4% in 2Q

Californians may be getting the idea that they live in earthquake country. That’s the underlying message that can be found in the latest figures out from the California Earthquake Authority. The CEA, a not-for-profit, publicly managed organization, announced on Monday …

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Texas Surplus Lines Stamping Office Website to Begin Redirect

The Surplus Lines Stamping Office (SLTX) announced that beginning Aug. 1, users who visit the website, www.slsot.org, will be automatically redirected to the new SLTX website at www.sltx.org. The new website is part of a long-term technology and communication initiative …

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Health Insurers to Fill Gaps in Ohio’s Individual Coverage Market

Five health insurance companies in Ohio, including Molina Healthcare Inc., have stepped up to sell health plans in 19 counties that would have been without Obamacare individual coverage in 2018, the state’s insurance regulator said. Ohio’s Department of Insurance said …

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FEMA Says ‘No’ to Taking Back $2B in Katrina Funds from New Orleans

The Federal Emergency Management Agency should take back $2 billion dollars in grants approved to fix New Orleans sewers and water pipes damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and to repair streets afterward, a federal audit says. FEMA says no. The Department …

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Indiana RV Manufacturer Fined $10K after Worker’s Forklift Death

State regulators have fined a northern Indiana recreational vehicle manufacturer $10,000 for safety violations discovered following a worker’s April death. Fifty-four-year-old Ricky Schlabach died of blunt force injuries April 6 after he was struck by a forklift at the Winnebago …

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Rogers Named IIAT’s Customer Service Representative of the Year

The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) has named Cheryl Rogers of K&S Insurance in Rockwall as its Customer Service Representative (CSR) of the Year. Rogers was presented with the award at IIAT’s 120th Annual Conference and Trade Show in …

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Air Guard Tankers Being Activated to Combat Western Wildfires

Air National Guard C-130s from Wyoming, Nevada and Colorado that are equipped to battle fires have been activated to fight wildfires in the Western U.S. The three large aircraft will be stationed in Fresno, Calif. Currently, the activation is scheduled …

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Arizona Awarding Grant to Help Combat Wrong-Way Driving

The Arizona State Transportation Board is poised to announce a project grant to a company that will work on a system to reduce the risk of wrong-way driving. The board’s decision will come after Gov. Doug Ducey called for state …

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Judge Refuses to Block California Gas Facility From Reopening

A judge has refused to block a Los Angeles natural gas storage facility from reopening a year and a half after a major blowout spewed methane that drove thousands of families from their homes. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge John …

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USGS Says Quake Recorded in Hawaiian Islands Channel

The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-4.2 earthquake was recorded in a channel between the islands of Hawaii and Maui. The agency said the quake was recorded at 2:01 local time Sunday about 16 miles southeast of Kaupo, Maui, at …

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Heavy Rains Cause Widespread Flooding, Some Rescues in Pennsylvania

Heavy rains caused widespread flooding and prompted some evacuations and rescues in western Pennsylvania, but no major injuries were reported. Forecasters said a stalled system resulted in conditions more similar to winter than summer and dumped as much as five …

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At-Home Medication Errors Leading to Serious Medical Outcomes on the Rise

Every 21 seconds someone in the United States calls a poison control hotline because of a medication error. A recent study from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, published by Clinical Toxicology, found a 100 percent increase in the rate of serious medication …

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Maryland County to Host Disaster Assistance Center

A Maryland county is hosting a disaster assistance center in response to damage from last week’s tornado. The Queen Anne’s County Department of Emergency Services opened Thursday, July 27, and will stay open through Thursday, August 3. It will be …

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Vermont Has No Amusement Park Ride Safety Oversight

Vermont has no direct safety oversight of the rides at the fairs, carnivals and field days held across the state every summer and fall, and efforts to require such oversight have gone nowhere, officials said. The state does require amusement …

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Investments, Specialty Business Counter Weather Losses, Reinsurance in Q2 for W.R. Berkley

Weather-related losses and a competitive reinsurance business nudged W.R. Berkley Corp.’s 2017 second quarter combined ratio higher. But a nearly five percent growth investment income and gains in specialty business helped keep net income steady. W.R. Berkley booked $109 million …

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Australia’s New South Wales to Inspect High-Rise Cladding over Fire Safety

Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) government will inspect more than 1,000 residential and commercial towers that may have potentially unsafe cladding and introduce new fire safety reforms to avoid a deadly inferno such as the Grenfell Tower fire in London. …

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Chinese Government Asks Anbang Insurance to Sell Overseas Assets: Sources

Chinese authorities have asked Anbang Insurance Group Co., the insurer whose chairman was detained in June, to sell its overseas assets, according to people familiar with the matter. The government has also asked Anbang to bring the proceeds back to …

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Broker THB Taps Botelho from Universal Seguros to Bolster Reinsurance Team

THB, the London-based specialist insurance and reinsurance broker, announced the appointment of Rodrigo Botelho as director, European division, from Oct. 1, 2017. Based in THB’s Amsterdam office, Botelho’s duties will include targeting new markets in the Portuguese-speaking countries of Africa. …

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Dale Underwriting Gets Lloyd’s Approval to Set Up Special Purpose Arranagement

Dale Underwriting Partners, managed by Lloyd’s third party managing agency Asta, announced it has been granted “in principle” approval by the Lloyd’s Franchise Board to establish a special purpose arrangement (SPA). The SPA will support a portfolio of contingency and …

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Fosun’s Chairman Supports Chinese Government Restrictions on Overseas M&A

Billionaire Guo Guangchang, whose Fosun International Ltd. is under scrutiny by Chinese authorities over its foreign mergers and acquisitions, said the government’s clampdown on outbound investments is necessary to take to protect the economy. “The recent scrutiny on overseas investments …

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Iowa Man Awarded $4.5M in Age Bias Lawsuit Against Hospital

A jury has awarded $4.5 million to a former employee who sued an Iowa hospital for age bias and retaliation. The Des Moines Register reports that the jury’s July 24 decision came after a 10-day trial of Grinnell Regional Medical …

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Wells Fargo’s Latest Scandal: Selling Customers Auto Insurance They Didn’t Need

Fraudulent bank accounts, bogus credit cards, compromised customer data and, now, unwanted car insurance. Wells Fargo & Co., it seems, just can’t stay out of trouble. News late last week that the lender may have charged more than 500,000 people …

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At Labor’s Urging, House Bill to Speed Self-Driving Vehicles Exempts Trucks

Labor unions are urging a slowdown as lawmakers fast track legislation to allow self-driving vehicles on the road, a potential boon to some union jobs and an existential threat to others. The House Energy & Commerce committee last Thursday advanced …

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Honda Says Florida Crash Death May be Linked to Takata Air Bag Inflator

Honda Motor Co said on Thursday that a Takata airbag inflator ruptured in car crash in Florida, in what could be the 19th death worldwide linked to faulty airbags recalled as part of the largest automotive safety campaign in history. …

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7 Florida Homes Struck by Lightning During Severe Thunderstorm

Lightning struck seven homes in Florida, causing extensive damage to at least two of them during a severe thunderstorm. Niceville Fire Chief Tommy Mayville tells the News Herald firefighters were kept busy Thursday night as call after call for help …

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Police Video: Florida Officer Told Venus Williams She Caused Fatal Crash

A police officer told tennis star Venus Williams she likely caused a crash in Florida that fatally injured an elderly man last month but didn’t cite her, saying it appeared the actions of a third driver left her in a …

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Power Outage in North Carolina Forces Evacuation of 10K Tourists

An estimated 10,000 tourists were ordered Thursday to evacuate an island on North Carolina’s Outer Banks after a construction company caused a power outage, leaving people stranded without air conditioning or places to eat. The Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative said …

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West Virginia Floods Prompt State of Emergency

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency Saturday for parts of northern West Virginia with flooding from heavy rains. Counties included in the Saturday morning declaration are Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, Marion, Monongalia and Harrison. According to the …

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New Side ‘A’ D&O Policy Available from Starr Companies

Starr Companies has introduced an enhanced Directors & Officers policy, providing additional protection for directors, officers, trustees, governors, management committee members or board of managers members for decisions made within the scope of their designated roles. Often referred to as …

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Insurers Await Trump Decision on Health Insurance Cost Subsidies

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said Sunday that “no decision’s been made” on whether to continue key Affordable Care Act subsidies to health-insurance companies, but that the administration’s job is “to follow the law of the land.” A …

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California Commissioner Takes Aim at Oil, Coal Producing States

Responding to top government officials in 12 oil and gas producing states that threatened to sue over the state’s climate initiatives, California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said: bring it on. In June, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter sent a letter …

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Turkey’s Insurers Gear Up for Spate of Claims After 2nd Major Storm in 10 Days

The Borsa Istanbul Insurance Sector Index dropped as much as 2.5 percent on Friday after a brief but ferocious storm in Istanbul on Thursday showered the city with hail as large as golf balls, shattering windows, denting vehicles and damaging …

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Disaster Declaration OK’d for 16 Oklahoma Counties

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin says a federal disaster declaration has been approved for 16 counties affected by storms and tornadoes in mid-May. Fallin said Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved declaration for Alfalfa, Beckham, Cherokee, Coal, Cotton, …

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Ohio State Fair Reopens Without Amusement Rides

The Ohio State Fair opened on July 27 but its amusement rides remained closed one day after a man was killed and seven other people were injured when a thrill ride broke apart and flung people into the air. Video …

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Texas Senate OKs Bill That Preempts Local Texting While Driving Rules

The Texas Senate has approved a beefed-up texting while driving ban that preempts existing local ordinances against distracted driving in 45 cities statewide. In May, the Republican-controlled Legislature made Texas one of the country’s last states to outlaw texting while …

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California Commissioner Counters AGs, other Commissioners over Climate Initiative

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has fired off a letter to the 12 oil state attorneys general and one governor from states like Texas and Oklahoma over threats to sue him if he did not stop his Climate Risk Carbon …

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Mercury Names Most Affordable Electric Vehicles to Insure in California

Mercury Insurance put together a list of the 10 most affordable electric vehicles to insure, and Fiat, Kia and Nissan models top the list. Mercury researchers examined the 2017 electric vehicles available at car dealerships today or in the near …

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Oak Hill Capital Partners to Acquire Controlling Position in California-based EPIC

Private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners has agreed to acquire all of The Carlyle Group’s stake in EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, giving Oak Hill a controlling equity position in EPIC. Oak Hill’s investment will enable EPIC to continue …

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Senators Question If Trump Advisor, AIG Investor Icahn Plays Role in ‘Too Big to Fail’

Two prominent U.S. Democratic senators are raising questions about President Donald Trump’s special adviser, Carl Icahn, asking in a letter on Thursday if the activist investor is attempting to persuade the government to lift its “too big to fail” tag …

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Verisk to Acquire Merchant Payments Risk Platform G2 Web Services

Data analytics firm Verisk Analytics has agreed to acquire G2 Web Services, a provider of merchant risk intelligence for acquirers, commercial banks and other payment system providers. The purchase price is $112 million, which will be paid in cash to stockholders of …

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Federal Uncertainty Could Impact Pennsylvania Individual Market, Miller Says

Pennsylvania insurers are seeking a statewide average rate increase of 8.8 percent for individual plans and 6.7 percent for small group plans, but this could be adversely affected by actions taken by the Trump Administration or Congress against the Affordable …

