Monthly Archives: <span>April 2019</span>

Marsh & McLennan Completes $5.6 Billion Acquisition of Jardine Lloyd Thompson

Marsh & McLennan Cos. (MMC) completed its $5.6 billion acquisition of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc (JLT). “Today marks the beginning of a new era with Marsh & McLennan and JLT coming together. This is a combination of strength and …

Scientists Investigate Recent Earthquakes in the South

Scientists are sending additional sensors to south Alabama and the Florida Panhandle with aims of solving the mystery of what caused a spate of recent earthquakes. Five earthquakes have been detected in the region within a three-week span. Government researchers …

North Carolina Personal Auto Rates to Increase by 1.6%

The North Carolina Rate Bureau has reached a settlement with the North Carolina Department of Insurance to raise personal auto insurance rates by 1.6 percent, according to a statement by NCDOI. The NCRB, which is not a part of NCDOI …

1 Million Acres of Midwest Farmlands Flooded as Corn Planting Deadlines Approach

At least 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) of U.S. farmland were flooded after the “bomb cyclone” storm left wide swaths of nine major grain producing states under water this month, satellite data analyzed by Gro Intelligence for Reuters showed. Farms …

Big Settlements Drove Value of Securities Class Actions Above $5 Billion in 2018

The total settlement value of securities class actions rose sharply to $5 billion in 2018, driven by five settlements of at least $100 million, according to a report by Cornerstone Research. The report, Securities Class Action Settlements—2018 Review and Analysis, …

How Disasters, Tax Reform Affected P/C Insurers’ Performance in 2018

Mainly due to above-average catastrophe losses, the aggregate financial performance of U.S. publicly traded property/casualty insurers deteriorated slightly in 2018, according to a new A.M. Best special report. The catastrophe losses counteracted gains from the implementation of tax reform, according …

Insurer Introduces Revolutionary 3-Word Personal Insurance Policy

APRIL 1, 2019 — An insurance company that says it wants to simplify insurance has whittled its personal insurance policies for families down to three words. The new product, named TriWord, bundles property and casualty coverages for auto, home and …

EPIC Adds Knight, Smiley in Atlanta

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, has added two senior vice presidents in its Atlanta office. Chris Knight has joined EPIC’s growing Integrated Risk Solutions Consulting Practice as senior vice president, …

Texas Body Shop Owner Pleads Guilty in Insurance Fraud Case

A Travis County body shop owner was sentenced on March 13 to 10 years of probation after pleading guilty to reporting wrecks that never took place and damaging vehicles to increase insurance payouts, the Texas Department of Insurance reported. The …

In Their Own Words: Why Producers Change Jobs

Q: We have a zillion newbies and plenty 50-plus year old veteran producers. I’ve tried the out-of-industry route. Frankly, my agency isn’t good at training. I want experienced, ‘hit the ground running’ sales talent at other agencies. How do I …