Monthly Archives: <span>January 2010</span>

Declarations

No Warren Buffett “The heart and soul of what insurance companies should be is underwriting companies. I mean, I tell people there’s only one Warren Buffett, and I’m not him.” —Fred Eppinger, CEO of Worcester, Mass.-based The Hanover Insurance Group, …

Resolution Time

Happy New Year. It’s time to rewind, re-evaluate how you did in 2009, and make resolutions for 2010. I’m not big on making resolutions I know I won’t keep — like sticking to an exercise regime (when I don’t even …

People

Virginia-based specialty insurer Markel Corp. announced that its President and Chief Operating Officer Paul W. Springman resigned. Springman had been on a leave of absence since late October. The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) named …

California Stamping Fee Increasing to 0.25%

The Executive Committee and the Stamping Committee approved an increase in the stamping fee from 0.225 percent to 0.250 percent, effective Feb. 1, 2010, the Surplus Line Association of California announced. All new policies, renewal policies, and extension endorsements with …

Business Moves

PacWest Alliance, Shaw Group The Shaw Group of Eureka, Calif., and its affiliates: Anderson, Robinson & Starkey Inc.; Shaw & Petersen Insurance Inc.; PS Insurance Inc. dba Shaw Insurance Services; and Harbers Insurance Agency Inc. are the newest members to …

Arizona Mulls Shutting Insurance Fraud Unit

With a $2 billion state budget deficit looming, Arizona may become the first state in the country to abolish the anti-fraud unit of its Department of Insurance. Should Arizona do that, insurance rates in the state could well rise, warned …

East Meets West

The Hanover Group Expands Out West, Enters Agreement With OneBeacon The Hanover Insurance Group Inc.’s CEO Frederick H. Eppinger expects the western United States to be a key growth driver for the super-regional insurer in the next several years. Having …

Louisiana Files Suit Against Surety Bond Insurer with Texas Ties

The Louisiana Department of Insurance filed a lawsuit in late December 2009 against Infinity Surety of Louisiana Inc., Infinity Surety Agency LLC and George D. Black (collectively, Infinity Surety) alleging the firm has been operating as surety insurance company without …

It Figures

$70 Million A Texas court in San Antonio affirmed the jury award of $70 million plus interest in a workers’ compensation/bad faith case against Discover Property & Casualty Insurance Company, a St. Paul Travelers Insurance subsidiary, and the claims adjuster …

Declarations

Weighing the Cost “Certainly there are thousands of drivers out there who can ill-afford this additional cost. That’s always the case. I think that’s outweighed by the tens of thousands who are left uncompensated by the damage that minimally insured …