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Woman Injured After Fall From Delaware Boardwalk Ride

A woman has been hospitalized after falling from a ride at a boardwalk amusement park in Delaware. WXDE reported that the 49-year-old woman suffered lacerations to her head and complained of pain on her left side. The incident occurred Monday …

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Vullo Calls on N.Y. Insurers, U.S. Congress for Action in Wake of Lake Ontario Flooding

As part of New York’s continuing response to flooding in the Lake Ontario region, the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) is reminding property and casualty insurers of their responsibility to work toward fair and speedy resolution of …

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Pennsylvania’s KMRD Partners Hires Salmon to Risk Management Team

KMRD Partners, a Warrington, Penn.-based boutique risk management and human capital solutions firm, has hired Kirk Salmon to its risk management team. As a sales and relationship manager, Salmon will work closely with select prospects to evaluate their current risk …

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French Firefighters Begin to Contain Wildfires

French authorities are close to containing one of the fiercest blazes to break out during four days of wildfires in the country’s southeast that have led to the evacuation of more than 12,000 people. The fires in Bormes-les-Mimosas calmed Thursday morning because …

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Senate Republicans Fail in Bid to Repeal Obamacare

  A months-long effort by Senate Republicans to pass health legislation collapsed early Friday after GOP Senator John McCain joined two of his colleagues to block a stripped-down Obamacare repeal bill. “I regret that our efforts were simply not enough, …

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Wells Fargo Insurance Accuses Failed Bidder Alliant of Poaching Executives

Alliant Insurance Services Inc. is using confidential information obtained during a failed bid for Wells Fargo & Co.’s commercial insurance business to poach top sales executives, according to a lawsuit filed by a Wells Fargo unit. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in Delaware’s Court …

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ILS Issuance in Q2 Breaks New Record at $6.3B: Willis Towers Watson

Non-life insurance-linked securities (ILS) issuance reached a record-breaking $6.3 billion in Q2 2017, continuing the trend from the first quarter of the year, according to a report by Willis Towers Watson Securities, the investment banking business of Willis Towers Watson. …

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FM Global Names Tranquillo as SVP EMEA/APAC, Johnson as VP Asia Region

FM Global, the Johnston, R.I.-based commercial property insurer, has made key changes to its management team, moving Stefano Tranquillo and David M. Johnson into new roles in EMEA/Asia Pacific and the Asia region. Stefano Tranquillo has been appointed senior vice …

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Heavy Rains Bring Flooding to Northern Germany, Forcing Evacuations

Heavy rains led to flooding Wednesday in some parts of northern Germany, forcing some evacuations and prompting residents to pile sandbags in front of their homes to protect themselves from a swollen river. The center of the town of Goslar, in the …

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Democratic Republic of Congo to Open $500M Insurance Industry to Investors

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s insurance regulator is preparing to open up an industry for the first time that could be worth as much as $500 million a year to investors. The newly created Insurance Regulatory Authority, known by the …

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Viewpoint: Employers Rejecting Marijuana Users Will Pay a Price

In Youngstown, Ohio, the employment problem is not a shortage of jobs. Nor is it a shortage of workers. The problem is not stingy employers who don’t want to pay enough to attract good workers. Nor is the problem that …

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From Here to Autonomy: Morality and the Retirement Timeline for Auto Insurance Pros

While the media, ethicists and perhaps the public like to ponder whether a self-driving car in a crisis should be programmed to hit a group of nuns crossing the street or hit a bus full of schoolkids, the drive toward …

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Federal Class Action Securities Fraud Filings Set Historic Pace

Federal class action securities fraud filings hit a record pace in the first half of 2017. Over the past six months, plaintiffs initiated 226 securities fraud class actions in federal court, more than in any equivalent period since enactment of …

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Florida CFO: Consumer Helpline Recovered $16.6M During First Half of 2017

Assistance provided by insurance experts working Florida’s Insurance Consumer Helpline led to the recovery of more than $16.6 million during the first half of 2017, according to a statement by Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Helpline experts answered more than …

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AmWINS Launches Site Pollution Liability Program for Small Auto Servicing Firms

AmWINS Program Underwriters has launched a new stand-alone site pollution liability program to offer a streamlined alternative for small auto servicing entities to obtain site pollution liability coverage. The program, known as Dealer Pollution Advantage, is available nationally and is …

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School Bus Cameras Can Implicate Speeding Drivers Under New N.C. Law

North Carolina motorists could be fined at least $400 if they pass a stopped school bus, according to a new law now in effect. Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday signed into law legislation that he suggested while still attorney general. …

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U.S. Risk Acquires Strategic Insurance Underwriters of Florida

U.S. Risk Insurance Group, LLC, a property and casualty wholesaler, has acquired Strategic Insurance Underwriters, a specialist trucking MGA and broker headquartered in Sarasota, Fla. Strategic Insurance Underwriters has a 34-year history of offering tailored insurance products to the trucking …

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Portion of Hospital Parking Garage in West Virginia Collapses; Injures 3 Workers

A hospital spokesman says three construction workers have been injured when a small section of a hospital parking garage collapsed in West Virginia. Charleston Area Medical Center spokesman Dale Witte says crews were pouring concrete when part of a floor …

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1 Dead, Several Hurt in Ride Malfunction at Ohio State Fair

At least one person was killed and several others injured when a ride malfunctioned on opening day of the Ohio State Fair, fire officials said. Some of the victims were thrown from the Fire Ball ride when it malfunctioned Wednesday …

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Independent Insurance Agents of Texas Names New Board Members, Top Young Agent

The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) elected William Page of Wortham Insurance in Austin; Brad Hempkins of Hempkins Insurance in Allen; and Nathan Sawyer of Sawyer & Associates in Monahans to its board of directors during the association’s recent …

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ONI Risk Partners Acquires Green Owens Insurance in Indiana

ONI Risk Partners (ONI), headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., is acquiring Franklin, Ind.-based Green Owens Insurance (Green Owens). In business since 1979, the Green Owens team joins ONI’s 300-plus insurance professionals serving business and individual clients throughout Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. …

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Wisconsin’s United Heartland Names 3 Top Territory Agencies

New Berlin, Wis.-based workers’ compensation insurance company, United Heartland, has announced its top territory insurance agencies for 2016. United Heartland’s three 2016 Agency of the Territory winners: TIS Insurance Services Inc. – Knoxville, Tenn.; MJ Insurance Inc. – Indianapolis, Ind.; …

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Chicago’s OPTIS Partners: Insurance Agency Mergers, Acquisitions Still Going Strong

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) among North American insurance agencies continued at a strong pace during the second quarter of 2017, with 135 reported transactions in the second three months of 2017, Chicago-based OPTIS Partners reports. There were 185 deals in …

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Report: Climate Change May Pose Threat to Nation’s Electric Grid

Climate change may pose a serious risk to the nation’s electric grid, according to a new report. The report was prepared by Johns Hopkins University with help from Swiss Re. “Lights out: The risks of climate and natural disaster related …

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Raging Wildfires on French Riviera Force Evacuation of 12,000 People

French authorities ordered the evacuation of up to 12,000 people around a picturesque hilltop town in the southern Cote d’Azur region as fires hopscotched around the Mediterranean coast for a third day Wednesday. A raging wildfire began late Tuesday in …

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Former Texas Workers’ Comp Commissioner Bordelon joins Granite Public Affairs

Former Texas Public Insurance Counsel and former Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Rod Bordelon has joined Granite Public Affairs where he will lead the firm’s insurance and regulatory affairs practice. An 11-time gubernatorial appointee, Bordelon has more than 30 years’ experience working …

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TCOR Management’s Dudney to Chair Texas Independent Insurance Agents Group

The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) elected Rick Dudney of TCOR Management in New Braunfels, to serve as chairman for 2017-2018 during IIAT’s 120th Annual Conference and Trade Show in Fort Worth. Dudney entered insurance in 1997 as a …

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Insurance Fraud Charge Filed Against North Dakota Man

North Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread said an insurance fraud charge has been filed against Joshua Kadrmas, of Mandan, ND. The department’s report stated that Kadrmas indicated to his insurance company that he hit a deer while on his motorcycle causing …

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Trying to Kill Bug, Kansas Woman Sets Apartment on Fire

An eastern Kansas woman accidentally has set her apartment on fire in an attempt to kill a bug by burning it with a small, flip-style lighter. Officials estimate that the fire caused $140,000 in damage Monique Quarles told The Topeka …

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16 Vacant Homes Torched in Arson Fires in Missouri Town

Fire officials in the southeast Missouri town of Poplar Bluff are investigating a rash of arson fires at vacant homes. The Poplar Bluff Daily American Republic reports that 16 vacant houses have been set on fire since February. The locations …

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Ohio’s High Court Again Upholds Cities’ Use of Traffic Cameras

The Ohio Supreme Court on July 26 upheld cities’ use of traffic camera enforcement for a third time, striking down as unconstitutional legislative restrictions that included requiring a police officer to be present. The ruling was 5-2 in support of …

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Colorado Town Will Use Odor Ordinance to Regulate Fracking

A Colorado town has updated its public health and safety code so it can locally regulate the oil and gas industry. The Daily Camera reported Erie trustees approved an ordinance allowing the town to consider complaints against fracking-related odors. The …

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Warriors Player Sued in California by Couple over Alleged Assault

Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green is being sued by a couple who claim he and his entourage assaulted them last year. Jermaine Edmondson and Bianca Williams filed the lawsuit seeking unspecified monetary damages in California’s Alameda County. The lawsuit …

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‘Office Of Cannabis’ OK’d by San Francisco Supervisors

San Francisco officials have approved a new Office of Cannabis in advance of recreational marijuana sales starting in California next year. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Board of Supervisors also directed the new office to analyze disparities that keep …

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Marsh & McLennan Reports Q2 Revenue Growth

Marsh & McLennan Companies reported revenue increases across all of its four operating units, along with margin expansion in insurance and consulting businesses, in its financial results for the second quarter. Insurance and risk revenue grew 2 percent while consulting …

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Senate Republicans Eye ‘Skinny’ Repeal of Obamacare

U.S. Senate Republicans begin their final push on Thursday to unravel Obamacare, seeking to wrap up their seven-year offensive against former Democratic President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law that extended insurance coverage to millions. Republicans leaders hope a pared-down “skinny” bill that …

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Zurich North America’s Cunningham Adds Captive Unit Responsibilities

Todd Cunningham has been named to head the Single-Parent and Sponsored-Cell Captives unit for Zurich North America. As part of its single-parent captive solutions, Zurich offers fronting, reinsurance, claims, risk-engineering and loss-analysis services for single-parent captives and a multinational reach …

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Allianz & Insurtech Startup, Flock, to Launch Pay-As-You-Fly Drone Cover in UK

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) has partnered with insurtech startup Flock to launch on-demand drone insurance in the UK market through a mobile app for commercial and recreational users. To be available in the UK market later this year, …

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Massive Fire Destroys New Jersey Pizza Parlor and Damages Other Businesses

A New Jersey pizza parlor has been completely destroyed after a massive fire. WNBC-TV reports the flames ignited at Bruno’s Pizzeria around 10 p.m. Sunday in Passaic, N.J. Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost says the fire burned for a while before …

