Walmart Talking with Health Insurer Humana on Closer Ties, Possible Acquisition

U.S. retailer Walmart Inc. is in early-stage talks with health insurer Humana Inc. about developing closer ties, with the acquisition of Humana being discussed as one possibility, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Should the talks lead to …

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Youths’ Climate Change Suit Has Potential Impact on a Historic Scale for Insurance

A three-year-old lawsuit by a group of youths against the U.S. over climate change, which looks to now get a new trial date at some point this year, has the potential to open up lawsuits on a historic scale, according …

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Louisiana Senate Backs Higher Civil Penalties in Hazing Death Lawsuits

People who file civil lawsuits in Louisiana when someone dies from hazing could be in line for higher penalty payments, under a bill that won easy passage from the state Senate. Senators voted 28-3 Wednesday for Senate Bill 91 by …

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Texas’ Galveston County Looking to Elevate 200 Flood-Prone Homes

Preliminary estimates indicate that a hurricane recovery program in southeast Texas could elevate as many as 200 homes that have been repeatedly flooded. The Daily News reports that Galveston County commissioners received details about the plan on March 26 from …

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Nebraska Woman Sentenced to 10 Months for $300K-Plus Theft from Employer

An accountant accused of embezzling from the Nebraska Rural Electric Association has been sent to prison. Federal prosecutors say 42-year-old Sarah Batenhorst, of Lincoln, was sentenced to 10 months and ordered to pay restitution of nearly $344,000. She’d pleaded guilty …

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More than $1B Sought by Houston-Area Leaders for Flood Control

Officials in the Texas county hardest hit by Hurricane Harvey want to ask voters to approve up to $2 billion in bonds to fund critical flood-control projects, but worried Tuesday about potential roadblocks. Harris County, home to Houston, plans to …

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$1.27M Settlement Proposed in Ohio State Fair Death

A proposed $1.27 million settlement has been announced with the family of an 18-year-old killed in an accident last year at the Ohio State Fair. Court documents show the parents of Tyler Jarrell would receive $870,000, and the rest will …

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Third Person Charged in Waterslide Death of Kansas Boy

A man involved in the design of the world’s tallest waterslide into has been indicted along with two others in connection with the death of a 10-year-old boy at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas. John Schooley was included …

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Oracle’s Java Copyright Violation Claim Against Google Not Dead After All

A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday resurrected a multi-billion dollar copyright case brought by Oracle Corp. against Alphabet Inc.’s Google. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said Google’s use of Oracle’s Java development platform to create the …

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Chubb Invests in Startup Bunker to Develop Gig Worker Insurance

Bunker and Chubb are working together to develop new insurance products focused on freelance workers. Chubb has also become a minority investor in Bunker, committing at least $2 million to the startup digital broker and its focus on the small …

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Internet Advertising by Unlicensed Marijuana Businesses Upset California Market

Online ads from unlicensed marijuana shops are creating turmoil in California’s emerging legal pot market. State regulators have warned the popular website Weedmaps to take down ads from illegal sellers or face possible penalties. But the company says it’s not …

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Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires McGregor & Associates in California

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired McGregor & Associates in San Diego, Calif. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. George McGregor and his team will continue to operate from their San Diego location under the direction of Norbert …

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Flooding of East Coast Roads from High Tides Becoming Routine, Costly

High tide floods, or so-called “nuisance flooding,” that happen along shore roadways during seasonal high tides or minor wind events are occurring far more frequently than ever before. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have found that in the …

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New Jersey Doctor Sentenced for Cheating Medicare, Insurers Out of $3M

A New Jersey doctor who defrauded Medicare and private insurers out of $3 million has been sentenced to three years in prison. Anthony Enrico, a podiatrist with offices in Paterson, Passaic, and Elizabeth, had pleaded guilty last October to health …

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Some Tornado Victims in Pennsylvania Struggle with Uninhabitable Homes

God put Brian Cross’s home in a bubble. That’s his explanation for why the tornado that blasted through Uniontown and North Union Township, Penn., last month didn’t inflict as much damage on his Millview Street home in the city as …

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New York Court Affirms Gas Company on the Hook for Environmental Cleanup Costs

The New York Court of Appeals has ruled that KeySpan Gas East Corporation is responsible for costs to clean up environmental contamination caused by manufactured gas plants owned by its predecessor during years when there was no pollution property damage …

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Uber Reaches Settlement with Family of Victim of Driverless Accident

The family of the woman killed by an Uber Technologies Inc. self-driving vehicle in Arizona has reached a settlement with the ride services company, ending a potential legal battle over the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle. Cristina Perez …

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Integro to Buy Lloyd’s Broker Tysers; Integro’s UK Wholesale Unit to Use Tysers’ Brand

Integro Insurance Brokers, the New York-based insurance brokerage and specialty risk management firm, announced it will acquire 100 percent of Hawkes Bay Holdings Ltd. (HBH), the privately owned parent company of Tysers & Co. Ltd., a specialist Lloyd’s broker. Further, …

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Specialty Insurer Fortegra Financial Corp. Launches EU Subsidiary in Malta

Fortegra Financial Corp., a Jacksonville-based international specialty insurer and subsidiary of Tiptree Financial, announced the creation of a wholly owned European subsidiary in Malta. The unit, called Fortegra Europe Insurance Co. Ltd. (FEIC), has received authorization from the Malta Financial …

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UK Regulators Seek to Reassure Insurers, Banks About Brexit Transition Period

U.K. financial regulators sought to reassure banks and insurers that they can rely on a transition period to ease their adjustment to Brexit, putting pressure on the European Union to do the same. The statements on Wednesday from the Bank …

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Former Chairman of China’s Anbang Pleads for Leniency in $10B Fraud Trial

The former chairman of China’s Anbang Insurance Group Co Ltd requested leniency at the end of his high-profile trial in Shanghai for alleged economic crimes, including fraud and embezzlement involving more than $10 billion, according to court statements. Wu Xiaohui …

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China’s Ping An Plans $3B IPO of Financial Management Portal OneConnect: Sources

Ping An Insurance (Group) Co., China’s largest insurer by market value, is starting preparations for an initial public offering of its OneConnect financial management portal that could raise as much as $3 billion, people with knowledge of the matter said. …

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SoftBank Edges Closer to Buying Stake in Swiss Re Valued at $9.6 Billion: Sources

Swiss Re AG jumped after people familiar with the matter said Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp. is edging closer to buying a stake in the company, valuing the reinsurer at as much as 37 billion francs ($39 billion). Billionaire Masayoshi Son’s …

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Wildfires Cost Montana $240M In Visitor Spending, New Research Shows

University of Montana researchers say the 2017 fire season likely cost Montana about $240 million in visitor spending. The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research said Tuesday that 12.5 million out-of-staters visited Montana last year and spent $3.36 billion. Economist …

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California Marijuana Resort is Asking People to Light up Privately

Plans to turn the old California ghost town of Nipton into a marijuana paradise are on the back burner for now, although visitors to the area an hour outside Las Vegas are still encouraged to toke up privately. David Gwyther, …

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Hanover Insurance Weighs Selling London Specialty Unit Chaucer

The Hanover Insurance Group is weighing the sale of its international specialty insurance business, London-based Chaucer. The Worcester, Mass.-based company issued a statement confirming that it “is undertaking a review of strategic alternatives, including a possible sale” for Chaucer. The …

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Brightway Insurance Opens New Agencies in Florida

Brightway Insurance continues to expand across the country, opening new stores in Florida, Michigan and Texas this month. Two new agencies were opened in Florida: Dave Lego became the new owner of Brightway, Julington Creek in St. Johns, Fla. Ryan …

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Ransomware Cyberattack Still Affecting City of Atlanta’s Computer Network

Atlanta’s mayor says the city continues to operate despite ongoing troubles caused by a cyberattack on its computer network last week. City officials announced Thursday that the city’s computer network had been attacked by ransomware that encrypted some city data. …

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3 Month-Old Oklahoma ‘Left Lane’ Law Results in Dozens of Citations

An Oklahoma law forbidding motorists on four-lane highways to impede traffic by traveling in the left lane has resulted in dozens of citations since going into effect last year. Records obtained by The Oklahoman show that 60 people were cited …

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Chicago’s Promont Insurance Advisors Names Sharkey Agency Sales Director

Chicago-based Promont Insurance Advisors, which specializes in hard-to-place coverages, has appointed Patti Sharkey as agency sales director. Sharkey’s expertise and experience provide a critical component in Promont’s mission to create and support coverage solutions for hard-to-place risks through excellent customer …

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Texas Sets Workers’ Comp Discount, Interest Rate at 5.58%

The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation has set the workers’ comp interest/discount rate for April 1 through June 30, 2018, at 5.58 percent. This rate is computed by using the treasury constant maturity rate for one-year U.S. …

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Louisiana Bill Banning Forced Arbitration in Workplace Harassment Claims Fails

Louisiana lawmakers have jettisoned a measure that would have banned employers from requiring their workers to sign contracts that keep them from filing sexual harassment lawsuits in civil court. The House voted 50-42 against House Bill 578, with most Republicans …

