Monthly Archives: <span>May 2008</span>

Ratings: Triad, Crawford, Liberty (Debt), Nat’l. Lloyd’s/Summit, Grange Mutual, Horace Mann, American Community

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that all of its ratings on Triad Guaranty Inc.(TGIC), currently ‘BB’, and its mortgage insurance subsidiary, Triad Guaranty Insurance Corp. (Triad), currently ‘BBB’, “will remain on CreditWatch with negative implications.” Credit analyst James Brender …

Judge: Company Will Pay $10M for Tainted Lunch Boxes

A judge has ordered a Los Angeles-based company to pay more than $10 million for selling the state lead-tainted lunch boxes. The company, T.A. Creations, sold 100,000 children’s lunch boxes to the California Department of Health for a giveaway promotion …

‘Self-Certified’ NYC Building Plans Rife With Violations

More than eight in 10 building plans vetted by architects and engineers — instead of city inspectors — violate zoning rules, New York City reviews of the plans found. The Buildings Department recently checked 869 of the “self-certified” plans and …

Best Affirms Hartford’s ‘A+’ Ratings

A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of the Hartford Insurance Pool and its P/C members. Best also affirmed the ICR of “a”, for the debt ratings …

Local Officials in Louisiana in Dark About Chemicals on Trains

Railway officials do not publicize the types of dangerous chemicals that pass every day through communities like Lafayette, La., citing safety concerns in the post-Sept. 11, 2001, world. But even first responders often don’t know what they’re facing when racing …

Rate Dispute Between State Farm and Texas Regulators Continues

State Farm Insurance does not have to refund consumers some $650 million in alleged overcharges while its dispute with Texas regulators over homeowner rates is reviewed. A state appeals court has ruled the insurer was denied its due process rights …

Holborn Makes Key Executive Appointments

New York-based reinsurance brokerage Holborn Corp has made several new key executive appointments. Adam Manus, who joined Holborn in 1993, has been named senior vice president. Weatherly Ramsdell and Tim Releford have been named assistant vice presidents. Ramsdell joined Holborn …

Philly DA Breaks Up Alleged $1M Insurance Fraud Scheme

The alleged mastermind of a more than $1 million insurance fraud scheme in Philadelphia has been arrested, and investigators say they expect lawyers and doctors to also be charged. District Attorney Lynne Abraham says the ‘staged’ accidents were set up …

Chubb Executive Motamed to Become CEO for CNA in 2009

The Chubb Corp. reports that Thomas F. Motamed, vice chairman and chief operating officer, will retire from Chubb effective on June 6, 2008. Motamed has accepted the position of chairman and chief executive officer of CNA Financial Corp. and will …

Former N.D. Workers’ Comp Investigator Files Lawsuit

In the first of what may be several lawsuits by former employees of North Dakota’s Workforce Safety and Insurance (WSI) agency, a former fraud investigator says several top WSI officials illegally schemed to fire him. Todd Flanagan’s lawsuit, filed in …