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New York State Set to Study Technology, Privacy of ‘Textalyzer’

New York state is set to study the use of a device known as the “textalyzer” that would allow police to determine whether a motorist involved in a serious crash was texting while driving. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday …

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NTSB Releases Results of Investigation Into 2015 New York Train Crash

Federal safety investigators said Tuesday they can’t determine why an SUV ended up in the path of an oncoming commuter train, causing a crash that killed six people at a rail crossing in suburban New York in 2015. Detailing the …

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Syndicate DTW1991 Names Cowell & Colville to UK, Int’l Underwriting Team

Lloyd’s Syndicate DTW1991, managed by R&Q Managing Agency, has appointed John Cowell as senior underwriter and Ed Colville as underwriter in its UK and international underwriting team. Cowell has over 25 years’ experience in the UK and international insurance markets. …

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Ironshore’s Pembroke Agency Launches Cargo Consortium for Lloyd’s China Platform

Ironshore’s Pembroke Managing Agency Ltd. has launched a “Project Cargo Consortium” to serve the Lloyd’s China platform, offering capacity limits of up to US$178 million. Pembroke Lloyd’s Syndicate 4000 offers dedicated coverage for risk exposure and consequential loss related to …

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Allianz Q2 Profit Rises 23% on Restructuring, Fewer Disaster Claims

As Allianz SE Chief Executive Officer Oliver Baete slims down the insurer to cut costs, rising second-quarter profit helped by lower natural disaster claims rewarded his strategy. Operating profit jumped 23 percent to 2.9 billion euros ($3.4 billion), Europe’s largest insurer …

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Insurer Ageas to Sell 50% Stake in Italian Bancassurer to BNP Paribas

Brussels-based insurer Ageas announced it has reached an agreement with BNP Paribas Cardif to sell its stake in Cargeas Assicurazioni (CARGEAS), a non-life, Italian bancassurer, which provides health, homeowner, automobile and credit insurance to individuals and businesses. Ageas and BNP …

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UK to Tighten Drone Regulations After Numerous Near-Misses in Past Year

British officials announced plans Saturday [July 22] to further regulate drone use in a bid to prevent accidents and threats to commercial aviation. The new rules will require drones that weigh eight ounces (226.79 grams) or more to be registered and users …

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Australia Class Action Filed Against Toyota, Honda & Mazda over Faulty Air Bags

A Sydney lawyer announced on Tuesday a class action lawsuit against Toyota, Honda and Mazda seeking refunds for cars fitted with faulty air bags from Takata that have been linked to 18 deaths around the world. Lawyer Damian Scattini said …

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Investors in Giant Rabbit That Died Inflight Sue United Airlines

The owners of a giant rabbit named Simon who died on a United Airlines flight while bound for the Iowa State Fair sued the carrier on Monday, claiming its employees were responsible for the hare’s death. The lawsuit was filed in Polk …

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Trump Labor Department Moves to Undo Obama Overtime Rule

The Trump administration on Tuesday pushed forward with its bid to undo an Obama administration rule to extend mandatory overtime pay to 4.2 million workers and said it was considering treating workers differently based on location and industry. The rule, …

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U.S. Transportation Safety Board Calls for More Traffic Cameras

A U.S. safety watchdog called for broader use of traffic cameras to catch speeding drivers, as it said driving too fast is an under-reported cause of traffic fatalities. Inconsistent reporting by law enforcement causes the factor to go under-reported, according …

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Private Insurers Cautiously Dip Toes Into Florida Flood Market Waters

Florida’s efforts in establishing a private flood insurance market have been hailed as a model by many other states looking to buff up their flood insurance offerings, as well as the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to follow as lawmakers …

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1 Person Killed by Weekend Flooding in West Virginia, Kentucky

Heavy rains that pounded parts of West Virginia and Kentucky last weekend left one person dead and two people missing, authorities said Monday. In West Virginia, Ohio County Emergency Management Agency Director Lou Vargo said a van on Sunday rolled …

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Texas Bill Allows More Flexibility in Employee Health Benefit Plans

Small employers in Texas may now get some flexibility in selecting and retaining the health benefit plan of their choosing for their employees following the passage of a bill in the regular session of the Texas Legislature. In late May …

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ProSight Specialty Launches All-lines Marine Contractors Insurance Program

ProSight Specialty Insurance has launched its Longshore+ Marine Contractors program, with the goal of unifying all lines of marine insurance under a single carrier. The package offering provides the following coverages: Marine General Liability Workers Compensation and USL&H Contractor’s Equipment …

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Chubb Net Income Up 79% in Q2; P/C Combined Ratio at 88

Chubb Limited reported net income for the second quarter ended June 30 of $1,305 million compared with $726 million for the same quarter last year‚ a 79 percent increase. Operating income was $1,180 million compared with $1,058 million for the same quarter last year. The …

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Louisiana Continues to See Gains in Employment

The Louisiana Workforce Commission reports that the state’s unemployment rate is at a three-year low. In a July 21 announcement, the LWC said seasonally adjusted data released by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) shows that total nonfarm jobs …

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Bass Pro to Pay $10.5M to Settle Hiring Discrimination, Retaliation Suit

Federal employment officials say Springfield, Mo.-based Bass Pro Outdoor World LLC, a national retailer of fishing, camping, and hunting equipment and apparel, has agreed to pay $10.5 million to settle a hiring discrimination and retaliation lawsuit The U.S. Equal Employment …

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Chicago Jury Awards $150M in Punitive Damages in Testosterone Lawsuit

Federal jurors in Chicago say the pharmaceutical company AbbVie should pay $150 million to an Oregon man for misrepresenting the risks of a low testosterone treatment. The Chicago Tribune reports that the jury arrived at the figure for punitive damages …

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Company to Pay $145K to Settle Disability Discrimination Case in Indiana

Chemtrusion Inc., a Houston-based manufacturing services company, will pay $145,000 and provide other relief to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and concerning the company’s plant in Jeffersonville, Ind. According to the …

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Court Rules for NBC in Defamation Suit by Oregon Sporting Goods Company

A federal appeals court has ruled that NBC News did not defame an Oregon sporting goods company by characterizing its exploding rifle targets as “bombs” in a report on the “Today” show. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in …

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Chevron Spending $20M in to Protect Workers in Wake of California Fire

Chevron Corp. and state regulators have reached a settlement related to a 2012 fire at its Richmond refinery that will require the company to spend about $20 million on safety improvements, officials announced this week. The agreement requires Chevron to …

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Markel to Acquire State National for $919 Million

Markel Corp. will acquire Texas-based State National Companies Inc. for $919 million, a deal that the Virginia-based insurer and reinsurer said will help diversify its underwriting and revenue streams. Both companies’ board of directors voted unanimously to approve the deal, …

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Woman Who Stole $3M from Employer’s New Jersey Facility Sentenced

A Tennessee woman accused of stealing $3 million from a trucking company’s New Jersey facility has been sentenced. Fifty-five-year-old Tracey Perrigan, of Sparta, was sentenced to 33 months in prison Monday. Perrigan had previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Prosecutors say …

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U.S. Safety Board to Detail Findings of Deadly New York Train Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board was scheduled to meet and detail a probe into a 2015 crash between a commuter train and an SUV that killed six people in the New York suburbs, a day after a U.S. official told …

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Woman Accused in Fiance’s River Kayaking Death in New York Pleads Guilty

A woman who was accused of intentionally drowning her fiance in the Hudson River by tampering with his kayak as part of a murderous plot to collect on his life insurance pleaded guilty on Monday to a lesser charge that …

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UK Regulator to Extend Senior Manager Conduct Rules to All Finance Firms

UK regulators set out plans for ensuring senior staff of financial-services firms can be held to account for misconduct on their watch, extending rules already in place for banks to almost all firms. The Senior Managers and Certification Regime is …

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Lau Joins Kemper as Chief Data and Analytics Officer

Kemper Corp. reports that Kan Yuk “Andy” Lau has joined the company as senior vice president and chief data and analytics officer, a new role in the company. Lau will report directly to Joseph P. Lacher Jr., president and chief …

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BHSI Taps AIG’s Maxwell, Chubb’s Dilley for Exec. & Professional Lines in S. Europe

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced the appointments of Vanessa Maxwell as head of Professional Indemnity & Cyber Insurance and Tom Dilley as head of Financial Institutions in Southern Europe. “Vanessa will focus on building our professional indemnity and cyber …

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Illinois Insurance Agent Sentenced to 5 Years for Fraud Scheme

A Decatur, Ill., independent insurance agent has been sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for defrauding his clients, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois reported. Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid sentenced James P. …

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Republican-Led House Votes to Block Rule Allowing Consumer Class Actions

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to erase a new rule that lets bank and credit-card customers band together in lawsuits, as the agency that drafted the measure, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, moves closer to the center …

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Sick Employee Blamed for Norovirus in Closing of Virginia Chipotle

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is retraining kitchen crews on food safety and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for employees refusing to abide by new rules, after identifying a sick employee as the cause of a Norovirus outbreak that forced it to briefly close …

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Surplus Lines Insurance Premium Up Nationwide

A mid-year compilation of excess and surplus (E&S) insurance premium amounts by the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX) shows a 6.6 percent increase in premium nationally compared with the same period last year. SLTX used information from the …

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Italy’s UniCredit Reveals Massive Data Breach Involving 400,000 Bank Accounts

  UniCredit SpA said hackers accessed about 400,000 client bank accounts in Italy, taking biographical and loan data in one of the biggest breaches in Europe to date. The breaches occurred in September and October of 2016 and June to …

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UK Broker Beach Taps RenRe’s Goldberg as Senior VP, Casualty Reinsurance

Beach & Associates, the London-based re/insurance broking and advisory firm, announced the appointment of Julian (Jules) Goldberg as SVP, based in the London office and reporting to Adam Hedley, partner. Goldberg will play an integral role in the growth and …

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The Nature Conservancy, Blue Marble Offer Microinsurance for LatAm Ranchers

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Blue Marble Microinsurance announced they have formed a partnership designed to provide microinsurance for small ranchers in Latin America who use a weather-resilient practice called “silvopasture.” Silvopastoral farming is the practice of combining trees with …

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UK to Ban Sales of Diesel, Petrol Cars by 2040, Embracing Future of Electric Vehicles

The UK will ban sales of diesel and petrol cars by 2040 to combat air pollution, becoming the latest European country to embrace that the future in transportation will be electric vehicles. The announcement of a new clean-air plan is …

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Berkshire Hathaway Eyes Buying Stake in IRB Brasil Resseguros: Sources

Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the firm run by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, is in talks to buy a stake in Latin America’s biggest reinsurer, IRB Brasil Resseguros SA, after an initial public offering of stock, according to two people with direct …

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Jury Orders Punitive, but No Compensatory, Damages in AbbVie Drug Liability Test Trial

A federal jury in Chicago on Monday found AbbVie Inc. fraudulently misrepresented the risks of its testosterone replacement drug AndroGel and ordered the drugmaker to pay $150 million in punitive damages. The verdict, which came in response to a lawsuit …

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Tests Show No Detectable Level of Toxins in Groundwater at Tennessee Plant

A water utility company in Tennessee says tests on drinking water revealed no detectable traces of arsenic and lead after the toxins were found in groundwater at a coal-fired power plant. Memphis, Light, Gas & Water said in a statement …