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Schlitterbahn Co-Owner Arrested, Added to Kansas Waterslide Death Indictment

A water park company’s co-owner was being held in a Texas jail on murder and other charges on March 27 in connection to a Kansas criminal case in the death of a 10-year-old boy on what was promoted as the …

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How 2 University Researchers Hope to Protect Power Grid with Cyber Insurance Modeling

The failure of even parts of the nation’s power grid could cause rolling blackouts that paralyze health care, traffic and business systems. With the advent of “smart” infrastructures that send data to the internet, cybersecurity is becoming a prime concern …

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Family files Suit Over Teen’s Death After New Mexico Rodeo Competition

The family of a teenager who died after a bull riding competition is suing the organizers of the 2016 event. Brandon Charley died in Fruitland, N.M., while riding a bull named WhooWee. The lawsuit filed in state district court claims …

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Pot Landlord Sues Southern California City Over Marijuana Regulations

A woman who owns a business that claims to be California’s largest landlord of marijuana businesses sued the city of San Bernardino to overturn its pot regulation ordinance that could bar her from the industry. Stephanie Smith, the owner of …

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Uber Won’t Renew Autonomous-Vehicle License for California

Uber Technologies Inc. won’t renew a license to operate self-driving cars in California while the company evaluates how one of its vehicles killed a pedestrian in Arizona last week. The San Francisco-based company told the California Department of Motor Vehicles …

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U.S. Launches Investigation into Fatal Tesla Crash in California

A fatal crash and vehicle fire of a Tesla Inc Model X near Mountain View, Calif., last week has prompted a federal field investigation, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said, sparking a big selloff in Tesla stock. Late on …

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Federal Energy Regulator Warns on Cyber Attacks on Power Grid

Hackers increasingly threaten sites in the U.S. ranging from nuclear power plants to water processing systems, according to a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, adding his voice to warnings from several agencies and officials in recent weeks. “Cyberattacks …

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Uber Settles Employee Gender, Racial Bias Lawsuit for $10 Million

Uber Technologies Inc. has agreed to pay $10 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by two women engineers who accused the ride-services company of gender and race discrimination. The settlement, disclosed in a filing in the U.S. District Court …

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Working with Physicians, Cigna Cuts Prescription Opioid Use by 25%

Health insurer Cigna said it has achieved a 25 percent reduction in opioid use among its customers as a result of a partnership with more than 1.1 million prescribing physicians. The company said it reached this key metric one year …

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Penn State Frat Video Shows Pledges Being Plied with Alcohol

Security video shot in the basement of a Penn State fraternity house the night a pledge was fatally injured during an evening of hazing and drinking was played in court on Monday and shows fraternity members plying pledges with alcohol. …

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Lawsuit Advances Over Rotten Beams in Delaware Townhouses

A lawsuit against Delaware’s largest private landowner and other companies is moving forward, saying “systemic concealed defects” are threatening to collapse the terraces on 63 waterfront homes that were built in part with taxpayer dollars. The News Journal of Wilmington …

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Connecticut Homeowners Ask Legislature for Assistance on Bad Foundations

Connecticut homeowners said they need additional financial assistance to help with crumbling home foundations that threaten to collapse their houses. Dozens of homeowners arrived in Hartford on Monday to support a bill that proposes every insurance company cover the peril …

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AIG Launches Travel Insurance on Demand App in Canada

Travel Guard Group Canada, Inc., the Toronto-based subsidiary of AIG, has launched a travel insurance app allowing Canadian customers (except Quebec residents) to purchase coverage in blocks of time through their iPhone. Customers can now conveniently optimize travel insurance in …

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Arctic Winter Ice Covers 2nd Smallest Area on Record, Opening Region to Shipping

Winter sea ice on the Arctic Ocean covered the second smallest area on record this year, part of a thaw that is opening the region to shipping and oil exploration and may be disrupting weather far to the south, scientists …

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Final Loss Estimate for Australia’s Cyclone Debbie Is A$1.7B (US$1.3B): PERILS

The final property insurance loss estimate for Australia’s Tropical Cyclone Debbie is A$1.7 billion (US$1.3 billion), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. Cyclone Debbie hit the Australian states of Queensland and New South …

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Brexit Effect: Lower Number of UK Financial Services Jobs Expected to Shift to EU

The number of finance jobs to be shifted out of Britain or created overseas by March 2019 due to Brexit has dropped by half compared to six months ago to 5,000 roles, firms employing the bulk of UK-based workers in …

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How Will London’s Position as Global Financial Center Be Affected by Brexit?

Is London’s position as the largest international center of finance slipping as a result of Brexit? London has been a critical artery for the flow of money around the world for centuries. The financial services sector accounts for about 12 …

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Biggest Scandinavian Bank Lowers Debt Costs for Firms with Strong Cyber Defenses

Nordea Bank AB will start pricing debt products to reflect threats to data as the scandal engulfing Facebook Inc. redefines corporate risk. Mathias Leijon, co-head of corporate and investment banking at Nordea in Stockholm, says his team has been thinking …

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Anbang’s Former Chairman Goes on Trial, Accused of Masterminding $10.4B Fraud

A Shanghai court accused former Anbang Insurance Group Co. Chairman Wu Xiaohui of masterminding a 65.2 billion yuan ($10.4 billion) fraud, using unauthorized sales of investment-type policies to prop up the acquisitive company’s capital. Wu ordered up fraudulent financial statements …

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Schlitterbahn, Former Park Operator Indicted in Kansas Waterslide Death

A Kansas waterslide hyped as the world’s highest was a “deadly weapon” that had already injured more than a dozen people before a 10-year-old boy was decapitated on it in 2016, according to a grand jury indictment unsealed on March …

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National Hurricane Center Gets New Leader

A meteorologist who aided emergency response efforts along the Gulf Coast after the 2010 oil spill has been tapped to lead the U.S. government’s hurricane forecasting hub in Miami. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that Kenneth Graham …

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Validus Specialty, Eagle Ocean America to Offer Marine Vessel Operator Coverage

The Marine & Upstream Energy insurance team of Validus Specialty Underwriting Services, Inc. has partnered with Eagle Ocean America, a full-service insurance facility operated by Eagle Ocean Agencies, to offer new hull, liability and ancillary covers to serve U.S. vessel …

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Chicago-Based Dentist Group Puts Teeth in Push to Curb Opioid Use

The American Dental Association, based in Chicago, wants dentists to drastically cut back on prescribing opioid painkillers. The association announced a new policy that “essentially says eliminate opioids from your arsenal if at all possible,” said Dr. Joseph Crowley, the …

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Holmes Murphy Expands Nebraska Main Street Program to Smaller Companies

Iowa-based Holmes Murphy has expanded Main Street, its captive insurance subsidiary built to give small businesses the same buying power as big corporations, to include businesses with 10 to 50 employees. Since its inception in 2014, Main Street has helped …

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Texas Oil Field Service Company Settles Oklahoma Pollution Lawsuit

A Texas-based oil field service company has settled a lawsuit with more than 100 southern Oklahoma residents who allege their homes and businesses were damaged by groundwater contamination caused by the company. Halliburton Energy Services acknowledges the pollution but disputes …

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Missouri Bill to Strengthen Workplace Arbitration Fails to Advance

A Missouri bill to strengthen employment contracts that require sexual harassment, discrimination and other work-related issues to be decided through arbitration has died an unusually early death that came as Congress considers moving in the opposite direction. At issue is …

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Workers’ Compensation Costs to Drop in Arkansas

Arkansas businesses will see a decrease in workers’ compensation insurance costs beginning in July. Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Allen Kerr today has approved a decrease in workers’ compensation cost of 15.4 percent in overall loss in the voluntary market and a …

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Fate of Flood-Control Projects’ Unclear 7 Months After Harvey

Large-scale projects long considered essential to easing Houston’s flooding woes went to the top of the area’s to-do list after Hurricane Harvey inundated large swaths of the nation’s fourth-largest city. Seven months later, local officials are still looking for funding …

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Startup Auto Insurer Root Raises $51 Million for Further Expansion

Columbus, Ohio-based auto insurer Root Insurance, which incorporates individual driver behavior data from mobile phone apps in every quote, announced the closing of a $51-million Series C funding round. Investors were led by Redpoint Ventures, with Scale Venture Partners and …

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Arizona Governor Halts Uber’s Self-Driving Car Testing

The governor of Arizona has suspended Uber’s ability to test self-driving cars on public roads in the state following a fatal crash last week that killed a 49-year-old pedestrian. The decision to block Uber Technologies Inc.’s autonomous testing is a …

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Markel Canada Appoints Crozier from Everest as President

Markel International, the specialist insurance subsidiary of Markel Corp., has appointed David A. Crozier to be president of Markel Canada, its business which operates across the country, with offices in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. Crozier will take up his …

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Union Mutual of Vermont Companies Promotes Three

Union Mutual of Vermont Companies, a property and casualty insurance group, has promoted John W. Amick, Anna G. Coon and Emile F. Willett Jr. Amick was promoted to vice president of claims, and Coon was named executive communications coordinator and …

