Top Insurance Journal Southeast Stories of 2017

It was another busy year in the Southeast with storms, workers’ comp, and carrier insolvencies dominating the headlines. Here’s a look back at some of the stories that attracted the most readers in 2017. Hurricane Irma The first major hurricane …

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Fairfax Financial Sells Singapore Insurer to Mitsui Sumitomo for $1.6B

Fairfax Financial Holdings said it has successfully sold a Singapore insurer to Japan’s Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co. for US$1.6 billion.The deal between the Toronto, Canada-based P/C insurance, reinsurance and investment management holding company, and Mitsui Sumitomo involves the sale of …

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Firms Renovating Old Chicago Post Office Hammered for Worker Safety

A federal agency has cited three Chicago-area companies for allegedly not properly protecting workers doing renovations on Chicago’s sprawling Old Post Office from lead and cadmium exposure. They face more than $200,000 in fines in all. A Wednesday statement from …

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California Company Has Marijuana License, But Its Workers Still Arrested

The confusing rollout of marijuana regulations in California has been underscored in Mendocino County, where local authorities licensed a company to deliver pot only to have state police arrest two employees who were trying to do just that with nearly …

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Groups Say Flint Violating Legal Settlement Over Tainted Water

Plaintiffs in a landmark legal settlement related to Flint’s lead-tainted water are accusing the city of failing to comply with the deal and are asking a federal judge to enforce it. The Natural Resources Defense Council and American Civil Liberties …

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Suit Targets Oregon Hotel, Backpage.com Following Woman’s killing

The estate of a woman has filed a $3.6 million lawsuit against Backpage.com and the owners of the Portland, Ore., hotel where she was killed by a man she’d met for sex. The suit says 25-year-old Ashley Benson had been …

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Chaos of Washington Train Derailment Comes Through in 911 Calls

Several victims of the Amtrak train derailment south of Seattle called for 911 for help, whimpering in pain, bleeding from head injuries and dazed by the enormity of the crash. Dozens of 911 call recordings released by South Sound 911 …

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SUV Strikes Hog in Texas, Killing 3 and Injuring 2

Three people are dead and two others injured after a vehicle collided with a wild hog in Southwest Texas. The accident happened on a rural road near Uvalde, about 110 miles southwest of San Antonio. Texas Department of Public Safety …

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Old Republic in Illinois Names Lange Senior Vice President

Chicago, Ill.-based Old Republic International Corp. has named Jeffrey Lange senior vice president in underwriting and distribution of the Old Republic General Insurance Group Inc. Concurrently, he will become a member of ORGIG’s office of the chief executive officer, this …

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Entering 2018, Americans More Focused on Financial Health Than Physical Wellness: Allianz Survey

Looking ahead to the new year, more than a third of Americans (36 percent) believe another major recession may be in the cards for 2018, according to the 9th annual New Year’s Resolution Survey from Allianz Life Insurance Company of …

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Insurance Journal’s Top 12 International Articles for 2017

Blockchain, cyber, mergers and acquisitions and London’s devastating Grenfell Tower fire are just some of the topics that dominate the most popular articles in Insurance Journal’s International section during 2017. Here we provide an overview of 12 of our top …

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Verdict Pending in Connecticut Lawsuit Over 2011 Plane Crash

A federal judge is considering whether an airline company should pay damages to a Connecticut woman injured in a plane crash in Guyana, South America, in 2011. Judge Michael Shea in Hartford, Conn., presided over a non-jury trial earlier this …

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New York’s Financial Watchdog Proposes ‘Best Interest’ Rules

New York State’s top financial watchdog proposed regulations that would require sellers of life insurance and annuities to act in the best interest of clients, raising standards even as the U.S. government delays its fiduciary rule. Products that best fit …

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Most Popular East Insurance News of 2017

As 2017 wraps up, Insurance Journal is looking back on some of its biggest stories of the year while preparing for what is ahead for the insurance industry in 2018. These are just a few of many topics Insurance Journal …

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Allianz Buys 49% Stake in General Insurance Businesses of UK’s LV=

Allianz Group announced it has acquired a 49 percent stake in Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society’s UK general insurance businesses, the first stage in the creation of the companies’ joint venture and strategic partnership. The venture creates a general insurance business …

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QBE Insurance Settles Shareholder Class Action in Australia for US$103.2M

QBE Insurance Group Ltd. has agreed to pay A$132.5 million (US$103.2 million) to settle a shareholder class action in Australia. The class action was commenced by Money Max Interest Pty Ltd on Sept. 9, 2015 in the Federal Court of …

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Canada’s Alberta Province Charges Nexen Energy After 2 Workers Die in Explosion

Canada’s Alberta province has brought eight charges against Nexen Energy, a unit of China’s CNOOC Ltd., after two workers died in an explosion at its Long Lake oil sands plant in early 2016, an Alberta government spokeswoman said on Wednesday …

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China’s Fosun Plans to Raise $3.2B to Boost Domestic M&A: Sources

Fosun Group is planning to raise as much as 21 billion yuan ($3.2 billion) selling local bonds as the Chinese insurance-to-pharmaceutical conglomerate refinances debt and increases its investments inside the country, according to people familiar with the matter. Fosun unit …

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Insurers Off The Hook for West Virginia Hole-in-One Tournament Payouts

A federal appeals court says Gov. Jim Justice’s charity is stuck with almost $200,000 in payouts made to fans at the 2015 Greenbrier Classic tournament after two golfers aced the 18th hole at his resort in southern West Virginia. The …

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Cities Signing Chicago’s Pact to Tackle Climate Change

Mayor Rahm Emanuel says 10 more cities have joined Chicago’s effort to address climate change after President Donald Trump said the U.S. will pull out of the Paris climate accord. Emanuel said Tuesday that a total of 67 cities worldwide …

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Houston Metro Continues to Wrestle with Rail Safety

Collisions remain a constant along the Metro’s light rail track despite a monthslong effort to improve rail safety in the Houston, Texas area. The Metropolitan Transit Authority logged November as its second-worst month for train crashes in more than a …

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Oklahoma Supreme Court Overturns Ruling in Liquor Tax Lawsuit

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has overturned a lower court ruling that hundreds of restaurants in the state overcharged customers for mixed drinks. Lawsuits filed in 2011 by Tom Erbar and John Truel alleged restaurants overcharged by adding a 13.5 percent …

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Company in Indiana Ordered by Judge to Uphold Insurance Polices

A public television station has won a court battle over insurance policies that could pay for cleaning up contamination at the site of a shuttered Evansville dry-cleaning business. Judge Richard D’Amour ordered Red Ink Management LLC on Wednesday to maintain …

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Several Texas Businesses in Historic Denton Downtown Damaged in Fire

Several businesses have sustained damage in a four-alarm fire that struck a historic downtown square in North Texas. The fire in downtown Denton appears to have begun early Tuesday in a building that houses a market selling vintage items and …

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Pot-Infused Fare from Wine to Tacos on California’s Menu

The sauvignon blanc boasts brassy, citrus notes, but with one whiff, it’s apparent this is no normal Sonoma County wine. It’s infused with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that provides the high. Move over, pot brownies. The world’s largest …

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AIG Singapore Launches Online Motor Accident Reporting Platform

AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd. (AIG Singapore) has launched an online motor accident reporting platform that allows policyholders to make accident reports and commence the claims process online. Designed to streamline the customer experience, AIG Singapore said, the platform …

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California Couple Used Drone to Deliver Drugs, Police Say

Authorities say a Southern California couple used a drone to deliver illegal drugs to their customers. Benjamin Baldassarre and Ashley Carroll, of Riverside, were charged with possessing controlled substances for sale and child endangerment. It’s unclear if they have attorneys …

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USGS: Pair of Quakes Rattled Central California

The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that a pair of minor earthquakes just a few hours apart rattled the San Jose area in central California. The Mercury News of San Jose, citing the USGS, reported a 3.1 magnitude quake hit an …

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Japan Data-Tampering Scandals Show Dangers of ‘Sacrificing Quality’ to Save Costs

A string of data-tampering scandals at Japanese manufacturers has not tarnished Japan’s image, though it has been a powerful reminder to avoid sacrificing quality when under cost or delivery pressure, a senior economic official said on Wednesday [Dec. 27]. Since …

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Sugary Sports Beans, Uber Divorce Claims Among Chamber’s ‘Most Ridiculous’ Lawsuits of 2017

A lawsuit by a woman claiming she was deceived about the amount of sugar in an exercise supplement called Sport Beans tops the list of what a top U.S. business lobby sees as the “most ridiculous” lawsuits of 2017. Jelly …

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Deploying Technology, Security Measures to Fight Weaponization of Autos

A deadly attack this month in Melbourne, Australia, in which a man plowed an SUV into a crowd of Christmas shoppers, comes from the same playbook used by terrorists in recent years around the globe. Many new vehicles rolling off …

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Maryland’s Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company Hires Quinn

Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company, a Towson, Md.-based workers’ compensation specialist, has hired Danielle Quinn as a pharmacist case manager. In this role, Quinn is responsible for managing the Pharmacy Utilization Program, which includes providing oversight of prescription drug use and …

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Utica National Insurance Group Surpasses $1B in Direct Written Premiums

Utica National Insurance Group has announced that it has become a billion dollar company for the first time in its nearly 104-year history. The company surpassed $1 billion in direct written premiums on December 22, 2017. Utica National Insurance Group …

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New Jersey Contractor Hit with Fraud Charges Over Post-Sandy Work

A contractor who performed work on Superstorm Sandy-damaged homes pressured customers into signing contracts and then performed shoddy work it failed to correct, state prosecutors alleged Tuesday. State Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced charges against Jersey Pride Home Renovations of …

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Argentine Grains Hub Blast Kills One, Causes Injuries; Shipping Activities Affected

An explosion at a port operated by Chinese export company COFCO in Argentina’s grains hub of Rosario on Wednesday killed one person, injured others and affected shipping activities, local authorities said. Television images showed thick black clouds of smoke billowing …

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Kobe Steel Admits 3 Senior Executives Knew About Data Falsification

Kobe Steel Ltd, at the center of a data-falsification scandal that has shaken Japan’s manufacturing industry, admitted for the first time that executives were aware of the cheating, and reassigned three senior officials. Japan’s No.3 steelmaker, which supplies the manufacturers …

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Lawyer Hit by Garbage Can to Get $2.1 Million from Insurers for Des Moines

Insurers for the city of Des Moines paid $2.1 million to a lawyer who alleged he suffered head injuries when he was hit by a falling garbage can. The city released a copy of its November settlement with Jaysen McCleary …

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Michigan Fights Federal Judge’s Ruling Restricting Driver’s License Suspensions

The state of Michigan is trying to stop a court order that prevents officials from suspending the driver’s licenses of people who can’t afford traffic fines. Lawyers representing the secretary of state have filed an emergency request with a federal …

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Some Question CVS-Aetna Remodeling of Health Care

Walking the aisles of a CVS drugstore, there are piled paper towels, stacked cereal boxes, and neat lines of nail polish. In the back, there’s the pharmacy. For years, that approach has remained essentially unchanged despite a creeping reality: Every …

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Building for Climate Change: Miami’s High-Net Worth High-Rises as a Model

The Monad Terrace—a 59-unit Miami Beach luxury condominium—hasn’t been built yet, but its salesroom is up and running. Set on the ground floor of an office building a few blocks from the Monad’s bayfront building site, the space recreates the …

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Number of Strong Earthquakes in Oklahoma Continues to Decline

Regulators and scientists say the number of 3.0 magnitude or stronger earthquakes in Oklahoma is declining. The Oklahoma Geological Survey reports the number of quakes of at least that magnitude during 2017 was 294 through mid-December, compared to 624 total …