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Scientists: Sea Level Rise Accelerating Along Florida Coast

Clay Henderson has lived on the same block along the Indian River in New Smyrna Beach for 34 years. Living in a storm-prone state like Florida, you expect to see a river top its bank on occasion, but only in …

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Marsh Names Layton Southeast Zone Leader

Marsh has named Lou Ann Layton as its Southeast Zone leader. In this role, Layton is responsible for client initiatives, new business, and talent development across the District of Columbia and eight states: Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South …

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After Voting to Begin Debate, Senate Kills McConnell Health Bill

  The Senate rejected Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s healthcare proposal late Tuesday at the start of several days of debate with no clear idea of what Obamacare-replacement plan the senators will ultimately be asked to pass. The 43-57 vote against …

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Scherer with Hall of Fame Benefits Joins TLB Insurance Services in California

TLB Insurance Services has named Scott Scherer an employee benefits agent in the agency’s Walnut Creek, Calif. office. Scherer was previously president and owner of Hall of Fame Benefits. He was vice president of sports and entertainment at Cole Capital, …

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Team Work Ready Execs Sentenced in Federal Worker’s Comp Fraud Scheme

Two officials with Team Work Ready (TWR), with clinics in Texas and Louisiana, have been sentenced for defrauding the federal Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs and United States Postal Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas …

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NAPSLO, AAMGA Members OK Merger: New Wholesale & Specialty Association Is Born

Members of the American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA) and the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) have approved a merger of the two associations, creating the new Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA). According to the …

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Texas Seeks Applicants for Medical Liability Insurance Underwriting Board

The Texas Department of Insurance is accepting applications through August 31 for the public member positions on the Texas Medical Liability Insurance Underwriting Association Board of Directors. The appointment is for one year. The association is a self-supporting entity that …

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Flooding Continues in Northern Illinois as Storms Move Through

Severe thunderstorms that brought heavy rain, hail and strong winds to northern Illinois have exacerbated recent flooding in some areas. The storms moved through Sunday, causing the already-swollen Fox River to rise again after it had previously started receding. Flooding …

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Allstate’s Kennelly Joins Hub International as Head of Human Resources

Chicago-based global insurance brokerage Hub International Limited (Hub) has appointed Amber Kennelly chief human resources officer. Kennelly will be responsible for all HUB human resource strategic initiatives including talent acquisition and management, learning and development, employee relations, compensation, employee benefits …

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Houston Manufacturer Sued for Race Discrimination

Federal officials have sued Champion Fiberglass Inc., a Houston-area manufacturing company, saying the company violated federal anti-discrimination laws by engaging in systemic discrimination against non-Hispanic applicants. The lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charges that a class …

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Michigan Franchise Operator Sued for not Providing Religious Accommodation

Sleneem Enterprises LLC, a franchise operator of Tim Horton’s Café and Bake Shop in Romulus, Mich., has been sued by federal officials for allegedly failing to provide religious accommodation to an employee. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission …

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Containment on Massive California Fire Increases

A fire that has burned 63 homes and dozens of other structures is now 65 percent contained, authorities said. The fire near California’s Yosemite National Park has burned 78,900 acres, and is still threatening 1,500 structures. Evacuation orders remain in …

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GBS Benefits Acquires Volk & Associates in Colorado

Longmont, Colo.-based Volk & Associates has been purchased by GBS Benefits, a member of Leavitt Group. The deal will allow Volk & Associates to provide greater benefits resources for their clients. Volk & Associates has operated as ah insurance and …

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G.F.H. Insurance Acquires Peyton, Cheely and Woodle Insurance in Virginia

G.F.H. Insurance Agency Inc., a Richmond, Va.-headquartered insurance broker, has acquired Peyton, Cheely and Woodle Insurance of Richmond, Va., effective June 12, 2017. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Peyton, Cheely and Woodle has a long history in the …

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Blaze Rips Through Massachusetts Apartment Complex Under Construction

Fire officials say a blaze tore through an apartment complex under construction in Massachusetts. Waltham Fire Chief Paul Ciccone says the complex’s five buildings collapsed in the early Sunday fire. Ciccone says none of the neighboring buildings caught fire. Crews …

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Meadowbrook Promotes Browning to Chief Underwriting Officer

Meadowbrook Insurance Group Inc. has promoted Fred Browning to chief underwriting officer. Browning, who most recently served as senior vice president of Admitted Carrier Operations, will now lead Meadowbrook’s corporate underwriting functions and will report to Nathan Voorhis, Meadowbrook’s chief operating …

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Maine Legislative Panel Mulls Raising 10 Percent Tax on Marijuana

As the legalization of recreational marijuana sales in Maine nears, a legislative panel has spent months pondering the best way to tax pot to bring in state revenue, fund regulatory enforcement and discourage the illicit market. In November, legalization of …

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New York Rail Design Cited for Boosting Death Toll in 2015 Crash

The design of the New York region’s Metro-North Railroad power supply is among the reasons a 2015 accident between a train and a vehicle was so deadly, U.S. investigators are poised to conclude. The National Transportation Safety Board is preparing …

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Senators, Including Ailing McCain, Expected to Begin Vote on Health Bill Today

U.S. Senator John McCain, who underwent surgery last week for brain cancer, will return to Washington Tuesday as the Senate prepares to take up embattled healthcare legislation, a dramatic development that could boost Republican efforts to get enough votes to …

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Progressive Unveils New Online Homeowners Insurance Comparison Shopper

Borrowing from its own auto insurance model, Progressive is announcing a tool called HomeQuote Explorer, an online platform that allows homeowners to quickly compare home insurance quotes from multiple carriers. The insurer says it takes 15 minutes or less to …

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Ironshore International Names Ethirajan as COO; Retains Role as IronServe’s COO

Ironshore International has appointed Krishnan Ethirajan to serve as chief operating officer. He will retain his current role as chief operations officer of IronServe Inc., a global operations unit that delivers a range of specialized underwriting, finance and technological support …

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Aetna Acquires Bupa Thailand to Expand in Asia Health Insurance

Aetna Inc. announced it has acquired UK-based Bupa Group’s Thai business, Bupa Thailand, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition will significantly increase Aetna’s presence in Asia, and is key to the company’s strategy to go “broader and deeper” into local …

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Australia Watchdog Examines if Recalled Air Bags Were Replaced by Faulty Devices

Australia’s consumer watchdog said on Monday it was urgently seeking information from the government regulator and car manufacturers after a magazine reported that recalled Takata air bags were being replaced by faulty air bags. Australian consumer magazine Choice discovered car …

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AXA to Provide Accident Cover for Uber Drivers in France

Uber and insurance group AXA on Tuesday announced a partnership to offer accident cover for drivers who work for the ride hailing service in France. In France, as in other countries, Uber has come in for criticism from lawmakers, workers’ rights activists …

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New Terror, Cyber Threats Create Coverage Gaps: CEO of UK’s Pool Re

Insurance against terror attacks must adapt to face up to the threats posed by so-called lone-wolf militants and the rise of cyber crime. That’s the view of Julian Enoizi of Pool Reinsurance Co., the U.K. government-linked body that backstops insurers …

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Minor Damage Reported in North Carolina From Waterspout Turned Tornado

A waterspout briefly came ashore as a tornado in North Carolina last week, causing minor damage to houses before dissipating. The StarNews of Wilmington reports the National Weather Service confirmed the waterspout made landfall around 11:30 a.m. July 19 as …

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Mississippi Woman Charged With Insurance Fraud for Lying About Fall at Walmart

A 59-year-old Mississippi woman has been indicted on criminal charges, with prosecutors saying she lied when she reported falling at a Walmart store. State Attorney General Jim Hood said Friday that Dianne Bullock of Jackson is charged with one count …

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U.S. Building Owners Reviewing Structural Materials After London Tower Blaze

U.S. building owners should review what materials their structures are built with following a deadly fire in London that showed how flames can quickly cover a high-rise, devouring it from the outside, fire experts said Friday. An Associated Press review …

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MetLife’s ‘Too Big to Fail’ Lawsuit on Agenda for U.S. Regulators

Heads of the U.S. financial regulatory agencies will meet behind closed doors this Friday to discuss MetLife Inc.’s lawsuit against them, according to a notice from Treasury, as the Trump administration wrestles with reforms put in place in response to …

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Ryan Specialty Group to Acquire N-Surance Outlets of Florida

Ryan Specialty Group, LLC, announced it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire N-Surance Outlets (NSO), a wholesale insurance brokerage and binding authority operation headquartered in Roswell, Ga. NSO will become part of R-T Specialty, LLC (RT Specialty), the wholesale …

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FDA Chief Gottlieb Eyes Overhaul of Opioid Regulation

The Food and Drug Administration, as part of a sweeping overhaul in how it regulates opioid painkillers, plans to look to some unusual allies to limit the flood of the addictive pills — health insurers and companies that manage prescription …

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XS Brokers Expands Into Southeast; Hires Ault to Lead New Florida Office

XS Brokers, an independent insurance brokerage in New England, has expanded the company into the Southeast, opening a new office in Orlando and hiring Lori Ault as executive vice president and territorial manager. The firm now has five offices, including …

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Answer Financial Expands Insurance Comparison Site Into Homeowners Segment

Answer Financial, a personal lines insurance agency in the U.S., has expanded its insurance comparison platform to include homeowners and condo insurance. The expansion enables shoppers to compare rates and customize coverages from multiple homeowner insurers online. Answer represents a …

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Crest Insurance Group Acquires Troon in Arizona

Tucson, Ariz.-based Crest Insurance Group LLC has acquired Troon Insurance Services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Troon was founded by Clebern Best and has been serving the Greater Phoenix area for 20 years. Crest has Arizona offices in Tucson, …

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Chicago’s Chubb Workplace Benefits Promotes Wayland to Sr. VP

Chubb Workplace Benefits in Chicago has promoted Jon Wayland to senior vice president of sales. Wayland has 30 years of insurance industry experience and previously served as vice president of brokerage channel sales. In his new position, Wayland will continue …

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Missouri Insurance Department Recovers over $4M for Consumers

The Missouri Department of Insurance helped consumers who filed complaints against their insurance company receive an additional $4 million in claim payments in the first half of 2017. Health insurance generated the most complaints in the first half of 2017 …

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Louisiana’s Centauri National Insurance Earns Demotech ‘A’ Rating

Louisiana-based Centauri National Insurance Co. has earned a Financial Stability Rating (FSR) of A, Exceptional, from Demotech Inc. This level of FSR is assigned to insurers who possess exceptional financial stability related to maintaining positive surplus as regards policyholders, liquidity of …

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Louisiana Plans Multiple Storm Mitigation Projects

Louisiana will spend nearly $277 million in federal cash it received after last year’s floods to fortify communities against future disasters, mainly through drainage improvements and buyouts of flood-prone properties. Gov. John Bel Edwards is traveling the state to announce …

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Houston’s Dean & Draper Promotes Smith to Leadership Team

Houston-based Dean & Draper Insurance Agency LP has promoted Stephen B. Smith to executive vice president, chief operating officer and limited partner over its group of agencies. For the past year Smith has served as executive vice president of Soules …

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Ohio County Spends $200K on Cyber Insurance

