Tennessee Lawmaker’s Suggestion for Handling Traffic Tickets: Ignore, Burn Them

 
A Republican Tennessee lawmaker says getting a traffic camera ticket isn’t a problem – he just burns them. State Rep. Andy Holt set such ticket ablaze on May 26 and posted the video to Facebook. A news release issued in …

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Alabama Jury Awards $5.5 million to Family of Man Killed in Crane Accident

 
A west Alabama jury has awarded $5.5 million to relatives of a man who died when a crane toppled over in 2012. The Tuscaloosa News reports that jurors in Hale County returned the verdict May 17 in the death of …

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Risk Strategies Establishes Florida Footprint With Acquisition of Atlass Insurance

 
Risk Strategies Company, a privately held, national insurance brokerage and risk management firm, has acquired Florida-Based Atlass Insurance Group, significantly adding to the resources of its Private Client practice. Founded in 1981, Atlass Insurance is an insurance brokerage and risk …

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GOES-R Satellite Promises Less Art, More Science in Storm Forecasting

 
For forecasters trying to better pinpoint the havoc of storms, the future begins next year. That’s when the test phase for the new GOES-R satellite should be complete, providing the  National Weather Service with an improved tool to track lightning, …

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California Senate OKs Bill to Avert License Suspensions for Minor Offenses

 
The California Senate on Tuesday passed legislation by state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, that stops the automatic suspension of driver’s licenses for people who fail to appear in court on minor traffic offenses or fail to pay fines for …

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School Bus Firm Agrees to Settle California Safety Suit for $11.5M

 
An attorney representing mechanics for a school bus company says the company has agreed to pay $11.5 million to settle a California lawsuit claiming they used unsafe buses to transport San Francisco students. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that two …

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Map Shows Buildings That May Not Survive Quake in Oregon’s Largest City

 
Portland, Ore. officials have released a map and database showing about 1,800 unreinforced masonry buildings that may be vulnerable to shaking during an earthquake if they are not structurally retrofitted. These buildings were generally constructed before the 1960s using brick …

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Access Health CT Helping 18K Enrollees Find New Plans

 
Connecticut’s health insurance marketplace is helping up to 18,000 people who no longer qualify for Medicaid health coverage to enroll in private insurance plans. Access Health CT says it will begin reaching out on June 2 to help enrollees find …

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Adventure Seekers Barely Escape Flooded Kentucky Cave

 
The operator of a Kentucky spelunking attraction says he is analyzing what happened last week after 19 people barely escaped a flooded cave by trudging through neck-deep water to reach the caverns only exit. David Foster, executive director of the …

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South Carolina’s Memorial Day Weekend a Wet One Thanks to Tropical Depression

 
Heavy rains from Tropical Depression Bonnie dissipated over South Carolina on Monday, as a wet Memorial Day holiday weekend came to an end in the area. The depression fell apart early in the day about 45 miles north of Charleston, …

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NYC Plans to Issue Salt-Warning Fines as Lawsuit Continues

 
New York City plans to start enforcing a first-of-its-kind requirement for chain restaurants to use icons to warn patrons of salty foods after getting an appeals court’s go-ahead on May 26 to start issuing fines. But it’s not the final …

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Ohio Gun Shop Faces $194K in Fines for Workplace Hazards

 
Federal safety and health investigators say employees of an Ohio gun shop may face life-long health damage because their employer continues to expose them to lead hazards and has failed to establish a respiratory protection program. The U.S. Department of …

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Health Insurers Seek Big Premium Increases in Pennsylvania

 
Pennsylvania’s insurance regulators are starting a review of health plans for coverage next year through the federal marketplaces, including several that seek premium increases in excess of 40 percent. The Pennsylvania Department of Insurance said the proposed premium increase for …

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Uber Appeals Pennsylvania’s $11.4M Fine

 
Ride-hailing company Uber is asking Pennsylvania’s utility regulators to reconsider the record-setting $11.4 million fine they issued against it. The Public Utility Commission fined San Francisco-based Uber in April for operating in Pennsylvania for six months in 2014 without the …

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At Least 6 Dead, 2 Missing After Floods in Texas, Kansas

 
Authorities in central Texas have found two more bodies along flooded streams, bringing the death toll from flooding in the state to six. It was unclear Sunday whether a body found in Travis County near Austin was one of the …

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Aspen Appoints Global Leaders for Surety and Credit & Political Risk

 
Aspen Insurance, the insurance segment of Bermuda-based Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd., has announced the appointments of Mike Toppi as global head of Surety Risk and Paul Sanders as global head of Credit & Political Risk. These appointments are part of …

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Federal Reserve Plans June 3 Meeting on Insurance Carrier Capital Rules

 
The U.S. Federal Reserve will hold an open meeting next Friday on proposals, in the works for more than five years, for capital requirements and other rules for insurance companies. The central bank’s announcement on Friday came a week after …

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California Commissioner Lowers Workers’ Comp Advisory Rate

 
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones adopted and issued a revised advisory pure premium rate, lowering the benchmark to $2.30 per $100 of payroll for workers’ compensation insurance. The change is effective July. This is a 10.5 percent reduction compared with …

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VALE Acquires Onyx Transportation Services in California

 
VALE Insurance Partners has acquired 100 percent of the assets of San Francisco, Calif.-based Onyx Transportation Services LLC, the program administrator for Onyx Insurance Company Inc., a risk retention group specializing in the transportation industry. The program administrator will now …

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Zurich Names Anderson to Lead Trade Credit, Political Risk Unit

 
Property/casualty insurer Zurich has named Dave Anderson to be head of Credit & Political Risk, effective immediately. A 14-year veteran of Zurich, Anderson since 2012 has been global business development director for Credit & Political Risk. In his new role, …

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Sompo Launches Model to Evaluate Wind Farm Risks

 
The Sompo group companies have launched a model for evaluating risks to onshore and offshore wind farms. The model was created by Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance Inc. (SJNK), Sompo Risk Management & Health Care Inc. (SRMHC) and Sompo Canopius AG (Sompo …

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Supreme Court to Hear State Farm’s Appeal of Katrina False Claims Ruling

 
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear an appeal by State Farm contesting a jury finding that the insurance company defrauded the federal government when assessing damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 along the Gulf of Mexico …

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U.S.-EU Continue Talks on Insurance Regulation Covered Agreement

 
Trade representatives for the United States and the European Union, who met May 24 and 25 to negotiate a bilateral covered agreement on regulations for insurers and reinsurers, on Friday issued a joint statement indicating they have not reached  final …

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Copyright Claim Targets Justin Bieber’s ‘Sorry’ Vocal Riff

 
Canadian pop star Justin Bieber and the co-writers of his 2015 smash hit “Sorry” are being sued for allegedly stealing a vocal riff from another artist who said she used it on her own song a year earlier. In a …

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Americans on Road to Driving Record Number of Miles

 
American drivers logged a record number of miles in the first three months of the year, as travel rose 4.2 percent to 746 billion miles, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Friday. In March this year, Americans drove 273.4 billion …

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Nexus Signs 3-Year Capacity Deal with XL Catlin to Write Financial Lines in Asia

 
Nexus Underwriting, the independent specialty managing general agent (MGA), has signed a three year underwriting capacity deal with XL Catlin in Asia through XL Insurance Co. SE. Through its new branch based in Hong Kong, Nexus Underwriting Asia (HK) will …

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Delta Lloyd to Sell 30.2% Stake in Wealth Manager Van Lanschot to Raise Capital

 
Delta Lloyd NV started selling its entire 30.2 percent stake in wealth manager Van Lanschot NV as part of the insurer’s plan to boost capital. A total of 11.3 million existing depository receipts of Van Lanschot are on sale at …

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China Likely to Adopt Cyber Rules for Insurers Despite Foreign Business Concerns

 
Controversial cyber security regulations for China’s insurance industry, now before the World Trade Organization (WTO), could soon take effect despite efforts by foreign business groups to persuade Beijing to change tack. Those groups say the draft measures are vague and …

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NCCI Seeks to Raise Florida Workers’ Comp Rates by 17% in Light of Court Ruling

 
Florida businesses could soon be paying almost 20 percent more for workers’ compensation coverage. In response to a recent decision from the Florida Supreme Court, the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) filed a 17.1 percent rate increase with the …

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Purifoy Elected President of Combined Agents of America

 
The independent insurance agency network, Combined Agents of America LLC (CAA), has elected Mack Purifoy to serve as president for the coming year and secretary David Wellmann to serve as secretary. Purifoy owns Purifoy & Company Insurance in Temple, Texas. Wellman …

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South Carolina Insurance Head Talks Lessons Learned After Historic Flood

 
  South Carolina’s coastal property insurance market is strong, but the state’s significant catastrophe risk remains an ongoing threat and not one that should be taken lightly. That is the message South Carolina Insurance Director Raymond Farmer hopes to get …

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Ohio Court: Insurance Department May Take Over Health Insurer

 
The state’s insurance department is taking over a company that provides health insurance to nearly 22,000 residents, mainly in central Ohio. The move affects those holding InHealth Mutual policies from Coordinated Health Mutual Inc. The suburban Columbus-based company is organized …

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Under Missouri Bill, Insurance Department Would Review ACA Rate Hikes

 
Health insurance companies would no longer be able to raise rates for Affordable Care Act consumers in Missouri without review by a state agency under a measure awaiting the governor’s signature. Advocates say the change is long overdue. Missouri is …

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Oklahoma Insurance Exec to Picked to Lead Louisiana Citizens Insurance