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Report: Florida Rarely Punishes Doctors Sued for Malpractice

Florida doctors are rarely punished by state regulators even after they are sued for malpractice according to a newspaper report. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported last month that the Florida Department of Health reviewed nearly 24,000 resolved state and …

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North Carolina Proposes Rules for Opioid Use in Workers’ Comp Cases

The North Carolina Industrial Commission has proposed new rules related to the utilization of opioids, related prescriptions, and pain management treatment as a proactive measure aimed at curtailing opioid misuse and addiction in workers’ compensation claims, according to a statement …

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A.M. Best Withdraws West Virginia National Auto, Downgrades Ratings

A.M. Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating to B- (Fair) from B (Fair) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “bb-” from “bb” of West Virginia National Auto Insurance Co. (Morgantown, WV). The outlooks of these Credit Ratings are negative. …

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Ascension in California Names Lopez President of Employee Benefits Division

Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Ascension Insurance Inc. has named Keri Lopez president of employee benefits. Lopez will build Ascension’s employee benefits market presence nationally. She has 19 years of employee benefits consulting experience. Lopez was previously president of Western region benefits …

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West Virginia Nursing Home Owes $124K in Back Pay to 500 Workers

A West Virginia nursing home and rehabilitation company has agreed to pay nearly $124,000 in back wages and damages to about 500 workers to resolve allegations that it violated overtime rules. The U.S. Department of Labor announced the settlement Thursday …

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North Carolina Man Accused of Faking $104K in Insurance Claims

A North Carolina man has been charged with four counts each of insurance fraud and obtaining property by false pretense, according to a statement from North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey. Jeffrey Neal Smith, 42, of, Concord, N.H. Smith was …

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Christmas Eve Apartment Fire in South Carolina Leaves 54 Homeless

Authorities say 54 people are without a home after a Christmas Eve fire at a South Carolina apartment complex that investigators say was intentionally set. Spartanburg Fire Marshall Brad Hall said no one was seriously injured in the fire around …

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Mississippi Reports No Fatal Crashes Over Holiday Weekend, 61 DUIs

The Mississippi Highway Patrol says nobody died in traffic accidents on roads they monitored during the long Christmas weekend. The holiday enforcement period on state and federal highways began Friday evening and ended late Monday. The patrol says in a …

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California Reports 2016 Fatal Occupational Injuries Down

The California Department of Industrial Relations is reporting that 376 Californians died on the job in 2016, down slightly from the 388 deaths in 2015. A review of the past 12 years indicates that workplace fatalities in California remain below …

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Wildfires Cost Montana $240M in Tourist Spending

A new report says summer fires cost the state of Montana $240 million in visitor spending. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported preliminary date released by the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreational Research estimates that tourists spent almost …

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Lawsuit Seeks $70M from Montana Diocese for Abuse Victims

Representatives of sex abuse victims and their survivors are suing a bankrupt Roman Catholic diocese in Montana in an effort to ensure more than $70 million in assets are available for those abused by church officials. The Diocese of Great …

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Unions Sees Worker Growth Potential in California’s Marijuana Industry

Unions have caught a whiff of a rare opportunity to organize a whole new set of workers as recreational marijuana becomes legal in California. The United Farm Workers, Teamsters and United Food and Commercial Workers are looking to unionize the …

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Obamacare Enrollment Down Only 4% Despite GOP Sabotage Campaign

Slightly fewer Americans have enrolled for insurance through the federal Obamacare marketplace compared to a year ago, the government said on Thursday, but the number was higher than expected in light of steps taken by President Donald Trump and Congress …

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Multiple Homes Damaged in Delaware Fire

Multiple homes have been severely damaged by fire in Delaware. News outlets report a Monday night fire in Slaughter Beach left at least two houses destroyed, and caused damage to multiple others. An assistant state fire marshal with the Kent …

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Typhoon Tembin Leaves Trail of Destruction in Philippines

A powerful storm that left a trail of death and destruction in the Philippines was downgraded to a tropical depression Tuesday [Dec. 26] and failed to make landfall in Vietnam. Hundreds of thousands of people in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta had …

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Starr Cos., China’s PICC Health to Provide Insurance for Belt & Road Project Workers

Starr Cos. announced it is working with with China’s PICC Health Insurance Co. Ltd. to provide insurance for Chinese company employees working overseas in Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) countries.* The companies are providing a specialty accident and health offering …

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Judge Nixes $150M Damages Against Testosterone Drugmaker AbbVie

A U.S. judge on Friday overturned a $150 million verdict against AbbVie Inc. that was the first to result from lawsuits claiming that the company fraudulently misrepresented the risks of its testosterone replacement drug AndroGel. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly …

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Self-Driving Technology Being Developed to Enable Driving on Snowy Roads

Self-driving cars may be the future, but relinquishing control of the wheel certainly takes some getting used to. It’s one thing to go (slowly) with the flow on well-marked city streets, for which many self-driving cars were initially developed and …

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New York State Employers Must Comply With New Paid Family Leave Law

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a phased-in system of paid family leave that will become effective on January 1, 2018, for New York employers. On the state level, New York becomes the fifth state (joining California, …

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ArcelorMittal Subsidiary to Pay $1.5M in Pennsylvania Coke Plant Lawsuit

A subsidiary of European steel giant ArcelorMittal has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a lawsuit over allegations that its western Pennsylvania coke plant had violated emissions requirements over soot and other pollutants almost daily, according to a proposed …

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UnitedHealth to Acquire Banmedica in Chile for $2.8B

UnitedHealth Group Inc said on Friday [Dec. 22] it signed a definitive agreement to buy Chilean healthcare company Banmedica SA for $2.8 billion, expanding the health insurer’s footprint in South America. Banmedica operates health insurance, clinics and other services. UnitedHealth …

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Ed Appoints Clarkson from Aon as Managing Director – Marine

Ed, the London-based reinsurance, wholesale and specialty broker, announced the appointment of Heather Clarkson as managing director – Marine. She takes up her role on Jan. 2, 2018 and will report to Andrew Draycott, CEO – Energy, Marine & Construction. …

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Workplace Fatalities Continue to Increase, with Transportation Incidents #1 Cause

There were 5,190 workplace fatalities reported in the U.S. in 2016, a seven percent increase over the previous year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of 2016 Fatal Occupational Injuries, the fatal injury rate increased from 3.4 per …

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EPA Clears Monsanto Roundup Chemical of Health Risks to Humans

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said that glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto Co.’s top-selling weed killer Roundup, is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans, contradicting a World Health Organization panel. The EPA, in a draft risk assessment …

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New Product Uses Blockchain to Show Proof of Insurance

The Institutes’ work with insurers in the blockchain space has led to a debut product – a tool designed to establish proof of auto insurance. Nationwide is the first carrier to bring it to production and is already in testing …

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Court in California Rules Novartis Can Be Sued Over Generic Drug Injuries

California’s top court has opened the door for consumers to sue Novartis AG and other makers of brand-name pharmaceutical products over injuries blamed on generic versions of the drugs manufactured by other companies. The California Supreme Court’s ruling on Thursday …

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CNA’s Sather Joins AXIS Insurance U.S. Programs as Underwriter

Matthew Sather has joined the U.S. Programs, Property & Casualty team of AXIS Insurance business unit as a vice president of Underwriting. Sather is based in the company’s Chicago office and reports to John Tatum, executive vice president and head …

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A.M. Best Affirms Allied World’s Ratings

Ratings agency A.M. Best has removed Allied World Assurance Co. Ltd. and its divisions from their status as “under review with negative implications” and affirmed Allied World’s financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) and the long-term issuer credit ratings of …

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Trump Declares Disaster for New Mexico Native American Community

President Donald Trump has issued a disaster declaration for a New Mexico Native American community that is recovering from the effects of severe weather and flooding. The declaration announced Thursday by the White House frees up federal money to help …

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Insurance Companies Sue Kodiak Electric in Alaska Over Fire Damage

Two insurance companies filed a lawsuit against the Kodiak Electric Association in Alaska claiming it was responsible for a fire that caused damage to clients’ property. Lexington Insurance Co. and Alaska Municipal League Joint Insurance Association accuse the electric cooperative …

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California Division of Workers’ Comp Suspends 16 Medical Providers

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation has suspended 16 more medical providers from participating in the state’s workers’ comp system, bringing the total number of providers suspended this year to 131. The suspensions were made possible by the passage last …

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What They Are Saying About Effects of Trump Tax Cuts on Insurance Industry

Congress has passed and President Donald Trump will sign the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR1) into law. It is the biggest tax change in 30 years. Under the legislation, insurers, agencies and other businesses organized as C corporations will …

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Reinsurance Price Hikes May Be Short-Lived as Capacity Is Abundant: A.M. Best

While overall market conditions may improve over the near term as a result of catastrophe events in the third quarter of 2017, A.M. Best continues to hold a negative outlook for the global reinsurance sector in 2018. In a new …

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The Hanover Insurance, Chaucer Form Reinsurance Sidecar via Thopas Re

The Hanover Insurance Group Inc. announced that Chaucer, the company’s international specialty insurance group, has sponsored the formation of a reinsurance sidecar to provide collateralized capacity for Chaucer Syndicate 1084’s global property reinsurance portfolio in 2018. Bermuda-based Thopas Re Ltd., …

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Zurich Acquires Bright Box, Specialist in Telematics, Connected Car Technologies

Zurich Insurance Group announced it has purchased 100 percent of the shares of Bright Box HK Ltd. and its subsidiaries – an acquisition designed to increase its capabilities in connected car technologies and telematics-enabled data analytics. Financial details of the …

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Hackers Target SWIFT Payments System at Russia’s Globex Bank

Hackers tried to steal 55 million roubles ($940,000) from Russian state bank Globex using the SWIFT international payments messaging system, the bank said on Thursday, the latest in a string of attempted cyber heists that use fraudulent wire-transfer requests. Globex …

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China’s Ride-Hailing Firm Didi Raises $4B to Expand Overseas, Challenging Uber

Chinese ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing Technology Co. on Thursday said it has raised $4 billion in funds earmarked for expansion overseas and into areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), as it looks to challenge Uber Technologies Inc. The fundraising values …

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Starr Int’l Insurance Philippines Branch Names Ex-Ambassador Cuisia as Chairman

Starr Cos. announced the appointment of Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. as chairman of Starr International Insurance Philippines Branch, a branch of Starr International Insurance (Asia) Ltd., a company established and licensed to write general insurance in Hong Kong. Cuisia …

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Integro Insurance Brokers Hires Feron to Marine Practice in New York

Integro Insurance Brokers, an international broker and risk management firm, has hired Stephen Feron as a senior vice president in its marine practice. Based in New York, Feron will be responsible for the delivery of Integro’s Marine Cargo services, developing …

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IICF Northeast Division Raises Over $1.2M at 11th Annual New York Benefit Gala

The Northeast Division of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), a nonprofit organization working with the insurance industry to help communities, raised more than $1.2 million at its annual charitable gala on December 13 in New York City. The money …

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Maryland’s Frederick Mutual Insurance Company Hires Collins

Frederick Mutual Insurance Company has appointed Shad Collins as senior vice president and chief information officer. Collins has relocated to the company’s headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, to take on his new role. He has more than 30 years of experience …

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Prosecutors Can Try to Reinstate Charges in 2015 Amtrak Wreck in Pennsylvania

The fight to reinstate criminal charges against the engineer in a deadly 2015 Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia will carry over into next year. A judge on Wednesday told prosecutors she will review Brandon Bostian’s case, and she set a hearing …

