Monthly Archives: <span>January 2016</span>

Alaska’s M7.1 Quake Puts Focus on State’s Emergency Preparedness

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Alaska’s most populous region has renewed focus on the state’s readiness to deal with a natural disaster. And it’s not just earthquakes that pose a danger across the vast state but also wildfires, floods, landslides …

Hoverboard Bursts into Flames in California Home

A hoverboard burst into flames in a Petaluma, Calif. home, marking the second such fire in Sonoma County in a week. The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported that the hoverboard was plugged into an electrical outlet Monday to charge when …

Exxon: Oil & Gas to Will Continue Dominate Energy Sector for Decades

The way Texas-based oil giant Exxon Mobil sees it, the global energy landscape won’t be radically different in 2040 than it is today. Oil and gas will remain king, accounting for an even slightly larger share of the energy supply. …

Genest Joins Premier Insurance Services in West as President

Rick Genest has joined Premier Insurance Services as the company’s president. Genest joins Premier from Freeway Insurance/Confie Seguros, where he was the Houston, Texas-based president. Prior to Freeway he was associate vice president of Titan Auto (Nationwide) in nine states. …

Insurer Comings-and-Goings Show U.S. Crop Insurance a Field for Specialists

The U.S. crop insurance market has been abandoned by some of its largest companies as lower agricultural prices crimp revenue, and uncertainty about federal aid clouds the business’s future. Cargill Inc., the largest privately held company in the U.S., last …

El Faro Cargo Ship Owner Settles Death Claims with Sailors’ Families

The families of 10 sailors aboard a cargo ship that sank in a hurricane last year have settled claims with the vessel’s owner. The Florida Times-Union reports that each of the families will receive $500,000 each in the settlement with …

Franchises Ask Supreme Court to Hear Seattle Minimum Wage

A business group said on Monday it is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its appeal of a lower-court ruling tossing out its challenge of part of Seattle’s law to increase the minimum wage. The International Franchise Association, which …

2015 Cat Bond Activity Down Slightly from Record Levels in 2014: GC Securities

While property and casualty catastrophe bond primary issuance levels were “uncharacteristically low” in the fourth quarter of 2015, totals at year-end were only slightly lower than the all-time high levels reported in 2014, according to GC Securities, a division of …

Lyft’s $12 Million Settlement with Ridesharing Drivers Avoids Employee Classification

Ride-hailing service Lyft has agreed to settle a proposed class action lawsuit in California by giving drivers additional workplace protections but without classifying them as employees, removing a major threat to its business model. The settlement agreement, filed late on …

RSA Appoints Hancock to Lead Broker Relationships, Heiss as Chief Legal Officer

RSA, announced that Derek Walsh, group general counsel, company secretary and global broker relationship director, has decided to leave RSA at the end of February after five and half years. In response to Walsh’s departure, RSA said that Jon Hancock …