 
A former Oklahoma insurance executive has been chosen to head the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state’s property insurer of last resort. Richard Newberry has been named the new chief executive officer. The Advocate reports state Insurance Commissioner Jim …

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Senn, Ex-CEO of Zurich Insurance, Commits Suicide

 
Former Zurich Insurance boss Martin Senn has committed suicide six months after leaving the company under a cloud, a tragedy that comes less than three years after Zurich’s finance chief took his own life. Senn, 59, shot himself at his …

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RIC Taps Kaneko and Clansen in California

 
RIC Insurance General Agency Inc. has named Garett Kaneko senior vice president of sales and marketing and Tom Clansen vice president of commercial lines. Both will be based in California. Garett will work out of RIC’s headquarters in Santa Rosa …

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EPIC Names Tan Surety Manager in Northern California

 
EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants has named Nick Tan surety manager. Tan will be based in EPIC’s San Ramon, Calif. construction services practice and report to Brian Quinn, regional director of property/casualty. Tan will be responsible for providing surety consulting …

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XL Catlin Adds Rectification Expense Coverage to Contractors’ Policies

 
XL Catlin’s Environmental insurance business has added new protection to its Contractor’s Professional and Pollution Legal Liability insurance to help contractors and environmental consultant clients absorb the costs of fixing an issue or mistake. The new coverage addresses contractor professional …

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New York Police to Step Up Enforcement Over Memorial Day Weekend

 
The New York State Police and local law enforcement statewide will be stepping up patrols to combat drunk and impaired driving this Memorial Day weekend, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced. Memorial Day is one of the busiest travel holidays …

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New York Bill Aims to Expand Contraception Insurance Coverage

 
Advocates, lawmakers, and physicians are calling for the passage of a bill that would provide insurance coverage for all FDA approved contraceptive drugs and products in New York. The Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act would guarantee co-pay free coverage, allow access …

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PIANY’s Priority Legislation Introduced to Address CE Requirements

 
The Professional Insurance Agents of New York State Inc. (PIANY) said New York State Assembly has introduced a PIANY-drafted bill (A.10378) that would eliminate the need for agents and brokers to take duplicate continuing-education courses for both their individual and …

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USAA to Close Wealth Management Office in Philadelphia

 
The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) will close a wealth management office located in Philadelphia, effective July 19, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice the company filed this month with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and …

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NOAA’s 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast: 45% Chance of Near-Normal; 30% Above Normal

 
Forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center say the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30, will most likely be near-normal, but they also say this season is particularly difficult to pin down because there is …

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Travelers & Novae Join Lloyd’s Construction Consortium; Capacity Rises to $320M

 
Two insurers, Travelers and Novae, have joined the Construction Consortium at Lloyd’s to offer greatly increased underwriting capacity for the largest construction risks in the world across all major onshore construction and engineering risk categories. The consortium was launched in …

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Missouri Insurance Regulator: Aetna/Humana Deal Would Limit Competition

 
Missouri’s insurance department has dealt a setback to a proposal by the nation’s third-largest health insurer to buy another insurance company. State Insurance Director John Huff says Aetna’s planned purchase of Humana would sap competition from an already concentrated market. …

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North Dakota Governor: Oil Industry ‘Solid’

 
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple told industry and government officials on May 25 that the state’s unprecedented oil boom that made it the economic darling of the nation is far from going bust. “From our perspective, we think that this …

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Arkansas Court Backs $3M Judgment Against Gerber over Workers’ Time

 
Arkansas’ highest court says a baby food manufacturer must pay more than $3 million to workers for the time they spent dressing and undressing into uniforms and protective gear. The state Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s ruling that Gerber …

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Flooded Homeowners Allege Negligence in Suit Against City of Houston

 
A citizen’s group and homeowners who have recently suffered repeat flood damage sued Houston, Texas, in federal court, alleging the city backed improvements at a commercial development they say were made without putting in adequate drainage. Residents Against Flooding and …

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Hackers Target 12 SE Asian Banks, Revealing Campaign Against SWIFT Network

 
Investigators are examining possible computer breaches at as many as 12 banks linked to SWIFT’s global payments network that have irregularities similar to those in the theft of $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank, according to a person familiar …

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Heffernan Names Northington Assistant Vice President in Southern California

 
Heffernan Insurance Brokers has named Paula Northington assistant vice president of employee benefits in its Orange County, Calif. office. Northington began her career in the financial services industry with Private Ledger Financial Services. She moved into a leadership role at …

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Early Season Storm Could Roil Southeast Coast’s Memorial Day Weekend

 
A storm that would be named Bonnie threatens holiday cookouts and celebrations along the U.S. coast from North Carolina to Georgia over the Memorial Day weekend. If the low-pressure system now northeast of the Bahamas develops, it will become the …

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With Hurricane Season About to Open, Forecasters Keeping Eye on East Coast

 
When the Atlantic  hurricane season starts next week, the most active area might just be off the U.S. East Coast. At this time of year, passing cold fronts that linger over waters warmed by the late spring sun can trigger …

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Ropner Insurance Services Appoints 6 New Brokers as Part of Ongoing Expansion

 
Ropner Insurance Services Ltd., the Lloyd’s and London market broker, has appointed six new brokers as part of its ongoing expansion, following the Global Risk Partners Ltd.-backed management buyout last year: Gary Watson and Stewart Alliston have joined the international …

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Jury Sides with Google; Oracle Loses $9 Billion Copyright Claim

 
Google won a jury verdict that kills Oracle Corp.’s claim to a $9 billion slice of the search giant’s Android phone business. Oracle contended that Google needed a license to use its Java programming language to develop Android, the operating …

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AXA Sells SunLife, Names Top Team Including Harlin as CFO, Olivier to Lead P/C

 
AXA SA sold its SunLife unit in the U.K. to Phoenix Group Holdings and announced the top-management team that will work with incoming Chief Executive Officer Thomas Buberl when he takes the helm in September. Gerald Harlin will become group …

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Towergate Underwriting Launches Specialty London Markets Division

 
Towergate Underwriting has formed a Specialty London Markets underwriting division, by hiring two market leading talents in this important and undeveloped specialist opportunity for the group. John Murphy and Glenn Marshall will join upon leaving DUAL, an international underwriting agency, …

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Credit Suisse Sells Operational Risk Bonds, Insuring Rogue Trading, Cyber Crime

 
Credit Suisse has sold bonds worth 220 million Swiss francs ($222 million) to help insure against certain operational risks such as rogue trading and cyber crime, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The bonds were marketed to asset managers, …

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Liability Insurer Accuses Surgical Robot Maker of Hiding Injury Claims

 
It’s health insurers’ cardinal rule: disclose pre-existing conditions. Now comes a case in which that familiar decree involves not a patient, but rather a $1.5 million surgical robot known as the da Vinci system. Two insurance companies say da Vinci’s …

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Hurricane Center Updating Storm Surge Maps for North Carolina’s Outer Banks

 
New storm surge maps for the Outer Banks of North Carolina will be available this summer. The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk reported that the National Hurricane Center will release the maps to predict where and how deep flooding would be in …

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Texas’ Coastal Wind Insurer Expects $4.9B in Funds for 2016 Hurricane Season

 
While its reinsurance plans for the 2016 hurricane season haven’t yet been nailed down, Texas’ insurance company of last resort for wind and hail along the Texas coast expects to have around $4.9 billion in available funds for paying claims …

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Unsealed Records Show Drug Firms Flooded Rural West Virginia With Painkillers

 
Information about pill shipments that prescription drug distributors being sued by the state had sought to keep secret show that the firms flooded rural West Virginia with hundreds of thousands of painkillers. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports a Boone County judge …

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Judge: Plaintiffs in University of Tennessee Discrimination Suit Owed $460K in Fees

 
A federal judge has recommended that former Tennessee associate director of sports medicine Jenny Moshak and two ex-Lady Volunteers strength coaches should recover more than $460,000 in attorneys’ fees as part of the settlement in their lawsuit against the university. …

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Oklahoma Insurance Regulators: No Authority to Approve ACA Rate Hikes

 
The Oklahoma Insurance Department does not have statutory authority to approve or deny rate increases filed by insurers on the federal health insurance exchange, state regulators say. Oklahoma, along with Texas, Missouri, Alabama and Wyoming, is a direct enforcement state …

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Indiana Department of Insurance Approves Anthem’s Cigna Acquisition

 
The health insurer Anthem Inc. announced it has received approval from Indiana Department of Insurance Commissioner Stephen W. Robertson for the acquisition of Cigna HealthCare of Indiana Inc., a subsidiary of Cigna Corp. On July 23, 2015 Anthem and Cigna …

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Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill Closer to Passage in Ohio

 
A proposal to legalize medical marijuana in Ohio has squeaked through a critical Senate panel over opposition of some Republicans and Democrats. The Senate Government Oversight & Reform Committee’s 7-to-5 vote sets the stage for probable passage of the bill …

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Sanchez Appointed Vice President at Texas-Based LevelFirst

 
LevelFirst, the wholesale broker and MGA binding facility owned by IIAT Services Co., has named Kelley Sanchez as vice president. Sanchez will underwrite new business opportunities with the Transportation Division. She has more than 10 years’ experience in the industry. Sanchez …

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Stortzum Joins Alliant’s ProQuest Division in Chicago

 
Lawyers professional liability specialist Nate Stortzum has joined the ProQuest division of Alliant Insurance Services as vice president. Stortzum is based in Chicago Prior to joining ProQuest, Stortzum was Midwest regional manager for the IronPro division of Ironshore. There, he was …

