Latest California Headlines

All the headlines from our California Topic Page, ordered by recency.

California Suspends 1.4M Virus Unemployment Claims

Jan 8 2021 // California has frozen 1.4 million unemployment claims as it battles fraud in its massive coronavirus unemployment relief program, it was reported this week. The state Employment Development Department said it had examined...

Palomar in California Names Johnson Chief Talent & Diversity Officer

Jan 8 2021 // La Jolla, Calif.-based Palomar Holdings Inc. has named Michelle Johnson chief talent and diversity officer. Johnson was previously senior vice president of people and talent, having served in this role since joining the...

CIC of New Mexico Sues to Enjoin California Department of Insurance from Interference

Jan 7 2021 // California Insurance Company of New Mexico has filed suit in federal court to enjoin the California Insurance Department from continuing to take what the suit asserts are illegal, actions to block the approved...

California Governor Planning $4 B for Economic Recovery

Jan 7 2021 // After spending most of 2020 telling small businesses to close and limit their customers, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday proposed $4 billion worth of state spending he says will help them survive in 2021. Newsom...

New California Trade Group Targets Illegal Workers’ Comp in Staffing Industry

Jan 7 2021 // The California Staffing Agency Reform Association has been established by staffing industry leaders to “clean up” the worker’s compensation marketplace for staffing. Cal-SARA, a new nonprofit, trade...

California State Fund Declares 10% Dividend for 2020 Policy Year

Jan 4 2021 // State Compensation Insurance Fund in California on Monday announced plans to distribute a $39 million dividend to its qualifying policyholders with policies that took effect between Aug. 27 and Dec. 31, 2020. The dividend...

California Releases Final ZIPs for Non-Renewal Protection for 2020 Wildfires

Jan 4 2021 // California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced that nearly 500 policyholders in six ZIP codes affected by the Mountain View Fire in Mono County were included in the mandatory one-year moratorium on insurance...

Nuro OK’d in California to Charge for Self-Driving Services

Dec 29 2020 // Robotics company Nuro this week received the first-ever permit to commercially deploy its self-driving vehicles in California, allowing the Silicon Valley firm to charge clients for its driverless delivery service. Relying...

AM Best Upgrades Capital Insurance Group in California

Dec 29 2020 // Monterey, Calif.-based Capital Insurance Group has been upgraded by AM Best. CIG received a rating of A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent). AM Best stated: “Concurrently, AM Best has upgraded the FSR to A (Excellent)...

Earthquake Confirmed in Northern California

Dec 29 2020 // A magnitude 3.9 earthquake rattled parts of Northern California on Sunday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed. The earthquake was reported at 6:44 a.m. about 14 miles from Chico. The quake was felt 25 miles away...

California Cleaning Company Owner Charged in $700K Workers’ Comp Scheme

Dec 28 2020 // Jorge Gerardo Maldonado, 55, of Sacramento, Calif., was charged with three felony counts of insurance fraud after allegedly underreporting payroll and employees to illegally save on workers’ compensation insurance...

California Sues Companies to Recover Costs for Lead Pollution Cleanup

Dec 23 2020 // A lawsuit has been filed against multiple companies connected to a now-closed battery recycling plant years after California regulators pledged to recover cleanup costs from those responsible for spreading lead pollution...

Sompo Acquiring W. Brown & Associates in California

Dec 22 2020 // Sompo International Holdings Ltd. has acquired W. Brown & Associates Insurance Services in Irvine, Calif. Brown has been a managing general underwriter for Sompo International since 2016. The W. Brown operations will...

California COVID-19 Workers’ Comp Claim Volume Trending up Again

Dec 22 2020 // California workers’ comp COVID-19 monthly claim volume, which fell sharply in August and September, is now trending up again, climbing 9.0% in October, then more than doubling in November, according to a California...

Lockton Adds Marsh’s Urias to Expand Southern California Business

Dec 22 2020 // Lockton Pacific has added Dan Urias as a vice president and producer to grow its commercial insurance presence in the Orange County and Inland Empire regions of Southern California. Urias is part of the Lockton’s...

California Workers’ Comp Written Premium Down 12% over 9 Months of 2020

Dec 18 2020 // Workers’ compensation written premium in California for the first nine months of 2020 was 12% below that for the first nine months of 2019, according to a quarterly experience report released on Friday by the...

$1M Settlement in Pricey California Beach Hotel Dispute

Dec 18 2020 // The owners of a Santa Monica beachfront hotel built without proper permits have agreed to pay $1 million in penalties and restitution to Los Angeles County, prosecutors said Wednesday. As part of the final judgment, the...

Topa Insurance Group in California Names Eyre to Board

Dec 18 2020 // Calabasas, Calif.-based Topa Insurance Group has named William Eyre to the board of directors. Eyre has more than 40 years of experience in the reinsurance industry, both in executive positions and sales. Eyre is currently...

Contractors Involved in California Stadium Construction Death Cited

Dec 17 2020 // California’s workplace safety agency has cited two companies for violations in connection with the death of a construction worker who fell from the roof at SoFi Stadium, the new home of the NFL’s Los Angeles...

SCA Appraisal in California Promotes Bewley, Napier

Dec 17 2020 // Burbank, Calif.-based SCA Appraisal has named Mark Bewley assistant vice president of field operations. SCA Appraisal has also named Nick Napier vice president of operations. Bewley will be responsible for SCA’s...