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Hartford Approves Deal for Connecticut to Pay City’s Debt

Hartford, Connecticut’s fiscally distressed capital city, will get a much-needed lifeline after its city council on Monday approved a deal to have the state pay its debt. The accord, part of a broader oversight plan that state lawmakers agreed to …

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New York Copter Straps That Trapped Riders May Have Also Cut Fuel

The pilot of the photo-tour helicopter that crash-landed in New York’s East River this month said a safety tether designed to keep passengers inside the open-door flight may have accidentally shut off the craft’s fuel, causing it to lose power. …

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Jury Orders AndroGel Maker AbbVie to Pay $3M After Judge Rejected $150M

A U.S. jury on Monday ordered AbbVie Inc. to pay more than $3 million to a man who claimed the company misrepresented the risks of its testosterone replacement drug AndroGel, causing him to suffer a heart attack, though the jury …

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More than 50,000 British Drivers Initiate ‘Dieselgate’ Suit Against VW

Lawyers for more than 50,000 British car owners kicked off a lawsuit against Volkswagen in London’s High Court on Tuesday in a battle for compensation over a diesel emissions scandal that has engulfed Europe’s largest carmaker since 2015. The three-day …

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Ryder Rolls Out Commercial Vehicle Sharing Program

The sharing economy is coming to the truck rental industry. Truck leasing and rental firm Ryder System is launching an online sharing platform that offers fleet owners with idle vehicles the opportunity to rent their underutilized commercial vehicles to other …

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Cyber Attacks Pose Biggest Threat to Swiss Financial System: Regulator

Cyber attacks pose the biggest threat to the Swiss financial system with risks from hacking incursions on the rise, watchdog FINMA warned on Tuesday, calling on Switzerland to step up its national defenses against the menace. “The risks connected with …

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TMK Launches Cyber & Services Cover, Protecting Clients Against Cyber Attack Impact

Tokio Marine Kiln (TMK), the London-based specialist and corporate insurance business, launched Cyber Ctrl, a new insurance and services policy to protect clients against the impact of cyber attacks. Addressing an overwhelming demand for more comprehensive coverage and prevention services, …

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Brazil Adopts Law Regulating Ride-Hailing Apps, with Insurance Requirement

Brazil President Michel Temer on Monday signed into law a bill regulating car-hailing apps like Uber without vetoing any provisions. The law will allow local governments to institute rules for the services, although Congress had voted to eliminate more stringent …

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Mastermind Behind ATM Malware Attacks Arrested in Spain

The mastermind behind malware attacks that programmed ATMs to spit out cash on demand and caused more than 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) of losses, has been arrested in Spain. The leader of a criminal gang that carried out the …

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Georgia Close to Passing Distracted Driving Bill

Georgia is one step closer to joining 15 other states that have already made it illegal to hold a cellphone while driving. By a non-unanimous voice vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved a bill by Republican Rep. John …

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Report on California Workers’ Comp Shows 227 Medical Providers Suspended

The California Department of Industrial Relations on Monday issued a progress report on its anti-fraud efforts, including updates on the suspension of 227 medical providers from treating California’s injured workers and the dismissal of 292,000 illegitimate liens with claims valued …

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IMA Names Ewing Chief Operations Officer in Colorado

The IMA Financial Group Inc. has named Anna Ewing chief operations officer. Ewing will oversee operational integration, business process optimization and human capital management to better align business initiatives within the insurance, wealth management and capital investment platforms of the …

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CIA-Leavitt in Colorado Adds Sipla as Agent

Colorado Springs, Colo.-based CIA-Leavitt Insurance Agency has named Kate Sipla as an insurance agent. She specializes in commercial insurance and employee benefits. Sipla previously sold software for SocialChorus, HVAC and mechanical services for commercial facilities at ABM, and office equipment …

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Kidde Recalls 500K Smoke Detectors

Nearly 500,000 smoke detectors are being recalled by the manufacturer, KIdde. Kidde has voluntarily recalled models PI2010 and PI9010 due to a defect, according to a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPC) in a bulletin. About 452,000 of the units were …

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Lockton Acquires Benefits and Enrollment Firm E3 Solutions in Colorado

Lockton has acquired Jeff Connick and E3 Solutions to grow its employee benefits service offerings in the Mountain West region. Denver, Colo.-based E3 Solutions is an enrollment and benefits administration firm founded in 2014. Connick joins Lockton as a vice …

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Atlanta’s Computer Network Hit by Cyber Attack

City officials worked around the clock Friday to get things up and running again after a ransomware cyberattack that hobbled the city of Atlanta’s computer network last week. The city’s information security team noticed that something was amiss with the …

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Ocean International Reinsurance Opens Representative Office in Mexico

Ocean International Reinsurance Co. Ltd. has opened a representative office in Mexico to be headed by Rebecca Peña. The office was opened in Feb. 19, 2018, after receiving regulatory approval from Mexico’s National Insurance and Bonding Commission on Sept. 26, …

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1 in 4 Wisconsin Residents Binge Drink Once A Month, Study Shows

One-fourth of Wisconsin residents binge drink at least once a month, according to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study defined binge drinking as a woman having four or more drinks and a …

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Unextinguished Cigarettes Caused Fatal Fire in Minnesota, Investigators Say

Investigators say unextinguished cigarettes caused a fatal house fire in northeast Minneapolis last weekend. The Minneapolis Fire Department says the fire was started on the first floor by cigarettes that ignited a sofa in the living room. The cause of …

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Court Rules Release Form Protected Alaska Rafting Company in Man’s Death

A divided Alaska Supreme Court has sided with a river rafting company, deciding its release form protected it from liability in the 2013 death of a man on a rafting trip. The majority ruling, supported by three of the court’s …

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Jury Rules Montana Hospital Not Liable in Football Player’s Paralysis

A Montana hospital is not liable for the brain injury a 16-year-old Belt High School student suffered in a 2014 football game, a jury has ruled. Robert Back suffered a concussion on Sept. 5, 2014, and collapsed on the sidelines …

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Asbestos Concerns Halt Restoration of Century-Old Washington Hotel

Restoration work on a century-old former hotel in eastern Washington has been halted after air quality inspectors say they found signs of asbestos. The Spokesman-Review reported that the state Department of Labor and Industries stopped work on the Otis Hotel …

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5 Inured in Southern California Balcony Collapse

Four adults and a girl were injured after a second-story balcony collapsed at an apartment near downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Fire Department says the South Park balcony collapsed, injuring three women, a man and a girl. The fire …

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Pinnacol Issues $50M in Dividends to Colorado Employers

Pinnacol Assurance is distributing $50 million in workers’ compensation dividend checks this month to its policyholders. Nearly 53,000 employers throughout the state will receive a dividend. Check amounts are calculated based on the policyholder’s premium size and performance. The average …

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Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Greenberg Appeal Over AIG Bailout

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday handed a defeat to former American International Group Inc. CEO Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, refusing to hear an appeal he led arguing that the federal government illegally bailed out the insurer during the 2008 financial …

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In Reply to Cities’ Liability Suit, One Oil Firm Agrees Humans Causing Climate Change

A Chevron attorney said in court last Wednesday that the company supports scientific conclusions that humans are causing climate change, a response to a lawsuit that accuses five major energy producers of misleading the public for years about their role …

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Blockchain Insurance Industry Initiative, B3i, Forms Company Called ‘B3i Services’

The Blockchain Insurance Industry Initiative (B3i) announced the incorporation of B3i Services AG in Zurich, Switzerland. The company was formed by the founders of B3i, which previously operated as a collaborative initiative of 15 global insurers and reinsurers who came …

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Students Lead March for Stronger Gun Safety Laws

Thousands of high school students and supporters gathered in Washington and across the U.S. Saturday to demand tougher gun laws from an older generation that’s delivered little change after years of mass shootings. Participants in the March for Our Lives …

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Assisted Living Facility Staffer Accused of Stealing Funds in New Jersey

Federal prosecutors say the business manager of an assisted living facility stole about $237,000 from an elderly victim under her care. Marcella Drakeford faces six counts of mail fraud. Prosecutors say that beginning in December 2016, Drakeford agreed to help …

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Doctor Says Penn State Pledge May Have Lived If Help Was Called Sooner

A forensic pathologist testified Friday that injuries that killed a Penn State fraternity pledge last year might not have been fatal if fraternity members had summoned help more quickly. Dr. Harry Kamerow took the stand in a preliminary hearing to …

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Worker Dies in Massachusetts Furnace Equipment Supplier Explosion

An explosion at a Massachusetts manufacturing facility has killed one worker and injured another. Officials say the man was an employee at Advanced Vacuum Systems in Ayer, about 40 miles northwest of Boston. The Middlesex District Attorney’s office says its …

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Aon’s Mullen to Re-Join Artex Risk Solutions as CEO

Artex Risk Solutions announced that Peter Mullen will be re-joining the company in March 2019 as CEO-elect. He will step into the role once he has fulfilled his contractual obligations to Aon Captive & Insurance Management, where he has been …

