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

Michigan’s H.E.A.T. Recovers $51M in Stolen Property in 25 Years

Since its inception in 1985, tips to Michigan’s Help Eliminate Auto Thefts (H.E.A.T.) program have led to recovery of more than $51 million in stolen property and arrests of more than 3,300 suspects involved in auto theft-related crimes Livonia-based H.E.A.T. …

Premium Financing Specialists Acquires Universal Premium Acceptance

Premium Financing Specialists Inc. (PFS) has closed the acquisition of another Kansas City metro area-based premium finance company, Universal Premium Acceptance Corp. (UPAC). The combined company of almost 300 employees will support approximately 13,000 insurance agent and broker clients and …

Louisiana Homeowners Insurance Pricey; Texas, Florida 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 Commissioners. The average premium in Louisiana for a standard homeowners policy in 2007, …

Most Property Reinsurance Rates Down at January Renewal As Capital Rebounds

Reinsurance rates across most lines of property catastrophe business declined at the Jan. 1, 2010 renewal, according to a briefing by Guy Carpenter & Co., LLC. Guy Carpenter’s World Catastrophe Rate on Line (ROL) Index declined by six percent at …

Florida Peninsula to Acquire Home Insurer Edison

Boca Raton-based Florida Peninsula Holdings has agreed to acquire another Florida property insurer, Edison Insurance Group, including its two subsidiaries, Edison Insurance Co. and Edison Insurance Underwriters. The company said state regulators approved the deal on Dec. 31 but it …

Torus Launches New Jersey-Based Renewable Energy Underwriting Unit

Specialty insurer Torus has hired three New Jersey-based executives to oversee underwriting of primary lines of general liability and auto liability for renewable energy. Angie Adams, Adam Newman and Wayne Jacobson have worked together as an underwriting team since 2002. …

Securities Fraud Lawsuits Slide As Credit Crisis Eases

U.S. securities fraud lawsuits slid in 2009 as stocks rose and the credit crisis eased. Investors filed 169 prospective securities class-action lawsuits in 2009, down 24 percent from 223 in the prior year, according to a study set for release …

Two Proposals to Amend New New Hampshire Sprinkler Regulations

The New Hampshire Legislature is expected to consider two bills that would prevent the state from enforcing amendments to building codes that expand requirements for sprinkler systems. Last month the Building Code Review Board voted to require sprinklers in every …

Max Capital Appoints Monk as Global Chief Actuary

The Bermuda-based Max Capital Group announced the appointment of Joseph (Joe) Monk as Global Chief Actuary. He joins Max from Lane Clark & Peacock LLP (LCP), where he was head of insurance consulting. Monk joined LCP in 1995 after graduating …

Filipino Seafarers to Undergo Anti-piracy Training

The Philippines has ordered its seafarers, comprising about a third of the world’s commercial sailors, to go through anti-piracy training before they will be allowed to board ships, the labor secretary said Monday. The training, which lasts about eight hours, …