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

Best Assigns Ratings to National Contractors Insurance Company

A.M. Best Co. has assigned a financial strength rating of ‘B+’ (Good) and issuer credit rating of “bbb-” to National Contractors Insurance Company, Inc., RRG (NCIC), which is headquartered in Bigfork, Montana. The outlook for both ratings is stable. Best …

Willis Commercial Network Expands into Northern Ireland

Willis Group Holdings announced that it is expanding its highly successful UK Willis Commercial Network (WCN) business model into Northern Ireland with the addition of three new independent brokers: McCausland Light & Rankin and Dickson & Co, both of which …

UPDATE: 1,000 People Left Homeless on Solomons after Tsunami

A disaster management official says an earthquake and a tsunami have destroyed 200 homes on one island in the Solomons leaving about one-third of the population homeless. Disaster management office director Loti Yates says visual assessments from the air Tuesday …

ACE Gives Earnings Guidance for 2010

ACE Limited has announced the following earnings guidance for the ACE Group for the full year 2010: — Operating Income per Diluted Share is expected to range between $6.25 and $6.75. — Catastrophe Losses included in our estimated earnings are …

Insurance Journal Launches Academy of Insurance

San Diego – (January 6, 2010) – After months of planning and preparation, Insurance Journal has launched its latest product for the property/casualty insurance industry: The Academy of Insurance. Led by Director of Education, Christopher J. Boggs, CPCU, ARM, ALCM, …

Georgia Opens Probe of SEUS Insurance CEO Over Accounting

Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine’s office has begun a criminal investigation into the business practices of M. Clark Fain, III, the former chief executive officer of Southeastern U.S. Insurance, Inc. (SEUS), a workers’ compensation company. The investigation follows an Oct. …

California Appeals Court Upholds Right to Challenge Insurance Rates

Insurance companies must pay the legal costs of consumer challenges to insurance rate increases, even if they withdraw or settle challenges to rate applications before a formal hearing on their application is called, a California Court of Appeal has ruled. …

Washington To Tackle Credit Scoring, Streamline Agent/Broker Licensing

Bills to improve health care, protect consumers, ban the use of credit scoring , streamline the licensing of agents and brokers, and broadening the definition of what’s considered “emergency care” are all on Washington’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner’s (OIC) …

State Leaders in Iowa Look to Cedar Falls for Flood Law Ideas

After devastating floods in 2008, Cedar Falls, Iowa, enacted a new flood plain ordinance. And state officials are paying attention. State Sen. Rob Hogg says what Cedar Falls has done shows great foresight. Hogg is part of a group of …

Wet, Cool Year in Arkansas; Fewer Tornadoes Than ’08

First there was the ice that blanketed the northern third of Arkansas. Then the tornado that ripped through Mena. Next came rain – record-breaking amounts of it in 15 Arkansas cities and areas. Long, soaking rains and quick, heavy downpours …