Monthly Archives: <span>March 2012</span>

Some Oklahoma Law Officers Wary of ‘Open Carry’ Bills

Legislation that would allow Oklahomans to display their handguns openly has some law enforcement officials on edge, but many people say the public may not see a big difference. Oklahomans with a state-issued permit have been allowed to carry a …

Louisiana Swamp Tour Owners Seek Compensation for Flooding

Iberville and Ascension parishes in Louisiana should compensate the owners of Alligator Bayou Swamp Tours for opening a floodgate in 2009 that ruined their business, an attorney for the company told a state appellate court. The Advocate reports that Clay …

Costly Natural Disasters Behind FM Global’s 2011 Net Loss

Rhode Island-based business property insurer FM Global said Monday it had a net loss of $41.5 million for 2011 — a stark contrast to $686.6 million profit the insurer had in 2010. FM Global, which was one of the last …

Total: “May be Months” to Stop North Sea Gas Leak

A cloud of explosive natural gas boiling out of the North Sea from a leak at Total’s abandoned Elgin platform forced wider evacuations off the Scottish coast on Tuesday as the French oil company warned it may take six months …

N.Y. Court to Unemployed Law School Grads: Buyer Beware

A New York court sided with a law school in a case that alleged that the school misled its students about post-graduate employment prospects. The Supreme Court of the State of New York dismissed last week a lawsuit brought by …

Florida Arrests 15 in Alleged Food Truck Insurance Scam

Florida officials said they have busted an alleged $800,000 insurance claims scam in which food trucks were used to stage accidents. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced the outcome of a two-year insurance fraud investigation resulting in the arrests …

Applied Systems to Release Epic 6 Agency Program in April

Insurance software company Applied Systems will unveil the latest release of its browser-based agency management software Epic on April 27. Applied Systems said Epic 6 provides for more streamlined agent-carrier communications, particularly for commercial middle-market business. The new efficiencies are …

N.J. Police Chief on Trial for Official Misconduct, Insurance Fraud

A trial got underway on Monday for Hackensack, N.J., Police Chief Ken Zisa. Zisa was suspended without pay in 2010 after he was charged with official misconduct and insurance fraud. The chief is accused of removing his girlfriend from the …

Ratings Recap: ACS (NZ) Ltd., Transmonde, Risk Re, Ansvar Australia

A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to ‘B+’ (Good) from ‘B++’ (Good) and issuer credit rating to “bbb-” from “bbb” of New Zealand’s ACS (NZ) Limited, and has removed both ratings from under review with negative implications …

Best Affirms AGA International (Ex-Mondial Assistance) Ratings; Outlook Stable

A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of “a+” of France’s AGA International SA (AGAI SA) – formerly Mondial Assistance International SA -and its U.S. subsidiary, the …