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Washington Summit Inserts Insurance Industry into Climate Change Discussion

 
It may not be a climate change summit for the ages like the meeting in Paris last year in which world leaders hashed out a historic agreement to reduce carbon emissions, but it does have two things in common with …

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RIC Names Dahl Personal Lines Manager in Nevada

 
RIC Insurance General Agency Inc. has named Gary Dahl its personal lines manager. Dahl will be based at RIC’s Reno, Nev. office and will report to Jeff Gans, chief operating officer. Dahl has more than 30 years of personal lines …

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The Unpleasantness of Selling and Buying Insurance

 
Do you have a minute to talk about your death? It isn’t easy to sell life insurance. Investing in a mutual fund, you feel like you’re saving money. Purchasing insurance, you feel like you’re spending it. “It’s not a pleasant …

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California School District Aide Busted for Felony Workers’ Comp Fraud

 
An employee of a Southern California school district has been arrested on charges of workers’ compensation fraud for allegedly racking up $33,000 in treatments and disability payments. Juanita Denise Schmittle, 50, of Baldwin Park, Calif., was arrested by California Department …

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Ironshore Names Houvenagle Wholesale Branch Executive for West Coast

 
Ironshore Inc. has named Tara Houvenagle wholesale West branch executive for the Western region. Houvenagle, who is based in Ironshore’s St. Louis, Mo. office, will report to Joseph L. Boren, president of U.S. field operations. In her additional role as …

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Massachusetts AG Launches Child Labor Awareness Initiative

 
With summer jobs approaching, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has launched an effort to educate teenagers, parents, and employers about the state’s youth employment laws. “Because of committed employers across Massachusetts, tens of thousands of young people will have an …

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Massachusetts Emergency Workers Responding to More Opioid Overdoses

 
It all starts with a $20 to $30 purchase. That’s the average street price of heroin today, according to Framingham, Massachusetts, Police. But if that one purchase is a bad batch, too strong, or if the user injects too much, …

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Tornadoes Destroy Homes in Western Kansas, Damage Assessment Begins

 
Crews were evaluating the damage Wednesday after tornadoes destroyed several homes and left two people critically injured in western Kansas as a series of severe storms swept across the Plains. Meanwhile, one person drowned in central Oklahoma after a vehicle …

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North Dakota Company Settles Federal Racial Discrimination Suit for $250K

 
A Williston, N.D.-based oil field service company will pay $250,000 to a worker it fired after he complained of harassment to settle a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The lawsuit filed a year …

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Omaha Bills Minnesota Excavator that Struck Gas Line, Causing Explosion

 
The city of Omaha, Neb., has billed a Minnesota excavation company nearly $104,000 for the costs of fighting a fire that erupted after a natural gas explosion. The city and safety regulators say North Central Service of Bemidji, Minn., workers …

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House Lawmakers Kill Louisiana License Plate Reader Proposal

 
Lawmakers in the House have spurned a proposed program that would allow law enforcement agencies to automatically scan motorists’ license plates. The House and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 7-3 to kill the Senate-backed bill by Lake Charles Sen. Ronnie Johns, …

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South Dakota Reminds Surplus Lines Insurance Brokers of Policy Filing Changes

 
The South Dakota Division of Insurance has issued a bulletin to surplus lines insurance brokers of changes in store for the filing of surplus lines policies. The changes are due to the wind down of the Nonadmitted Insurance Multi-State Agreement …

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More than 200 Homes Damaged in Wyoming Flooding

 
Officials say four homes were destroyed and 200 more were damaged by flooding in Wyoming. The Ranger reported that the American Red Cross says flood waters in the Wind River Basin destroyed the Fremont County homes in early May. The …

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Oregon Church Sued for $5M for Alleged Unreported Abuse

 
A woman is suing a northwestern Oregon church over claims that its leaders kept quiet about reports from her daughter that she was being sexually abused by her father. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that the $5 million suit filed this week says …

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Johnson & Johnson Gets Sued by California over Marketing for Pelvic Mesh

 
California has accused Johnson & Johnson of failing to warn doctors and patients about the severity and frequency of complications associated with its pelvic mesh devices. According to the lawsuit filed by the state’s attorney general on Tuesday, J&J and …

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EPIC Adds Perata to Golf Insurance Services Team in California

 
EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants has named Jake Perata an insurance broker/producer for the firm’s Sacramento, Calif.-based golf insurance services practice. Perata is responsible for new business development and the design and management of insurance and risk management programs for golf industry …

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Loan Data Discredits View That Millennials Do Not Want Cars

 
Millennials are less interested than older folks in owning their own cars, right? Wrong, according to auto loan data showing young Americans are increasingly active in the car buying market. Despite the widely-held belief that millennials will become an increasingly …

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Congress on Brink of First Update to Toxic Chemical Law in 40 Years

 
Legislation with bipartisan support that would revamp U.S. chemical safety law for the first time in decades is advancing in Congress, winning overwhelming passage in the House of Representatives as backers sought quick Senate action. Senate leadership aides said the …

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Travelers Promotes Toczydlowski to President, Business Insurance; Spadorcia Retires from Personal Insurance

 
The Travelers Companies Inc. announced that Greg Toczydlowski, executive vice president, has been promoted to president of Business Insurance. Toczydlowski most recently served as executive vice president and president, Small Commercial, Business Insurance Technology and Operations. Since joining Travelers in 1990, …

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Kids’ Car Seats, Ridesharing Popularity Prompt Focus on Back Seat Safety

 
Crash-test dummies, who have dutifully endured thousands of simulated accidents from the front seat, are about to get a ride in the back. Regulators are making the move as part of a new emphasis on the safety of back-seat passengers, …

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Hulk Hogan Privacy Suit Enjoys Litigation Financing from Tech Billionaire Thiel

 
Billionaire investor Peter Thiel is helping wrestler Hulk Hogan bankroll his lawsuit against Gawker Media, according to a report in Forbes. Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, in March won a $140 million jury verdict against Gawker in a …

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Are Ridesharing Drivers Safer Than Average American Drivers?

 
Ridesharing drivers are safer drivers than the average American behind the wheel, according to research by Boston-based Aite Group. The researchers, using driving analytics data, conclude that average consumers are safer catching an Uber or a Lyft or entrusting their kids …

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Global Risk Partners Completes Acquisition of LONMAR

 
Global Risk Partners Ltd., the insurance broking and managing general agency (MGA) investment vehicle, has completed its backing of the management buyout of LONMAR Global Risks, the London-based specialist Lloyd’s broker. Originally announced last month, the transaction was subject to regulatory …

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Dutch Insurer NN Group Plans to Buy Back Shares Worth $559 Million

 
NN Group NV, the second-biggest Dutch insurer, said it will buy back as much as 500 million euros ($559 million) of shares over the 12 months from June as it returns excess capital to investors. First-quarter operating profit was little …

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Long Named Marketform’s Claims Director, Moving from XL Catlin

 
Marketform, the specialist Lloyd’s insurer, announce it has appointed Sharon Long to its executive team as claims director. Long’s appointment further strengthens the new leadership team that is driving the transformation of Marketform, the company said in a statement. Long …

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Swiss Re’s List of Emerging Risks Range from Blockchain Tech to Human Cyborgs

 
A fragmented Internet, continued experimentation with monetary policy and another round of economic crises in emerging markets top Swiss Re’s latest roundup of emerging risks to watch out for. Beyond those top three, the reinsurance giant covers everything from human-induced …

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PartnerRe Reshapes $16B Investment Portfolio Under Elkann/EXOR’s Leadership

 
PartnerRe exited junk bonds and shifted funds into property as the reinsurer reshaped a $16 billion investment portfolio after being acquired by John Elkann’s EXOR SpA. EXOR’s approach is to focus on holdings that “we know and understand very well,” …

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Pennsylvania Advises Insurers on Arson, Insurance Fraud Reporting Rules

 
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department recently issued a notice to advise and remind insurers of their obligations under the state’s law in the reporting of suspected arson and insurance fraud. The department also said in its notice, “Arson and Insurance Fraud …

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ESIS Launches Healthcare Industry Risk Management Practice

 
ESIS, Inc., Chubb’s risk management services division, has launched a new industry practice dedicated to serving the claims and risk management needs of healthcare organizations and life sciences firms. The ESIS Healthcare Industry Practice includes a full range of claims …

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Florida ‘Drug Pusher’ Doctor Sentenced to 25 years for Patient Deaths

 
A federal judge in Tampa, Fla., has sentenced a 76-year-old doctor to 25 years in prison for the deaths of three patients who were prescribed pain medications at his clinic. U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore told Edward Neil Feldman …

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South Carolina Bar Sued For Overserving Motorcyclist Who Crashed, Killed Passenger

 
A bar in Columbia, S.C., has been accused of serving so much alcohol to one of its underage patrons that he became extremely intoxicated and crashed his motorcycle, killing a 19-year-old woman who was riding with him. The State of …

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QBE Appoints DeMares to Lead Latin American Growth From Miami

 
QBE European Operations has appointed Alfonso De Mares as Business Development manager for Latin America. Alfonso joined QBE European Operations’ International Markets division in April and will be based in Miami. Reporting to Tim Harris, director of Overseas Business Development, …

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Miami Artist Lawsuit Against Against Apple, Design Firm Dismissed

