Agents’ Group: On a Cost per Home Value Basis, Texas Rates Are Down

Texas insurance agents — want to show your customers that the common perception that homeowners rates in Texas always go up but never come down is false? Look to your agency management …

Hurricane Ike Claims Total Nearly $12B in Texas

Hurricane Ike, which

Texas Agent and Former Windstorm Association Chair Dies at 81

Corpus Christi independent insurance agent and former Texas Windstorm Insurance Association chairman, Lloyd L.

Texas Workers’ Comp Medical Costs per Claim Stabilized

Medical costs per workers’ compensation claim in Texas were stable in 2007, following several years of dramatic decreases, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research …

Water, Wind and Hail Common Claims in Texas; Liability Costly for Individuals

Water, wind and hail damage top the list of most common homeowner insurance claims in Texas, according to a review by Allstate Insurance Company of aggregated insurance carrier claims …

Researchers: Climate Change Expected to Increase Storm Activity in Texas

Climate change will likely increase the frequency and severity of storm activity in Texas, an area of the country that is especially vulnerable to the “triple threat” of hurricanes, …

Former Insurance Co. Employee Sentenced for Stealing from Carrier, Agents

Mark Camacho, 41, of Cedar Hill, Texas, a former employee of Americo Life Insurance Co., was sentenced in federal court for stealing more than $900,000 from the carrier and its agents’ …

College Station, Texas, Expands Auto Theft Prevention Program

The Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) and the College Station Police Department are expanding a crime prevention campaign aimed at preventing auto thefts and auto burglaries.

Sharp Rise in Motorcycle Deaths Since Repeal of Texas Helmet Law

In Texas, the repeal of a motorcycle helmet law has been followed by a sharp increase in fatal motorcycle crashes, according to a study in the January Southern Medical Journal, official journal of …

Universal Insurance Holdings Abandons Plan to Form Texas Subsidiary

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Universal Insurance Holdings Inc.

Ladner Named Vice Chair of Texas Property/Casualty Guaranty Assoc.

The Texas Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association has appointed Gerald Ladner to vice chair of its Board of Directors. His term runs through Dec

Farmers to Reduce Rates for Family Home Policy in Texas

The Texas Department of Insurance, the Office of Public Insurance Counsel and Farmers Insurance Company have reached a settlement in a dispute over a homeowners insurance rate increase filed by …

The Gibraltar Group Addressing Dairy Industry Risks

Insurance and risk management firm,

Louisiana Homeowners Insurance Pricey; Texas and Florida Are More Expensive

Louisiana remains the third most expensive homeowners insurance market in the nation behind Florida and Texas, according to newly released data from the National Association of Insurance …

USHT Offering Texas Homeowners Deductible Buy-Back Coverage

USHT Inc., a managing general agent and surplus lines agency based in Dallas, is now offering a homeowners deductible buy-back policy in Texas.

U.S. Risk Opens New Reinsurance Broker Goss Re

U.S.

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 …

Texas Sets Workers’ Comp Interest and Discount Rate at 3.85%

The Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers' Compensation has set the interest and discount rate for the first quarter of 2010 at 3.85 percent. The rate, effective from Jan

Best Affirms USAA’s ‘A++’ Ratings

A.M. Best Co

Combined Agents Names Top 4 Insurance Company Partners

Austin, Texas-based Combined Agents of America LLC (CAA) reports that Central Insurance Companies, Texas Mutual Insurance Company, Travelers Insurance and The Hartford have been named the 2009 …

Texas Jury Awards BP Workers $100M in Lawsuit

A federal jury on Dec. 18 awarded more than $100 million to 10 workers who claimed they were injured in 2007 when a toxic substance was released at BP PLC's Texas City plant.

Report Says Seattle Dam Threatens $30 Billion Worth of Property

Flooding beneath the damaged Howard Hanson Dam in Washington State could cause $30 billion, according to a new report from a Texas firm, First American Spatial Solutions. State estimates about the …

Austin-Round Rock, Texas, Most Secure Large Metro Area

The central Texas area of Austin-Round Rock is the most secure U.S. community among large metropolitan areas (population of 500,000 or greater) in which to live, ccording to the sixth annual Most …

Kirk Joins Higginbotham & Associates

David Kirk has joined Higginbotham & Associates as an account executive in the

Sparks to Chair Insurance Council of Texas Board

The Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) has elected Craig Sparks chairman of

Post-Ike Dike Closure Hits Texas City Businesses Hard

The Texas City Dike was not built to serve as a fishing pier or recreation area.

New Requirements Drive Need for Surety Bonds in Texas and Arkansas

At least four new surety bonds have hit the market in Texas and Arkansas in the last six months, part of a wave of new bonding requirements nationwide.

Recreation Group Earns First Texas Mutual Dividend

Texas Mutual Insurance Company has returned a $90,643 dividend to the Texas Recreation Purchasing Group (TRPG). The group’s first dividend was based largely on its favorable loss ratio. By …

Texas Windstorm Insurance Assoc. Posts New Maximum Liability Limits

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) reports that new maximum limits of liability will go into effect Jan.

Safety Board: Citgo Texas Refinery Blast ‘Significant Near Miss’

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board on Wednesday called a July explosion at Citgo Petroleum Corp.'s Corpus Christi, Texas, refinery “a significant near-miss'' for a widespread release of highly toxic …