Monthly Archives: <span>January 2020</span>

P/C Insurers Boosted Underwriting Profit, Surplus in 2019’s First 9 Months

The private U.S. property/casualty insurance industry saw its net underwriting gains increase to $5.4 billion in the first nine months of 2019 from $4.7 billion a year earlier, bolstered by growth in premiums and a drop in catastrophe losses. The …

Supreme Court Says State Universities Not Immune to Patent Challenges

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to shield state-run universities from having to appear before a federal administrative body to defend the validity of patents they own. The justices turned down an appeal by the University of Minnesota that argued it …

Judge Presses PG&E on How It Will Protect Wildfire Victims’ Funds Given FEMA Demand

PG&E Corp. needs to explain how it will keep a promise to pay fire victims $13.5 billion in the face of a demand from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a cut of that money, a bankruptcy judge said Wednesday. …

Liberty Mutual’s Irish Insurer Exits Several Lines Including Commercial Liability, Property

Liberty Insurance, the Irish subsidiary of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, is exiting its commercial liability, commercial property and development bonds lines of business. Liberty will continue to provide services and honor its commitments to existing liability, property and bonds customers …

Indonesia Takes Action to Rescue State Insurers, Potentially Raising Funds

Indonesia will appoint state financial firm PT Bahana Pembinaan Usaha Indonesia as a holding company for state insurers to improve their finances, a deputy minister said on Thursday, as the government puts together a rescue plan for a second troubled …

Japan Firms Have Done Little to Build Resilience Against Increasing Floods: Reuters Poll

Japanese companies have contingency plans for the floods that increasingly drench this island nation, but most have done little to fortify facilities, relying instead on insurance and securing alternative supply sources, a Reuters poll found. Japanese have long been conditioned …

2019 Floods Brought Financial Woes to South Dakota Townships

Townships in South Dakota are facing economic difficulties as 2019 flood repair costs mount. Townships primarily depend on their taxpayers for funds to repair more than 31,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) of roads while they wait for reimbursements from the Federal …

Oklahoma Oil Rig Explosion Wrongful Death Trial Begins in Oklahoma

The wrongful death trial against a oilfield equipment contractor in connection with a January 2018 explosion and fire that killed five men in southeastern Oklahoma is underway. The McAlester News-Capital reports that attorneys for the families of Parker Waldridge of …

With Focus on Iowa, MIAA Hires Wright, Siegfried

The Midwest Insurance Agency Alliance (MIAA), a regional insurance agency network based in Lincoln, Nebraska, has added support Jamie Wright and Rebekah Siegfried to support the organization’s continued growth in Iowa. Wright has joined MIAA as regional vice president for …

Catapult Insurance Promotes King, Adds Fisher to Executive Team in Dallas

Catapult Insurance Solutions, a privately held managing general insurance agency and wholesale brokerage based in Dallas, has promoted Becky King to vice president of Underwriting and product manager, and added Steve Fisher as vice president of Business Development. King has …