Monthly Archives: <span>June 2014</span>

Mississippi Agent Says He Was Forced to Plead Guilty in Insurance Scam

A former Mississippi insurance agent is asking a federal judge for speedy consideration of his motion to vacate his conviction related to an insurance scam involving Lafayette County. Ken Nowlin of Ecru pleaded guilty in 2007 to conspiracy charges related …

Mississippi Court Upholds Race Discrimination Verdict Against Hospital Board

A federal appeals court has upheld an $82,000 award to a white attorney who argued he was a victim of discrimination by the black-majority Greenwood Leflore Hospital board. George Dulin argued he was pushed out of his job as the …

UPS in Kentucky Faces Racial Bias Claims by 8 Employees

A group of eight current and former employees of United Parcel Service in Kentucky have sued the company saying they faced racial discrimination, poor treatment based on race and retaliation after they complained. The men also contend an effigy of …

World Cup Insurer Munich Re Gives Brazil Vote of Confidence

Munich Re has up to $400 million on the line insuring against delays or cancellations of World Cup matches. The world’s largest reinsurer is counting on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to do whatever it takes to avoid the embarrassment that …

House Votes to Block Raising Truckers’ Minimum Insurance Limits

The House of Representatives voted narrowly this week to block the federal government from raising the minimum liability insurance limits for truckers as recommended recently by the regulatory agency for the trucking industry. The vote on June 10 came on …

Ratings Recap: Farmers Auto/Pekin, John Deere, Southern Pioneer P&C

A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of The Farmers Automobile Insurance Association and its wholly owned subsidiary, Pekin Insurance Company (together known as Pekin). Best also …

Heat Wave, Thunderstorms Batter Europe: AIR Analysis

Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide has analyzed the severe thunderstorms that pummeled western and central Europe, starting on Sunday, June 7. The storms packed “extremely strong and damaging winds, large hail, rampant lightning strikes, and heavy downpours,” AIR said. They …

On the Road: Are America’s Guardrails Dangerous?

Before dawn on Feb. 23, Darius Williams ran his Nissan Sentra off a North Carolina interstate at 80 miles per hour. A length of guardrail pierced his door, according to the police report, driving the 24-year-old’s body into the opposite …

Best Affirms GEICO and GEICO Corp. Members Ratings; Outlooks Stable

A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A++’ (Superior) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aaa” of the members of Government Employees Group (GEICO), based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, as well as the ICR of “aaa” …

Ratings Roundup: Toa Re, GeoVera, Argus Group

A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings of “aa-” of The Toa Reinsurance Company Limited, based in Japan, and its subsidiary, The Toa Reinsurance Company of America (TRA),headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey. …