Latest California Headlines
All the headlines from our California Topic Page, ordered by recency.
14 States Process $12.7B in Surplus Lines Premium in First Half 2016
Aug 3 2016 // Data from the 14 U.S. surplus lines service/stamping offices show they have processed almost $12.7 billion in insurance premium filings in the first half of 2016, according to the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas...
California Watchdog Group Wants State Farm to Reduce Rates by 40%
Aug 3 2016 // Consumer Watchdog filed a petition in California challenging State Farm’s proposed rates for its homeowners insurance and wants the insurers to cut its rates by as much as 40 percent. The Santa Monica, Calif.-based...
Alliant Names Fyfe Vice President in Alliant Americas Division in California
Aug 3 2016 // Alliant Insurance Services Inc. has named Doug Fyfe first vice president in its Alliant Americas division. Fyfe will work in the Thousand Oaks, Calif. Fyfe was regional vice president within the insurance division of a...
‘Star Trek’ Actor’s Family Sues Fiat Chrysler in California over Rollaway Death
Aug 3 2016 // The parents of the late “Star Trek” movie actor Anton Yelchin sued Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV for negligence and product liability on Tuesday over the rollaway crash of a Jeep Grand Cherokee that killed their...
Investigation Faults Tesoro in Worker Injuries at California Refinery
Aug 3 2016 // The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said on Tuesday workers were injured in incidents between 2010 and 2014 at Tesoro Corp.’s San Francisco Bay-area refinery in Martinez, California because of a weak safety culture the...
Wildfires Threaten Homes in Central California
Aug 2 2016 // Crews contended with blistering temperatures Monday as they tried to beat back a wildfire that burned rural homes and forced hundreds of evacuations in California’s Central Valley, while cooler weather gave...
EPIC Sells Northern California Office to InterWest
Aug 2 2016 // EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants has sold its Petaluma, Calif. branch office and its book of business to Sacramento-based InterWest Insurance Services. The deal closed on July 31. Terms were not disclosed. EPIC is...
Tourism Decline in California’s Scenic Big Sur Sparked by Wildfire
Aug 1 2016 // Lodge managers and cafe owners along California’s dramatic Big Sur coast were looking at a summer of jittery guests and cancelled bookings after fire officials warned that crews will likely be battling a wildfire...
Airbnb Sues Southern California City over Short-term Rental Law
Aug 1 2016 // Airbnb is suing the city of Anaheim over a law that regulates short-term rentals. The Orange County Register reported the suit argues the city violates free-speech rights and federal law by holding Airbnb responsible when...
Starnes Succeeds Basso as CEO at Worldwide Broker Network in California
Aug 1 2016 // San Mateo, Calif.-based Worldwide Broker Network’s board of directors has elected Francie Starnes as CEO. Starnes succeeds Bruce Basso, who becomes chairman emeritus. Starnes was named WBN president and chief...
Uber Insists If Arbitration Pact Is Nixed, $100M Driver Settlement Is Dead
Aug 1 2016 // Uber Technologies Inc.’s message to the judge who must approve its $100 million settlement with drivers is clear: take it or leave it. In an escalating game of courtroom brinkmanship, Uber has hit what may be an...
Judge Denies Uber Bid to Enforce Arbitration in Consumer Suit
Aug 1 2016 // Uber Technologies Inc. can’t require a Connecticut customer accusing the company of price-fixing to resolve the fight in arbitration, a federal judge ruled in one of several cases challenging the ride-hailing...
Relatives of Rivera Entourage Get $70M Judgment in California
Jul 29 2016 // The families of four members of Jenni Rivera’s entourage who were killed along with the Mexican-American superstar in a 2012 plane crash are entitled to $70 million, a judge has ruled. Los Angeles Superior Court...
Relatives of Rivera Entourage Get $70M Judgment in California
Jul 29 2016 // The families of four members of Jenni Rivera’s entourage who were killed along with the Mexican-American superstar in a 2012 plane crash are entitled to $70 million, a judge has ruled. Los Angeles Superior Court...
California Jury Awards $16.3M to Family of Construction Worker
Jul 29 2016 // A Los Angeles jury has awarded $16.3 million to the family of a construction worker who fell to his death at a wastewater treatment plant. City News Service says the Superior Court panel this week found for Rosa Gonzalez...
CastlePoint National Conserved by California Regulator to Protect Policyholders
Jul 29 2016 // CastlePoint National Insurance Co., the sole remaining carrier member of the Tower Group, was placed into conservation on Thursday by order of the San Francisco Superior Court to protect policyholders and injured workers...
Former California Insurance Commissioner Served During ‘Crisis’
Jul 28 2016 // Wesley J. Kinder was a California insurance commissioner who served during a turbulent time. Kinder, a resident of La Habra, Calif., died Wednesday at age 94. “He was a great guy. He was the best boss,” said...
California Coal-Divestment Push Mostly about Politics
Jul 28 2016 // California voters in 1988 dramatically expanded the power of the state Department of Insurance and turned the insurance commissioner post into an elected position. The Proposition 103 initiative also gave the commissioner...
Restaurant Damage in Northern California Due to Crank Callers
Jul 28 2016 // Several restaurants in Northern California are damaged after suspected prank callers tricked workers into testing their fire suppression system. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Elk Grove officials say three such...
JLT Re Names Chandler EVP And Managing Broker in California
Jul 28 2016 // JLT Re has named Pete Chandler executive vice president and managing broker. He will be based in JLT Re’s San Francisco, Calif. office and report to Ed Hochberg, CEO of JLT Re in North America. Chandler comes from...