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Cash-Strapped Papua New Guinea Gov’t Struggles to Help Desperate Quake Survivors

Almost a month after a deadly earthquake, Papua New Guinea is struggling to get aid to desperate survivors, having allocated just a fraction of its relief funds, while a rent dispute left disaster officials briefly locked out of their offices. …

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Legacy Acquirer DARAG Forms Partnership with Asset Manager New Nordic Advisors

DARAG, the European legacy acquirer, and New Nordic Advisors, a London-headquartered investment management company, announced the formation of a strategic partnership. DARAG and New Nordic will join forces in a number of areas, including the provision of legacy, active business …

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BHSI Opens Perth Office; Chubb’s Prindiville & Shepard Named P/C Underwriters

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced it has opened an office in Perth, Western Australia, naming Anthony Prindiville to lead its casualty underwriting and Mark Shepard to lead property underwriting there. “Expanding our footprint into Western Australia will enhance our …

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Federal Flood Insurance Renewed Through July But Reforms Stall

Advocates who have been pushing for renewal of the U.S. federal flood insurance programs in the wake of last year’s devastating hurricanes and floods praised Congress for extending the program through July 31. But advocates remained concerned that Congress has …

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The Death of Underwriting and Underwriters

Underwriting is not dying. It is just being automated into digital algorithms versus analog human beings. Technology’s effect on life insurance underwriting is easiest to show by example. It is also further advanced in many ways. For example, what if …

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IAT Insurance Acquires Excess and Umbrella Business from Rockhill Insurance

IAT Insurance Group (IAT) has reached a definitive agreement to acquire the renewal rights and certain associated assets for a book of surplus lines excess and umbrella insurance business from Rockhill Insurance Group. Rockhill is a subsidiary of State Auto …

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Liquidation Order Issued for Auto Insurer with More Than 42K Policies in Pennsylvania

A Texas court has issued an order of liquidation for Access Insurance Company, an auto insurer that has 42,785 policies in Pennsylvania. This means Pennsylvanians that currently have auto insurance through Access Insurance will have no later than April 12 …

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Hamilton Re’s Chief Underwriting Officer Lefebvre to Leave Company

Hamilton Re Ltd., the Bermuda platform for Hamilton Insurance Group, announced that Claude Lefebvre, chief underwriting officer, Partnerships & Casualty Reinsurance, will be leaving the company to pursue other interests. Lefebvre, who was a founding member of Hamilton Re, has …

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Chinese Tech Giant Baidu to Test Self-Driving Cars in Beijing

China’s capital city has given the green light to tech giant Baidu Inc to test self-driving cars on city streets, an important step as the country looks to bolster its position in the global race for autonomous vehicles. Beijing has …

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Bank of England Will Update Insurers, Banks on Latest Brexit Approach

The Bank of England said it would update banks and insurers next week on its approach to Brexit given that Britain and the European Union have now adopted a transition deal. “The Bank of England welcomes the EU Council’s conclusion …

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Utah Subway Shop Suit over Wrongly Accused Worker Dismissed

A judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by owners of a Utah Subway shop where a worker was wrongly accused of drugging a police officer’s drink. U.S. District Judge Dee Benson ruled that police in Layton did not implicate …

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Utah Governor Signs Legislation Allowing Terminally Ill to Use Pot

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has signed a bill allowing terminally ill people to use certain forms of marijuana. Herbert’s office announced Wednesday that he signed the measure allowing people to use the drug if a doctor has determined they have …

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California Chief Justice Expects an Influx Of Wildfire Claims

California courts are preparing for an influx of lawsuits tied to last year’s historically destructive wildfires and mudslides, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye told lawmakers this week in her annual “state of the judiciary” address. Cantil-Sakauye, who has sparred with President …

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Arsenic in Groundwater? Virginia Coal Ash Case Before Court

Virginia’s largest electric utility asked a federal appeals court Wednesday to overturn a judge’s ruling that the company is violating federal law by discharging arsenic through groundwater into surrounding waters from a coal ash storage site. Dominion Energy argued before …

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Thousands Without Power in New Jersey After Latest Storm

Thousands of utility customers remain without power in New Jersey following the fourth major storm to hit the state in three weeks. The storm dropped around a foot of snow in some parts before leaving the region early Thursday, with …

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Walgreens Agrees to $5.5M Settlement with Massachusetts

Pharmacy chain Walgreens Co. has agreed to pay $5.5 million to resolve allegations that it overcharged for prescriptions covered by the Massachusetts workers’ compensation insurance system. State Attorney General Maura Healey says the “settlement ensures that Walgreens does not profit …

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Attritional Losses Take Their Toll at Lloyd’s, Along with 2017’s Natural Catastrophes

The Lloyd’s market’s pre-tax loss of £2 billion (US$2.8 billion) in 2017 was partly due to hurricanes and wildfires in the third and fourth quarters. But these losses were exacerbated by the continued deterioration in its attritional, or non-catastrophe losses …

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Cloud-Based Insurtech Startup Insly Raises €2.2M ($2.7M) in Funding

Insly, a cloud-based insurance platform, announced an investment of €2.2 million (US$2.7 million), led by Concentric and Black Pearls VC. Founded in 2015, Insly offers insurance policy management for insurance brokers and agents, as well as MGAs and wholesale. The …

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China’s Fosun Still Interested in Acquiring Greek Insurer if Winning Bid Collapses

Fosun International Ltd came up short in its bid to buy National Bank of Greece SA’s insurance unit, but the Chinese conglomerate is still willing to swoop in if the winning bid collapses, albeit at a different price this time. …

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Uber’s Self-Driving Cars Insured by Old Republic

Old Republic International Corp., the Chicago-based insurer, provides commercial liability coverage of as much as $5 million for each of Uber Technologies Inc.’s self-driving vehicles. The policy covers bodily injury, death and property damage, an Uber spokeswoman said on Wednesday. …

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Daughter of Pedestrian Killed by Uber Driverless Car Hires Lawyer

The daughter of the woman killed by an Uber self-driving vehicle in Arizona has retained a personal injury lawyer, underlying the potential high stakes of the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle. The law firm of Bellah Perez in …

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JLT Specialty USA Names Dobos Leader of West Coast M&A Group

JLT Specialty USA has named Ted Dobos executive vice president and leader of JLT’s West Coast mergers and acquisitions practice. Dobos will be based in San Francisco, Calif. He has more than 25 years of finance, technology and insurance industry …

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$250K in Stolen Property Uncovered in Oklahoma Burglary Raid

An investigation continues in east-central Oklahoma after deputies found about $250,000 in stolen property while raiding a burglary stash house. The Shawnee News-Star reports that some of the stolen items discovered by Lincoln County deputies include several Purple Hearts, military …

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Michigan Oral Surgery Practice to Pay $47K to Settle Age Discrimination Suit

A Southfield, Mich.-based oral surgery practice will pay $47,000 to settle an age discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced. The EEOC’s lawsuit charged that Professional Endodontics P.C. violated federal law by …

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A.M. Best Removes from Under Review, Upgrades Ratings of Great Plains Casualty

A.M. Best has removed from under review with positive implications and upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A- (Excellent) from B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “a-” from “bbb+” of Great Plains Casualty Inc. (Great Plains) in …

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Amended Arkansas Open Container Law Approved

An Arkansas bill amending language in the state’s open container statute to comply with federal law has been passed by lawmakers and signed by the governor. Just last year the state passed an open container law making it illegal for …

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death of a forklift operator crushed between the machine and a 1-ton pallet of glass at an Ohio plant previously cited for safety violations. The Dayton Daily News reports officials from …

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Oppenheim Named Partner at JLT Specialty’s Construction Risk Partners

JLT Specialty USA, a U.S. subsidiary of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc. (JLT), appointed Jon Oppenheim as partner to Construction Risk Partners. Based in Atlanta, Oppenheim will be a key leader in the development of JLT’s national construction practice, the …

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Brown, Keith Promoted at TDECU Insurance Agency in Texas

TDECU Insurance Agency LLC, based in Lake Jackson, Texas, has promoted Brooke Brown and Toni Keith. With more than 16 years of experience, including four years with TDECU Insurance Agency, Brown will now serve as the agency’s Personal Lines manager. …

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Legislation to Combat Online Sex Trafficking Clears Congress; Moves to President

Congress passed a bill to combat online sex trafficking that has split the tech industry, bringing one of the first measures to weaken legal protection for websites closer to becoming law as Big Tech faces a mounting backlash in Washington. …

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County in Utah Filed Suit Against Drugmakers, Doctors in Opioid Crisis

Officials of a northern Utah county are suing drug manufacturers, distributors and doctors in an effort to mitigate the consequences of the nation’s opioid crisis. Summit County has filed a lawsuit in state district court against 25 companies and individuals, …

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Oahu Has Seen A High Number of Crash Fatalities in 2018

Police say a fatal motorcycle crash has brought Oahu’s number of deadly crashes this year to 15. Police said the total is almost double last year at this time for the Hawaiian island, when eight traffic deaths were counted. The …

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Women Sue Utah City, Former Chief Over Misconduct Allegations