The Ohio county that includes the capital city of Columbus is spending $200,000 on an insurance policy to cover cyberattacks. The Columbus Dispatch reports Franklin County’s $10 million policy will provide protection for the increasing worldwide threat. The Franklin County …

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Firefighters Gain Ground on California Fire

Firefighters are bracing for the possibility of dry lightning as they battle a stubborn blaze that has scorched nearly 120 square miles near California’s Yosemite National Park. The wildfire burning in the Sierra Nevada foothills was 50 percent contained Monday. …

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$3.1M Sex Abuse Suit Filed by Former Alter Boy Against Oregon Church

A former altar boy at a Portland, Ore. church has filed a $3.1 million lawsuit against the church contending he was repeatedly sexually abused by a choir director in the early 1960s. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that the Portland man now …

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Colorado Wildfire Evacuation Order Lifted in Foothills

Authorities have lifted evacuations prompted by a wildfire burning near a heavily populated area in Colorado. The fire burned almost half a square mile of brush-covered foothills south of Fort Collins, triggering an evacuation south of Horsetooth Reservoir that was …

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Southern California Agent Charged for Targeting Injured Workers’ Benefit Funds

Tom Fallon, 63, of Long Beach, Calif., is being arraigned today in Superior Court in Long Beach on multiple felony charges including theft by embezzlement and money laundering. Fallon’s daughter, Christina Fallon, 28, also of Long Beach, is scheduled to …

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UK Lawmakers Eye Options for Insurers, Banks to Keep Post-Brexit Access to EU

British lawmakers launched an inquiry on Monday into how banks and insurers could maintain access to the European Union market after Britain leaves the bloc in 2019. The House of Lords financial affairs committee said it will examine how regulation …

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Q2 Insurtech Funding Rises to $1B: Willis Towers Watson/CB Insights Report

Insurtech funding volume hovered close to $1 billion in the 2017 second quarter, a result nearly 150 percent larger than the same period a year ago, according to a quarterly report on the sector from Willis Towers Watson and CB …

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UK Faces Future of Record-Breaking Wet Winters, Floods: New Climate Models

Britain faces a future of record-breaking wet winters, potentially leading to more of the widespread flooding seen in recent years, according to new modeling that incorporates changing climate patterns. England and Wales now have a 34 percent chance of record …

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Experts Examine Quake Damage on Greek Island of Kos

Crews of experts began examining the damage to cultural monuments and infrastructure on the eastern Greek island of Kos on Saturday, a day after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others in the Aegean Sea region …

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Brit Global Specialty Assumes Renewals for Legacy Catlin’s U.S. Yacht Business

Brit Global Specialty USA  said it has reached an agreement for the exclusive renewal rights for part of XL Catlin’s directly written yacht portfolio. The agreement relates to legacy policies written by Catlin, prior to its acquisition by XL. BGSU …

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Markel Appoints HDFC Ergo’s Mathur to Lead Entry into Indian Market

Specialist insurer Markel International has appointed Deepika Mathur to lead its entry into the Indian market. Capacity will be provided by Markel’s Syndicate 3000 at Lloyd’s and business will be written through the Lloyd’s India platform, based in Mumbai. The business …

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AIR Worldwide Launches Severe Thunderstorm Model for Australia

Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide announced it has released a severe thunderstorm model for Australia, which captures all three sub-perils – hail, tornado and straight-line wind – to help companies assess and manage severe thunderstorm risk. The AIR Severe …

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Man Indicted in Scheme to Sell Paintings from Massachusetts Art Heist

A Boston federal jury has indicted a West Virginia man on charges he tried to sell paintings he did not have access to and falsely claimed were stolen in the largest art heist in U.S. history. Prosecutors allege that 47-year-old …

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Maryland Plans Lawsuit Against EPA Under Clean Air Act

Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration announced plans Thursday to sue the Environmental Protection Agency, if the agency doesn’t respond to Maryland’s request to make sure power plants in neighboring states use pollution controls. Ben Grumbles, secretary of the Maryland Department …

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New Jersey’s Brooks Insurance Agency Hires Hoover

Brooks Insurance Agency, a Manalapan, N.J.-based multi-line wholesale insurance agency, has hired Ben Hoover as vice president and broker. Hoover joins the team with a commitment to providing the best service to current and future clients as Brooks Insurance Agency …

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Insurers Pummeled by Car Dealers’ Claims for Hail-Damaged Vehicles

A hailstorm that pounded down on a Subaru dealership in Plano, Texas, barely lasted 30 minutes, but left behind a trail of smashed windows, dented hoods and millions of dollars’ worth of claims for an insurer to cough up. Damage …

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9 Cases of Legionnaires’ Disease Now Connected to Graceland Hotel

Health officials say the number of people diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease in an outbreak at the hotel at Graceland has risen to nine. The Shelby County Health Department said in late June that four people contracted the illness after staying …

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Norman-Spencer Agency Opens Recreational Marine Facility in North Carolina

Norman-Spencer Agency, Inc., a national property and casualty insurance provider, has opened a new recreational marine operation in High Point, North Carolina. Jason Norman will be leading the office as the underwriter production manager. Norman will be working directly with …

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Ride-Hail Firm Lyft Enters Race to Manufacture Autonomous Cars

Ride-hailing provider Lyft Inc., emboldened by public stumbles by larger rival Uber Technologies Inc., is taking the leap into developing its own fully autonomous vehicles. Lyft is opening a self-driving vehicle development facility in Palo Alto, California, called “Level 5,” …

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Chipotle Keeps Getting Served Lawsuits by Customers, Investors

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is facing another class-action lawsuit by a disgruntled shareholder over its alleged inability to keep its restaurants clean, a further hurdle for a company still trying to regain consumer and investor confidence after a food scare …

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Deutsche Bank ($77M), JPMorgan ($71M) to Settle Libor Claims in U.S.

Deutsche Bank AG and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have agreed to pay a combined $148 million to end private U.S. antitrust litigation claiming they conspired with other banks to manipulate the yen Libor and Euroyen Tibor benchmark interest rates. The …

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Super Regional Carriers Urged to Educate ‘Suspicious’ Regulators on What They’re Doing with Big Data

“We’re curious and we don’t know. When regulators don’t know what’s going on, they get suspicious.” That was Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Ted Nickel acknowledging that like the industry they regulate, state insurance commissioners face challenges keeping up with new technology …

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Tennessee Family Files Suit Over Ferris Wheel Accident

A family whose daughters were injured when they fell from a Ferris wheel at a Tennessee county fair has filed lawsuits against the ride’s owners and manufacturer. News outlets report the Reynolds family and Lorena Cowhy, another woman who was …

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5th Person Dies From Injuries Caused by Florida Power Plant Accident

An accident at a Florida power plant last month has claimed a fifth life. BRACE Industrial Group said its employee, 56-year-old Armando Perez, died Thursday of injuries he sustained in the June 29 accident at the Tampa Electric Big Bend …

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Tennessee Apartment Fire Displaces 19 Residents

An apartment fire has displaced 19 residents and sent two people to the hospital in Tennessee. News outlets report the fire was reported Thursday night at a four-unit apartment building in North Knoxville. Knoxville Fire Department spokesman D.J. Corcoran said …

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Exclusive: California Broker Plans Parametric Quake Product That Pays Even If No Damage

A California broker is promising to bring a “first-of-its-kind financial resource” that pays homeowners after an earthquake for a low monthly premium whether there’s damage to the home or not. A Berkeley, Calif.-based firm called Jumpstart Insurance Solutions Inc. recently …

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Chubb Launches Multi-line Practice for Large Transportation Clients

Chubb has launched a multi-line industry practice within its Major Accounts division that will provide insurance products, service and risk management options for best-in-class large risk transportation clients in the United States and Canada. Chubb’s Transportation Industry practice provides a …

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Morris Reappointed to Louisiana Workers’ Comp Advisory Council

Michael D. Morris, of Baton Rouge, was reappointed to the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council. Morris is an attorney and the chief executive officer of the Louisiana Home Builders’ Association. He will serve as a representative of self-insured industries in Louisiana, …

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Hundreds Evacuate From Flooding in Western Wisconsin City

Several hundred people evacuated their homes early on July 20 in the small western Wisconsin community of Arcadia where heavy rain sent a creek over its banks. The waterlogged city is part of more widespread flooding in Wisconsin and Minnesota …

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Fatal Arkansas Train Accident Prompts Hazard Rating Increase

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has increased the hazard rating for a train crossing after the recent deaths of a couple whose car was struck by a train. ATHD Railroad Crossing Coordinator Steve Weston tells the Jonesboro Sun that …

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Authority Wants 1952 Quake Anniversary to Remind Californians to Prepare

Friday marks the 65th anniversary of the 1952 magnitude 7.5 earthquake that struck Kern County, Calif., considered the largest quake to strike Southern California since the 1870s. While the epicenter was on the White Wolf fault in the southern San …

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Louisiana Regulators Recover $4 M for Insurance Policyholders

Insurance policyholders collected an additional $4 million in the first half of the year as a result of assistance provided by the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI). These funds are a result of staff from the LDI Office of Consumer …

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Minnesota Fines 2 Insurers for Refusing to Pay Auto Accident Claims

Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman has fined two insurance companies for violating state consumer protection laws by refusing to pay auto accident claims for damage caused by drivers they insured. In recent consent orders with the Commerce Department, American Family …

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Minnesota: Farmers Insurance Exchange Illegally Charged Renters More for Auto Coverage

Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman has ordered an insurance company to refund more than $300,000 to Minnesota drivers who were charged higher auto insurance rates solely because they were renters rather than homeowners. According to the Minnesota Commerce Department Insurance …

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Pennsylvania’s PLM Names Selfe Vice President of Information Technology

Pennsylvania and Indiana Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Companies (PLM), a property and casualty insurance carrier based in Philadelphia, Penn., has named Erin Selfe vice president of information technology. With more than 20 years of experience, Selfe will be responsible for all …

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Additional Homes at Risk as Florida Sinkhole Widens

Florida sinkhole that swallowed two homes last week isn’t getting any deeper, but it’s getting wider, officials said Wednesday –and one resident who’s back home after being evacuated is vowing to stay unless the hole consumes her house. “I’m apprehensive, …

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Academics in Hawaii Developing Flood Alert System

An alert system is being developed to give West Maui residents a six-day heads up when large wave and flooding events are possible. The University of Hawaii ocean observation program will use a $500,000 federal grant to start developing the …

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Alaska Fatal Airplane Crash Getting NTSB Hearing

A National Transportation Safety Board investigative hearing in Alaska next month on a fatal commercial airplane crash will be the first held outside of Washington, D.C., in nearly 20 years. The board is conducting an investigative hearing Aug. 17 on …

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50 Homes Destroyed in California Wildfire

The town of Mariposa, with its century-old saloons and covered sidewalks, normally bustles with summer visitors on their way to Yosemite National Park but the Gold Rush-era hamlet was mostly empty as ash rained down and heavy smoke from a …

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California Officials Clear Way for Reopening of Gas Field That Made L.A. Residents Sick

The planned reopening of a massive Los Angeles natural gas storage facility that spewed methane for months has only renewed the fight over its future. California state officials this week cleared the way for resumption at reduced capacity in the …

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GOP Senate Health Bill Would Substantially Raise Deductibles, Number of Uninsureds: CBO