 
A lawsuit filed by artist Romero Britto against Apple Inc. and a design firm claiming misuse of his distinctive images and colorful style has been dismissed. Miami federal court documents show the 2015 lawsuit was dropped last week. No details …

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XL Catlin, A.J. Gallagher to Offer ‘Lifestyle’ Coverage for Art Collectors in New York

 
XL Catlin and A.J. Gallagher have formed an exclusive underwriting agreement to offer a lifestyle insurance program for young and new art collectors in New York City. The policy, known as “Five for Five”, features five specialized insurance coverages – …

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Aon Benfield Enhances Poland Flood Model

 
Impact Forecasting, Aon Benfield’s catastrophe model development team, has launched a new version of its catastrophe model to enhance understanding of the financial impact of floods in Poland. Aon Benfield is the global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor of Aon …

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Martin Picked to Serve as CFO at LCTA Workers’ Comp

 
Louisiana-based insurance carrier, LCTA Workers’ Comp (LCTA), has hired Christine Martin as chief financial officer (CFO). A certified public accountant, Martin brings more than 20 years of financial management experience to the casualty insurance company. In her new role, Martin …

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Investigators: Fraud Schemes Rampant Among Houston Tow Truck Drivers

 
Houston is a bad place to have to have your vehicle towed, according to law enforcement officials and insurance investigators. There have multiple reports of vehicles being towed and towing services charging victims thousands of dollars to retrieve their cars, …

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Oklahoma Commissioner: 4 Insurers Have 55% Earthquake Market

 
Data released at a May 24 hearing to determine the competitiveness of earthquake insurance coverage in Oklahoma shows that four insurance companies have 55 percent of the market in the state. That’s a concern for Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak, …

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West Virginia Motorcyclist Wins $500K in Suit Against Travelers, Truck Driver

 
A jury has awarded more than $500,000 to a motorcyclist in South Charleston, W. Va., who was injured in a lumber spill wreck. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports jurors reached the verdict last week in Larry Keeling Jr.’s case. Keeling’s attorney …

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AIG to Offer Crowdfunding Investor Protection in UK and Canada

 
American International Group, Inc., has launched a new product for the global crowdfunding investment industry. This new insurance product was developed specifically to protect investors on equity crowdfunding platforms against issuer fraud. Crowdfunding platforms enable innovators to fund their ideas …

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American Family Insurance Signs Baseball’s Jeter as Brand Ambassador

 
Madison, Wis.-based American Family Insurance has tapped Derek Jeter – retired New York Yankees shortstop, 14-time All-Star, future Hall of Famer, businessman and philanthropist – as the company’s newest brand ambassador. American Family Insurance said it will partner with Jeter …

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Feds: 6 Connecticut Men Staged 50 Car Crashes for Insurance Money

 
Federal prosecutors say six Connecticut residents have been charged with staging car crashes so they could make fraudulent insurance claims. U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly said Tuesday that five Norwich residents and one New London resident have been indicted by a …

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Oklahoma Governor Seeks Disaster Assistance after Severe Weather

 
Gov. Mary Fallin is seeking disaster assistance for two Oklahoma counties that were hit hard by tornadoes, severe storms and flooding earlier this month. Fallin sought assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration for Murray and Garvin counties. Damage assessments …

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Ohio not Tracking Insurance Death Benefits, Report Says

 
The state hasn’t tracked insurance companies’ payments of death benefits to Ohio residents to see if they are getting what they are owed since a national probe revealed large insurers were holding onto billions of dollars meant for beneficiaries, according …

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Liberty International Underwriters Launches Auto Parts Recall Policy

 
Liberty International Underwriters, part of Liberty Mutual Insurance, has launched an Automotive Components Product Recall Policy designed to cover first and third party recall expenses. The policy coverage encompasses critical, noncritical and after-market parts with limits of $5 million primary and …

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Arkansas Officials Question Health Insurance Rate Hikes for 2017

 
Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Allen Kerr says he expects to deny several recent requests by insurers to raise rates on individual on-exchange health insurance policies by more than 10 percent for 2017. Under the Affordable Care Act, requests for rate increases …

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PBS/NPR Documentary Adds to Criticism of Private Insurers, FEMA Over Profits on Flood Insurance

 
Private insurance companies working for the government’s flood insurance program have made hundreds of millions of dollars at the same time that thousands of homeowners are claiming they have been underpaid for damage caused by Superstorm Sandy, according to a …

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FEMA Vows Changes to Flood Insurance Claims Appeals

 
After learning some hard lessons from Superstorm Sandy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency says it is reforming the way it handles appeals from disgruntled policyholders in the National Flood Insurance Program. The October 2012 storm, spawned when Sandy merged with …

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Fisher Named Executive Director of PIA of Tennessee

 
Kristopher Fisher has been named executive director of the Professional Insurance Agents of Tennessee. Transitioning from director of Member Services to executive director, Fisher’s new responsibilities include: management of the PIA Advantage Services Corporation programs and products; management of the …

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Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia Names New Education Director

 
The Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia (IIAV) has hired Carter Hope Lyons as director of Education and Professional Development. Based in IIAV’s Richmond, Virginia, office, Lyons will also take on the role of executive director for the Virginia Association of …

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Allstate Debuts Insurance Coverage for Homeowners Sharing Their Homes

 
In a move to serve customers who rent out their homes on a temporary basis, Allstate has filed plans to offer home-sharing protection in six states — Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee and Utah — starting in mid-August. Allstate says …

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Candidates for Texas FAIR Plan Association Governing Committee Sought

 
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) is accepting applications for the board that governs the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan, which provides residential property insurance in underserved areas where it’s not readily available through the private market. Applications …

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Harrell Joins Ironshore in Chicago from Chubb/ACE USA

 
Ironshore Inc. has added David Harrell in its Specialty Casualty unit as vice president, casualty manager in the Chicago office. He will be responsible for building upon Ironshore’s retail distribution platform of Specialty Casualty product lines throughout the Midwest region, …

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Oklahoma Regulators Warn Insurers on Earthquake Coverage Hikes

 
Oklahoma regulators grappling with a massive increase in small earthquakes in the state linked to growing oil and gas production said on May 24 they were concerned with spiking rates for earthquake insurance coverage and diminishing competition among insurers. At …

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Oregon Transportation Needs Include Preparing for Earthquake Damage

 
A major fault off the Oregon Coast is expected to produce an earthquake, and transportation officials say preparing for that event needs to be a top priority. The Medford Mail Tribune reported a Cascadia Subduction Zone event tops the needs …

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Fewer Fatal Crashes on Wyoming Roads in 2016

 
Wyoming authorities say the number of people killed in crashes on state roads has decreased by more than half this year compared to the same time in 2015. The Casper Star-Tribune reported that there have been 18 fatal crashes on …

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Thousands of Gallons Spilled from California Oil Pipeline

 
Hazardous materials crews are cleaning up as many as 21,000 gallons of oil after a pipeline rupture in Northern California. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Shell Pipeline Co. officials say a response team is clearing contaminated soil and helping …

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Family of MLB Star Gwynn Sues Tobacco Companies in California

 
The family of the late baseball star Tony Gwynn, a Hall of Famer who played with the San Diego Padres, has filed a lawsuit in California accusing makers of dipping tobacco of causing his death from cancer by getting him …

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New York AG Accuses Domino’s Pizza of Wage Theft in Lawsuit

 
The New York attorney general’s office on Tuesday sued Domino’s Pizza Inc, claiming it is liable for wage theft by franchisees because the company used a computer system that it knew under-calculated workers’ pay. The lawsuit is the first by …

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Chubb Names Polyblank to Head UK, Ireland Small-Medium Business Unit

 
Chubb has appointed Ruth Polyblank, currently head of Marketing and Customer Strategy for the UK and Ireland, to the new role of head of SME (small and medium sized enterprises) for the UK and Ireland. Polyblank will have overall management …

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London Re/Insurance Market Faces Risk of Casualty Reserve Shortfall: PwC

 
There is a real risk that casualty reserves for business written in 2015 will run off at a loss in the future, according to PwC’s London re/insurance market review of reserve adequacy. PwC pointed to the fact that the strength …

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Canada’s Oil Sands Facilities Prepare to Restart as Wildfires Begin to Slow

 
All of the Canadian oil-sands facilities that workers fled last week as a wildfire spread are being allowed to prepare for restart as cool, humid weather has helped contain the inferno. Alberta lifted mandatory evacuation orders for the last of …

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Flood Damage from UK’s Winter Storms to Cost Insurers $2 Billion: ABI

 
Flood damage in Britain from winter storms has resulted in claims for more than 15,000 homes and businesses and is likely to lead to pay-outs of 1.3 billion pounds ($1.9 billion), the Association of British Insurers estimates. Three winter storms …

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Citizens Board Approves $2.46B Risk Transfer Program for 2016 Hurricane Season

 
Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s Board of Governors has approved a $2.46 billion risk transfer program as the state heads into the 2016 hurricane season, the insurer said in a statement. By unanimous vote, Citizens Board approved a package that …

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Encompass Insurance Exits North Carolina Personal Lines Market

 
Encompass Indemnity Insurance, an Allstate Insurance company that sells business through independent agents, has exited the North Carolina personal lines market. As of this month, Encompass is no longer renewing business in the state. However, the departure of the company, …

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Report Calls out Insurers for Half-a-Trillion Dollars in ‘Dirty Energy’ Investments

 
Leading U.S. insurers have nearly half-a-trillion dollars invested the fossil fuel energy and the electric and gas utility sectors, according to a report out today that urges state insurance regulators and board members of these companies to help move them …