Five women claimed in a lawsuit that the city of Provo, Utah and former Mayor John Curtis failed to take action to protect them from alleged sexual harassment and assault by the city’s former police chief. The city and mayor …

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California Jury Awards $2.3M to Former Pitcher in Hand Injury Lawsuit

A Northern California jury has awarded $2.3 million to a former Major League Baseball pitcher injured after confronting a man high on LSD trying to break into his home. Greg Reynold’s attorney, Niall McCarthy, says a San Mateo County jury …

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Pool Re to Extend Terrorism Cover to Include Non-Damage Business Interruption

Pool Re welcomed the UK government’s commitment to amend the 1993 Reinsurance (Acts of Terrorism) Act to enable it to extend its cover to include non-damage business interruption losses resulting from acts of terrorism. The reinsurer is currently restricted by …

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Spring Nor’easter Targets Northeast with Heavy Snow, Winds

A spring nor’easter targeted the Northeast on Wednesday with strong winds and a foot or more of snow expected in some parts of the region. Airlines canceled flights and schools canceled classes ahead of the fourth major storm in three …

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Conviction Stands for Delaware Murder-for-Hire Mastermind

Delaware’s top court has denied the appeal of the man convicted of masterminding the murder-for-hire killings of his business partner and the partner’s wife. The News Journal reports the Delaware Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Christopher Rivers’ first-degree murder conviction …

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Lemonade Enters Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. in National Expansion

Lemonade, the insurance company powered by artificial intelligence and behavioral economics, has launched in both Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. It announced the expansion on social media. These mark the sixth and seventh states in which the company currently offers renters, …

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New York’s Broome Co-operative Taps New Leadership After CEO’s Retirement

Broome Co-operative Insurance Company, a Vestal, N.Y.-based regional property and casualty insurance company, has announced two senior leadership changes following the retirement of President and CEO Steven Coffey. Following Coffey’s retirement, Siobhan Davey has been named president and CEO, and …

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Police Release Video of Fatal Collision of Uber Driverless Vehicle with Pedestrian

Police in Arizona on Wednesday released a short video of a fatal collision between an Uber self-driving vehicle and a pedestrian, as investigators probe the accident that has put new focus on the safety of autonomous vehicles. The video, taken …

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ISO Says Cyber Insurance Program Now Available in 42 States

ISO’s cyber insurance program is now available to insurers in 42 states and U.S. territories. The ISO program features advisory loss costs using 17 different rating variables, which the Verisk company says is more than three times the number of …

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European Insurtech Investment Growth Surpasses North America in 2017: Accenture

Global investment in the insurance technology (insurtech) industry surged in 2017, with Europe emerging as a new insurtech hub outside the U.S., according to new research from Accenture. The research, which includes new analysis of CB Insights data on insurtech …

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Driving in Snow: Difficult for Humans and Driverless Cars

A Canadian town known for its annual theater festival is emerging as a hub of “snowtonomous” research, as automakers face demands to produce self-driving cars that can perform in snow and sleet. But testing driverless cars in cold climates brings …

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Facebook Will Dodge EU’s Tough New Data Rules – as GDPR Is Effective in May

Markets had already delivered their verdict before the European Union’s data privacy watchdogs could express outrage toward Facebook Inc. And while the social media giant lost as much as $60 billion in value earlier this week, Facebook is set to …

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Aon Benfield Bermuda Hires Carpenter’s Meyenhofer as CEO; Fox & Davies Promoted

Aon Benfield announced a new hire and expanded roles for its reinsurance team in Bermuda. Matthias Meyenhofer will join the firm on Sept. 1, in accordance with his existing contractual requirements, as chief executive officer of Aon Benfield Bermuda, subject …

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Deloitte Tap Europol’s Wainwright to Help Run Cyber-Security Practice

Europol Executive Director Rob Wainwright is leaving the EU intelligence agency he’s led for almost a decade to help run Deloitte LLP’s cyber-security practice, as companies wake up to the growing “systemic” threat of cyber crime. The 50-year-old MI5 veteran …

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Willis Towers Watson Adds Chmielesk, Beasley to Corporate Health Care Team

Willis Towers Watson announced two senior appointments within its Corporate Risk and Broking (CRB) segment to strengthen its health care platform. Sue Chmieleski has been appointed health care industry leader, North America, CRB, where she will be responsible for strategy …

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Severe Storms Spawn Tornadoes, Damage Homes in Southeast

Severe storms that spawned tornadoes damaged homes and downed trees as they moved across the Southeast on Monday night. Forecasters warned that the storms could threaten more than 29 million people, raising the risk of powerful tornadoes, damaging winds and …

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Arkansas Cities Are Focus of Study on Limiting Pedestrian Deaths

A federally funded study focusing on two Arkansas cities will serve as an outline for statewide efforts to reduce pedestrian deaths. Two metropolitan planning organizations in Jonesboro and Little Rock are sharing a $100,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration …

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Outlooks Revised to Stable for Louisiana’s Stonetrust Commercial Insurance

A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb” of workers’ compensation insurer, Stonetrust Commercial Insurance Co. (Stonetrust), headquartered in Baton Rouge, …

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Damage Cap Upheld in Fatal 2015 North Dakota School/Bus Train Crash

The North Dakota Supreme Court has upheld a $500,000 cap on damages in a 2015 fatal school bus-train crash near Larimore. The bus driver and a student died when the Larimore school bus with 13 students collided with a BNSF …

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Lawyer: Ex-Kansas VA Worker Subject of Nearly 100 Sex Abuse Lawsuits

The number of lawsuits accusing a former physician assistant at a Veteran’s Administration hospital in Kansas of sexual abuse is approaching 100. The Wichita Eagle reports that Kansas City attorneys Dan Curry and Sarah Brown filed three more lawsuits last …

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$1.8M Settlement Proposed for Teen Hurt on Broken Ohio Fair Ride

A young woman critically injured in a deadly ride accident at the Ohio State Fair would get nearly $1.8 million in a proposed settlement of her claims against the ride operator and companies that had inspected it. A carriage on …

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Hornsby Named VP, Business Development for Plexas Groupe in Dallas

Illinois-headquartered national insurance brokerage and risk management consultancy ,The Plexus Groupe (Plexus), has hired sales executive Wes Hornsby as a vice president of Business Development. Hornsby is based in Dallas. Hornsby brings more than 20 years of sales leadership, business …

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UK Broker Group BIBA Forms Agreement with WBN to Help EU Clients After Brexit

The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) has formed an agreement with the Worldwide Broker Network (WBN) so that BIBA’s UK-based brokers are introduced to WBN’s EU-based brokers — thereby enabling continuity for BIBA members’ EU clients after Brexit. WBN has …

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DWI Fatalities New Mexico Fell 16 Percent in a Year

New Mexico’s DWI fatalities dropped 16 percent in 2017 from the previous year. Gov. Susana Martinez announced the decrease of alcohol-related fatalities from 173 in 2016 to 145 in 2017 on Friday as she said law enforcement agencies across the …

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Parent of Utah Child with Down Syndrome Suing Boy Scouts

The father of a boy who has Down syndrome is suing the Boys Scouts of America for blocking his son from becoming an Eagle scout and revoking his merit badges. Logan Blythe has been a scout through the National Parks …

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Arizona Sees No Need to Tighten Rules on Self-Driving Cars After Uber Fatality

Arizona officials said on Tuesday they saw no immediate need to tighten rules on the testing of self-driving cars in the state in reaction to a fatal accident involving an Uber autonomous vehicle that has focused attention on the safety …

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Chipmaker AMD to Release Patches to Fix Microprocessor Vulnerabilities

Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. said on Tuesday it planned to release patches to fix some of the flaws in its microprocessors pointed out by CTS Labs last week. Israeli cyber security research firm CTS Labs in its report said …

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Lloyd’s CEO Warns Insurance Policies at Risk Under Brexit

Lloyd’s of London Chief Executive Officer Inga Beale said insurance contracts across Europe will remain at risk unless there’s an agreement on how they should be treated in post-Brexit Europe. “Regulators across Europe can actually come to an agreement themselves …

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Agency Best Practices for Avoiding, Rather Than Winning, E&O Suits

Insurance agents and brokers have long been targets of error and omission lawsuits. It’s also true that most agents and brokers have sought advice of counsel as to how to win a lawsuit. They will often be told that the …

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Continuity of Europe’s Insurance Contracts at Risk Without Brexit Agreement: Lloyd’s CEO

Lloyd’s of London Chief Executive Officer Inga Beale said insurance contracts across Europe will remain at risk unless there’s an agreement on how they should be treated in post-Brexit Europe. “Regulators across Europe can actually come to an agreement themselves …

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SIAA Hires Klemm as a Contracts Compliance Manager in New Hampshire

SIAA (Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance) has hired Gretchen Klemm as a contracts compliance manager at its Hampton, N.H., location. In this role, Klemm will manage the day-to-day interactions with independent agency members relative to their ongoing commitments. Prior to joining …

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Keating Adds Workers’ Comp Team in Pennsylvania and Massaschusetts

