Latest Illinois Headlines

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

Illinois’ AAdvantage Insurance Group Adds Glowacki as Commercial Marketer

Jun 4 2019 // AAdvantage Insurance Group in Glen Carbon, Illinois, has hired Amy Glowacki as a commercial marketer. In this position, she will assist agents in generating quotes and proposals for the company’s commercial insurance...

Illinois Women Plead Guilty in $1.7M Workers’ Comp Fraud Scheme

Jun 3 2019 // Two Chicago, Illinois, women have pleaded guilty for their roles in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) of $1.7 million by falsely billing for services on...

Are Agencies Overpaying for Young Employees Today?

Jun 3 2019 // Memo to insurance agency owners seeking to onboard new employees: Expect to pay more, offer more and train more. Those trying to hire know that already. “What we’re seeing in particular in Texas, and I imagine...

Gerger Joins Illinois Independent Agents Group as Education, Agency Resources Director

May 31 2019 // Brett Gerger, former chief deputy director of the Illinois Department of Insurance, has joined the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL) as director of Education & Agency Resources. In his new position,...

AXA XL Promotes Gauder in Illinois to Lead North Central Region

May 23 2019 // AXA XL has promoted Brian Gauder to lead its North Central region out of Chicago, Ill. AXA also named Raymond Chiusano to lead its North America property insurance team’s Northeast region out of New York. Chiusano is...

Moore Joins Lockton as Sr. VP, Employee Benefits Consultant for Midwest

May 16 2019 // Patrick Moore has joined Lockton as senior vice president and employee benefits consultant for Lockton Midwest with his primary office in Chicago. He brings more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry...

Outlooks Revised to Stable for Illinois’ Specialty Risk of America

May 16 2019 // AM Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb-” of Specialty Risk of America (SPRISKA) in...

Supreme Court Apple Ruling May Increase Liability Exposure for Digital Platforms

May 14 2019 // Consumers can press ahead with a lawsuit that accuses Apple Inc. of using its market dominance to artificially inflate prices at its App Store, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled. The 5-4 decision Monday could add to pressure...

Schmidt Named Director, Business Development at Illinois’ Associated Agencies

May 14 2019 // Associated Agencies Inc. in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has hired Jim Schmidt as director of business development. Most recently, Schmidt worked as commercial lines manager for USI Insurance Services since 2016. There, he...

Explosion at Illinois Plant Leaves 2 Confirmed Dead, 4 Injured, 2 Missing

May 6 2019 // An explosion and fire at an Illinois silicone factory claimed a second victim Saturday when an employee taken to a hospital after the blast died, a local coroner confirmed, and the official death toll is expected to rise...

Communities Along Mississippi River Prepare for Record Crest

May 2 2019 // Communities in several states along the Mississippi River are watching the skies this week as rainfall will likely determine whether the river reaches record crests and how much it will raise floodwaters. The National...

AAIS Adds Jonas as Commercial Lines Product Manager in Illinois

Apr 24 2019 // The Lisle, Illinois-based national not-for-profit insurance advisory organization, American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS), has named Joseph Jonas as its new commercial lines product manager. Jonas is responsible...

Cops Draw Blood to Catch Impaired Drivers

Apr 23 2019 // It was about 6:30 on a Friday night in January when Phoenix Police Det. Kemp Layden pulled over a white Jeep Cherokee that was speeding and weaving in and out of its lane. The 47-year-old driver spoke slowly, his eyes were...

Car Sharing Lobbyists Battle Car Renting Lobbyists, Driving State Lawmakers Crazy

Apr 19 2019 // The bill that turned Illinois into the focal point of a bitter debate over car-sharing last year started as a proposal about what happens when a rental car is stolen. The legislation, which would allow rental companies to...

AAdvantage Insurance Group Adds Hutt, Reyes in Illinois

Apr 16 2019 // AAdvantage Insurance Group in Glen Carbon, Illinois, has hired Alexis Hutt as an account executive and Ana Reyes as a sales agent. Hutt will assist agents in procuring new business, as well as serving existing clients,...

Hub International Acquires Assets of Illinois’ Premiere Risk Management

Apr 4 2019 // Chicago-based global insurance broker, Hub International Limited (Hub), has acquired the assets of Premiere Risk Management (PRM). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Located in the Chicagoland area, PRM is a...

Agencies Looking for New Talent Have Their Work Cut Out for Them

Apr 1 2019 // Newsflash to insurance agency owners seeking to onboard new employees: Expect to have to pay more, offer more and train more. Those trying to hire probably know that already. “What we’re seeing in particular in...

14 Troopers Hit This Year in Illinois Despite ‘Move Over Law’

Mar 27 2019 // Fourteen Illinois State Police officers or their vehicles have been struck in roadside crashes this year. That’s double last year’s total of eight. Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Police on Monday...

Universal Insurance Holdings Enters Illinois’ Homeowners Market

Mar 26 2019 // Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. (Universal Property), a subsidiary of Universal Insurance Holdings Inc., has entered the market for homeowners insurance in Illinois. The company is now offering homeowners...

Illinois’ SBJW Insurance Joins Valley Insurance Agency Alliance

Mar 26 2019 // SBJW Insurance in Quincy, Illinois, has joined Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a cohesive family of over 120 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois. SBJW Insurance was founded in 2019 by owner...