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Vanbridge Holdings Appoints 4 New Board Members in New York

 
Vanbridge Holdings LLC, an insurance intermediary, capital advisory and insurance and reinsurance management firm based in New York City, has appointed four new members to its Board of Directors. Joining the board are Craig Farr, David P. Delaney, Jr., Jose …

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IIABNY Lauds New York Senate Committee’s Approval of Workers’ Comp Bill

 
The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York (IIABNY) applauded a New York Senate committee’s action to protect employers from surprise insurance premium increases in their workers’ compensation policies. The Senate Labor Committee approved IIABNY’s bill during its meeting …

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3 Baldwin & Lyons Senior Execs Resign; CEO Cites Differences with Chairman; New CEO Named

 
Three senior executives of specialty transportation insurer Baldwin & Lyons have abruptly retired and the insurer said it has retained independent legal counsel to review issues raised by their departures. For now, the Indiana-based company is disclosing few details about …

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240K Marylanders Missing Out on Health Insurance Help

 
It’s an unusual problem: The more people in rural areas Mark Romaninsky and his team help sign up for health insurance, the more difficult it becomes to find people who still need to enroll. “It gets harder and harder every …

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Risk Strategies Acquires John Buttine Inc. in New York City

 
Risk Strategies Company announced Tuesday that it has acquired John Buttine Inc., an insurance brokerage in New York City with a specialty focus on media-related businesses and services. Established in 1946, John Buttine Inc. specializes in providing insurance placement and …

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Appeals Court Throws Out $1.27B Fraud Penalty Against Bank of America Mortgage Unit

 
A U.S. appeals court on Monday threw out a jury’s finding that Bank of America Corp. was liable for mortgage fraud leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, voiding a $1.27 billion penalty and dealing the U.S. Department of Justice …

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3 Tornadoes Reported in South Dakota

 
Severe storms that crossed South Dakota led to reports of at least three tornadoes, including one that caused damage. The National Weather Service says a tornado in Tripp County on Sunday evening prompted reports of downed electrical lines and roof …

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AIA Urges Mitigation, not Regulation to Ease Oklahoma’s Quake Coverage Woes

 
In testimony submitted to Oklahoma’s insurance commissioner, the American Insurance Association (AIA) has suggested that the state look at mitigation, rather than further regulation of the earthquake insurance market in order to alleviate concerns over lack of competition. The AIA …

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Program Administrator SIS Appointed Lloyd’s Coverholder

 
Safebuilt Insurance Services, Inc., dba SIS Wholesale Insurance Services, a national commercial lines program administrator, has been appointed as a Lloyd’s coverholder. The coverholder undertaking allows SIS to access Lloyd’s syndicates directly, and expands the company’s overall capability to deliver …

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Fire Deaths Rising in Minnesota

 
State public safety officials say 57 people died in fires last year in Minnesota — the highest number of fatalities in 13 years. The Department of Public Safety’s State Fire Marshal Division released the numbers on May 23 along with the …

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Ohio AG Suing Roofer for Taking Insurance Checks, not Finishing Work

 
The state attorney general is suing a Cincinnati roofing company over more than a dozen complaints that the company took insurance checks but the work was either never finished or was done improperly. Attorney General Mike DeWine says American Property …

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Advocacy Groups Want Stronger Texting-Driving Ban in Oklahoma

 
Just six months after Oklahoma’s ban on texting and driving went into effect, advocacy groups are calling for even broader measures to curb distracted driving. Oklahoma was among the last states to pass a texting and driving moratorium when the …

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Everest Re Names Berry as Head of International Property Facultative Unit

 
Everest Re Group Ltd. has appointed Sean Berry as vice president and head of the Reinsurance Division’s International Property Facultative unit. Based in Everest Re’s Miami office, Berry will be responsible for worldwide property facultative underwriting, excluding business written out of …

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Disaster Fraud Rampant After Floods, Hurricanes

 
This year, extensive flooding has already affected parts of Texas and Louisiana. With more rain producing floods in the forecast for the southern part of the U.S. this spring, the likelihood of disaster fraud increases. Disaster-related fraud affects auto, homeowners …

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Labor Unions Searching for Strategies to Join the Gig Economy

 
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers trumpeted an agreement reached earlier this month to represent New York Uber drivers, saying it “gives organized labor an opportunity to shape the new economy in a way that supports and values …

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Beazley Expands Environmental Team in U.S. with XL Catlin, AIG, Ironshore Hires

 
Specialist insurer Beazley has made several senor hires to expand its environmental liability insurance team in the U.S. The Beazley environmental team now has 20 associates strong across the U.S., with local underwriting and claims contacts in every region. Chris …

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China’s Ping An Joins Global Blockchain Consortium, Led by Fintech Firm R3

 
China’s second-biggest insurance company, Ping An Group, has become the first Chinese member of a global consortium led by fintech firm R3 which is working on ways blockchain technology can be used in financial markets, the companies said on Tuesday. Ping An …

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Vermont Firefighters to Receive New Solar Panel Training

 
At the Vermont Fire Academy in Pittsford, Vermont, fire safety instructors are getting some training to deal with a new challenge — battling blazes on rooftops adorned with solar panels. A workshop at the academy last week focused on the …

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Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Adds 2 Senior Field Representatives

 
Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, has hired Sue Bonkowski and Mike Lawless as senior field representatives. Bonkowski is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and will promote targeted growth in western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and West Virginia. Bonkowski most …

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Insurers Rethinking $17.7 Billion Invested in Hedge Funds

 
Insurers have had about enough of hedge funds. Stung by market-trailing returns, the insurance industry in the U.S. is reversing course after more than doubling its hedge fund allocation over five years, to $17.7 billion as of Dec. 31, according …

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Chubb Focuses on Continental European SMEs with ‘Easy Solutions’ Proposition

 
Chubb has launched Chubb Easy Solutions, its proposition for brokers and their small and medium sized clients in Europe. Backed up by a dedicated underwriting team, Chubb Easy Solutions provides cover through a simplified underwriting process, enabling brokers to obtain quotes …

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Cyber Bank Thieves Stole $12M from Ecuador Bank in 2015, Using SWIFT System

 
Shortly after 7 p.m. on January 12, 2015, a message from a secure computer terminal at Banco del Austro (BDA) in Ecuador instructed San Francisco-based Wells Fargo to transfer money to bank accounts in Hong Kong. Wells Fargo complied. Over …

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Small Group of Bermudian Re/Insurers’ Drive Overall Q1 Premium Growth: S&P

 
At first glance, Bermudian re/insurance companies appeared to start the year with a bang, reporting a 21 percent increase in consolidated gross premiums written (GPW), according to a new report published by Standard & Poor’s. However, that picture is slightly …

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Soft Pricing, Capacity and ‘Market Fatigue’ in Medical Professional Liability Insurance

 
Are insurance brokers experiencing “market fatigue” in the medical professional liability line of insurance right now? Could be, according to Daniel Nash, senior vice president of Field Operations and Business Development for Ironshore. Even though pricing in the market is …

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The Villages Insurance Hires Shannon as Advisor in Florida

 
The Villages Insurance Agency has hired Jason Shannon as advisor for its Commercial Risk Management Division. The Commercial Risk Management Team specializes in protecting business owners and their employees nationwide. Shannon has been in the insurance industry for over eight …

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Britain Would Face Trade Barriers if It Votes for Brexit: EU Financial Services Head

 
Britain would face trade barriers if it left the European Union and its single market, the EU’s financial services commissioner Jonathan Hill said on Monday. Hill, a Briton appointed to the European Commission by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, stepped …

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Chubb Agribusiness Adds Product Withdrawal Coverage

 
Chubb Agribusiness has added product withdrawal coverage to its package policy for businesses that grow, manufacture, and distribute consumable products. The new coverage insures the expenses as a result of a withdrawal initiated by the insured or a governmental authority. …

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West Virginia Drug Diversion Squad to Aid in Fight Against State Drug Abuse

 
A new tactical diversion squad through the Drug Enforcement Agency will help north central West Virginia fight the state’s growing drug problem. WBOY-TV reports that starting next month the diversion squad will assist local law enforcement in catching drug dealers, …

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Mississippi Passes Law to Speed up Physician Licensing Across State Lines

 
Out-of-state physicians could get licensed to practice in Mississippi more quickly, under a new law. Gov. Phil Bryant signed House Bill 41 on May 16, and it became law right away. It adds Mississippi to an agreement among states to …

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Miami-Dade Approves Water Citations for Property Owners in Zika Prevention Effort

 
Florida’s Miami-Dade County is stepping up enforcement to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne viruses, including Zika. County commissioners May 17 passed an ordinance allowing authorities to take “necessary corrective action” during a public health emergency to reduce mosquito breeding sites …

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Herring Named Field Rep in California for Berkshire Hathaway GUARD

 
Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Cos. has named Traci Herring a senior field representative in Northern California. Herring is responsible for identifying prospects for appointments while providing information about available resources and new developments to existing members of the distribution network. …

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Former California Claim Adjuster Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $289K

 
Elizabeth Louise Brown, 48, of Canyon Country, Calif., a former claims adjuster with Explorer Insurance, pleaded guilty to two counts of insurance fraud with a white collar crime enhancement penalty for crafting an elaborate scheme to defraud her employer of …

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Washington Commissioner Fines Insurance Professionals $113K

 
Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued fines in April totaling $113,600 against insurance companies, agents and brokers who he said violated state insurance regulations. The list, which Kreidler’s office releases periodically, is broken down by insurance company and below that …