Keating Inc., a specialty property and casualty insurance distribution company in the U.S., has hired Tim Palmer as a national managing partner within its workers’ compensation practice. Palmer brings with him a team of brokers to manage and expand business …

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Big Oil to Face Questions on Climate Change as Cities’ Abatement Lawsuit Proceeds

Five of the world’s biggest energy producers will be questioned by a federal judge on Wednesday about climate change science, part of a lawsuit that accuses the companies of misleading the public for years about their role in global warming. …

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Anbang’s Plans for Waldorf Astoria Call for Fewer Luxury Condos

It’s official: Anbang Insurance Group Co. has filed a plan for the luxury condos it’s developing at Manhattan’s Waldorf Astoria, and it calls for fewer apartments than the company initially aimed for. The Chinese insurer’s project to convert many of …

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Foreign Insurers Benefit as China Tightens Rules on Local Firms

When Zhang Xixi, a 25-year-old staffer at an online financial company in China’s southern province of Guangdong, decided last year to buy personal insurance for the first time, he was swamped with options. Local insurers rushed to offer him products …

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NuTonomy Temporarily Halts Self-Driving Tests After Boston Asks

Self-driving startup NuTonomy halted its pilot tests on Boston’s public roads after city officials requested a pause following the death of a pedestrian struck by a self-driving Uber Technologies Inc. vehicle in Tempe, Arizona. “We are working with City of …

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China Names Guo as New Insurance Regulator

China has named Guo Shuqing as the head of the newly formed regulator for the banking and insurance sectors, financial publication Caixin reported on Wednesday without citing a direct source. Guo had been the head of the China Banking Regulatory …

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More School Districts Buying Active Shooter Insurance

Insurance broker Paul Marshall can count on his phone ringing in the aftermath of a school shooting. Since the Feb. 14 shooting at a Florida high school, where 17 people were killed and more than a dozen injured, seven South …

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Judge Says President Trump Not Immune to Defamation Lawsuit Tied to ‘Unofficial Conduct’

A New York state judge on Tuesday said U.S. President Donald Trump must face a defamation lawsuit by a woman who accused him of sexually harassing her after she appeared on his former reality TV show. The decision by Justice …

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Here Come the Mini-Flying Machines

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a way to combine utrathin electronics with miniature particles, moving a step closer to creating microscopic machines, or tiny floating robots, that could be used to probe the human gut …

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Pembroke Managing Agency Gets Nod to Manage Lloyd’s Syndicate for India’s GIC Re

Pembroke Managing Agency Ltd., the London-based subsidiary of Ironshore, has been granted approval by Lloyd’s to establish and manage a syndicate for India’s GIC Re. GIC Syndicate 1947 has been granted permission to underwrite business, attaching on or after April …

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Woodruff-Sawyer Names DeVilbiss of Travelers P/C Leader in California

Woodruff-Sawyer & Co. has named Joel DeVilbiss the San Francisco, Calif. property/casualty practice leader. DeVilbiss is charged with driving the direction and development of Woodruff-Sawyer’s P/C practice in Northern California and has oversight of client service activities. He began his …

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Startup Agency Gabi CEO: ‘We Don’t Want to Eliminate Agents’

Editor’s Note: On Feb. 21, Insurance Journal reported on online personal lines insurance startup Gabi’s latest fundraising. (Personal Insurance Site Gabi Raises $9.5 Million; Now Selling in 6 States). In its description of Gabi’s business model, Insurance Journal wrote that …

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Tennessee Fines Chemical Plant $25K Over Hydrogen Explosion

Tennessee regulators have fined a chemical plant $25,000 for an explosion that shut down an interstate and put several schools on lockdown. WRCB-TV reported that the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Wacker Chemie for seven violations stemming from …

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Amarillo Hospital-Area Fire Causes Smoke Damage but no Buildings Burned

A wildfire that burned around 500 acres inside the city limits of Amarillo, Texas, has been contained but not before threatening the city’s regional medical center. The fire was one of several that have plagued the Texas panhandle in the …

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Service Insurance Holdings Acquires Oklahoma’s American Healthcare Indemnity

Service Insurance Holdings Inc. (SIHI), parent of Texas-based workers’ compensation insurer, Service Lloyds Insurance Co., has acquired American Healthcare Indemnity Co. (AHIC), an Oklahoma-based insurer. The new entity will be rebranded as Service American Indemnity Co. The acquisition is a …

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Startup California Construction Company Working on Robotic Vehicles

As a teenager working for his dad’s construction business, Noah Ready-Campbell dreamed that robots could take over the dirty, tedious parts of his job, such as digging and leveling soil for building projects. Now the former Google engineer is turning …

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California Utilities Commissioner Wants to Regulate Uber Like Tour Buses, Limos

Uber Technologies Inc. should be classified as the same type of transportation as limousines and tour buses, a California regulator said on Monday in a proposal that could change how the ride-hailing company is regulated in its home state. A …

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Arizona Became Autonomous Hotbed Prior to Uber’s Deadly Crash

The technology behind autonomous vehicles has originated from coders in Silicon Valley, engineers in Detroit and academic researchers in Pittsburgh. Much of it eventually lands on the streets of Arizona, a state that’s done more than any other to welcome …

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How Bad Was P/C Insurers’ Underwriting Loss in 2017?

The U.S. property/casualty industry recorded a net underwriting loss of $23.5 billion for year-end 2017, according to preliminary results from A.M. Best. That was $18 billion bigger than the underwriting loss in 2016. The 2017 underwriting loss was mainly due …

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Former Federal Insurance Chief McRaith Joins Blacsktone’s New Insurance Investment Team

Michael McRaith, former director of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Federal Insurance Office (FIO), has been named managing director for Blackstone Insurance Solutions (BIS), a newly formed business offering Blackstone’s investment management services to insurers. McRaith’s appointment follows Blackstone’s …

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Grandisson Named CEO of Arch Capital, Succeeding Iordanou Who Has Retired

Marc Grandisson is the new CEO of Arch Capital Group. Ltd., following the previously announced retirement of longtime leader Constantine “Dinos” Iordanou. Arch disclosed in a regulatory filing that Grandisson, 50, most recently president and chief operating officer, has been …

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New York’s Senators Call for Probe of FAA Approval of Doors-Off Flights

New York’s senators are calling for a probe into how “doors-off” helicopter sightseeing flights and the tight harness systems were ever approved by the Federal Aviation Administration in the first place. U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand made the …

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Lloyd’s Appoints Black as Northeast Region Market Development Lead

Lloyd’s, a global specialist insurance and reinsurance market, has appointed Dawnmarie Black as the market development lead for Lloyd’s Northeast region. She will be based in the Boston, Mass., area in her new role and will be responsible for market …

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Massachusetts’ The Arbella Insurance Group Promotes Ramirez

The Arbella Insurance Group, a regional property and casualty insurance company headquartered in Quincy, Mass., has appointed Lynellen Ramirez to chief actuary and senior vice president of research analytics. In this position, Ramirez is responsible for actuarial, research analytics, data …

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Gallagher Bassett Appoints Simon Pemberton as UK Chief Executive Officer

Gallagher Bassett, the risk management services subsidiary of Arthur J. Gallagher, announced that Simon Pemberton will step into the role of CEO, Gallagher Bassett UK, on April 1, 2018. Nick Bonser, the current Gallagher Bassett (GB) UK managing director, announced …

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JLT Specialty USA Names Marsh’s Forbes as Senior Vice President for U.S. Property

Global specialty broker JLT Specialty USA said it has appointed Josh Forbes as senior vice president with its U.S. property team. Forbes will serve real estate clients by leveraging his experience in the field. Based in New York, Forbes brings …

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New European Privacy Rules (GDPR) Pose Major Challenge for Facebook

Facebook faces substantial business risks from new European Union privacy rules set to take effect in May, a looming reality that came into stark relief over the weekend with revelations that a controversial political consulting firm had improperly obtained personal …

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Uber Drivers in Turkey Fear for Lives After Alleged Attacks by Traditional Cab Drivers

An Uber driver keeps a metal rod close at hand during his daily drives through Istanbul. Alarmed by violent attacks in recent weeks allegedly carried out by angry yellow cab drivers who want Turkey to ban the ride-hailing company, Levent …

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AXA Investment Managers Bullish About Europe as Asian Investors’ Interest Grows

Andrea Rossi doesn’t buy into the story that Europe is a dead end for growth. In fact, he sees luring Asian investors to his continent as one of the key ways AXA Investment Managers will expand in years to come. …

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UK Insurers, Banks Push Ahead with Relocating HQs – Despite Brexit Transition Deal

London-based banks and other financial firms won’t put their Brexit moves on hold despite a transition deal between Britain and the European Union as it lacks full legal certainty, industry officials said on Monday. Banks and insurers have said they …

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EU Eyes Offering `Improved Equivalence’ for UK Financial Services After Brexit

The European Union will consider offering the U.K. “improved equivalence” for financial services after Brexit, according to the bloc’s latest negotiating guidelines, a system Britain has rejected as “wholly inadequate.” The addition to the draft guidelines, obtained by Bloomberg, makes …