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Trump Effort to Roll Back Rail Safety Rules Questioned Following Amtrak Crash

As investigators sift through the wreckage of this week’s Amtrak train crash in Washington state, critics have begun questioning President Donald Trump’s recent efforts to roll back or delay finalizing U.S. rail safety regulations. Making American railroads safer drew renewed …

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Prosecutor Claims Tennessee School Bus Driver in Deadly Crash Was on Phone

The driver in a Tennessee school bus crash that killed six elementary school students took a cell phone call at the time of the crash, a prosecutor said Tuesday. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Hamilton County District Attorney …

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Tennessee Returns $6.5M in Restitution to Insurance Consumers in 2017

Tennessee consumers received $9.4 million in restitution and the recovery of life insurance benefits in 2017, according to the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Consumer Insurance Services Section. Over $6.5 million was returned to Tennessee consumers in 2017 …

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Weather Service Reports Possible Tornado in Southern Mississippi

The National Weather Service says a possible tornado has touched down in southern Mississippi. Forecaster Robert Ricks says people saw a funnel cloud north of the Salem community in Walthall County. Ricks says radar indicates a possible tornado formed around …

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Delta Projects Revenue Hit of Up to $50M From Atlanta Airport Outage

The CEO of Delta Air Lines says the company will seek compensation for its losses after a power outage knocked out the Atlanta airport’s power supply and also its backup electricity for about 11 hours Sunday. The blackout stranded thousands …

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California Commissioner Asks Insurers to Forego Detailed Home Inventories in Wake of Wildfires

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones is asking insurers to help California wildfire survivors by providing relief from detailed home inventories and to provide up to 100 percent of contents coverage limits without a detailed inventory. “These families have endured unimaginable …

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Microsoft Wants to Pit AI Against Climate Change

Red and green make yellow. And depending on how one feels about climate change, it could be considered a cautionary tale for the U.S. that China plans to create the world’s largest carbon market, possibly making it the lead nation …

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Once Again, It’s Coming Down to Wire Over Deal to Avoid Government Shutdown

House Republican leaders quelled most of the squabbles among GOP lawmakers over a stopgap funding bill and were moving toward a vote, making a bid to force the Senate to accept their trimmed-down version of the plan to avert a …

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The Hilb Group Acquires Indiana’s Insurance Trustees

The Hilb Group LLC (THG) announced today the acquisition of Insurance Trustees Inc. in Garrett, Indiana. Founded over 100 years ago, Insurance Trustees offers a wide range of property/casualty and employee benefits insurance products and services for businesses and individuals …

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Ironshore’s Pembroke Agency & GIC Re Get Nod from Lloyd’s to Form Syndicate

Ironshore Inc. announced that its Pembroke Managing Agency has been granted “in principle” approval by the Lloyd’s Franchise Board to create GIC Re’s syndicate at Lloyd’s. “The combination of Pembroke’s specialty lines underwriting capability and GIC Re’s regional expertise will …

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Texas Workers’ Comp Division Releases Health Care Provider Oversight Results

The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) has released the 2017 Health Care Provider Performance Based Oversight (PBO) assessment results. Health care providers were assessed on their performance in one of three categories: Timely filing the DWC …

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Allianz Invests $96.6M in Digital Microinsurer BIMA

Allianz X, the digital investment unit of the Allianz Group, announced a $96.6 million investment in BIMA, the digital microinsurer. Stockholm-based BIMA uses mobile technology to serve low-income customers in Africa, Asia and Latin America. With its investment, Allianz becomes …

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Do Your Homework Before You Apply for Auto Loan

When you decide it’s time to buy that new car you’ve been wanting, unless you are in a position to pay cash you’ll need to get a loan. For a lot of people, that step in the process is last, but do yourself a favor and think about...

from EINSURANCE.(com): EInsurance Journal Auto Insurance Articles

When to File an Auto Insurance Claim and When It’s Smart Not To

Should you, or shouldn’t you? It’s common knowledge that whenever you file an auto insurance claim your premiums might go up. So should you or shouldn’t you file a claim? Whether you should or shouldn’t file depends. Wh...

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Judge Bars Captain from Piloting Ships Following Fatal Rhode Island Crash

A New Jersey yacht captain is barred from piloting ships as he awaits trial in the death of an 81-year-old Connecticut boater in Rhode Island waters. U.S. District Court Magistrate Patricia Sullivan ordered Cooper “Chick” Bacon on Tuesday to surrender …

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Former Washington Officer Settles for $6M Settlement in Wrongful Conviction

A former Vancouver, Wash. police officer has agreed to a $6 million settlement after he spent nearly 20 years in prison on a wrongful conviction of sexually abusing three children in 1980s. Clyde Ray Spencer will receive more than $5 …

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‘Deadliest Catch’ Fisherman Sued in Oregon

A former seaman has sued a fisherman who starred in Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove” show, alleging the man was negligent and caused severe injury. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Nolan Dean filed a suit Dec. 6 in federal court against …

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Amtrak Didn’t Wait for System That Could’ve Prevented Washington Wreck

The rush to launch service on a new, faster Amtrak route near Seattle, Wash. came at a deadly cost: none of the critical speed-control technology that could have prevented a derailment was active before the train set off on its …

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Willis Towers Watson Places Cat Bond for France’s Covea Mutual

Willis Towers Watson Securities said it has structured and placed EUR 90 million of insurance-linked securities (ILS) for Covea Mutual Insurance Group, France’s largest domestic property/casualty insurance group. The transaction was executed in collaboration with Willis Towers Watson’s reinsurance business, …

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Sompo’s Nardiello Joins CNA Commercial’s Large/Complex Property Underwriting Team

CNA announced the appointment of Michael Nardiello as senior vice president of underwriting for Large/Complex Property. In this role, Nardiello will be based in New York City and report to Kevin Leidwinger, president and chief operating officer, CNA Commercial. Nardiello …

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Chubb Restructures Real Estate and Hospitality Practice

Chubb has restructured and made several appointments in its its Real Estate and Hospitality practice. As part of this new structure, the following appointments are effective immediately: Seth Gillston, Chubb’s existing Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity practice leader, has …

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Tracking System Could Speed OK for Drone Deliveries in U.S.

Deliveries by drones took a step closer to being allowed in the U.S. after a federal advisory panel agreed on a framework for allowing law enforcement to routinely track the small devices. The committee’s report to the Federal Aviation Administration, …

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Pennsylvania’s NSM Insurance Group Hires Meuret

NSM Insurance Group, a Conshohocken, Penn.-based administrator of industry-specific programs, has hired Richard Meuret as program director of Care Providers Insurance Services, the social service and nonprofit division of NSM. Meuret brings more than 25 years of experience in the …

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New Hampshire’s Northern United Agents Alliance Adds Three Participating Members

The Northern United Agents Alliance (NUAA) has announced that Geo M. Stevens Insurance, Voyager Insurance Services LLC and Wieczorek Insurance have joined the NUAA as participating members, effective January 1, 2018. Headquartered in Concord, N.H., NUAA is an alliance of …

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Hamilton Finds Buyer for Sportscover Legacy Book

Hamilton Insurance Group has found a buyer for the legacy book the insurer inherited from its purchase of Sportscover Underwriting Ltd. in April 2015. Syndicate 3330 will buy the business from Hamilton Underwriting Limited, the managing agency of Syndicate 3334 …

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PIACT Appoints Russell to Task Force to Improve Insurance Industry Workforce

Professional Insurance Agents of Connecticut Inc.’s past president, Augusto Russell, has been appointed to a General Assembly task force to improve the insurance industry workforce in Connecticut. He was appointed by Sen. Len Fasano, the Senate Republican President Pro Tempore. …

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Travelers Names Rnjak to Lead Its Lloyd’s Platform

Travelers Europe announced it has appointed Nick Rnjak to lead Travelers Syndicate Management Ltd., its wholly owned platform in the Lloyd’s insurance market. Rnjak most recently served as chief underwriting officer for Travelers Syndicate. In his new role, he will …

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How Bitcoin Is Fueling Ransomware Insurance Claims

Hey, want those photos and files back? It may cost more than it used to. Thank bitcoin. Chubb Ltd., best known for catering to wealthy families and corporations, is among at least three insurers facing a jump in costs tied …

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Neon Enters Reinsurance Run-Off Agreement for Syndicate 2468’s 2015 & Prior Years

Neon announced it has entered into a reinsurance to close (RITC) agreement for Syndicate 2468’s 2015 and prior years of account. The agreement was formed with StarStone, a global specialty insurer and subsidiary of Enstar Group Ltd. The transaction provides …

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Florida Construction Co. Owner Accused of $700K Workers’ Comp Scam

A Florida construction company owner has been arrested after allegedly providing fictitious information when applying for workers’ compensation insurance coverage to obtain a lower premium, according to a statement from Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Maria Cristina Romero Zelaya, owner …

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North Carolina Environmental Agency to Step Up Pollution Violation Investigations

North Carolina’s environmental agency is revising internal policies after complaints the agency under former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory repeatedly failed to investigate when industrial-scale hog farms violate anti-pollution rules. The Waterkeeper Alliance and other groups said Tuesday they’re settling their …

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Casey Opens Second Brightway Insurance Agency in Florida

Ashley Casey, owner of Brightway, The Casey Agency in St. Augustine, Fla., has opened a new Brightway store in Palm Coast, Fla., making him the latest multi-unit owner with Brightway Insurance. The new agency, located at 55 Plaza Drive, Suite …

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Oklahoma Supreme Court Strikes Down State’s New Drunk Driver Law

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled that a new drunken-driving law that created a new program for first-time DUI offenders and abolished the appeals process for those trying to keep their licenses after a DUI arrest is unconstitutional. In 5-4 …

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St. Louis Cardinals’ Anti-Terrorism Safety Act Plan Approved

The St. Louis Cardinals have received federal certification giving the organization legal protections in the event of a terrorist attack at Busch Stadium. Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security certified the Cardinals under the …

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A.M. Best Downgrades Credit Ratings of California Capital and Subsidiaries

A.M. Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A- (Excellent) from A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “a-” from “a” of California Capital Insurance Co. and its wholly owned subsidiaries: Eagle West Insurance Company, Nevada Capital …

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Oil Company Destroyed by Fire in International Falls, Minnesota

A massive fire in northern Minnesota has destroyed a heating oil and fuel company near the Canadian border. Rainy Lake Oil Co. erupted in huge balls of fire fueled by eight or nine tanks inside the company’s warehouse Monday night. …

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South Carolina Gov to Form Opioid Response Team, Limit Prescriptions

South Carolina’s governor announced Monday that he’s using executive orders to limit opioid prescriptions under two state programs and start a response team to look for ways to fight abuse of the powerful drugs. Gov. Henry McMaster held a news …

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A.M. Best Removes Michigan’s Conifer Holdings, Subsidiaries from Under Review

A.M. Best has removed from under review with negative implications and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “bbb” of Birmingham, Michigan-based Conifer Insurance Company (Conifer). Also confirmed were …

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Michigan Moped Driver Hurt By Low-Hanging Wire Awarded $2.9M at Trial

A jury has awarded $2.9 million to a moped driver who was badly injured when he struck a low-hanging telecommunications wire in Michigan. The Ann Arbor News reports a Washtenaw County jury last week reached the verdict saying Kevin Michaels …

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Company Co-Owner Pleads Guilty in Louisiana’s Camp Minden Explosion Case

One of the owners of a company that abandoned thousands of tons of potentially explosive artillery propellant in Louisiana has admitted lying in order to be awarded federal contracts to “demilitarize” the smokeless powder, known as M6. Explo Systems co-owner …