  The Senate Republican health bill promises lower premiums for consumers. To get there, it would require patients in standard plans to spend as much as about $13,000 upfront on their own care. The deductibles would be so high, in …

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New York State Rejects City’s Request for Funds for Big Fire Costs

A western New York city won’t be getting state aid to cover the costs linked to a massive fire at a former steel plant last fall. The blaze started Nov. 9 in a large building on the Bethlehem Steel site …

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O.J. Simpson Faces $58 Million Wrongful Death Damages After Release from Jail

O.J. Simpson will walk out of prison in October after nine years behind bars, but he is far from free of his financial woes. The 70-year-old football star, who won his release from a Nevada parole board on Thursday after …

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Connecticut Man Gets Prison for Defrauding Investors out of $874K

A Connecticut man will spend almost four years in prison for operating an investment scheme that defrauded people of more than $874,000. The U.S. Attorney’s office says 54-year-old Anthony Sciarra, of Wethersfield, Conn., was sentenced Wednesday in Hartford federal court. …

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‘Specialize and Diversify,’ Industry Veteran Markel Tells Super Regional Insurers

Insurance is a very simple business. “You take in some money, you spend some money and you lose some money, and God willing, you have some left at the end of the day,” according to Anthony (Tony) Markel, vice chairman …

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Markel Hires Ferguson to New York-Based U.S. Excess Casualty Team

Markel Global Insurance, a division of Markel Corporation, has hired John Ferguson as a director of its New York-based U.S. Excess Casualty team. In his new role, Ferguson serves as the retail construction practice lead and is responsible for a range …

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Fired OSHA Whistleblower Claims Investigator Turns Whistleblower

A fired U.S. whistleblower investigator says his old employer didn’t take whistleblowers seriously enough. So he’s lodging a complaint — with the same ex-employer he claims doesn’t take whistleblower allegations seriously enough. Darrell Whitman was an investigator for the Labor …

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Castel Specialty Launches Global Construction Business

Castel Specialty, a division of Castel Underwriting Agencies Ltd., has expanded its portfolio with the launch of Castel Construction. London-based Castel Underwriting Agencies, part of Barbican Insurance Group, is a club-style MGA formation platform, which supports individual underwriters with smaller …

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Hannover Re Completes Purchase of Lloyd’s Business Argenta

Hannover Re has completed the acquisition of the UK holding company Argenta Holdings Ltd., which owns the companies Argenta Syndicate Management and Argenta Private Capital, as well as a pro rata share of the Lloyd’s syndicate Argenta Syndicate 2121. The …

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Neon Appoints Argo’s Gibson as Reinsurance & Alternative Capital Director

Neon announced it has hired Mark Gibson as Reinsurance and Alternative Capital director, reporting to Managing Director Ian Martin. Gibson is responsible for developing Neon’s outwards reinsurance program and third party capital strategy. With 30 years’ experience in the sector, …

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Cyber Attack on Ukrainian Medical Facilities Sets ‘Dangerous’ Precedent: Experts

Dr. Lidiia Podkopaieva was about to click “send” on an order of new surgical instruments when her computer monitor suddenly went dark. She speed-dialed the clinic’s technician but didn’t even have time to tell him what was wrong. “We’re under cyber …

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British Columbia Wildfires Continue to Rage, Torching 1,235-Plus Square Miles

British Columbia is extending a state of emergency for two more weeks as wildfires sweeping across the province’s interior show no sign of slowing. Premier John Horgan said Wednesday that his government’s first priority is to support the more than 45,000 people …

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Safety Lapses Blamed for Death of Kentucky Coal Miner

Federal regulators say an accident that killed a coal miner in Pike County happened because a conveyor belt didn’t have adequate safety guards. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said in its report that 43-year-old …

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6 Injured in Atlanta Restaurant Roof Collapse

An official says the roof of an Atlanta restaurant collapsed Monday night, injuring six people. Atlanta Fire Department spokesman Cortez Stafford said at a media briefing that about 40 percent of the roof collapsed. Stafford says he couldn’t say for …

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Report: Head-First Fall Onto Concrete Killed ‘Walking Dead’ Stuntman on Georgia Set

A stuntman fatally injured during production of “The Walking Dead” fell head-first onto concrete about 22 feet (7 meters) below after appearing to try to grab a railing to stop his fall, an assistant director told authorities. Coweta County coroner …

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What to Do With Your Car Insurance When You Move

Moving is such a hassle, it’s understandable if something falls through the cracks in the process. But, when you’re letting people and companies know you have a new address, there is one particular item that often gets forgotten: your...

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Texas Bill Would Change Workers’ Comp Medical Causation Report Law

A medical causation narrative report is one created by a doctor that explains a causal connection, if any, between a compensable workplace injury and the diagnoses or conditions specified in the insurance carrier’s plain language notice disputing the extent of …

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Verisk: Texas 2nd in Number of Households at Risk for Wildfire

The 2017 Verisk Wildfire Risk Analysis shows that Texas is ranked second behind California for the number of households at high or extreme risk from wildfire. The analysis determined the number and percentage of households at high or extreme risk …

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General Indemnity Group Acquires Kansas’ Surety Support Services

General Indemnity Group LLC (GIG), a subsidiary of Boston Omaha Corp., has acquired Surety Support Services Inc., of Overland Park, Kansas. Tracing its origins back almost 40 years, Surety Support Services (SSS) provides surety-only services to contractors, insurance agents, brokers …

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TWFG Honors Top Producers

Successful insurance agents with The Woodlands, Texas-based TWFG received official recognition and awards during TWFG’s recent convention. President and CEO Gordy Bunch inducted 20 new members into the insurance services’ Million Dollar Club, bringing its membership up to 81 “super …

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Ex-Iowa Seed Company Exec Files $80M Suit over Firing

An executive for a prominent Iowa seed company is alleging he was wrongly fired by Iowa’s richest man and deprived his right to acquire $80 million worth of corporate stock. Joseph Saluri filed a lawsuit against billionaire Harry H. Stine …

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Missouri Finally Creating Prescription Drug-Monitoring Plan

Missouri became the final state to create a prescription drug-monitoring program on July 17 when Republican Gov. Eric Greitens signed an executive order aimed at combatting a scourge that killed more than 900 residents last year. The announcement surprised lawmakers, …

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Cash Contents of Wisconsin Bank Vault Destroyed in Flood

Recent flooding destroyed all the cash in the vault of a southeastern Wisconsin bank. Fox River State Bank president Keith Polleck refused to disclose how much money was ruined, but said the Federal Reserve will have to replace every dollar. …

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Fire Investigators Pinpoint Unit Where Deadly Honolulu High-Rise Blaze Began

Fire investigators said the apartment where a deadly fire began in a Honolulu high-rise was near the two units on the 26th floor where the bodies of three victims were found, but they’re still working to determine the cause. The …

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Fire Destroys 3 Mobile Homes in Oregon, 2 Were Uninured

A fire southeast of Eugene, Ore., destroyed three mobile homes and sent a man to a Portland hospital. Residents of the mobile home park tell The Register-Guard that two dogs and four cats died. The fire happened Monday at the …

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Yosemite Park Wildfire Burns Dozens of Structures

A wildfire in foothills west of Yosemite National Park destroyed dozens of structures and forced thousands to flee  towns but fire crews have been able to stop it from reaching a threatened community on the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. …

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Massachusetts SJC Rules in Favor of Employee Fired for Medical Marijuana Use

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled in favor of a woman who was fired by her employer for testing positive for her prescribed use of marijuana to treat a medical condition. The court found that because medical marijuana was …

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Travelers Believes It’s ‘Where It Needs to Be’ to Compete; Reports Q2 Results Dampened by Weather

Travelers Companies has been taking steps for some time to remain competitive in the small business insurance marketplace in the face of new entries including technology-driven start-ups and feels it is well-positioned to continue to compete in the space, according …

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AGCS Appoints Smith as Head of Engineering, Regional Unit London

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS)* has appointed Paul Smith as head of Engineering, Regional Unit London (RUL). He reports regionally to Carsten Scheffel, AGCS board member and chief regions & markets officer for RUL. He also reports locally to …

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Chipotle to Reopen Virginia Restaurant After Norovirus Reports

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. said it will reopen a Virginia restaurant on Wednesday, two days after it was closed due to reports that several customers had fallen ill with suspected norovirus. Shares of the restaurant chain tumbled more than 4 …

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Rhode Island State Police Issue $57K Fine for Overweight Truck

The Rhode Island State Police has issued a $57,000 fine against the company that owns the flatbed truck that was ruled too heavy for state bridges. Police announced the fine against Bay Crane Northeast Tuesday. The company’s truck was stuck …

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Philadelphia Fire Captain Facing Charges for Insurance Fraud

A Philadelphia Fire Department captain has been arrested and charged with insurance fraud. Court records show 43-year-old Yolanda Stallings, of Philadelphia, Penn., was arrested June 27 and charged with various offenses including forgery and false reports. A department spokeswoman says …

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Talanx Acquires Generali’s Latin American Business for €30M (US$34.6M)

Talanx has acquired Generali Colombia Seguros Generales S.A. and its life insurance subsidiary, Generali Colombia Vida Compañia de Seguros S.A., for approximately €30 million (US$34.6 million) Generali explained that Talanx is acquiring 91.3 percent of Generali Seguros and 93.3 percent …

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Ban on Consumer Mandatory Arbitration Clauses Faces Challenges

A U.S. rule years in the making that was intended to restore consumers’ ability to band together to sue financial companies could unravel in just a few months as the heads of two federal agencies clash over it and critics …

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Catastrophes Cost Insurers $22B in 1H 2017; Economic Losses Totaled $53B: Aon

Global insured losses from natural disasters during the first half of 2017 are estimated at US$22 billion with 76 percent of these losses generated by U.S. events, according to a report issued by Impact Forecasting, Aon Benfield’s catastrophe model development …

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Jury Clears GM of Liability in First Trial Over Updated Ignition Switch

A federal jury in New York on Wednesday found General Motors was not to blame for a crash of an Arizona man who alleged that his accident was caused by an updated version of the carmaker’s ignition switch that did …

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Chubb Names Farrow Practice Leader for Life Sciences Industry in North America

Chubb has named Lee Farrow  as executive vice president and Life Sciences Industry practice leader for North America. In his new role, effective immediately, he will oversee the strategy, operations and underwriting of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, supplement, and medical device customers. Farrow will …

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Daimler Recalls More Than 3 Million Mercedes-Benz Diesel Vehicles

Daimler AG moved to head off a growing crisis over emissions concerns by voluntarily recalling more than 3 million Mercedes-Benz diesel vehicles in Europe, marking the latest blow to the technology since Volkswagen AG’s cheating scandal erupted nearly two years ago. …

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CSX Ordered to Pay $3.9M in Georgia Train Death of Allman Film Crew Member

A railroad owner plans to appeal a jury’s decision that it must pay $3.9 million to the family of a movie worker killed on a Georgia railroad trestle in 2014, a spokesman for the company said. The jury in Savannah …

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North Carolina Gov Signs $100M Hurricane Aid, Zip Line Insurance Bills

Gov. Roy Cooper has signed legislation directing how $100 million in additional Hurricane Matthew relief funds must be spent and requiring zip line and aerial ropes course owners to get minimum levels of liability insurance. Cooper enacted Tuesday ten more …