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Survey: Houston, Dallas Worst Cities for Towing Hassles

Houston and Dallas rank number one and two on the list of U.S. cities with the most hostile towing markets for consumers, and Texas is the state most in need of pro-consumer towing reforms, according to a national towing survey …

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Wisconsin Study: Helmets Reduce Neck Injuries in Motorcycle Crashes

A study of University of Wisconsin Hospital trauma patients found that motorcyclists who don’t wear helmets are twice as likely to suffer neck injuries in crashes compared to those who use helmets. The study looked at more than 1,000 patients …

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Bussard Promoted to Underwriter at Arlington/Roe in Ohio

Jennifer Bussard has been promoted to commercial lines underwriter at the Ohio office of managing general agency and wholesale insurance broker Arlington/Roe. Bussard is a graduate of Franklin University and holds the Associate in Insurance Services (AIS), Associate in General …

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35 Counties in Indiana Designated Disaster Areas, Cancellation Moratorium in Place

On March 16 Gov. Eric Holcomb declared four more counties as disaster areas, bringing to of 35 the number of counties covered by disaster emergency declarations issued since Feb. 24. The state has been beset by widespread flooding and infrastructure …

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Uber Halts Road Tests After Autonomous Car Hits, Kills Pedestrian in Arizona

Uber Technologies Inc. halted autonomous vehicle tests after one of its cars struck and killed a woman in Tempe, Arizona, in what is likely the first pedestrian fatality involving the technology. The woman was crossing the road outside of a …

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UK Government, Regulators to Examine Potential Risks from Cryptocurrencies

Britain’s government and regulators will look in detail at the potential risks from cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, British junior finance minister John Glen said on Monday. Glen said there had been an “explosion of growth” in crypto assets like bitcoin, which …

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Title Insurer Amrock’s Lawsuit Backfires to Tune of $706M

An affiliate of mortgage-lending firm Quicken Loans Inc. filed a fraud suit to back out of a software deal with a housing data-analytics firm, serving the complaint at a trade show in front of the startup’s customers and calling the …

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State Commissioners Assist Puerto Rico Insurance Department

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says that since January, 10 state insurance departments have sent more than 20 regulators and NAIC has sent staff to support the office of Puerto Rico’s insurance commissioner. Puerto Rico has been recovering …

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Spinner Joins Creative Risk Solutions in Des Moines

John Spinner as joined the Creative Risk Solutions (CRS) team as an assistant vice president in Des Moines, Iowa. CRS is a subsidiary of Holmes Murphy & Associates. Spinner will lead the client services team at CRS, where he will …

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FAA Grounds ‘Doors-Off’ Helicopter Tours After New York Crash

Federal aviation regulators are grounding “doors-off” helicopter tour flights in which passengers are tethered to the aircraft as a result of the March 11 crash in New York that killed five people. The Federal Aviation Administration is taking immediate actions …

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Jury Awards $33.5M to Parents of California Man Killed by Deputy

A federal court jury has awarded $33.5 million in damages to the parents of a man who was fatally shot by a Southern California sheriff’s deputy in November 2015. The jury found that the San Bernardino County deputy unreasonably detained …

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Why Storm-Prone States Continue to Bypass Tough Building Codes

The showdown in the Florida statehouse last year had all the drama of a knock-down political brawl: Powerful industries clashing. Warnings of death and destruction. And a surprise last-minute vote, delivering a sweeping reform bill to the governor’s desk. The …

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California Couple to Get $2.5M After Called Abduction a Hoax

A couple has reached a $2.5 million settlement with a Northern California city and its police department after investigators dismissed her bizarre kidnapping as a hoax. Police in the city of Vallejo initially discounted a report by Denise Huskins and …

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12 Arizona Counties Re-Designated Natural Disaster Areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the re-designation of 12 Arizona counties as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by recent drought. The Mohave Valley Daily News reported farmers in eligible counties have eight months to …

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California Workers’ Compensation Institute Elects 2018 Board

Rose Barrett of the Berkshire Hathaway Group was elected chair of the California Workers’ Compensation Institute board of directors for 2018. Barrett was first elected to the CWCI board as a representative of AIG in 2014 and has been a …

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California Says Insurers Must Pass Tax Savings on to Policyholders

Insurance companies writing in California were sent a notice by the California Department of Insurance reminding them that under Proposition 103 their rates must not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory. The recent revision to the Federal Tax Schedule for …

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UK, EU Agree to 21-Month Brexit Transition Period; Clock Starts Ticking in March 2019

The U.K. clinched a deal that will buy it time in Brexit talks in a move the European Union’s chief negotiator hailed as a decisive step. But it’s all still contingent on finding a solution to the most intractable issue …

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Wildfires in Southeast Australia Destroy More Than 70 Homes, Kill Livestock

More than 70 homes were destroyed as bushfires swept through the seaside town of Tathra in southeastern Australia at the weekend. Soaring temperatures and wind gusts fanned the fires about 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of Sydney, causing the blaze …

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Title Insurer Fidelity National to Buy Competitor Stewart for $1.2 Billion

Title insurer Fidelity National Financial Inc. has agreed to acquire Stewart Information Services Corp. for approximately $1.2 billion. The consideration will be $50 per share of common stick, paid 50 percent in cash and 50 percent in FNF common stock. …

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Helicopter Trade Group Had Fought Open-Door Tours for Years

The leading trade group for helicopter operators has, for at least two years, urged a halt to open-door tours such as the one that ended in the death of five people in the East River off Manhattan on March 11. …

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Massachusetts Court: Merck Can Be Sued Over Generic Drug Injury

Massachusetts’ top court on Friday opened the door for consumers to sue Merck & Co Inc and other makers of brand-name drugs over injuries blamed not on their own medications but on generic versions of their treatments made by other …

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Brit Names Walker from Marsh as Head of UK Property

Brit Ltd. announced it has appointed Neil Walker as head of UK Property. In this role, Walker reports to Tom Hillier, divisional director, Specialist Liability. Walker brings over 20 years’ of experience in the broking industry with a focus on …

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Retiring Commissioner Sevigny Talks State Regulation, Being a Good Leader

New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner Roger Sevigny is planning to retire this summer after 16 years with the New Hampshire Insurance Department. His current term ends on June 11. Prior to his 16 years working as a regulator in the state …

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Climate Change Worsens Effects of Natural Disasters, Costing Farmers Billions of Dollars

Natural disasters from droughts to floods are costing farmers in poorer countries billions of dollars a year in lost crops and livestock, and it’s getting worse thanks to climate change. Agricultural losses from weather events in developing nations totaled $96 …

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XL Catlin Introduces Brexit Continuity Clause to Address Risk of Loss of EU Passporting

XL Catlin’s London-based insurance operation has introduced a Brexit contract continuity clause. The clause addresses the risk that contracts written by XL’s London-based entities prior to Brexit may become impermissible if passporting rights are lost as a consequence of the …

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Wisconsin Has High Rate of Fatal Crashes Involving Elderly: Study

A study shows Wisconsin has the highest rate for fatal crashes involving elderly drivers in the country. The study conducted by TRIP, a national transportation research group, found 26 percent of fatal crashes in Wisconsin in 2016 involved someone 65 …

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South Dakota Traffic Deaths Spiked in 2017

The South Dakota Office of Highway Safety says the number of traffic fatalities in the state continues to be among the lowest in the nation despite a spike in accidents near the end of 2017. Highway Safety Director Lee Axdahl …

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Northeastern Nebraska Plant Cited in Worker’s Death, Fined $188K

A federal workplace safety agency has cited a northeastern Nebraska egg processing plant where a worker was killed last year. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a news release that the Michael Foods plant in Wakefield violated several …

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Missing Worker Presumed Dead After Texas Chemical Plant Explosion

The search for a man missing since a North Texas chemical plant exploded and caught fire on March 15 has been postponed because of dangerous site conditions. Cresson Mayor and Assistant Fire Chief Bob Cornett said Saturday that fires were …

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Trump Administration, McDonald’s Rush to Avoid Employer Liability Trial

The National Labor Relations Board is ignoring its own guidelines and rushing to settle a major workplace action involving McDonald’s Corp., lawyers for employees involved in the litigation alleged. If the workers win at trial, the case could have a …

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Rideshare Drivers Flocking to On-Demand Economy, Poll Shows

First there was the sharing economy, and then the gig economy. Now the buzz phrase to pay attention to may be “on-demand.” The on-demand economy, according to TheOnDemandEconomy.org, is defined as the economic activity created by digital marketplaces that fulfill …

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Rescue Efforts Continue After Florida University Pedestrian Bridge Collapse

A new pedestrian bridge collapsed onto a highway at a Miami-area college Thursday, crushing at least five vehicles under massive slabs. Several people were seen being loaded into ambulances and authorities launched search and rescue missions. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue tweeted …

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Chubb’s Darling Honored for Industry Leadership, Cystic Fibrosis Work

Compassion and helping others were the key takeaways from a message that Jim Darling delivered to a group of several hundred insurance professionals gathered to honor him in Los Angeles, Calif. on Thursday night. Darling, regional executive officer for Chubb’s …