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Takata Airbag Led to Death in Louisiana Honda Civic Crash

Honda Motor Co.’s North American unit and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed on that a ruptured airbag inflator of Takata Corp. used in a Honda Civic caused the death of the driver on July 10. The 2004 model …

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Lemonade OK’d to Offer Insurance in Arkansas

Insurtech company, Lemonade, has received a Certificate of Authority to do business in Arkansas. Lemonade Insurance Co. has been approved to sell property, casualty and marine products in Arkansas with an initial limit to renters insurance. A New York-domiciled property/casualty …

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Blakey Named President, CEO of Starr Insurance Holdings as Dangelo Retires

Starr Companies announced the appointment of Steve Blakey as president and chief executive officer of Starr Insurance Holdings. Blakey replaces Chuck Dangelo, who has announced his retirement. Dangelo has been with Starr since 2009, when he left American International Group …

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Amtrak in Washington 50 Mph Over Speed Limit Before Deadly Derailment

Federal officials confirmed an Amtrak train was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it careened off an overpass south of Seattle, spilling cars onto the highway below and killing at least three people. Bella Dinh-Zarr, a National Transportation …

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Startup Trov, Munich Re to Insure Riders of Waymo’s Self-Driving, Ride-Hailing Service

Trov, an on-demand insurance startup, plans to provide trip insurance for passengers using Waymo’s soon-to-be launched self-driving, ride-hailing service. Waymo, formerly Google’s self-driving car project, plans to launch the commercial ride-hailing service for members of the public starting in Phoenix …

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Maryland Woman Charged with Setting Her Trailer Home on Fire

Fire officials say a Maryland woman has been charged with setting a fire that destroyed her trailer home and injured her adult son. The Office of the State Fire Marshal says in a news release that fire marshals served a …

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A.M. Best Upgrades Pennsylvania’s Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company

A.M. Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating of Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Marble, Penn., to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “a” from “a-“. The outlooks of these Credit Ratings have …

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New Law Requires Notice of Workers’ Comp Premium Hikes in New York

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed Assembly Bill No. 1620 into law yesterday, requiring insurance companies to notify employers in advance of some workers’ compensation insurance premium increases. The law was written by Big I New York, the state’s …

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Factbox: Growing List of Insurers Make Brexit Plans for EU Subsidiaries

Below are insurers’ plans for EU subsidiaries (in alphabetical order) in case Britain does not have access to the single market after Brexit: ADMIRAL. British motor insurer Admiral Group said last year that it could move its European business to …

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Volante Global to Launch in Q1 2018 as Multi-Class International MGA Platform

Volante Global Ltd., a new multi-class and multi-territory international managing general agent (MGA) platform, will launch and commence trading during Q1 2018, subject to Lloyd’s coverholder approvals where appropriate. Volante is a UK-headquartered global underwriting MGA which will underwrite specialist …

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EU Court Rules Uber Should Be Regulated as Transport Firm, Not an App

Uber Technologies Inc. suffered a defeat when the European Union’s top court ruled its ride-hailing service should be regulated as a transport company, a decision that could set a precedent for the burgeoning gig economy. The EU Court of Justice …

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Swiss Re Says Global Insured Catastrophe Losses Will Hit $136B in 2017

Swiss Re AG estimates that global insured losses from catastrophes in 2017 will hit $136 billion, the third-highest on record for the sector, with the United States hardest hit, it said on Wednesday. Total economic losses from natural and man-made …

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Alabama Department of Insurance Names Workman as Deputy Commissioner

The Alabama Department of Insurance has announced Jerry Workman as Deputy Commissioner. Workman will succeed Deputy Commissioner and Chief Actuary Charles Angell, who is retiring in July of 2018. He will lead the department’s Rates and Forms, Consumer Services and …

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Hanson Insurance Acquires Assets of Corvallis and Stineff in Oregon

Oregon-based Hanson Insurance Group of Corvallis has acquired and will be merging Corvallis Insurance Services and Stineff Insurance Services of Monmouth into the Hanson Insurance Group name. Both independent agencies serve clients in the Mid-Willamette Valley. Hanson Insurance Group is …

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Answer Financial in California Names Smith Director of Business Development

Encino, Calif.-based Answer Financial has named Kevin Smith director of business development. Smith will report to Tom Capp, senior vice president of business development. Smith has more than 25 years of experience within the banking and financial services industry, with …

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Jury Clears Tractor Manufacturer Kubota in Arkansas Man’s Death

A jury has rejected claims from the relatives of a man who died in a lawn-mowing accident in North Little Rock five years ago. Cedric Quinn Hill was found crushed to death under a Kubota L275 tractor in May 2012. …

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Leadership Changes Coming Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance

The Louisiana Department of Insurance reported that the leadership of Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will change in 2018. Two long-serving employees, Chief Operating Officer Vijay Ramachandran and Chief Financial Officer Steve Cottrell are retiring. Joseph Sciortino will step into …

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Former S.D. Law Enforcement Agent Awarded $1.2M in Discrimination Case

A South Dakota jury has awarded $1.2 million to a former state law enforcement agent who claimed discrimination and retaliation. The American News reports the jury sided Friday with past Division of Criminal Investigation agent Laura Zylstra Kaiser, who sued …

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Shell Sued by Workers over Gulf of Mexico Platform Fire

Three offshore oil workers filed a lawsuit against units of Royal Dutch Shell and Enbridge, seeking $1 million in damages for injuries they allegedly received during a Nov. 8 fire on a U.S. Gulf of Mexico production platform. The suit, …

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Alera Group Acquires Illinois’ Hallberg Commercial Insurers

Deerfield, Illinois-based employee benefits, property/casualty, risk management and wealth management firm, Alera Group, has acquired Hallberg Commercial Insurers Inc. in Oakbrook, Illinois. Hallberg Commercial provides employee benefits, risk management and insurance services to clients in the Chicagoland area. Through loyalty, …

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Name Change at Missouri’s Powers Insurance Reflects New Focus

What’s in a name? When St. Louis-based Powers Insurance and Benefits changed its name in August to Powers Insurance & Risk Management, it was a strategic move that had been in the works for several years, intended to reflect a …

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Calm Winds Aid Firefighters in Making Progress on California Fire

Crews are using a break in winds to do a controlled burn to remove dry brush and build containment lines around Southern California’s Thomas Fire. Fire spokesman Capt. Rick Crawford said Tuesday that officials will remove fuels on the fire’s …

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Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Names Chubb’s McGrath to New Zealand A&H Post

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Co. (BHSI) has appointed Jared McGrath to head its new line of Accident & Health products in New Zealand. The product line includes Corporate Travel, Group Personal Accident and Expatriate Medical Insurance. McGrath joins comes to …

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Lockton Hires Cohen as Senior VP and Client Executive in Washington D.C. Office

Lockton, a global, privately held insurance broker, has hired Bruce Cohen as a senior vice president and client executive as it continues to grow its business in the Northeast. Cohen brings to this role nearly 30 years of expertise in …

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Fatal Amtrak Crash in Washington State Stirs Safety Debate in D.C.

The deadly Amtrak crash in Washington state marked the railroad’s third fatal accident in as many years, putting the passenger rail operator under fresh scrutiny less than a month after safety regulators issued a scathing report. Bound for Portland, Oregon, …

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N.Y. Finalizes Regulation to Protect Drivers from Discriminatory Auto Insurance Rates

The New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) has finalized a regulation that protects New York drivers from unfairly discriminatory auto insurance rates and has already reached agreements with two major insurers regarding the regulation. Liberty Mutual and Allstate have …

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Massachusetts’ Hospitality Insurance Group Names New President and CEO

Hospitality​ ​Insurance​ ​Group​ ​has ​named​ ​Richard​ ​E. Welch ​Jr.​ ​as​ ​its​ ​new​ ​president​ ​and CEO.​ ​He​ ​will​ ​assume​ ​responsibilities​ ​in January​ ​2018​ ​and​ ​will​ ​succeed​ ​John​ ​W.​ ​Tympanick,​ ​who recently​ ​announced​ ​his​ ​retirement​ ​after​ ​26​ ​years​ ​of service​ ​with​ ​the​ …

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Trump Hotel, EPA Building Among Federal Properties in Flood Zones

The worst hurricane season in memory has spurred President Donald Trump to consider new ways to prod private homeowners to move out of flood plains. But many of the federal government’s own buildings are also at risk of flooding, including …

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Japan’s Mitsubishi Materials Reveals More Products with Falsified Specifications

Japan’s Mitsubishi Materials Corp. said it has found more cases of products shipped with possible falsified specifications as it investigates a widening data-fabrication scandal that has affected more than 300 of its customers. The revelation is among the latest in …

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UK Employers Plan Hiring Despite Brexit Worries

British employers plan to hire more workers and raise pay more quickly in 2018, but they also fear that Brexit will make the country a less attractive place to do business, a survey showed on Tuesday. Fifty-one percent of employers …

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China to Require Polluters to Pay for Environmental Damage

China plans to roll out nationwide by 2020 a system that forces polluters to repair damage to the environment or pay compensation, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Sunday. The move, which extends a scheme already piloted in …

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Lemonade Raises $120 Million Led by the SoftBank to Fund Global Expansion

Digital insurer Lemonade Inc., announced a $120 million Series C funding round led by the SoftBank Group, with participation from existing investors. The insurance company that is run by artificial intelligence and behavioral economics said it plans to use the …

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Chubb Names Booker Major Commercial Lines Property Accounts Senior VP

Chubb has named Matt Booker, as senior vice president, Major Accounts Property, in the United States. In this capacity, he will have responsibility for underwriting, strategy, production, product development, management, and profit and loss performance for Chubb’s retail commercial large …

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House Republicans Eye Disaster Aid, Short-Term Funding Bill

House Republicans agreed Monday on $81 billion in disaster relief for areas hit by hurricanes and wildfires, the largest standalone aid bill in recent years, according to a document provided by a Republican lawmaker. The aid likely would be attached …

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U.S. Adds 7 Nuclear Sites to ‘No-Drone Zone’ List of Military Bases, Landmarks

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it will bar drone flights over seven major U.S. nuclear sites, including Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. The move is the latest in a series of growing restrictions on unmanned aerial vehicles …

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North Carolina Coastal Community Searching for Fire Protection Services

A coastal North Carolina county is trying to find a way to provide fire protection to a remote island after volunteers quit providing service. The Daily Advance of Elizabeth City reports Knotts Island volunteer firefighters quit Nov. 8, citing an …

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DUAL Commercial Launches New CyberTech Defense Product

DUAL Commercial, LLC has introduced a new technology-cyber-media program – CyberTech Defense – that provides cyber coverage in conjunction with DUAL Commercial’s other programs, as well as on a stand-alone basis. DUAL Commercial offers cyber/privacy insurance products with limits from …

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Greek System at Florida State University Remains Suspended After Frat Death

The president of Florida State University says he has no timetable yet for reinstating Greek activities on campus after they were suspended in November following the death of a fraternity pledge. John Thrasher told The Associated Press in an interview …

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Fire at Mississippi Community College Believed to be Arson

Surveillance video shows that an intruder lit the fire that damaged a building at a Mississippi community college. The predawn Thursday blaze damaged more than half of Mississippi Delta Community College’s Stauffer-Wood Administration Building in Moorhead. College spokesman Reed Abraham …

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Stolfi New Administrator of Financial Regulation in Oregon

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services has named Andrew Stolfi administrator of the division of Financial Regulation. Stolfi’s first day at DCBS will be Feb. 1. He replaces Laura Cali, who is now the chief financial officer at …

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2 Leavitt Group Agencies in Utah Merge

