Latest Property Headlines

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

Guaranty Fund System Continues to Deliver

Dec 2 2007 // Funds fulfill statutory promise to protect policyholders At the heart of every property and casualty insurance contract lies a promise to soften the blow of misfortune. But what happens when an insurance company becomes...

Fla. Homeowners Can Be Liable if Trees, Bushes Cause Traffic Accidents

Nov 26 2007 // Homeowners who let bushes, shrubs and trees extend into the public right of way may be held liable if the foliage contributes to accidents by blocking motorists’ view, the Florida Supreme Court ruled last week. The...

4th Circuit Sides with La. Homeowner in Katrina Lawsuit

Nov 21 2007 // An insurance company should have paid for Hurricane Katrina damage to a policyholder’s home because it’s unclear what types of flood damage were excluded from coverage by its homeowner policies, a state appeals...

Catastrophic Events Raise Business Interruption Questions

Nov 18 2007 // Agents advised to discuss extended coverage provisions and contingent business interruption insurance Several recent and relatively recent events — the wildfires in southern California, Hurricane Katrina in August 2005...

Catastrophic Events Raise BI Coverage Questions

Nov 18 2007 // Several recent and relatively recent events — the wildfires in southern California, Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — have raised awareness of how, and whether, business...

Congress Considers Disaster Legislation to Alleviate Coastal Insurance Crisis

Nov 18 2007 // House passes measure opposed by Bush and insurance industry remains at odds on best solution Disaster legislation is hot on the minds of congressional leaders this month as a handful of bills made their way to both the...

Locked Into the Customer

Nov 18 2007 // The force behind Lockton’s phenomenal organic growth Insurance Journal is pleased to launch a new series of profiles of privately-held property/casualty independent insurance agencies that qualify for the annual...

Watson Wyatt: P/C Market to Remain Soft in 2008

Nov 16 2007 // The market for property and casualty insurance will stay soft in 2008, as premiums are expected to either decline or remain flat, according to actuarial and risk management experts at global consulting firm, Watson Wyatt...

Senate Bills Offer Tax Credits, Loans to Help Property Owners Hit by Disasters

Nov 13 2007 // Saying he believes that immediate assistance is needed for those living near coastal areas who are grappling with skyrocketing property insurance premiums, Senator Chris Dodd, D-Conn., chairman of the Senate Banking,...

State Farm Faces First Federal Trial in La. Over Katrina Damage

Nov 7 2007 // A jury in New Orleans heard opening statements on Oct. 5 in the first federal trial in Louisiana against State Farm Insurance Cos. for a policyholder’s lawsuit over Hurricane Katrina damage. The eight-member jury...

Florida Regulator Approves Citizens New Multi-Peril Program

Nov 6 2007 // The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation approved a new multi-peril commercial non-residential insurance program for Citizens Property Insurance Corp. The new multi-peril product provides up to $2.5 million in coverage....

People

Nov 4 2007 // Bermuda-based Catlin Group Ltd. appointed Nick Greggains chief underwriting officer for insurance, and Andrew Englesbe chief underwriting officer for reinsurance for Catlin U.S. Both will be responsible for insurance and...

Five Tips in Dealing with Wildfire Losses

Nov 4 2007 // Here we go again: another disaster, another insurance test. Will Southern Californians whose homes and businesses were destroyed or damaged by wildfires fare better with their insurance providers than Katrina’s...

Political risk: Converting mystery into opportunity

Nov 4 2007 // By Kathleen S. Ellis The stars are aligning for a growing demand for political risk insurance. Changes in the landscape have created fresh opportunities for producers to increase retention and grow their customer base by...

News Currents

Nov 4 2007 // Catastrophic wildfires sweep across Southern California Industry estimates insured losses at more than $1.5 billion and rising Insured losses are continuing to accumulate from Southern California wildfires that burned in...

States under cover

Nov 4 2007 // Natural catastrophes — and the affordability and availability of property insurance in disaster-prone areas — have been on center stage in coastal states from the Northeast to the Gulf Coast. This fall, the...

Political risk: Converting mystery into opportunity

Nov 4 2007 // By Kathleen S. Ellis The stars are aligning for a growing demand for political risk insurance. Changes in the landscape have created fresh opportunities for producers to increase retention and grow their customer base by...

Ironshore Enters La. E&S Market; Will Cover Property, Cat Risks

Oct 30 2007 // Louisiana insurance regulators have approved Ironshore Insurance Ltd. to provide property and catastrophe insurance in Louisiana on an excess and surplus basis for risks located in the state. The company said it would...

Texas Sept. Enforcements Result in Nearly $376K in Fines, Restitution

Oct 30 2007 // Enforcement actions taken by Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin that became final during September 2007 include 12 license revocations, three license denials and fines and restitution totaling $375,983, the Texas...

People

Oct 27 2007 // Kyle Stevens was elected the new president and chief executive officer of Western Security Surplus Insurance Brokers, a wholesale broker and managing general agency with offices in California and Texas. Stevens has served...