Archive for December, 2009
Washington Not Increasing Minimum Wage in 2010
Washington's Department of Labor & Industries reminded employers that for the first time since voters passed an initiative 11 years ago indexing the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index, …
Idaho Insurance Department Seeks Senior Financial Examiner
The Idaho Department of Insurance is seeking a senior financial examiner to oversee the work of one to two financial analyst and two technical records specialists.
Former New Mexico Insurance Regulator’s Convictions Upheld
A federal appeals court has upheld the convictions of former New Mexico insurance regulator Joe Ruiz on corruption charges. The 10th U.S.
Has to Get Better
It’s no secret. 2009 was a tough year. Just as tough as 2008; maybe even more so.
Car Insurance Premiums to Rise for Many Louisiana Drivers
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Deep South CEO Disiere to Step Down
David Disiere, CEO of the Dallas-based managing general agency Deep South Insurance Group, plans to leave that position. In 2008, QBE U.S
Insurer Fights Payout on Illinois House That Exploded
An insurance company is fighting a claim on a Madison County, Ill., house that exploded last year, blaming a female occupant for the blast. Madison Mutual Insurance Co.'s lawsuit in Edwardsville …
Former Employees Sue Oklahoma Trucking Company; File Claims with State
Former employees of Tulsa, Okla.-based Arrow Trucking Co. have sued the company after it suddenly suspended operations and laid off workers. The federal lawsuit claims Arrow violated laws that …
North Dakota Insurance Agent’s License Revoked
North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm has revoked the insurance license of Patricia Howard, a Dunn Center, N.D., insurance agent who the insurance department says engaged in deceitful and …
U.S. Risk Opens New Reinsurance Broker Goss Re
U.S.
Ratings Recap: Transsib Re, AmerInst
A.M. Best Co.
Report: Florida’s Workers’ Comp Market is Competitive
A new report released by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation concludes the state's workers' compensation insurance market is competitive. The report, based on data from 2008, shows the …
New Jersey Court Reverses $260K Award to Family of Student
Fairleigh Dickinson University does not have to pay a $260,000 award to the family of a student who died after drinking heavily and falling from a dorm window four years ago, an appeals court …
Vehicle Safety Inspections Fade into D.C. History
The District of Columbia has done away with vehicle safety checks, but car owners still must pay $35 and wait in long lines for federally mandated emissions tests. The inspection charge is the …
Ex-Georgia Player’s Injury Insurance Lawsuit Dismissed
A judge has dismissed a former University of Georgia football player's lawsuit against the university's athletic association and one of its former employees. Junior cornerback Decory Bryant's …
Praise and Honors for Lloyd’s Retiring Franchise Director Rolfe Tolle
Tributes have poured in from across the Lloyd’s market to Rolf Tolle, who, as Lloyd's first Franchise Performance Director, is being hailed as “one of the main architects of the …
Wildfires Destroy Homes in Western Australia
Wildfires roared across a swath of Western Australia on Wednesday, razing almost 40 homes and sending hundreds of people fleeing for their lives, officials and witnesses said. At least three …
Philadelphia Insurance Cos.’ Founder, Maguire, to Retire
James J. Maguire, founder of Philadelphia Insurance Cos., will retire as chairman of the board of directors effective January 1, 2010. Jamie Maguire, PHLY's president
Missouri Says Workers’ Comp Loss Costs Should Drop by 8.1%
After reviewing statewide data for insurance claims paid by employers for injured workers in 2009, the Missouri Department of Insurance is recommending an overall 8.1 percent decrease in …
Oregon Enhances Death Benefits for Fatal Worker Injuries
Oregon is enhancing the death benefits available to surviving family members when a worker has a fatality, by expanding the scope of the burial benefit and doubling it to 20 times the state …
Homeowners Average Insurance Premiums Up Slightly in Ohio
Ohio Department of Insurance Director Mary Jo Hudson announced that on average Ohioans paid slightly more for homeowners insurance in 2007 than in 2006, according to a report issued by the …
January 1 Is Deadline for ‘Fire Safe’ Cigarettes in Texas
As of Jan. 1, 2010, all cigarettes sold in Texas must be certified fire standard compliant (FSC), the Texas Department of Insurance and the State Fire Marshal’s Office announced. All FSC …
Captives Fuel Growth and Income for Agency Owners
In times like these, where the insurance industry is now in its fifth year of a soft market, the use of an agency captive insurance company can spark both revenue and profits to improve an …
Levees Beneath Threatened Washington Dam Called Weak
Half a dozen stretches of levee on the Green River in Washington, below the threatened Howard Hanson Dam, are porous and unstable, according to a Seattle Times report. Those stretches, between …
Motorists Insurance Creates Agent and Policyholder Services Division
Columbus, Ohio-based Motorists Insurance Group has created a new division to focus resources on agent-facing technology, agency interface priorities and develop call center best practices for all …
Louisiana Secretary of State Named Chief Deputy Insurance Commissioner
Louisiana Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon has named Secretary of State Al Ater to serve as chief deputy commissioner of insurance, effective Jan. 11, 2010. Ater was chief deputy commissioner …
Kentucky Couple Charged with Arson in House Fire
A central Kentucky couple have pleaded not guilty to charges that they damaged their rental home by intentionally setting it on fire. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that 31-year-old Debra …
Former Insurance Company Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty
A former Gulf Shores, Alabama insurance company bookkeeper accused of bilking homeowners out of at least $120,000 has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of misappropriation of insurance …
Pennsylvania Sting Nets 24 Arrests for Auto Insurance Fraud
Twenty-four people, including 17 New York residents, six from New Jersey and one Pennsylvania resident, have been charged with insurance fraud and other related offenses after falsely claiming to …
Connecticut Town Settles Police Discrimination Case
The town of Greenwich, Connecticut has agreed to pay $887,000 to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit involving several minority police officers.