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Idaho Non-Resident Producer License Revoked

 
The Idaho Department of Insurance received notice from the Washington Office of Insurance Commissioner revoking the license of Randy W. Tate, a Washington resident. Idaho insurance code gives the director the right to revoke any insurance producer license that has …

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Texas Regulators Seek Data on Residential Property Hail Litigation

 
The Texas Department of Insurance has issued a data call to gather information about the cost of weather-related residential property claims and the incidence of litigation of these claims. The Regulatory Policy Division is collecting this information to assist the …

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Iowa Insurance Commissioner Sues Feds Over Failed Health Co-Op

 
Iowa Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart says federal health officials are unlawfully withholding millions of dollars owed to a failed health insurance co-op in his state. Gerhart, who is Liquidator for CoOportunity Health, filed suit against the U.S. Department of Health and …

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R-T Specialty Hires CRC Exec Sparling in New York

 
R-T Specialty LLC, the wholesale brokerage unit of Ryan Specialty Group LLC, has hired J.C. Sparling as executive vice president. He is based in New York City. Sparling is a seasoned property wholesale broker who has been in the business …

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Fraud Leads to 20-Year Prison Sentence for Houston Insurance Agent

 
Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson that a Houston-based insurance agent has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after a Texas Department of Insurance investigation uncovered an annuity scam, in which she bilked almost a dozen elderly clients out of more …

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Louisiana Governor Wants Oil Industry to Pay for Coastal Restoration

 
Gov. John Bel Edwards is pushing to get the oil and natural gas industries to pay for restoring Louisiana’s fragile coast by encouraging them to settle lawsuits alleging they caused extensive damage to coastal lands. The governor met with industry …

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New York State Insurance Fund Expands Pay-As-You-Go Payment Service

 
The New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) announced that it is expanding its pay-as-you-go premium payment plan, NYSIF PAYGO, to include additional payroll service companies. NYSIF said PAYGO is a simple and convenient way for eligible policyholders to pay their …

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Ex-Texas Coach Mack Brown Testimony Sought in Discrimination Suit

 
A former University of Texas track coach’s sex and race discrimination lawsuit has new life, and her lawyers are still pursuing long-sought testimony from former football coach Mack Brown and prominent current and former administrators as they dig into one …

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South Dakota Lawyer Says Auto Insurer of Misled Him about Policy

 
The former lawyer for a car crash victim accused an auto insurance company of hiding a $1 million policy that could have paid for his client’s medical bills during testimony in court. Attorney Jeff Cole testified in federal court in …

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Equal Coverage of Cancer Drugs Required Under Michigan Bill

 
Cancer patients and survivors are lobbying lawmakers to make Michigan the latest in a long line of states to require equal insurance coverage of chemotherapy regardless of whether the drugs are given by needle or taken orally. The push addresses …

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New York Auditors Find $3.45M in Faulty Workers’ Comp Claims

 
New York auditors report preventing 206 incorrect claims for $1.85 million in workers’ compensation and medical benefits last year while identifying 417 duplicate claims for $1.6 million paid over the past two years. The Comptroller’s Office, which keeps three auditors …

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Allianz Expands Entertainment Division to NYC With New Hires

 
Allianz Group’s specialist corporate insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) has expanded its Entertainment division with the appointment of four key hires, based in New York City. Allianz Group said this new team in New York City represents a …

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Magnitude 4.6 Quake Hits Central Alaska, Officials Say

 
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake rattled central Alaska over the weekend, officials confirmed. The U.S. Geological Survey says the temblor struck at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, and was centered 110 miles northwest of Anchorage at a depth of 78 miles. Police …

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Wyoming Hospital Headed for Bankruptcy after Numerous Lawsuits

 
A Powell, Wyo. hospital has filed for bankruptcy as it faces about 20 lawsuits over surgeries performed by a former orthopedic surgeon. The Powell Tribune reported that Powell Valley Healthcare’s board of directors approved filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday. …

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Washington Judge OKs Mobile Home Lawsuit Settlement

 
A Grant County judge has given preliminary approval to a settlement in a class action lawsuit filed by mobile homeowners against their landlord in central Washington. The lawsuit alleges that Royal Coachman Mobile Home Park, in the town of Royal …

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Oregon Hospitals Settles for $13M in Botched Water-Birth Suit

 
The parents of a newborn boy deprived of oxygen during a bungled water birth attempt have settled a lawsuit against a Portland, Ore. hospital for $13 million. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported the settlement with the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center is the …

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XL Catlin Hires Newick as Leader for Energy, Property & Construction Claims

 
XL Catlin announced the strengthening of its insurance claims team with the appointment of Oliver Newick to the position of global practice leader for Energy, Property & Construction Claims. Newick joins XL Catlin from Liberty International where he held the …

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CEO’s Departure at Mortgage Insurer Radian May be Rival’s Opportunity to Acquire: Analyst

 
Essent Group Ltd. may have an opportunity to buy Radian Group Inc., the rival mortgage insurer whose chief executive officer is stepping down, an analyst at BTIG LLC said. “Radian has no clear successor,” for S.A. Ibrahim, who said last …

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Pelvic Mesh Maker Alleges Doctors, Lawyers, Litigation Funders Schemed to Inflate Damage Claims

 
American Medical Systems, a major defendant in litigation over controversial vaginal mesh devices, is accusing “a pyramid of businessmen, doctors and lawyers” of luring women into unwarranted surgeries to remove the implants and inflate their damages claims. The company, a …

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Pennsylvania Regulator Offers Consumer Tips for Airbnb Users

 
Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller is offering consumer tips for both guests and hosts of home sharing sites like Airbnb, as use of these sites may rise in Pennsylvania with the state hosting two major national events — the U.S. …

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Aegon, Transamerica Owner, Sells $4.4B UK Annuity Portfolio to Legal & General

 
Aegon NV, the Dutch owner of U.S. insurer Transamerica Corp., divested the final 3 billion pounds ($4.4 billion) of annuities from its U.K. portfolio to Legal & General Group Plc. The transaction, which covers 27,000 policyholders, will release another 275 …

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Insider Raiguel Named General Re CEO to Replace Montross

 
The General Re unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. on Friday named longtime reinsurance executive Kara Raiguel as its new chief executive officer, replacing the retiring Tad Montross. Raiguel will report to Ajit Jain, who oversees Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance …

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Federal Reserve to Propose Lighter Capital Rules for Large Insurers Than Banks

 
U.S. insurers deemed big enough to threaten the financial system will probably face capital standards that are simpler and less costly than those imposed on Wall Street banks, Federal Reserve Governor Daniel Tarullo said Friday. The Fed “in coming weeks” will …

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Zika Epidemic Unlikely to Derail Rio Olympics: Munich Re Underwriter

 
Should the Olympics proceed in Rio de Janeiro in August as planned? With the lighting of the torch set to take place in less than three months, a handful of medical experts are calling for the games to be postponed …

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AXA to Stop Investing in Tobacco, Divesting $2B of Assets in that Industry

 
AXA SA, France’s largest insurer, said it will stop investing in tobacco and divest all of its 1.8 billion euros ($2 billion) of assets in the industry. The Paris-based company will sell 200 million euros of stock in tobacco companies …

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Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Adds Lawyers PL Program, Plans Other Product Launches

 
Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies is now offering a lawyers professional liability policy in California, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and the District of Columbia with ten more states planned in 2016. Available as either a complement to other policies …

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Alabama Jury Awards $20M in Medical Malpractice Suit Against Hospital

 
A jury in northeast Alabama has returned a $20 million verdict against a local rehab hospital. The Gadsden Times reports that an Etowah County jury on May 18 found that a woman received an overdose of non-prescribed opiates while she …

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West Virginia Town Issued ‘Do Not Drink’ Advisory Over Chemical Level in Water

 
West Virginia officials have issued a “Do Not Drink” advisory for Vienna water after the Environmental Protection Agency announced a new limit for the amount of a chemical present in Wood County’s drinking water. News outlets report that state officials …

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PartnerOne Environmental Adds Huitt, Maxwell to New Jacksonville, Florida Office

 
PartnerOne Environmental has opened a new regional office in Jacksonville, Fla., and added Michelle Huitt as assistant vice president and Marie Maxwell as underwriter. The new team members will help manage the PartnerOne Fuel Solutions program, a product that addresses …

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Florida Construction Company Owner Nabbed in Workers’ Comp Fraud Scheme

 
The owner of a construction company in Naples, Fla., was arrested this month for an alleged workers’ comp scheme, according to an announcement from Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. Raimundo Hernandez-Argueta, owner of Naples construction company Complete Framing Professionals …

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Wet Spring Hurts Kentucky Corn, Soybean Farmers

 
This year’s wet spring season is causing problems for farmers in western Kentucky who are trying to get corn and soybeans planted. The farmers said they have been hurt by the recent series of thunderstorms and torrential rains that have …

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ThinkRisk Transfers Converging Risk Program to Lloyd’s, Expands Offerings

 
Ryan Specialty Group’s (RSG) ThinkRisk Underwriting Agency has entered into a new underwriting partnership for its Converging Risk program with Lloyd’s of London. ThinkRisk will transition its existing Converging Risk program – specialized errors and omissions insurance for media, advertising, …

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Indiana Company to Pay $45K to Settle EEOC Pregnancy Discrimination Suit

 
Office Concepts, Inc., a Fort Wayne, Ind., office product and service store, will pay $45,000 and provide other relief to settle a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced. EEOC’s suit charged that …