Okerlund, Sorensen & Leavitt Insurance Agency in Richfield, Utah, and Briggs-Yardley Leavitt Insurance Agency in Salina, Utah, have merged operations. The combined agency’s managing principal is Cory Sorensen, and the agency will rebrand as Sorensen-Leavitt Insurance Agency. Debra Yardley is …

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Wingert Named Acting President at Iowa’s Grinnell Mutual

Grinnell, Iowa-based property and casualty insurer/reinsurer, Grinnell Mutual, has named Dave Wingert, executive vice president and chief operating officer, to serve as acting president. Larry Jansen retired on Dec. 15 after a 38-year run with the company, serving the last …

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Feds: Mississippi City Owes $850K in Police Officer Back Pay

A Mississippi city will pay more than $850,000 in back wages to more than 100 police officers following a federal investigation of payment practices. Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton’s administration released a statement to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal on Wednesday …

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400 Delta Flights Scrapped After Atlanta Airport Outage Chaos

Delta Air Lines Inc. and other carriers worked to get thousands of stranded passengers onto planes after a major electrical disruption in Atlanta crippled service at the world’s busiest hub, extending flight cancellations into a second day. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International …

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Texas’ Use of Federal Harvey Funds Clouded by Lack of Transparency

Texas has been awarded billions in federal aid to help recover from Hurricane Harvey and the devastating flooding that followed, but it’s unclear how the state is spending its share of the money. State records don’t indicate which contracts are …

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Amtrak Plunges on Washington Highway Resulting in Deaths, Injuries

An Amtrak passenger train derailed near the Washington State town of DuPont, sending rail cars plunging onto a busy interstate during the morning rush hour and resulting in injuries and deaths. Washington State Patrol Trooper Brooke Bova, a public information …

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Prewitt Joins Chicago’s Highland Risk Services as VP

Highland Risk Services Inc. has added Matt Prewitt to its wholesale brokerage as vice president. Prewitt is based at Highland’s headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Prewitt brings 15 years of insurance experience to enhance and expand Highland Risk Services’ business production …

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Developer Wants to Build New Housing Project in Houston Flood Plain

A housing developer is hoping to win approval from Houston officials to put a 151-acre project on a former golf course where the city and Harris County have spent millions of dollars to buy out homeowners whose properties were damaged …

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Despite Insurance Losses, Berkshire Stock Joins Exclusive Club

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s stock price touched $300,000 for the first time on Monday, reflecting investors’ confidence in Warren Buffett’s conglomerate despite four straight quarters of lower operating profit. Crossing the $300,000 threshold put Berkshire’s Class A shares up 22.9 percent …

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Louisiana Citizens Insurance Assessment Rebate Deadline Is Dec. 31

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is reminding Louisiana property insurance policyholders that the opportunity to file for the partially refundable 2013 Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Co. assessment expires on Dec. 31. The Citizens Assessment is to pay off the bonds …

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Businesses to Receive Workplace Safety Grants from Missouri Employers Mutual

Workers’ compensation insurer, Missouri Employers Mutual (MEM), has announced a third round of safety grant recipients after awarding safety grants to 37 Missouri businesses previously. Safety grants help Missouri businesses take the next step toward improving workplace safety. All of …

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Is Uber an App or Transport Firm? EU’s Top Court to Rule This Week

A debate in Europe over whether ride-hailing app Uber is merely a digital company or one providing transport services will be decided when the top European Union court hands down its verdict on Wednesday in a highly anticipated case. While …

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Navigators to Buy Belgian Specialty Insurer, Reinsurer

U.S.-based global specialty insurer The Navigators Group has agreed to purchase all of the shares of Assurances Continentales – Continentale Verzekeringen NV (ASCO) and Bracht, Deckers & Mackelbert NV (BDM), specialty insurers based in Antwerp, Belgium. ASCO is a specialty …

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California’s Thomas Fire Now Third Largest in State History

California’s Thomas Fire is roughly 45 percent contained and is now considered the third largest wildfire in state history, authorities say. Firefighters battling the fire northwest of Los Angeles are working against another high winds. The fire which has gone …

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California Pot Sold Jan. 1 Could be Tainted

That legal weed you’ll be able to buy in California on New Year’s Day may not be as green as it seems. Any marijuana sold when recreational sales become legal Jan. 1 in the nation’s most populous state will have …

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Homeowners Fear Losing Insurance in Midst of California Fires

California homeowners and regulators have a new fear about wildfires ravaging the state: that insurers will drop coverage. Massive, out-of-season fires in northern and southern California are causing billions of dollars in claims and challenging expectations of when and where …

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New China Rules Promote Fairer, Safer Overseas Investments by Private Companies

China’s powerful state planner on Monday issued new rules for overseas investment by private companies, aiming to stamp out instances of firms violating policies, engaging in unfair competition and poor safety and quality management. As Chinese companies take an increasingly …

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Travelers Announces MacLean, President and COO, to Retire Next March

The Travelers Companies announced that Brian MacLean, president and chief operating officer, will retire after 30 years with the company, effective March 31, 2018. As a result of MacLean’s retirement, Travelers said it is realigning the reporting structure of its …

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Massachusetts Cannabis Regulators Busy Rolling Out the Rules for Legal Pot

From “cannabis cafes” to “craft cooperatives,” regulators have been laying out a vision for what a potential multibillion dollar recreational marijuana industry might look like when retail sales begin next year in Massachusetts. The Cannabis Control Commission reached tentative agreement …

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New Jersey’s Selective Insurance Group Announces Officer Appointments

Selective Insurance Company of America, a subsidiary of Branchville, N.J.-headquartered Selective Insurance Group Inc., has announced several officer appointments. It has appointed Matthew Caton to vice president of property claims. Caton joined Selective in 2015 as assistant vice president of …

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Prime Authorized to Write Specialty Lines in New York State

Prime Holdings Insurance Services Inc. (Prime Holdings) announced that its subsidiary, Prime Insurance Company (Prime), has received approval to write specialty lines insurance coverage in New York state. Prime provides excess and surplus lines property and casualty insurance options for …

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Massachusetts’ Rogers & Gray Insurance Hires Schaaf as COO

Rogers & Gray Insurance, a South Dennis, Mass.-headquartered insurance agency, has hired Erin Schaaf as the company’s new chief operating officer. Schaaf brings nearly three decades of experience in the insurance industry to the position. Most recently, she served at …

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UK Panel Review of Grenfell Tower Tragedy Calls for ‘Cultural Change’ Around Safety

An interim review into UK building regulations commissioned after the Grenfell Tower social housing block fire in London which killed 71 people in June, has called for a “culture change” in respect to fire safety. The review, sponsored by the …

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Same Builders Win Deals to Replace Unsafe Grenfell Tower Type Cladding

Some building companies that installed dangerous cladding on social housing blocks across Britain are now winning new contracts following the Grenfell Tower blaze to remove their original work and install panels that can pass safety tests, a Reuters review shows. …

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Language Lessons for Property/Casualty Insurers

InsurTech leaders speaking at the InsureTech Connect Conference in October had a message for traditional insurers they have probably heard before: The language that insurance agents and carriers use is creating a gulf between insurers and customers who struggle with …

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CVS-Aetna Merger Will Influence Employers’ Benefits Decisions: Aon

CVS Corp.’s proposed purchase of Aetna Inc. will affect decision-making by a majority of large and mid-size U.S. corporations on employee health benefits, a survey by benefits consultant Aon Plc found. CVS, the second-largest U.S. pharmacy benefit manager, on Dec. …

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Settlement Reached in Partisan Lawsuit Over Obamacare Subsidies

A long-running lawsuit between the Trump administration, House Republicans and Democratic attorneys general over billions of dollars of Obamacare subsidies has been settled, according to an agreement filed in federal court Friday. The settlement agreement, details of which weren’t available …

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Former Tennessee Deputy Insurance Commissioner Giannini Killed in Car Crash

A former deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance has died in a car crash. Media outlets report that Bill Giannini, who also was a former chairman of the Shelby County Election Commission and the Shelby County …

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Orchid Underwriters Taps Cyran as Chief Underwriting Officer in Florida

Orchid Underwriters Agency, LLC, a specialty underwriter of catastrophic coastal insurance, has hired Andrew Cyran as chief underwriting officer, a new position within the organization. Effective immediately, Cyran will assume the responsibilities of carrier management, product development, underwriting portfolio management, …

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Trump’s Labor Board Overturns Obama ‘Joint Employer’ Rule

A U.S. labor board on Thursday overturned an Obama-era ruling that had made it easier for unions and workers to hold companies accountable for practices of contractors and franchisees, a decision welcomed by business groups that could affect a major …

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Florida Disaster Fraud Team Investigation Leads to False Claim Arrest

A Florida man was arrested last month after he was caught lying to his insurance company in an attempt to file a false insurance claim for vehicle for damage allegedly caused by Hurricane Irma, according to a statement from Florida …

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Issuer Credit Rating of Ohio’s Affinity Mutual Insurance Co. Downgraded

A.M. Best announced it has has downgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “bbb” from “bbb+” and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) of Affinity Mutual Insurance Co. (AMIC) in Lima, Ohio. The outlook of …

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OSHA Rule Requiring Electronic Reporting of Injuries Goes Into Effect

A federal rule requiring certain employers to electronically submit injury and illness reports goes into effect today. The rule applies to businesses in many states with 250 or more employees that are currently required to keep OSHA injury and illness …

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Michigan Insurance Agent Sentenced for Embezzling $800K from Clients

A suburban Detroit insurance agent has been sentenced to at least six years in prison for embezzling more than $800,000 from a dozen elderly clients. Paul Garceau Jr. of Grosse Pointe Park had pleaded guilty to embezzlement by an agent …

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PolyMet Secures $544M in Surety Bonds, Funding for Wisconsin Mine Costs

PolyMet Mining Corp. is offering the state a $544 million package of financial assurances to serve as an insurance policy to protect taxpayers from potentially having to cover the costs of closing and cleaning up a controversial copper-nickel mine it …

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Westcap Insurance Services Ups Limits for Contractors Program, Expands into Arizona

Solvang, Calif.-based Westcap Insurance Services, LLC has expanded its admitted program for contractors to now include Arizona domiciled risks. Westcap also announced increased limits and other product enhancements to the program in the state of Washington. Westcap will now offer …

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Truman Taylor Insurance Closes, Joins Galveston Insurance Associates

Texas Sen. Larry Taylor, president of Truman Taylor Insurance in Friendswood, is closing his agency after 55 years of operation and joining Galveston Insurance Associates (GIA), effective Dec. 15. GIA has been operating on Galveston Island for 125 years and …

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Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Policy Count Continues to Drop

The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) estimates that the state’s property insurer of last resort has gone from the third largest property insurance company to the 35th in 10 years The eleventh round of depopulation is underway for the Louisiana …

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Texas Regulators Say Workers’ Comp Costs Down 63% Since 2005

More Texas businesses are providing workers’ compensation insurance as the cost of coverage continues to decline, according to the Texas Department of Insurance – Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC). Premiums have fallen by 63 percent since 2005 as department has …

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Arkansas Lawmakers Want Panel to Reconsider Dicamba Ban

Arkansas lawmakers have recommended a regulatory panel look at revising its proposed ban of an herbicide farmers in several states say has drifted onto their crops and caused damage, nearly a month after a maker of the weed killer asked …

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M4.0 Earthquake Confirmed in Oregon

An earthquake hit Oregon roughly 40 miles south of Portland near Molalla and was felt by numerous residents in the area, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed. The USGS reported the magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck about seven miles southwest of Molalla …

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Tougher Utility Rules Being Considered in Wake of California Wildfires

