Latest Michigan Headlines

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

Michigan Township’s Fight Over Cottage Costs Insurer, Taxpayers

Dec 28 2010 // The resistance by one community in Michigan’s rural Thumb to a couple’s plans to renovate the Lake Huron shoreline cottage has led to an $860,000 federal court damage award against the township. The $100,000...

Business Moves

Dec 20 2010 // Ryan Specialty Group, Oakbridge R-T Specialty LLC, the wholesale brokerage unit of Ryan Specialty Group LLC, acquired Bloomfield, Conn.-based Oakbridge Insurance Services LLC, an insurance intermediary focused exclusively...

Rating Recaps: PrimeOne, Berkshire Hathaway (Notes), Safety National

Dec 17 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has assigned a financial strength rating of ‘B+’ (Good) and issuer credit rating of “bbb-” to Michigan-based PrimeOne Insurance Company, both with stable outlooks. The ratings of...

A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Michigan Insurance Co.

Dec 9 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has removed from under review with negative implications and affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a” of Michigan Insurance Co. based in Grand...

A.M. Best Downgrades Michigan Commercial Insurance Mutual

Dec 8 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to B++ (Good) from A- (Excellent) and issuer credit rating to “bbb” from “a-” of Michigan Commercial Insurance Mutual (MCIM) in Lansing,...

Donegal Group Inc. Acquires Michigan Insurance Co.

Dec 7 2010 // Donegal Group Inc. announced that it had completed the acquisition of Michigan Insurance Co., which was formerly a majority-owned subsidiary of West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. The final purchase price will be calculated...

Reward Offered in Killing of Michigan Insurance Agent 3 Years Ago

Dec 6 2010 // Three years after insurance agent Janna Kelly went missing, friends are hoping a $50,000 reward will help solve the mystery of who abducted and ultimately killed the 60-year-old Grand Rapids, Michigan woman. Kelly last was...

Fremont Michigan Gets $7 Million Credit Line

Dec 6 2010 // Fremont Michigan InsuraCorp, Inc. said it has closed on a $7 million unsecured line of credit with The Huntington National Bank. The company does not need to access the credit for any reason immediately, according to...

People

Dec 5 2010 // Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman appointed Bruce Ramge of Omaha to serve as the director of the Nebraska Department of Insurance (DOI). He has served as acting director since October 30, and has served as deputy director of the...

Michigan Jury Hears Case on Employer’s Liability for Drunk Employee

Dec 2 2010 // Should an employer be held liable for a fatal car crash caused by a drunken driver who was an executive of the firm? A federal jury in Michigan is hearing the wrongful death suit brought by Gary Weinstein, whose wife and...

Best Affirms Fremont’s ‘A-‘ Ratings

Nov 22 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of Fremont Insurance Company, as well as the ICR of “bbb-” of its...

Blue Cross Rate Increase Temporarily Blocked in Michigan

Nov 18 2010 // An Ingham County Circuit judge has stopped Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan from implementing rate increases as high as 66 percent for some seniors. Tuesday’s preliminary injunction also requires a public meeting...

Michigan Chamber Adds Kaplan as Sr. Director of Insurance Services

Nov 17 2010 // The Michigan Chamber of Commerce announced that Kevin Kaplan has joined the statewide business organization as senior director of Insurance Services. Kaplan comes to the Michigan Chamber with a strong background and...

Court Hears Michigan Wal-Mart Medical Marijuana Firing Case

Nov 15 2010 // A federal judge on Friday heard arguments in the case of a medical marijuana user claiming a Michigan Wal-Mart store wrongfully fired him after testing positive for the drug. U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker in Grand...

Sore Losers Don’t Always Win

Nov 14 2010 // Project Engineer Defeats Suit Brought by Unsuccessful Bidder The online Urban Dictionary defines a “sore loser” as “someone who loses in a fair competition but whines about it on a constant basis, blaming...

Elections Stir Up Political Mix in Midwest

Nov 14 2010 // Republicans made big gains across the United States – and the Midwest was no exception – in the November 2 midterm elections. Across the country, GOP gains gave the party its largest number of seats in state...

Declarations

Nov 14 2010 // Too Long to Wait “Four years is too long a period to wait when you know what is going on is just not right and not correct. … Anywhere else in business they’d kick a guy out on the street if he’s not...

Fremont Recommends Use of Hunting Hold Harmless Agreements

Nov 11 2010 // Property owners who allow others to hunt deer on their property are advised to use a Hunting Hold Harmless Agreement to help mitigate damages that may result from a claim, according to Fremont Michigan InsuraCorp...

Michigan’s Accident Fund Honored by Lansing Regional Chamber

Nov 10 2010 // Lansing, Mich.-based workers compensation insurer Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America, was one of four Lansing-area businesses recently recognized for significant investment in the greater Lansing region by the Lansing...

Election Results Could Upset Michigan Supreme Court Calendar

Nov 8 2010 // Election results have created uncertainty at the Michigan Supreme Court where 18 cases were scheduled to be argued in December before Republicans won two seats to put conservatives in control on Jan. 1. Justice Alton...