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Whistleblower Lawsuit Leads to $190.5K Penalty for Illinois Employer

 
Federal safety officials say an Illinois company has been ordered to pay $190,547 in back wages and damages to a safety manager in a whistleblower case stemming from a Lansing, Ill., facility. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health …

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New York Health Insurers Propose Hikes for Individual, Small Group Rates

 
New York health insurers have proposed premium increases averaging 17.3 percent for next year in the market for individuals and 12 percent for small groups. The New York State Department of Financial Services often reduces proposed increases before approving them. …

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Massachusetts Police Wrote 6,131 Tickets for Texting While Driving in 2015

 
Massachusetts state data show that the number of people getting ticketed by police for texting while driving in Massachusetts has steadily increased since it became illegal six years ago. The state Transportation Department says 6,131 were given tickets for texting …

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Storm Damage Causes Toyota Plant in Texas to Halt Production

 
A Toyota Motor Corp. assembly plant in San Antonio that makes Tundra and Tacoma pickup trucks has suspended production due to storm damage from a system that dumped up to four inches of rain. Toyota spokesman Mario Lozoya says the plant …

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Hanover Stone Partners, UnitedLex to Offer Cyber Risk Management Services

 
Hanover Stone Partners, a risk management services firm, and UnitedLex, a business advisory company, have collaborated on cyber-security, legal services and other risk management options for businesses and other commercial entities. UnitedLex works with clients on their cyber-related risks through …

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Business Travel Fuels Growth of Uber Use in Arkansas

 
Business travelers needing a ride in Arkansas are increasingly using their thumbs — not to hitchhike, but to tap the Uber app on their smartphones. And despite class-action lawsuits by drivers and some job actions, Uber’s business has been growing …

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Louisiana House Again Advances License Plate Reader Bill

 
A week after rejecting a proposal to let law enforcement agencies automatically scan motorists’ license plates, a House committee has reversed course and backed the proposal that some called a money grab. The House criminal justice committee voted 8-3 to …

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Digital Benefit Advisors Acquires Minnesota’s Corporate Health Systems

 
Digital Benefit Advisors (DBA) a national employee benefits firm, has acquired Corporate Health Systems of Eden Prairie, Minn., expanding its footprint in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Corporate Health Systems’ executives, Mick Hawton and Al Hofstede, along with their 42-member benefits …

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Transportation Department Blames Pipeline Company for California Oil Spill

 
Numerous lapses in safety measures, judgment and planning by Plains All American Pipeline LP led to and worsened a major oil spill last year that fouled miles of shoreline and ocean near Santa Barbara, Calif., the U.S. Transportation Department said …

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Big Deal: Insurer Signs NBA Star Shaq as Brand Spokesman

 
Tennessee-based nonstandard auto insurance provider The General has signed its first real-life brand ambassador and he’s a big one: NBA Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O’Neal. In his brand ambassador role, the 7-foot, 1-inch O’Neal will represent the company in television commercials and …

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Swiss Re Corporate Appoints Gonzalez to Succeed Petrilli as CEO North America

 
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions has appointed Ivan Gonzalez as CEO North America. Gonzalez succeeds Robert Petrilli, who the insurer said has decided to leave Swiss Re at the end of 2016. The company said Gonzalez is moving from his current …

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Suit Against Airbnb Alleges Racial Discrimination in Housing Rentals

 
Airbnb Inc. was accused in a civil rights lawsuit of ignoring a Virginia man who said a host with the online room rental company had rejected his reservation request because he’s black. Gregory Selden, 25, sued in Washington Tuesday. He seeks to represent …

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Liberty Mutual Starts $150M Venture Capital Fund for Instech

 
Liberty Mutual Global Consumer Markets has formed a new venture capital initiative focused on technology and the insurance industry. Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures (LMSV), a $150 million early stage venture fund, is aligned with the innovation strategy of Liberty Mutual …

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Auto Insurance Customers Disappointed in Their Insurers’ Websites: J.D. Power

 
While overall customers are more satisfied with their experience shopping online for auto insurance, they are less thrilled with the websites of individual insurance companies, with only slightly more half saying they “definitely will” return to the site for their …

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U.S. to Hear Concerns Over Coal Mines’ Self-Bonding

 
The United States is considering whether to reign in a subsidy on coal mine cleanup costs and in so doing shield taxpayers from those liabilities, a leading regulator for the mining industry said on Wednesday. The program, known as self-bonding, …

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Soaking Up Insurance on a Sunny Saturday at the Carnival and Ballpark

 
While predictive models may not always hold up as well as we hope, luckily the weather forecast did for this sunny Saturday. After a hard week in the office, I was taking my boys out for a day at the …

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StarStone, Subsidiary of Enstar, Creates Australian Underwriting Hub

 
StarStone, the global specialty insurer and subsidiary of Enstar Group Ltd., announced the creation of an underwriting capability in Australia.  The new hub will operate alongside Enstar’s existing Australian operation, subject to regulatory approval. StarStone Australia will be led by …

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Wreckage and Belongings Found from Missing EgyptAir Plane: Egypt Authorities

 
Egyptian authorities said they found wreckage and belongings from the missing EgyptAir plane that vanished en route from Paris to Cairo with 66 people on board. Egyptian military aircraft and naval ships Friday morning found personal items and parts of …

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Arch Insurance Europe Names Shulman as President & CEO

 
Arch Insurance Europe announced that Matthew Shulman will be appointed president and chief executive officer, effective July 1, 2016. Shulman joined Arch Insurance U.S. in 2009 and currently serves as executive vice president, responsible for its Executive Assurance and Professional …

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Skuld to Acquire SMA/Gerling Norway and Its Hull & Machinery Book

 
Skuld, the Oslo, Norway-based marine insurance provider, announced it has signed a letter of intent to purchase SMA/Gerling Norway. The acquisition would give Skuld renewal rights on SMA/Gerling Norway’s hull & machinery book of business, which covers 6,000 vessels paying …

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Climate Records Keep Shattering with Hottest April in 12th Record-Setting Month

 
The number of climate records broken in the last few years is stunning. But here’s a new measure of misery: Not only did we just experience the hottest April in 137 years of record keeping, but it was the 12th …

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W. Virginia AG Announces New Initiative Against Prescription Drug Abuse

 
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey plans to purchase incinerators for the disposal of unwanted and expired prescription medication in a state that leads the nation in the rate of overdose deaths. Morrisey announced the move Tuesday as part of …

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Ascinsure Hires White as Underwriting Manager in Pittsburgh

 
Ascinsure Specialty Risk has hired David White as underwriting manager and assistant vice president. He is based in Pittsburgh. Within this role, White will manage and oversee underwriting of all new and renewal business. He will also work to enhance …

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Former New Jersey Agent Sentenced for Bilking $1M From MassMutual

 
A former insurance agent in Essex County, New Jersey, is going to prison for bilking Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company of more than $1 million in commissions and bonuses. A judge sentenced 33-year-old Stanley Jerome of Orange, New Jersey, to …

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Report: Florida Boating Accidents Increase, Fatalities Decline

 
A report shows the number of boating accidents in Florida sharply increased in 2015 over 2014, despite there being a 25 percent decrease in fatalities. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says in a statement Wednesday that the 2015 …

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Nenezian to Retire from Florida-Based NSI Insurance, Seikaly Becomes Chairman

 
Oscar Seikaly has purchased the remaining stake in Florida-Based NSI Insurance Group from long-time partner and company founder George Nenezian, who concurrently announced his retirement. A privately held insurance agency, NSI Insurance Group offers commercial and personal insurance as well as …

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Main Street America Group Expands Private Passenger Auto Coverage to Conn., N.H.

 
The Main Street America Group has expanded its private passenger auto insurance program to Connecticut and New Hampshire. Highlights of the Main Street Protection Auto program, which was first launched in South Carolina and Virginia last fall, include a lineup …

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Arizona Governor Signs Law to Close Agent Malpractice Loophole

 
Arizona’s governor has signed a bill that may fix a loophole that exposes agents who write auto policies to malpractice suits. The bill was written in response to an Arizona Supreme Court ruling in July 2015 favoring an Arizona woman …

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Jury Rules Cinemark Theaters Not Liable in 2012 Colorado Movie Shooting

 
The owners of a movie theater where 12 people were killed during a screening of the Batman film “The Dark Knight Rises” are not liable for the mass shooting, a jury ruled on Thursday, in the first civil lawsuit stemming …

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Wreckage from Missing EgyptAir Flight MS804 Found in Mediterranean: Airline

 
Authorities found debris from an EgyptAir Airbus A320 jetliner that vanished on an overnight flight from Paris to Cairo with 66 people on board, the airline said. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said “wreckage from the missing aircraft” has been found, …

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Idaho Insurance Department Pulls Producer License for Policy Fabrication

 
The Idaho Department of Insurance has issued an order to revoke the license of Meaghan A. Ruether, Meridian, and Rangewood Insurance LLC. The department alleged that Ruether misrepresented or fabricated information on 25 insurance policies. The department was reportedly alerted …

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Pittsburgh-Based Highmark Sues Federal Government Over ACA Payments

 
Pittsburgh-based health insurer Highmark Inc. is suing the federal government saying it’s owed about $223 million under the Affordable Care Act for losses in 2014. Highmark filed the lawsuit in a Washington federal claims court on Tuesday. The health insurer …

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Brightway Insurance Announces 2 Agency Owners in Pennsylvania