California utilities may face tougher safety rules for power lines, phone lines and utility poles in parts of the state most prone to wildfires. Under the proposed rules being considered by the California Public Utilities Commission, tree branches would have …

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Winds Kick Up Fire Threat from California Wildfires

Dry, gusting winds are aggravating fire worries across much of central and western California, including those areas where infernos are still raging and places that were scorched in October, the U.S. Storm Prediction Center said. Conditions through Sunday will be …

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Farmers Reports $1.2B in Claims from Northern California Wildfires

Farmers Insurance reported it has received more than 4,000 claims from the Northern California wildfires to date at an estimated gross cost of $1.2 billion. With reinsurance, the Los Angeles-based carrier estimates its incurred loss will be $140 million, and …

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American Family Insurance Acquires Data Analytics Firm Networked Insights; Also Buys HomeGauge

American Family Insurance said it intends to accelerate its use of data, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) with its purchase of Chicago-based data and analytics software company Networked Insights. American Family is a Networked Insights client and has been …

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Deadly Northern New York Crashes Spur Bill Requiring Truck Side Guards

A bipartisan bill introduced by two U.S. senators would change truck safety standards to prevent crashes like the one that killed four people in northern New York this summer. The law introduced by Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand and Republican Marco Rubio …

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New York-Based Marsh & McLennan Appoints Mills as VP and Controller

Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc., a New York, N.Y.-headquartered, global professional services firm, has appointed Stacy Mills as vice president and controller, effective January 1, 2018. In this role, Mills will serve as the firm’s chief accounting officer and report …

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Brightway Insurance Continues U.S. Expansion with First New Jersey Store

Brightway Insurance is continuing its expansion across the U.S. with the opening of its first store in New Jersey. Brothers Michael, Robert and Ray Norton will open Brightway, The Norton Agency in Blackwood, N.J., on December 18. Brightway also opened …

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Drone Operator Blamed for Collision with Helicopter in New York

A recreational operator, who didn’t know that federal authorities had temporarily banned all drone flights in New York, was to blame for a September collision between his recreational device aircraft and an Army helicopter. The National Transportation Safety Board on …

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Fidelis Takes Equity Stake in New MGA Firestone Surety

Fidelis Insurance announced it has taken an equity stake in a new managing general agent (MGA) Firestone Surety Ltd., and will provide underwriting capacity. Details about the amount of Fidelis’ investment and capacity provision were not released. London-based Firestone will …

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Austrian Gas Blast Caused by Seal in Newly Installed Filtering Unit: Hub Operator

The massive explosion that shut down natural gas flows for half a day in Austria this week was caused by a loose cap seal on a newly installed filtering unit, according to investigations by the operator of the Baumgarten hub. …

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UK Still Has Top Spot in Financial Services, but Brexit Threatens: TheCityUK

Britain kept the top spot in global financial services exports last year, but Brexit threatens to raise barriers to its biggest market in Europe, TheCityUK said on Friday. The body, which promotes Britain as a financial center, said banks, insurers, …

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Uber’s Food-Delivery Business to Provide Insurance for Couriers in Europe

Uber’s food-delivery business will begin offering an insurance package to its couriers in Europe, a move to address the conditions of “gig economy” workers. Riders for food-delivery companies such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo are typically self-employed and the firms …

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Chubb Appoints Church as Head of International Property

Chubb announced the appointment of Brian Church as executive vice president and head of International Property for Chubb’s Overseas General business, effective Jan. 1, 2018. In this role, Church will have responsibility for all of Chubb’s retail commercial property insurance …

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La Nina Expected to Linger All Winter

Looks like a potentially market-roiling La Nina will last through the new year, threatening to bring a colder, snowier winter to the northern U.S., drought to Latin America’s soybean-growing regions and rain to Australia’s coal mines. The odds of the …

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Deadly London Tower Fire Sparks Development in U.S. of Safety Evaluation Tool

Six months after flames engulfed a London high-rise and sparked concerns about similarly-clad buildings around the world, a U.S.-based fire prevention group has developed a tool aimed at making buildings safer. The National Association of State Fire Marshals’ research foundation …

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Insurer Settles Federal Suit With Defunct Tennessee Plant Over Unpaid Bills

A settlement has been reached in a federal lawsuit over $750,000 in unpaid utility bills at a shuttered Tennessee glass plant. The Kingsport Times News reports insurer North American Specialty sued Heritage Glass and its officers in Greeneville federal court …

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Lockton Adds Former Marsh Exec Gillmon to Southeast Property Team

Lockton has added Brett Gillmon to its Property team as senior vice president. Gillmon will serve as a national resource working closely with the U.S. Property leader Mike Andler, and will provide service and property options for Lockton’s clients throughout …

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Studies: Global Warming Tripled Likelihood of Harvey’s Deluge

Global warming’s fingerprints were all over the record rainfall from Hurricane Harvey this year, confirming what scientists suspected, according to new research discussed on Dec. 13 during the American Geophysical Union meeting in New Orleans. While scientists say man-made climate …

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200 Homes Evacuated as South Dakota Wildfire Grows

Strong winds are fanning the flames of a growing wildfire in South Dakota, pushing the fire beyond the borders of the Custer State Park and prompting new evacuations. Custer County Emergency Management director Mike Carter said Wednesday that residents of …

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WCRI: Michigan Medical Payments per Work Comp Claim Relatively Low

Medical payments per workers’ compensation claim in Michigan were among the lowest of 18 state workers’ compensation systems analyzed in a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). The study, CompScope Medical Benchmarks for Michigan, 18th Edition, examined …

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Illinois’ Olsick & Company Insurance Agency Joins Keystone

Olsick & Company Insurance, located in Willowbrook, Illinois has joined Keystone Insurers Group (Keystone), the companies announced. The agency is Keystone’s 18th partner in Illinois. The announcement was made jointly by Olsick President Bryan Olsick and Keystone’s State Vice President …

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Texas Surplus Lines Stamping Office to Accept ACH Payments in Early 2018

The Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX) announced it will begin supporting Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments, effective early first quarter 2018, as part of the new electronic filing system that will be released by SLTX next year. Invoices …

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Deadline for Louisiana Flood Insurance Proof of Loss Is Dec. 31

The end of the year deadline for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders affected by the flooding in August 2016 of South Louisiana is fast approaching. After six extensions, the deadline for the filing of proof of loss documentation to …

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Pioneer Underwriters Gets Lloyd’s Approval to Launch Syndicate 1980 on Jan. 1

Pioneer Underwriters announced it has received approval from Lloyd’s for Syndicate 1980 to commence underwriting business attaching on or after Jan. 1, 2018. Pioneer Syndicate 1980 will have a gross premium income of £278 million ($371.2 million) and will underwrite …

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Wells Fargo Sued by Navajo Nation for Alleged Predatory Tactics

The Navajo Nation announced that it’s suing Wells Fargo for allegedly engaging in predatory and unlawful banking practices that targeted and harmed tribal members. In a statement, Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said the tribe’s lawyer has been directed to …

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Cheech of Cheech & Chong Heralds New Tool for California Pot Businesses

Comedian and legendary stoner Cheech Marin doesn’t want your pot business to go up in smoke. That’s why he’s in a new public service announcement publicizing a California Secretary of State website for budding marijuana entrepreneurs. California on Friday began …

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Startups Selected for Inaugural InsurTech Acceleration Program in Hartford

Hartford InsurTech Hub, an initiative established in 2017 by Hartford, Conn.-based insurance companies, the city of Hartford and CTNext, has selected the 2018 group of 11 startups that will participate in its inaugural acceleration program, The InsurTech Accelerator. Hartford InsurTech …

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A.M. Best Revises Outlooks to Negative for Crusader Insurance in California

A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of “a-” of Crusader Insurance Co. Additionally, A.M. Best has revised the outlook to negative …

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Munich Re to Increase Shareholding in Global Aerospace to 51%

Global Aerospace, the London-based provider of aerospace insurance, announced that Munich Re has agreed to purchase an additional 11 percent of the shares in Global Aerospace Underwriting Managers Ltd., the company that manages the Global Aerospace Pool. Following the acquisition, …

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Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Promotes Haagen and Soja

Allianz Group’s specialist corporate insurer, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), has announced that effective December 31, Henning Haagen will take over as North American regional head of specialty lines, and Rich Soja will become the North American regional head …

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Here’s What’s in Latest Negotiated Republican Tax Bill

Republicans in the U.S. Congress reached a deal on final tax legislation on Wednesday, clearing the way for final votes next week on a package that, if approved, would be sent to President Donald Trump to sign into law. Formal …

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Female Workers in Massachusetts Sue McCormick & Schmick’s

Female kitchen workers at the McCormick & Schmick’s seafood restaurant in downtown Boston were subjected to constant groping and lewd comments from male supervisors and co-workers, and their complaints to the company were routinely ignored, five women said in a …

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Allianz Specialty for North America Promotes Haagen, Soja as Barnwell Retires

Allianz Group’s specialist corporate insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) announced that effective December 31, Henning Haagen will take over as North American regional head of Specialty Lines, and Rich Soja will become the North American regional head of …

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New York’s Greene & Associates Hires Del Priore as Sales Manager

Greene & Associates, an East Aurora, N.Y.-based underwriting manager and wholesale broker, has hired Theresa Del Priore as a sales manager. Del Priore comes to Greene with more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, most recently serving …

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Judge Nixes Bid to Halt Federal Charters for Fintech Firms as Premature

A Manhattan federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by New York’s banking regulator against the U.S. Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) over its proposal to offer charters that would let online lenders and other so-called “fintech” companies do …

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United Nations Assessing Disaster Recovery in Puerto Rico

A United Nations expert on extreme poverty and human rights met Monday with hurricane victims in Puerto Rico as complaints grow about the U.S. government’s response to a Category 4 storm. U.N. envoy Philip Alston toured one of the hardest …

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Gibraltar Introduces License for Fintech Firms Using Blockchain

Gibraltar’s financial services watchdog will introduce the world’s first bespoke license for “fintech” firms using blockchain distributed ledger technology (DLT) from next month in a bid to attract start-ups to the British overseas territory as it prepares for Brexit. The …

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Chubb Names French & Hill to Asia-Pacific Leadership Positions

Chubb announced two leadership appointments in the company’s Asia Pacific business. John French, currently country president for Australia and New Zealand, has been appointed to the position of senior vice president, head of Broker Distribution for Asia Pacific. At the …

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Scientists Blame Extreme Weather & Heat on Man-Made Climate Change

Some of last year’s crazy weather — including extreme heat around the world to unusually warm waters in the Bering Sea — can be blamed on man-made climate change, according to a report from a group of weather researchers. Scientists …

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London Police Eye Criminal Charges Related to Grenfell Tower Disaster

London police are considering a variety of criminal charges related to the June fire at Grenfell Tower that killed 71 people. Police told an inquiry Monday [Dec. 11] that the possible charges include misconduct in public office, manslaughter, corporate manslaughter …

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Greenbrier Hotel Corp Sued by Tennessee Rental Co Over $623K Insurance Payout

A Tennessee company has filed a lawsuit against The Greenbrier Hotel Corporation in West Virginia and two affiliated companies, citing The Greenbrier resort’s failure to pay out on damaged rental equipment. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported Sunday that Special Event Service …

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Florida Professor Fired for Saying Sandy Hook a Hoax in Blog Loses Lawsuit

A Florida college professor fired after publicly saying the Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut was a hoax has lost a lawsuit claiming he was wrongfully terminated. Local news outlets report that a federal jury on Monday sided with Florida …

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Cavignac & Associates in California Names Lopez Account Administrator