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Kentucky Attorney Accused of Stealing $550K in Insurance Settlements from Clients

A Kentucky attorney is facing charges in federal court that he defrauded clients out of their insurance settlements for $550,000. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Louisville says James Grant King allegedly committed aggravated identity theft and wire fraud from 2007 …

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Wal-Mart Greeter Who Became Plaintiff in Historic Class Action Dies In California

The Wal-Mart greeter who took the retail giant all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in the largest gender bias class-action lawsuit in U.S. history has died. A niece, Rita Roland, says Betty Dukes died July 10 at her …

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House Committee Advances Bill to Let Autonomous Vehicles Bypass States

A U.S. House panel on Wednesday approved a sweeping proposal by voice vote to allow automakers to deploy up to 100,000 self-driving vehicles without meeting existing auto safety standards and bars states from imposing driverless car rules. Representative Robert Latta, a Republican …

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Texas Lawmaker Seeks to Limit Austin’s Construction Site Worker Protections

Note: This article originally appeared in the Texas Tribune. Cesar Ovalde has been working in the construction industry for the better part of 15 years. Most of the time, he’s working on large commercial projects, and gaps in training, he …

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Officials Warn of Spike in Food-Borne Illness in Texas

State health officials are warning of an increase in Texas in the number of people who’ve contracted a food-borne illness often linked to imported produce. The Department of State Health Services says 68 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in …

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10-Vehicle Wreck in West Texas Blamed on Dust Storm

Authorities are blaming a zero-visibility dust storm for a 10-vehicle pileup in West Texas that left eight people hurt, including one in critical condition. The Texas Department of Public Safety says the accident happened Sunday afternoon on Highway 349, near …

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Ohio Residents Forced to Evacuate from Sinking Homes

Some residents in a northern Ohio city are being forced to leave their homes after the structures began sinking into the ground. Wadsworth officials say four condominiums and a nearby house are unsafe and notices have been posted instructing the …

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JenCap Holdings Acquiring Michigan’s Special Risks Facilities

JenCap Holdings LLC has agreed to acquire privately held Special Risks Facilities Inc., an MGA/contract binding authority and wholesale insurance brokerage firm based in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Special Risks was formed in 1971 and has been led by Jack Klebba and Randy Kaszeta. The …

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MarshBerry Adds Barber as Talent Acquisition Manager

Woodmere, Ohio-based MarshBerry has hired Bob Barber as a talent acquisition manager. His responsibilities include overseeing a team of direct reports to source and screen high quality sales professionals for the role of commercial producer and present candidates to agency …

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Starr Buys Stake in Small Business Insurtech CoverWallet

Starr Companies is now a minority shareholder in online small business insurance agency CoverWallet. CoverWallet confirmed the deal that was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. No financial terms were disclosed. Starr previously invested in CoverWallet’s Series A round, …

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Farmers Names Fernandez to Head Business Insurance; Kappler to Lead Bristol West

Farmers Insurance has named new presidents for two of its key business units. Sharon Fernandez, most recently president of Bristol West Insurance, has been appointed president of Business Insurance at Farmers. In addition, Eric Kappler, previously head of product management at Bristol West, …

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3 Coastal California Communities Sue Oil Companies over Sea-Rise

Three ocean-front California local governments are taking legal action against oil companies, saying oil giants have known for almost 50 years that fossil fuels are changing the climate and causing sea rise. Northern California’s Marin and San Mateo counties and the city …

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California Wildfire Threatens 1,500 Homes

A California blaze in the rugged mountains outside of Yosemite National Park has destroyed eight structures and forced thousands of nearby residents to flee their homes. As of Tuesday evening, the fire had scorched 39 square miles, according to the …

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Ron Lockton Succeeds Spencer as CEO, President at Lockton Inc.

Ron Lockton, who has served as global insurance broker Lockton Inc.’s vice chairman for the past two years as part of the succession plan, is expanding his role to become president and chief executive officer of the firm.  He succeeds Glenn Spencer, …

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London MGA Nexus Acquires U.S.-Based Treaty MGA from ZON Re

Specialty insurance managing general agent Nexus Group said it has acquired the assets of Personal Accident Treaty Reinsurance MGA operated by ZON Re, a U.S. based treaty reinsurance managing underwriter and Lloyd’s coverholder. The ZON Re PA Treaty Reinsurance MGA …

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New York Capital City Fire Damages Homes, Residents Flee

A fire in New York’s capital city heavily damaged five 19th century buildings and forced more than a dozen people from their homes, officials said Tuesday. Albany fire officials said the blaze started around 9 p.m. Monday in a block …

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Massachusetts Marijuana Deal Calls for Up to 20 Percent Tax on Pot Sales

State House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement Monday on a revamped version of Massachusetts’ voter-approved marijuana law that would allow retail pot sales to be taxed at a maximum 20 percent rate. The deal was struck following closed-door negotiations …

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Former Pennsylvania Attorney Given Two-Year Prison Sentence for Mail Fraud

A former Pennsylvania attorney who defrauded dozens of homeowners out of more than $69,000 has been sentenced to two years in prison. Forty-eight-year-old Susan Kevra-Shiner, who owned a company in Avoca that sold insurance policies, was sentenced by a federal …

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Tillerson’s State Department Reorganization Sidelines Cybersecurity Unit: Report

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is shutting down an office that coordinates cyber issues with other countries, according to two people familiar with the plan, in a move that critics said will diminish the U.S. voice in confronting hackers. The …

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Pennsylvania’s NSM Insurance Group Hires Johnston

NSM Insurance Group, a Conshohocken, Penn.-based program administrator of industry-specific insurance programs, has hired Jennifer Johnston as the Northeast regional underwriting manager for social services. In this role, Johnston will be responsible for overseeing new business development and renewal retention …

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Blind Americans Want to Participate in Future of Driverless Vehicles

Anil Lewis was behind the wheel of his Ford Mustang convertible on a sunny Atlanta day in 1988, when he nearly hit a pedestrian who appeared in a crosswalk ahead of him, seemingly out of nowhere. It was then Lewis realized …

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Neon Appoints Argo’s Gibson as Reinsurance & Alternative Capital Director

Neon announced it has hired Mark Gibson as Reinsurance and Alternative Capital director, reporting to Managing Director Ian Martin. Gibson is responsible for developing Neon’s outwards reinsurance program and third party capital strategy. With 30 years’ experience in the sector, …

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Allianz Forms Online Aircraft Insurance Partnership with Insurtech Firm Visicover

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) announced it has formed a partnership agreement with insurtech company, Visicover. Visicover’s existing and new aeroplane and helicopter insurance products now will be underwritten by AGCS, which also will provide claims management services. Customers …

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British Columbia Wildfires Expected to Worsen; Nearly 40,000 People Evacuated

Fast-moving wildfires in British Columbia have forced nearly 40,000 people to leave their homes and residents are flooding into crowded evacuation centers amid a provincial state of emergency. Federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale announced Monday that Ottawa was deploying military aircraft …

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Insurance Claims from G20 Riots in Germany Could Hit $13.8 Million

A group representing German insurers says the rioting that accompanied the Group of 20 summit earlier this month could cost insurance companies up to 12 million euros ($13.8 million). Host city Hamburg saw three nights of violence amid anti-globalization protests …

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UK Faces ‘Substantial’ Risk of Failure of Brexit Talks, Moody’s Warns

  The risk that the UK will tumble out of the European Union in two years without a Brexit deal is “substantial,” Moody’s Investors Service said. Such an outcome would affect everything from banks to buses and could result in …

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UK’s Aviva to Sell Asia/Middle East Life Unit to Focus on Core Markets

Aviva, Britain’s biggest life insurer, said it would sell Friends Provident International (FPIL), which provides life assurance and investment products in Asia and the Middle East, to a unit of International Financial Group for 340 million pounds ($443 million). The …

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Norman-Spencer Agency Adds Professional Liability Division

Norman-Spencer Agency, Inc., a national property and casualty insurance provider, has added a new Professional Liability Division. The division was established to provide Norman-Spencer’s appointed agents with a resource for all professional liability risks. The Professional Liability Division will offer …

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Toxins in Groundwater Under Tennessee Valley Authority Plant Under Investigation

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen is pressing the Tennessee Valley Authority and state regulators for more information about the discovery of excessive levels of arsenic and lead in groundwater under a coal-fired power plant. Cohen’s office said in a statement Monday …

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Mad Cow Disease Found in Alabama But No Threat to Humans Detected

An 11-year-old cow in Alabama tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday. The cow tested positive for the atypical L-type of BSE after exhibiting clinical signs …

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Florida Insurers Place All Options on Table to Address AOB Abuse

Florida’s home insurers hope the public doesn’t blame them as they implement rate increases, initiate coverage changes and nonrenew policies. They say they have no choice after the Florida Legislature for the fifth year in a row failed to address …

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California Division of Workers’ Comp Issues Revised Drug Formulary Regulations

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation has issued modified proposed regulations to adopt the medical treatment utilization schedule drug formulary. The proposed rulemaking implements Assembly Bill 1124, which mandates the adoption of an evidence-based drug formulary. DWC has reviewed comments …

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Senate GOP Fails with Obamacare Repeal Effort

Republican efforts to overhaul or repeal Obamacare collapsed in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, dealing a sharp setback to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s seven-year quest to kill former President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law. The disarray in …

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SelectHealth’s Schneider Joins GBS Benefits in Utah as President

Salt Lake City, Utah-based GBS Benefits Inc. has named Scott Schneider president. Schneider has a background in finance, underwriting and sales. Rick Fielding, who has been the president of GBS since the company’s inception in 1989, will continue to lead …

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California’s Drought Is Over, but a New Report Shows Wildfire Risk is High for Millions

California’s drought-ridden feet aren’t out of the proverbial fire yet. This years’ powerful winter storms ended perpetual discourse about the state’s multiyear drought, but there are still 4.5 million homes at high or extreme risk of wildfire in California and …

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Travelers Launches Usage-Based Insurance App for Personal Auto Customers

The Travelers Companies, Inc. has launched IntelliDrive smartphone app, which gives customers insights into their driving habits and get auto insurance priced according to how they drive. Customers who use the app and drive safely can save up to 20 …

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Novarica: Commercial Insurers’ Prioritizing Tech Advancements

A new report by the research and advisory firm, Novarica, shows that commercial insurance carriers are modernizing policy administration systems and agent portals to support complexities of business. Novarica also says use of drones, internet of things (IoT), and mobile …

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Credit Ratings of Texas’ State Farm Lloyds Upgraded

A.M. Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) to A- (Excellent) from B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “a-” from “bbb+” of State Farm Lloyds in Richardson, Texas. A.M. Best also has affirmed the FSR of …

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Crystal & Company Names Price a Director Specialty Products Group

Sarah Price has been named a director in Houston-based Crystal & Company’s Specialty Products Group. She specializes in placing complex environmental insurance programs. Price has 18 years of experience in partnering with public and private organizations to provide alternative solutions …

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California Commissioner Wants Investigation Following Airline Near Miss

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, who was a passenger last week on the Air Canada flight 759 that nearly landed on a taxiway at San Francisco International Airport, has sent a letter to the airline and three aviation and transportation regulators …