 
Brightway Insurance, a national property/casualty insurance retailer selling through a network of franchised independent agencies throughout the country, has announced two agency owners in Pennsylvania. Kate Gowen has opened a new Brightway agency in Lansdale, and Rob Richardson has opened …

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Allstate: Texas Hail Event Accounts for Half of April Cat Losses

 
The Allstate Corp. announced estimated catastrophe losses for the month of April 2016 of more than $600 million, pre-tax ($411 million after-tax). Half of the losses stem from one severe hail event in Texas last month. Catastrophe losses occurring in April comprised eight …

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UT Study Links Recent Texas Quakes to Oil Activity

 
A new study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin concludes that human activity has been a factor in earthquakes throughout the state for nearly 100 years. The study conclusions are in a paper to be published in …

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Lockton Acquires Outland Consultants in Connecticut

 
Insurance broker Lockton announced Thursday that it has acquired Outland Consultants, a global employee benefits consultancy in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Since 1998, Outland Consultants has worked with international companies to help assess and manage …

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Minnesota, Wisconsin Wine Grape Crops Damaged in Cold Snap

 
Vintners in southern Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota are reeling from a weekend cold snap that ruined huge swaths of their grapes. Temperatures dipped below freezing in much of those areas late Saturday and early Sunday, wiping out grape shoots that …

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Morrison Tapped to Head Ohio’s Workers’ Comp Fund

 
Gov. John Kasich has appointed the chief legal officer to Ohio’s insurance fund for injured workers as the agency’s new leader. Sarah Morrison takes over as administrator and CEO of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation from Steve Buehrer. She …

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Austin Riders Look to Craigslist after Exit of Uber and Lyft

 
After a car wreck last year put Akhila Sivakumar in the hospital for more than a month and left her with burns and bruises across her body, she was hesitant to drive again. So when the 22-year-old began to look …

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Federal Funding for Ohio Flood Control Plan in Jeopardy

 
Officials in northwest Ohio may be forced to abandon a flood control project or pay for it with local money as federal funding for the plan is in jeopardy. A review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in recent …

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Brightway Insurance Adds Agency Owner in Dallas

 
Brightway Insurance, a national property/casualty insurance retailer selling through a network of franchised independent agencies throughout the country, has announced that Peter Linke as a new agency owner in Dallas. The Brightway model offers independent agents access to insurance companies. …

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California Workers’ Comp Reforms May Have Decreased Medical Payments

 
Elements of California’s workers’ compensation reform law passed in 2012 may have contributed to the state’s 2013 and 2014 decreases in medical payments per workers’ comp claim, according to a study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute. The study, CompScope …

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Lawsuit over Colorado Movie Theater Massacre Heads to Jury

 
The management of a Colorado movie theater where 12 patrons were slain in a 2012 shooting rampage could never have foreseen, nor safeguarded against, such a seemingly random but meticulously planned and violent attack, its lawyers said on Wednesday. Towards …

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UK Banks Ordered to Update Cyber Security After $81M Bangladesh Bank Heist

 
The Bank of England ordered UK banks to detail steps taken to secure computers connected to the SWIFT bank messaging network about two months after a still-unidentified group used the system to steal $81 million from Bangladesh Bank, according to …

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Fitch Expecting P/C Commercial Insurance Business to Deteriorate

 
Underwriting performance for the commercial lines sector of the U.S. property/casualty (P/C) insurance industry is likely to deteriorate in 2016, according to a new report from Fitch Ratings. The expected decline would come on the heels of three straight years …

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Oaktree Capital & Egan Cut Ties After Failed Bid to Raise Funds for New Venture

 
Bill Egan, the former Bank of America Corp. banker who was working with Oaktree Capital Group LLC to start a reinsurance venture, has cut ties with the asset manager, according to people familiar with the matter. His exit follows a …

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Judge Allows Concussion Class Action Suit Against National Hockey League

 
A U.S. District judge in Minnesota this week refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed by ex-players accusing the National Hockey League of failing to protect them from head injuries and withholding information about the long-term effect of concussions. The class-action …

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Agents Seek Better Compensation Deal with Carriers

 
On a first quarter results call W.R. Berkley Corp. President and CEO Robert Berkley cited a growing and alarming level of tension between carriers and distributors, driven by what he called a fight to grow margins in the face of …

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Urgent Action Needed to Tackle Systemic Nature of Cyber Risk: Marsh & TheCityUK

 
Firms across the financial and related professional services industry need to take urgent action on their cyber risks, which present a “real and present danger” to the financial system, according to a new report published by TheCityUK and Marsh. Only …

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McGovern Leaving Lloyd’s as CRO to Join XL Group as Chief Compliance Officer

 
XL Group plc announced it has appointed Sean McGovern as chief compliance officer, head of Regulatory & Government Affairs, moving from Lloyd’s of London where he is chief risk officer and general counsel. In this newly created role, McGovern, as …

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Climate Change Will Raise the Cost of Canada’s Natural Disasters: Insurers

 
Canada will have to set aside more money to deal with natural disasters like wildfires, storms and floods as climate change starts to bite, the head of the country’s property insurance industry group said on Wednesday. A wildfire sweeping through the heavily …

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EgyptAir Plane, Flying from Paris to Cairo, Vanishes from Radar with 66 on Board

 
An EgyptAir plane headed to Cairo from Paris with 66 people on board disappeared from radar in the early hours of the morning on Thursday, reviving memories of the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 that went missing in March 2014. …

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NAS Insurance Enhances Cyber Liability Coverage, Lowers Rates

 
NAS Insurance Services has enhanced its NetGuard Plus cyber liability product. The new coverage features offer greater protection for emerging privacy and security threats for businesses of all sizes across a range of industries. The enhancements include: Unknown prior acts …

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North Carolina Regulators Order Duke Energy to Close Coal Ash Ponds

 
Duke Energy Corp. must clean up its coal-ash ponds in North Carolina by 2024 due to environmental and public health safety risks, state regulators said in a proposal that could be scaled back at a later date. Duke must dig …

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South Carolina Lawmakers Override Governor’s Farm Aid Veto

 
With dozens of farmers in the lobby and lawmakers cheering every speech, the South Carolina House on Tuesday voted to override Gov. Nikki Haley’s veto of a bill offering $40 million in state aid to farmers who lost their crops …

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RMS Opens New Office in Tallahassee, Florida

 
RMS, a global catastrophe risk management firm, has opened a new office in Tallahassee, Florida after the acquisition of HWIND Scientific in October 2015. According to a statement from RMS, the new Florida office gives it better access to the …

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Brit Taps Rodriguez to Lead Latin American Engineering Team in Miami

 
Brit Limited has appointed Yesid Rodriguez as vice president, Engineering, for Brit Global Specialty USA with responsibility for Latin America and the Caribbean. Rodriguez will be based in Miami, reporting to Juan Calvache. Rodriguez has more than 20 years of …

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Georgia Studying Semi-Only Lanes to Reduce Traffic, Improve Safety

 
Georgia transportation officials are studying how to add semi-only lanes for truck traffic on Interstate 75 between Macon and Atlanta’s southern suburbs. Georgia is trying to deal with a port of Savannah that’s expanding to handle more cargo and a …

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Wood Gutmann & Bogart in California Gets New Brand Identity

 
Wood Gutmann & Bogart Insurance Brokers in Tustin, Calif. adopted a new logo and created an insignia as part of new look for the firm. The firm said it worked with employees and partners to develop a brand identity that …

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Ultra Risk Advisors Hires Lexington Underwriter Reardon in Boston

 
Ultra Risk Advisors has Hired Mathew Reardon as sales executive for the Northeastern territory. He is based in Boston. Reardon brings more than five years of healthcare professional liability insurance experience to his new post at Ultra Risk Advisors. He …

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Monarch E&S Opens New California Office, Names Five New Employees

 
Monarch E&S has opened a new office in San Marcos, Calif. and hired five new employees to work out of it. The employees are: Michelle Mitchell, senior underwriter/broker; Janet Tharp, senior underwriter/broker; Dayna Herron, underwriter/broker; Chrissy Hellman, senior underwriting assistant; …

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KRA Insurance Agency, New Agency Partners Merge in New Jersey

 
KRA Insurance Agency, based in Springfield, New Jersey, and New Agency Partners in Parsippany, New Jersey, have announced that the two firms have merged, resulting in a newly formed agency, KRA Agency Partners. KRA Agency Partners will provide commercial property/casualty …

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North Carolina Home Fires Spike in April

 
April was a bad month for house fires in eastern North Carolina. The Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina tells local media outlets that 184 families were affected by house fires during the month. That’s almost a 25 percent increase …

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Aetna to Offer Individual Plans in Maine’s Health Exchanges

 
Aetna plans to offer individual plans in part of Maine on the Affordable Care Act’s health exchanges, bringing more competition to the market. A filing with the state indicates Aetna will join Community Health Options, Harvard Pilgrim and Anthem Blue …

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Insurance Noodle Appointed as Lloyd’s Coverholder

 
Insurance Noodle, the online, membership-based insurance placement platform, has been appointed a coverholder with Lloyd’s of London and is now authorized to underwrite and insure accounts on behalf of certain Lloyd’s underwriting syndicates. The position grants Insurance Noodle access to …

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New Hampshire’s Opioid Crisis Adds Urgency to Drug Prevention Education

 
As New Hampshire considers mandatory drug prevention education in all grades, the state’s opioid crisis has heightened the sense of urgency for existing programs that largely target teens. A proposal to require at least two hours of age-appropriate drug and …

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