San Diego, Calif.-based Cavignac & Associates has named Linda Lopez account administrator of its employee benefits department. Lopez will assist the employee benefits department account manager with the daily service activities for client benefit offerings. Lopez was previously the underwriting …

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Traces of GenX Compound Found in North Carolina Food Product

The unregulated compound found in more than 80 drinking water wells near a chemical company’s manufacturing facility in North Carolina has been found in a food product for the first time. Tests found honey collected by a farmer about 2 …

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Sommer Named Interim Executive Director at Oklahoma WCC as Bailey Departs

The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) announced that Executive Director Kim Bailey has resigned and Administrative Law Judge Patricia Sommer has been appointed to lead the agency in the interim. Bailey will be leaving her position to accept a critical …

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Attorneys, not Adjusters, Handle Claims at Texas Medical Malpractice Insurer, Capson

Austin, Texas-based Capson Physicians Insurance Co. announced it is providing in-house attorneys, rather than adjusters, to help facilitate claims for insureds. According to Capson Physicians Insurance President and Founder Maury Magids, when a medical malpractice claim is made against a …

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A.M. Best Upgrades Outlooks for Petroleum Marketers Management Insurance

A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to positive from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating “a-” of Des Moines, Iowa-based Petroleum Marketers Management Insurance Co. (PMMIC). The ratings reflect PMMIC’s balance …

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Illinois Jury Awards $5M to Nurse Fired After Reporting Alleged Abuse

A central Illinois jury has awarded $5.2 million to a nurse who claims she was fired from a nursing home after reporting alleged abuse. The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reports Katrina Wesemann worked as a licensed practical nurse at a Dwight facility …

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Former Hartford Underwriter Reese Joins Pioneer Underwriters’ Georgia Team

Pioneer Underwriters has appointed Kellie Reese as an underwriter in its recently launched E&S Property operation. She will report to Dave Phillips, based in Alpharetta, Ga. Reese has almost 30 years of experience as a property underwriter. Latterly with The …

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Police: Explosion at Detroit Commercial Building Leaves 1 Dead

Authorities say one person is dead after a pressurized tank apparently exploded at a commercial building on Detroit’s east side. Detroit police Capt. Mark Thornton says two people were at the building Monday night when one of them left to …

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Report: Nearly $60M in Texas Windstorm Insurer Hurricane Ike Claims Still Unpaid

The Houston Chronicle reports that several school districts, cities and other government agencies are still waiting for a Texas insurer to pay nearly $60 million in claims from Hurricane Ike, adding to more insurance worries in the wake of Hurricane …

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Verisk: 96% of the Area in California Fire at High or Extreme Wildfire Risk

Most of the area within the massive Thomas fire in Southern California is at high or extreme wildfire risk, according to a Verisk report on Wednesday. The fire encompasses more than 230,500 acres, and while containment on the wildfires in …

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What to Know About the Senior Care Market

The aging U.S. population will create unprecedented demand for the senior living industry for decades to come and that opens the door for agents and brokers to grow their business in this sector. But understanding the changing landscape in the …

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The Hartford Names Bush to Head Personal Lines

The Hartford has announced that Stephanie Bush, who has led small commercial since July 2014, will expand her responsibilities to include oversight for personal lines. She replaces Ray Sprague, who is retiring after a 30-year career with The Hartford. Bush …

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Series of Small Earthquakes Rattle Northern Nevada

The Nevada Seismological Laboratory confirmed a series of small earthquakes rattling north Reno, Nev. Some 32 small earthquakes were reported being felt since Nov. 28. The largest detected had a magnitude of 1.9. Officials say there is a slight increase …

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Coffee Shop Seeks to Become Denver’s First Legal Marijuana Club

Colorado’s largest city is reviewing the first application from a business seeking to be among the nation’s first legal marijuana clubs, a step that comes more than a year after voters approved a bring-your-own pot measure. Dan Rowland, a spokesman …

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Wind Threat Remains as Crews Gain on Huge California Wildfire

After achieving increased containment on one of the biggest wildfires in California history, officials warned that communities remain at risk and the threat could increase as unpredictable winds whip up again. Red Flag warnings for fire danger due to Santa …

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UK Supermarkets Analyze Customers’ Shopping Habits to Price Insurance Products

Ever wondered what your shopping habits say about your driving? Britain’s big supermarkets have. The two biggest, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, are offering discounts on financial products such as car insurance based on the predictability of people’s shopping, a step beyond …

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UK’s Bretton Woods International Gets UK Regulatory Nod, Becomes Lloyd’s Broker

Bretton Woods International (BWI), the specialist insurance broker and managing general agent, has received a license to operate in the UK as an independent broker and, at the same time, is now registered as a Lloyd’s broker. London-based BWI was …

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UK MGA Plum Opens Underwriting, Support Center in Basildon, England

Plum Underwriting, the specialist home insurance managing general agent in the UK market, has opened an underwriting and service center as part of its strategy to support continued growth. The center, located in Basildon, England, brings together underwriting, claims, pricing, …

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Tower Group Companies Top List of U.S. P/C Impairments in 2016: A.M. Best

Of the 14 property/casualty impairments identified for 2016, 11 were members of the Tower Group, with the remaining three composed of two medical professional liability risk retention groups and a commercial lines reinsurer, according to a new A.M. Best special …

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Alliant Hires New Jersey-Based Blazier to Further Eastern U.S. Growth

Alliant’s ongoing growth campaign in the Eastern U.S. is continuing with the addition of Senior Vice President Devin E. Blazier. The New Jersey-based industry veteran has joined the company’s Alliant Americas division with technical expertise in professional liability, group captives, …

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Ten Appointed to Newly Formed New York State Insurance Advisory Board

Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo has announced the 10 appointees who will serve on the newly formed Department of Financial Services (DFS) State Insurance Advisory Board. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation to create the board earlier this year. …

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Factbox: More Insurers Make Decisions About Post-Brexit Headquarters

Liberty Specialty Markets said it planned to redomicile its UK insurance company to Luxembourg, as a result of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. Below are insurers’ plans for EU subsidiaries (in alphabetical order) in case Britain does not …

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CNA Appoints Allen as Vice President of Boston Branch

CNA has appointed Tom Allen as vice president of its Boston, Mass., branch, effective January 2, 2018. In this role, Allen will be responsible for leading the branch in cultivating deeper relationships with producers and accelerating CNA’s market presence in …

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Brit Launches Bermuda-Based Collaterized Reinsurer Sussex Capital

Brit Ltd., the London-based specialty insurer and reinsurer, has launched a Bermuda-domiciled collateralized reinsurance platform, Sussex Capital. Sussex Capital, through Sussex Re, a newly established Bermuda-domiciled special purpose insurer, will write direct collateralized reinsurance while also providing collateralized reinsurance to …

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Allied World Launches Professional Liability Policy for Healthcare Consultants

Allied World Assurance Co. Holdings has launched a professional liability policy, offering coverage specifically designed to address the risks of health care consultants and companies that provide consulting services to healthcare facilities. This comprehensive protection includes contingent bodily injury coverage …

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BHSI Launches Financial Institution Professional Indemnity Insurance in Asia

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Co. (BHSI) announced it has introduced Financial Institution Professional Indemnity (FIPI) insurance in Asia. “Financial institutions are seeing an increase in both the frequency and severity of professional indemnity claims,” said Scotland Walsh-Riddle, head of Executive …

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Alabama Private School Fire Sparked by Leaking Gas Injures 5

Authorities say five people were injured by a sudden fire sparked by leaking gas at a Catholic school on the Alabama coast. News outlets report the flames erupted Saturday inside a kitchen at St. Vincent de Paul School in Mobile. …

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New AIG Cyber Model to Evaluate, Score Client Cyber Risk

American International Group, Inc. has launched a new cyber benchmarking model that quantifies and scores client cyber risk. The AIG model evaluates a client’s cyber security maturity against 10 common attack patterns across 11 commonly used technology devices. The model …

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Special Reuters Report: The High Cost of Building in High Flood Risk Areas

When Hurricane Harvey sent two feet of water rolling into this small community about 35 miles north of Houston, Alfredo Becerra had to flee his modest 1,500-square-foot house. Muddy floodwater submerged the furniture and ruined carpet inside the construction worker’s …

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Arkansas Medical Board OKs Draft Regulations Aimed at Curbing Opioid Abuse

The Arkansas State Medical Board has approved draft regulations aimed at reducing opioid abuse. The board unanimously voted in favor of the regulations on Dec. 7. The requirements are based on guidelines issued last year by the federal Centers for …

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5 Sentenced in Ohio for Insurance Fraud

The Ohio Department of Insurance reported that five people were recently sentenced for insurance-related crimes following investigations by the department. Clermont County/Shandell Thomas and Aaron Thomas In October, Shandell Thomas, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in court to five years of …

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Texas Workers’ Comp Commissioner: Post-Harvey Deadline Extensions to End in January

The Texas Department of Insurance – Division of Workers’ Compensation has issued a bulletin announcing a date for the end of extensions for workers’ comp deadlines and procedures related to Hurricane Harvey. Due to gubernatorial disaster proclamations issued after Hurricane …

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Safety Group Says GM’s In-Car Shopping App Encourages Distracted Driving

A new in-car application from General Motors Co. that lets drivers order coffee and browse for hotels while behind the wheel has been met with outcry from a prominent safety group. The app, dubbed Marketplace, allows drivers to browse deals …

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Woman Wounded in Las Vegas Shooting Drops ‘Bump Stock’ Maker from Suit

The maker of a rapid-fire gun accessory that police say was used in the Oct. 1 mass shooting that killed 58 people and left hundreds injured at an open-air concert on the Las Vegas Strip has been removed from a …

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Small Quake Confirmed in Central Alaska

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake has hit central Alaska, the Alaska Earthquake Center confirmed. The center reported that the earthquake struck at 3:28 a.m. Sunday and its epicenter was 30 miles southwest of Manley Hot Springs, which has fewer than 100 …

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California Opens Online System to License New Marijuana Businesses

California has began accepting applications from businesses that want to operate in the state’s legal marijuana industry next year, a milestone for the emerging market. After months in development, an online system launched and will allow retailers, distributors and testing …

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California Commissioner Wants Halt to Moratoriums in Wildfire Areas

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has issued a formal notice to insurers directing them to cease any and all moratoriums on auto insurance and reminding them that California law prohibits the practice. Jones issued the notice in response to insurers …

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Insurtech Firm Quantemplate Names Lundgren as CEO; Gets £2.5M in New Capital

Quantemplate, a London-based insurtech firm that specializes in machine learning data transformation and analytics, announced that David Lundgren has been appointed CEO and board director. The company has also received £2.5 million (US$3.3 million) of new capital to accelerate its …

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Connecticut’s The Hartford Promotes Bush to Oversee Personal Lines

The Hartford has announced that Stephanie Bush, who has led Small Commercial since July 2014, will expand her responsibilities to include oversight for Personal Lines. She replaces Ray Sprague, who is retiring after a 30-year career with The Hartford. Sprague …

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Schumer Seeks Help for N.Y. Craft Beer Industry with Crop Insurance Program

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer wrapped up another tour of New York’s 62 counties Friday with a call for greater federal help for the state’s craft beer industry. During a stop at a brewery in the Columbia County community of Chatham, …

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New Jersey Advances Bill That Would Bar Drunken Drone Flying

State lawmakers on Thursday passed legislation that would bar people from operating drones while drunk. The National Conference on State Legislatures says at least 38 states are considering drone legislation this year, going beyond the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulations. The …

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Russian-Speaking Hackers Steal $10M from U.S., Russian Banks: Cyber Security Firm