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Marsh Hires deLaricheliere to Lead U.S. Banking and Capital Markets Practice

Marsh has hired Alex deLaricheliere to lead its U.S. Banking and Capital Markets Practice. In this newly created role, deLaricheliere is responsible for ensuring that Marsh delivers its risk advisory and transactional services to the firm’s banking and capital markets …

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Idaho Manure Pond Deaths Raise Concerns About Farmworker Safety

It was still dark the morning Ruperto Vazquez-Carrera began his shift at Sunrise Organic Dairy in Idaho. It was mid-February 2016. A winter heat wave had melted snow and ice overnight, flooding part of the rural Jerome County farm. A …

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2 New California Wildfires Prompt Evacuation Orders

A wildfire burning in central California tripled in size Monday, forcing more people from their homes as firefighters battle the day-old blaze. The fire is burning near Lake McClure, a reservoir about 50 miles east of Modesto. It has scorched …

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Blaze Destroys Popular Restaurant in New York’s Finger Lakes Region

Fire investigators are trying to find the cause of a blaze that has destroyed a popular restaurant in New York’s Finger Lakes region. Fire officials in the city of Canandaigua say crews were alerted around 5:30 a.m. Thursday to a …

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Massachusetts’ Kaplansky Insurance Hires Wolberg as VP of M&A

Kaplansky Insurance, a Needham, Mass.-based insurance agency, has appointed David Wolberg as vice president of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Wolberg brings with him experience from the sell-side of mergers and acquisitions. He is licensed to practice law in both Massachusetts …

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Maine’s MEMIC Group Hires Barden

The MEMIC Group, a Portland, Maine-headquartered workers’ compensation specialist, has promoted Kelly Barden to the position of director of corporate communications. In this role, she is responsible for shaping and projecting the corporate image and brand identity and overall reputation …

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Ironshore Taps Berkley Re Property Treaty Execs for Pembroke’s Patria Re Portfolio

Ironshore International’s Pembroke Managing Agency Ltd. has appointed two treaty property leaders to join the Patria Re underwriting team. Nicolas Benardout has been appointed divisional director while Jack Bunting is assistant underwriter for Patria Re’s international property treaty business lines. …

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Beazley Launches Dublin-Based Insurer to Write Non-Life Insurance in EU

Specialist insurer Beazley has received authorization from the Central Bank of Ireland to convert its established Dublin-based reinsurance company into an insurance company permitted to transact business throughout the European Union. Beazley explained that its strategy to write EU non-life …

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Natural Disaster Claims Drop 40% to $19.5B in 1st Half of 2017: Munich Re

Insurers paid out around $19.5 billion for natural disaster claims in the first half of 2017, almost 40 percent less than the year-earlier payout of $32 billion, reinsurer Munich Re said on Tuesday. In addition, some $21.5 billion of losses …

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GOP Senate Leader Backs Repealing Obamacare Without Replacement

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell abandoned efforts to pass a broad Republican-only replacement of Obamacare, saying late Monday he will instead seek a vote on a simple repeal — delayed by two years to give lawmakers time to seek a …

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Automakers See Takata’s Bankruptcy As Liability Shield In Air Bag Claims

The global recall of Takata Corp.’s defective air bags widened last week and the number of confirmed deaths rose, but legal experts said the bigger worry for car companies caught in the fallout is playing out in a Delaware bankruptcy …

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Titleist’s Fight Against Logo Parody: Infringement or Free Speech?

A golf-centric social media page had a hit on its hands when it started peddling hats mimicking the logo of Titleist, the golf equipment and apparel company. Only their stuff didn’t say Titleist—the merchandise replaced the brand name with a lewd anatomical reference that also …

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5 Southeast States Hold Coordinated Safe Driving Campaign

Police in five Southeastern states are launching a weeklong program to reduce summertime wrecks and traffic deaths. “Operation Southern Shield” started Monday in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. The campaign aims to reduce the number of drivers who …

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South Carolina, Mississippi Most Dangerous Southeast States for Motorcyclists

South Carolina is one of the Southeast’s most dangerous states for motorcyclists, but bikers put the blame on a range of problems from bad roads, inattentive motorists and inexperienced riders. The Post and Courier reports the state’s 2015 fatality rate …

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Taxi Drivers in North Carolina’s Capital City Face Rough Year Thanks to Ridesharing

Johnson Umeh has plenty of experience as a taxi driver, and he says the job has never been as tough as it is now. Like many drivers, his business is being sapped by Uber and Lyft – the popular ride-hailing …

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Tesla Driver: Autopilot System Didn’t Cause Minnesota Crash

The driver of a Tesla vehicle involved in a crash in Minnesota on July 16 has denied that its Autopilot system caused the incident, according to an email released by the automaker on Monday. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Department said …

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Convicted of Arson, Former Indiana Volunteer Firefighter Gets 20-Year Sentence

A former volunteer firefighter in Indiana was sentenced to at least two decades in prison after he was convicted of arson. Adam Selbee, 20, was sentenced after pleading guilty in May to four counts of arson. The Bloomington Herald-Times reports …

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Ex-Ohio St. Player Files Suit Over Use of Image in Marketing Program

One of Ohio State’s most famous football starshas  sued the university over a marketing program he says used athletes’ images without permission and robbed them of compensation. Linebacker Chris Spielman filed the class-action lawsuit in federal court in Columbus on …

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Kallas Joins Mayer Brown’s Global Insurance Industry Group in Chicago

Jay Kallas has joined Mayer Brown’s Chicago office as counsel and member of the Global Insurance Industry group. Kallas has 17 years of industry experience and formerly was with Drinker Biddle & Reath. He concentrates his practice on structured insurance …

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Thomas Joins Insgroup’s Employee Benefits Practice in Houston

Insgroup Inc. has added Timothy Thomas as a vice president in its Employee Benefits Practice in Houston. Thomas brings over 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry in both employee benefits and property/casualty insurance. Most recently, Thomas was a senior …

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California Department of Workers’ Comp Says 441K-plus Lien Declarations Filed

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation is reporting that 441,070 supplemental lien declaration forms were filed. This amount represents half of the 882,648 liens filed in California’s workers’ comp system between Jan. 1, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2016 for which …

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RT Specialty Opens Honolulu Office, Taps Witthun and Lundqvist

R-T Specialty LLC has opened an office in Honolulu, Hawaii. The office is led by Jason A. Witthun and Marie-Louise D. Lundqvist. The Honolulu office handles all excess and surplus lines of business including property catastrophe, commercial/residential property, general liability …

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High Plains Drought the Worst Some Farmers Have Ever Seen

Drought in North Dakota is laying waste to fields of normally bountiful food and hay crops and searing pastures that typically would be home to multitudes of grazing cattle. Some longtime farmers and ranchers say it’s the worst conditions they’ve …

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Railroad Sued by Injured Former Employee after Arkansas Wreck

A railroad company is being sued by a former employee who says his injuries from a 2014 train wreck in northwest Arkansas were caused by poor and unsafe work conditions. The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that former Arkansas and Missouri …

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Contractor Cuts Texas Oil Pipeline, 1,200 Barrels of Crude Spilled

Authorities say about 50,000 gallons of crude oil spilled after a contractor accidentally cut an underground pipeline in Central Texas. A spokesman for Magellan Midstream Partners, Bruce Heine, says the contractor was conducting maintenance on July 13 in the morning …

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Earthquakes Rumble Central Oklahoma

The U.S. Geological Survey says several earthquakes struck central Oklahoma in the morning on July 14, including one with a preliminary magnitude of 4.2. State and local emergency management officials said there have been no reports of injury or damage …

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Judge: Insurer Off the Hook for Payment in Ohio Arson Case

A judge has ruled that an insurance company doesn’t have to pay an Ohio man accused of burning down his house. The Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News reports the ruling came on July 14 in southwest Ohio’s Butler County in a civil lawsuit …

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Property Damage from June Storms in Omaha Area Could Hit $400K

Property damage claims from separate June storms in the Omaha, Neb., area could top $400 million. The Omaha World-Herald reports that an estimated 52,000 could be filed from June 16 and June 29 storms. State Farm Insurance, the state’s largest …

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Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Expands Midwest Division Board

The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Midwest Division has appointed two new members to its executive committee. Sabrina Hart will serve as chair of the board of directors and Emily Hathcoat will serve as vice chair. Also joining the board are …

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Langlinais Joins Crystal & Company in Houston Risk Control Unit

Crystal & Company has hired Steven Langlinais as a director in its Risk Control department. He is based in Houston. Langlinais will focus on analyzing clients’ workplaces and developing their safety management systems to control risk and help eliminate hazards. …

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Costs for Fighting Utah Wildfire Reached Nearly $34M

The cost of fighting a southern Utah wildfire that forced hundreds of people to evacuate has reached nearly $34 million. Fire spokeswoman Julie Thomas said the tab for fighting the blaze near the Utah ski town of Brian Head is …

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Alaska Marijuana Regulators to Revive Debate over Onsite Pot at Retail Shops

Alaska marijuana regulators plan to revive debate over onsite use of marijuana in retail cannabis shops. In February, the Marijuana Control Board scuttled proposed rules that would have allowed onsite use of marijuana in authorized stores, citing skittishness over how …

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Top Scientists Sue Esteemed California Institute for Gender Discrimination

Two top scientists are suing their employer, the Salk Institute, alleging that they and other women have suffered long-term gender discrimination at the renowned California research center. Vicki Lundblad and Katherine Jones allege in their lawsuit filed this week that …

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Small Tornado Confirmed in Southeastern Arizona

The National Weather Service confirmed a small tornado has touched down in southeastern Arizona. Meteorologists confirmed the sighting through images on social media after issuing a tornado warning for the Picacho Peak and Red Rock areas. The landspout happened in …

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Gas Tank Explosion Sparks Massive Fire at Pennsylvania Salvage Yard

Police say one employee has been injured after a gas tank explosion caused a massive fire at a Pennsylvania salvage yard. York Area Regional Police Detective Don Hopple Jr. says an employee was using a grinder to remove the tank …

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Massachusetts Businesses Evacuated After Sulfuric Acid Spill

Several Massachusetts businesses had to be evacuated after a drum inside a truck leaked sulfuric acid. Police responded to the report of a chemical spill in Billerica, Mass., Thursday afternoon. Officers found a tractor-trailer carrying eight barrels of the chemical, …

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Morse Insurance Agency Acquires Quaglia Insurance in Massachusetts

Morse Insurance Agency Inc. has acquired Quaglia Insurance in Attleboro, Mass. “While clients may experience a few small differences in process and procedures, our ultimate goal is to make the transition seamless because, here at Morse, clients are our number …

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Guy Carpenter Names Hettinger to Lead U.S., Canada Advisory Services

Reinsurance specialist Guy Carpenter & Co. has appointed Tom Hettinger to lead its capital, structured risk, growth and rating agency advisory capabilities in the United States and Canada. Most recently, Hettinger was responsible for underwriting and developing capital management and …

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Portugal Accelerates Drone Law After 8 Close Encounters with Aircraft

Portugal is expediting a law that will introduce mandatory registration and insurance for drones weighing more than 250 grams (8.8 ounces). The measure follows eight near-misses between drones and commercial aircraft at Portuguese airports in June. Airlines have warned of …

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