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Oklahoma Gas Rig Explosion Draws 3rd Wrongful Death Lawsuit

A third wrongful death lawsuit has been filed over a natural gas rig explosion in Oklahoma that killed five workers. Julie Smith of McAlester, widow of Matthew Smith, filed the lawsuit Wednesday. The widows of Roger Cunningham and Parker Waldridge, …

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Wildfires Bring Disaster Declaration in Kansas, Burn Ban in Nebraska

Gov. Jeff Colyer issued a disaster declaration for three wildfires currently burning in central Kansas. State officials announced that Rice County officials have asked for help from the Kansas National Guard to fight the fires. Colyer says the Guard will …

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Fire Damages, Destroys 5 Texas School Buses, Foul Play Not Suspected

Investigators are trying to determine what sparked a fire that damaged or destroyed five Texas school buses parked in a transportation lot during spring break. A statement from the Coldspring-Oakhurst Independent School District says authorities do not suspect foul play …

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Survivor of South Dakota Building Collapse Sues Developer, Construction Company

A woman who survived beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in Sioux Falls is suing its developer and construction company. Emily Fodness was sleeping in an apartment above the Copper Lounge in December 2016 when Hultgren Construction removed a …

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Proposal to Arm Alabama Teachers Draws Support, Fire

A proposal to let trained teachers carry firearms in public schools drew support and criticism during a legislative public hearing Wednesday as a committee grappled with the first action on a gun-related bill introduced in the wake of the fatal …

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Harper Lee Estate Sues Over ‘Mockingbird’ Broadway Version

The estate of “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee has filed suit over an upcoming Broadway adaptation of the novel, arguing that screenwriter Aaron Sorkin’s script wrongly alters Atticus Finch and other characters from the book. The suit, which …

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Microsoft Internal Findings Say Gender Bias at Washington Tech Giant Rarely Founded

Microsoft Corp.’s investigators concluded that fewer than 1 percent of gender-discrimination complaints made internally were “founded,” according to data unsealed in an ongoing class-action lawsuit. The disclosure covers almost 120 complaints made from 2010 to 2016 by U.S. female employees …

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San Francisco Becoming Haven for Amsterdam-Style Marijuana Lounges

The smoke was thick and business brisk at the Barbary Coast Dispensary’s marijuana smoking lounge, a darkened room that resembles a steakhouse or upscale sports tavern with its red leather seats, deep booths with high dividers, and hardwood floors. “There’s …

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Burnham Benefits in California Names Milla Chief Strategy Officer

Irvine, Calif.-based Burnham Benefits Insurance Services Inc. has named Luis Milla chief strategy officer to lead the firm’s technical unit. Milla joins Burnham Benefits with more than 23 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. Milla was previously a …

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Ropes, Phone Lights Used in Rescue after Deadly Bus Plunge

Lulled asleep by the humming of their Texas-bound charter bus following a trip to Disney World, members of a high school band were jarred awake before dawn Tuesday when the rig ran off a highway and plunged into a deep …

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United Valley Insurance Services Adds Aguirre in California

United Valley Insurance Services Inc. has named Monika Aguirre member relationship manager. Aguirre’s responsibilities will be handling member relationships in Northern and Central California. She will also take the lead managing United Valley’s Preferred Vendor relationships. She has more than …

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Maine’s The MEMIC Group Promotes Carmody to Northeast Claims Director

Workers’ compensation specialist The MEMIC Group has promoted Michael Carmody to claims director of the northeast region, which includes MEMIC’s New Hampshire, Connecticut and New York offices. Carmody began his career in the claims industry more than 25 years ago …

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Milliman Adds Property and Casualty Team to Tampa Office, Taps Rollins to Lead

Milliman Inc., a global consulting and actuarial firm, has added a property and casualty team to its Tampa, Fla., office in response to the growing demand for the firm’s property insurance analytics. It has tapped consulting actuary John Rollins to …

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Massachusetts’ The Norfolk and Dedham Group Appoints Pepin COO

The Norfolk and Dedham Group (N&D), based in Dedham, Mass., has appointed Victor Pepin to its senior leadership team as chief operating officer. In this newly created role, he will provide executive oversight of its marketing, personal and commercial lines …

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Two Plead Guilty to Insurance Fraud by Arson in West Virginia

Two men pled guilty in federal court for their respective roles in a scheme to commit insurance fraud by arson. Dudley Bledsoe, age 63, of Hanover in Wyoming County, West Virginia, and Ricky Dwayne Gleason, age 54, of Peach Creek …

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Experts Behind Product Liability Suit Against Monsanto Herbicide Don’t Impress Judge

A lawsuit claiming Monsanto Co.’s popular weed killer Roundup causes cancer was dealt a blow by a judge’s conclusions that the opinions of the experts testifying against it are “shaky,” a potentially devastating development for the case getting to trial. …

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Women Suing Uber Claiming Driver Sexual Misconduct Fight Arbitration

Women suing Uber Technologies Inc. over claims that it’s failed to protect thousands of passengers from sexual misconduct by drivers are fighting back against the ride-hailing giant’s move to force them into arbitration. The women alleged Thursday that rather than …

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New Jersey’s Selective Insurance Company Makes Several Officer Appointments

Selective Insurance Company of America, a Branchville, N.J.-headquartered subsidiary of Selective Insurance Group Inc., has announced several officer appointments. Charles Musilli has been appointed to executive vice president and chief human resources officer. Musilli first joined Selective in 1981 as …

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Pilot Reported Engine Failure as Helicopter Crashed in New York City

A Texas firefighter, an Argentine woman and a video journalist were among five passengers killed when a helicopter plunged into New York City’s East River, with the pilot reporting the engine had failed. Investigators began working Monday to determine what …

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U.S. Says Russia Behind Years of ‘Multi-Stage’ Cyber Attacks on Energy Grid

The Trump administration on Thursday blamed the Russian government for a campaign of cyber attacks stretching back at least two years that targeted the U.S. power grid, marking the first time the United States has publicly accused Moscow of hacking …

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Door From London’s Deadly Grenfell Tower Fails Fire Safety Test

Police say a door from a London high-rise that went up in flames, killing 71 people, has failed an expert fire safety test. The Metropolitan Police force said Thursday that an undamaged door from Grenfell Tower withstood flames for only …

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Lloyd’s Broker Endeavour Taps Bloodstock Specialist Stonehatch as Appointed Rep

Delegated authority specialist and Lloyd’s Broker Endeavour Insurance Services announced that niche broker Stonehatch Risk Solutions has become an appointed representative of the company. Based in London, Stonehatch was founded in 2014 and specializes in bloodstock and equine insurance, as …

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Luxembourg Aims to Attract More Insurers Seeking Post-Brexit Headquarters

Luxembourg is seeking to persuade at least two additional global insurers to make their post-Brexit home there after attracting American International Group Inc. and Sompo International Holdings Ltd., the head of its financial lobbying group said. “Contingency planning has started, …

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Equifax Sued by Australia’s Competition Regulator for Allegedly Misleading Consumers

Australia’s competition regulator said on Friday it was suing credit reporting company Equifax Pty Ltd, owned by U.S.-based Equifax Inc, alleging it misled consumers and used unfair tactics with people in financial hardship. The alleged consumer law breaches by Equifax’s …

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Aviation Gets Off to Bad Start in 2018 with 3 Deadly Crashes in 4½ Weeks

Three deadly air crashes that have killed 170 passengers in the past 4 1/2 weeks may indicate that 2017, the safest-ever year for aviation, represented a statistical blip. A total of five fare-paying customers lost their lives in just two …

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China’s 2nd Largest E-Commerce Firm, JD.com, Seeks to Expand in Insurance, Banking Expansion

JD.com Inc’s finance arm is looking to raise about 12 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) in fresh equity that could see its value double from last year to more than $20 billion, three people with knowledge of the matter said. The …

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Markel International Ceases Writing London Open Market Property Business

Markel International, the London-based specialist insurance subsidiary of Markel Corp., will cease to write London open market property business with immediate effect. The development has no impact or implications for Markel Corp.’s U.S. and Bermuda property businesses which, for reasons …

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IICF Midwest Division Raises Over $400K for Regional Nonprofits

The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) says more than $400,000 was raised for the IICF Midwest Community Grants Program at its 7th annual Midwest Division Blazing the Trail Benefit, on March 8 in Chicago. More than 350 insurance professionals and …

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Another Oklahoma Tribe Sues Opioid Manufacturers, Distributors

A tribe in Oklahoma has filed a lawsuit accusing 26 drug manufacturers and distributors of contributing to the tribe’s opioid epidemic by fraudulently misrepresenting the risks and benefits of addictive painkillers. The lawsuit filed by the Ponca Tribe is similar …

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House Approves School Safety Bill

The House overwhelmingly approved a bill to improve school safety Wednesday, the first gun-related action by Congress since the shooting that left 17 dead at a Florida high school. The bill authorizes $500 million over 10 years for grants to …

from News – Insurance Journal http://ift.tt/2ItiVid
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