A previously unknown ring of Russian-speaking hackers has stolen as much as $10 million from U.S. and Russian banks in the last 18 months, according to a Moscow-based cyber-security firm that runs the largest computer forensics laboratory in eastern Europe. …

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China’s Tallest Building Attracts Industry Tenants Including Lloyd’s, Allianz, Fitch

After more than two years of red tape that kept tenants from moving in, China’s tallest skyscraper, the Shanghai Tower, has been quietly opening and filling office space. More than 60 companies now occupy office space on its 128 floors …

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Zurich’s ANZ Acquisition Designed to Boost Dividends

Zurich Insurance Group AG’s decision to acquire the life-insurance businesses of Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. should help Switzerland’s biggest insurer fulfill its ambition to increase its dividend. Already famous as a dividend stock, Zurich signaled last month …

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ING to Stop Lending to Utilities That Use Coal for More than 5% of Energy

ING by the end of 2025 will stop funding any utility company which relies on coal for more than 5 percent of its energy, the Dutch bank said on Tuesday. It will, however, continue to help companies with renewable energy …

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Harrold to Retire as Chairman, CEO of Auto-Owners Insurance

Jeff Harrold, chairman and chief executive officer of Lansing, Michigan-based Auto-Owners Insurance Co. and its affiliates, is retiring effective Dec. 31, 2017, the company announced. He has been with the company for more than 40 years. Harrold will be succeeded …

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Supreme Court Won’t Hear Sexual Orientation Job Bias Case

The U.S. Supreme Court turned down a chance to decide whether the main federal job-bias law bars discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The nation’s highest court on Monday rejected an appeal by Jameka Evans, who said she was …

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Why Publishing Policies Against Workplace Sexual Harassment Is Not Enough

Sexual misconduct happens at work not because companies don’t publish anti-harassment policies, experts say, but because managers don’t enforce them – and because people fail to apply them to themselves. While the floodgates on reporting abuse and sexual harassment have …

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Lawyers Handling Marijuana Business Operate in Hazy Legal Zone

Just as entrepreneurs getting into the retail pot industry need a good lawyer, some of those lawyers might be wise to consult an attorney of their own. Lawyers in the burgeoning business are entering a legal gray zone where the …

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Death at Kentucky Ford Truck Plant Under Investigation

Authorities are investigating the death of a man at a Ford truck plant in Kentucky. Media outlets report that police responded to Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville just before 1 a.m. Saturday. Officers found emergency personnel and Ford security …

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Brentwood Services Administrators of Tennessee Adds Anderson to Claims Unit

Brentwood Services Administrators Inc. (BSA), headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., has added Deanna Nicole Anderson as a claims assistant in its occupational injury unit in the Brentwood office, according to Jeff Pettus, president and chief executive officer of Brentwood Services Administrators …

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Ex-Tennessee Lawmaker Sues Trucking Company for $1.5M Over Accident Injuries

A former Tennessee lawmaker is suing an Illinois trucking company for injuries he received in a vehicle accident. The Kingsport Times News reports that former state Rep. Jason Mumpower, who is currently the Tennessee Comptroller chief of staff, filed a …

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Economist: Hurricane Harvey’s Impact Will Guide Future Development in Houston

A Houston business group said on Dec. 8 that Hurricane Harvey’s biggest long-term impact on the nation’s fourth-largest city likely will be on where and how new homes and structures are built. The results of Harvey’s flooding will likely guide …

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Bismarck, North Dakota, Levee Won’t Protect Some Homes from Flooding

A $4 million flood protection project in Bismarck set for next year will affect nearly two dozen properties that won’t be protected by the levee that’s being built. The Burleigh County Water Resource District’s project will damage driveways, sprinkler systems …

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Vietnam Suffers Rare $1 Billion Natural Catastrophe Loss: Aon Benfield Report

Typhoon Damrey made landfall in Vietnam during November as a Category 2 strength storm, bringing estimated economic damages of VND22.1 trillion (US$1.0 billion) – a rare billion-dollar event for the country, according to Impact Forecasting, Aon Benfield’s catastrophe model development …

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Bridges Tapped to Lead INSURICA’s Texas Region

Oklahoma City-based independent insurance agency, INSURICA, has named Mark Bridges to lead its Texas operations as regional president. Bridges is currently the president of INSURICA DFB Insurance Services Inc. (formerly DFB Insurance Group LLC) and is a third-generation insurance executive. …

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Lockton Affinity Adds Cyber Coverage to Lawyers PL Program

Lockton Affinity Lawyer has added CyberLock Lawyer to its portfolio of products for lawyers and firms with one to 19 attorneys. The CyberLock Lawyer cyber risk insurance policy protects firms and attorneys from cyber risks, such as confidentiality and privacy …

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Nebraska Corn Crop Diminished by Strong Winds in Late October

Several days of strong winds in late October arrived at the wrong time for many farmers who saw their crops shrink as ears of corn fell to the ground in Nebraska and western Iowa. The extent of the damage varied, …

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Zurich Insurance to Acquire ANZ’s Life Businesses in Australia for US$2.14B

Zurich Insurance Group announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 percent of ANZ’s life insurance businesses, OnePath Life, in Australia, for A$2.85 billion (US$2.14 billion). Both parties expect the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, …

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Arkansas Farmers Get $466M in Payments for Crop Losses in 2016

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Arkansas farmers received $466 million in federal “safety net” payments this year for their crop losses in 2016, third highest in the nation. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that this year’s payments are $100 million …

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Wisconsin Attorney General: Apartment Building Sprinkler Rule Not Enforceable

Wisconsin regulators can’t enforce a rule requiring sprinklers in large apartment buildings, Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel said on Dec. 8 in a victory for builders looking to save on costs. The state Department of Safety and Professional Standards adopted …

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Guilty of Insurance Fraud, Illinois Chiropractor Gets 20-Month Prison Term

A suburban Chicago chiropractor has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for billing an insurance company more than $4 million for treatment that was unnecessary or never provided. Federal prosecutors said Thursday 46-year-old Steven Paul of Northbrook pleaded guilty …

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Texas Pilot Pleads Guilty to Insurance Fraud in Gulf of Mexico Crash

A Texas pilot who survived a 2012 Gulf of Mexico crash and used an iPad to record his time in the water acknowledges it was insurance-related fraud. Theodore Robert Wright III pleaded guilty on Dec. 7 in Tyler to conspiring …

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Harvey-Related Woes Linger on Some Texas Farms

For days after Hurricane Harvey flooded her Sour Lake, Texas, neighborhood, Deanna Coburn’s farm was silent, without its usual chorus of bleating goats and crowing roosters. The Beaumont Enterprise reports her chickens fled to the highest parts of the roosts, …

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Attempt to Kill Bed Bugs Starts Blaze in Ohio; 3 Hurt, Building Heavily Damaged

Authorities say that three people have been injured and 10 people left homeless after a woman accidentally started a fire while trying to kill bed bugs with rubbing alcohol at a multi-family home in Cincinnati. WXIX-TV reports it’s the second …

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Hackers Fail at Second Cyberattack Attempt on North Carolina County

A North Carolina county recovering from a cyberattack says hackers failed in a second attempt to infiltrate their computer system. Mecklenburg County officials say foreign hackers redoubled their efforts after the county refused to pay a ransom last week. But …

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China’s Pension Funds Face Shortfalls as Country Struggles with Aging Population

Thirteen pension funds in regions and administrative units around China only have enough money to pay less than one year’s worth of pensions, media reported on Monday, as the country struggles with an aging population and shortfalls in the nation’s …

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Tribe in New Mexico Requesting Federal Disaster Declaration for Flooding

New Mexico’s congressional delegation is asking the federal government for help as a Native American community in the state is recovering from the effects of severe weather and flooding. The delegation says a storm in early October damaged roads, bridges …

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California Governor Say Firefighting at Christmas May Become Normal

A week of destructive fires in Southern California is ending but danger still looms. Well into what’s considered the wet season, there’s been nary a drop of rain. That’s good for sun-seeking tourists, but could spell more disaster for a …

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Commercial Insurance Prices in U.S. Stayed Flat in Q3: Willis Towers Watson

Commercial insurance prices in the U.S. were again nearly flat during the third quarter of 2017. Price changes reported by carriers averaged less than one percent for the ninth consecutive quarter, following a moderating trend in price increases that began …

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Drug Industry Files Suit to Halt California’s Drug Price Law

The trade group representing U.S. drugmakers said it has a filed a lawsuit to stop California from implementing a law aimed at reining in prescription drug prices. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, in a statement, said it filed …

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Insured Losses for Germany-Austria’s Storm Herwart Estimated at $337.3M: PERILS

The initial insured property loss estimate for Extratropical Cyclone Herwart, which hit Austria and Germany on Oct. 29, 2017, is €252 million ($337.3 million), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. In line with …

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Vermont Man Whose Relatives Died Mysteriously Must Give Gun Info

A Vermont man whose mother and grandfather died in mysterious circumstances must turn over information related to a missing gun, as well as phone and other records, in a Rhode Island lawsuit over insurance on his sunken boat. Nathan Carman …

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McKesson Board Minutes Indicate Little Oversight by Directors of Opioid Operations, Lawsuit Says

McKesson Corp.’s board failed to audit the company’s system to spot suspicious shipments of opioid-based painkillers even after agreeing to do so as part of a settlement, according to a summary of board minutes unsealed Friday in a shareholder lawsuit. …

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Pennsylvania’s Erie Insurance Promotes Wallace Oakley

Erie Insurance has promoted Dionne Wallace Oakley to executive vice president of Human Resources and Strategy. The appointment is effective Jan. 1, 2018. In this role, she will expand her oversight to include several strategic functions. Wallace Oakley came to …

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Maine’s BroGue Insurance & Financial Services Hires Guerin

BroGue Insurance & Financial Services, a Bangor, Maine-based independent insurance agency, has hired Timothy Guerin as an insurance agent. Guerin’s insurance sales career began with Liberty Mutual Insurance. BroGue offers personal, business, life and health insurance from a variety of …

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World Leaders Aim to Breathe New Life into Paris Climate Pact; AXA Plans Initiatives

French President Emmanuel Macron this week will seek to breathe new life into the fight against global warming and sway debate away from skeptics of the process led by U.S. President Donald Trump. At a series of events in Paris …

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Validus Names Driscoll, Bilsby & Zeng to Lead New Reportable Divisions

Validus Holdings Ltd. has announced three senior leadership appointments as a result of a structural change for the company that creates three, new reportable divisions: Reinsurance, Insurance and Asset Management. Kean Driscoll was named global head of Reinsurance, in addition …

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Margraves Serves as President of the Independent Insurance Agents of Houston

Scott Margraves has been elected to serve as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Houston (IIAH) for a term that expires Aug. 31, 2018. Margraves is a commercial lines producer for TDECU Insurance Agency LLC. He has been with …

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Digital Insurer Lemonade Says No License Needed by Adopters of Its API Sales Platform

Digital insurer Lemonade says companies that integrate its insurance sales platform, or API, into their own apps and web sites “generally speaking do not have to be licensed as insurance agents or brokers.” At the same time, the insurer said …

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Uber to Settle U.S. Lawsuit by Indian Woman Raped by Driver

Uber Technologies Inc. and a woman who accused top executives of improperly obtaining her medical records after a company driver raped her in India have agreed to settle a civil lawsuit the woman filed against Uber in June, according to …

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When Humility in a Boss Pays Off and When It Doesn’t

It’s good for a boss to be humble – as long as that’s what the firm’s employees expect. Some workplace teams showed more creativity if the employees rated their bosses as showing more humility, Ohio State researchers studying workplaces in …

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