Articles by Brian H. Kern

Despite firefighting prowess, the Russians aren’t coming

Global firefighter claims U.S. Forest Service stonewalls on Russian aid while U.S. wildfires burn While the Southeast’s largest wildfire in over a century was still smoldering in Georgia after burning 903 square miles, a fresh conflagration reared its ugly head …

Insurers Prepared for Claims from Fatal Minneapolis Bridge Collapse

The insurance industry is vowing to take care of any claims arising out of the Minneapolis bridge collapse tragedy without delay. “There will be no exclusions – it will all be coverable. The industry wants to take care of this …

Florida’s workers’ comp trust fund coffers overflowing with cash

It’s almost unheard of for a state to try to stave off positive cash flow, but for its overstuffed workers’ compensation trust fund, that’s what Florida is doing. With more than three times the amount of money in the state …

Despite firefighting prowess, the Russians aren’t coming

Global firefighter claims U.S. Forest Service stonewalls on Russian aid while U.S. wildfires burn While the Southeast’s largest wildfire in over a century was still smoldering in Georgia after burning 903 square miles, a fresh conflagration reared its ugly head …

Despite firefighting prowess, the Russians aren’t coming

While the Southeast’s largest wildfire in more than a century was still smoldering in Georgia after burning 903 square miles, a fresh conflagration reared its ugly head in California, and an American pilot from Virginia — employed by the Russian …

Mississippi poses PR challenge for State Farm and industry

It’s the latest version of the Hatfields versus the McCoys but with billions of dollars and an insurer’s, if not an industry’s, reputation at stake. The State Farm Insurance Co.’s communications staff is compelled to retort as Mississippi Attorney General …

Workers’ comp writers report best underwriting results in decades

Take out California’s numbers and the national picture appears even brighter — almost 10 points better The workers’ compensation calendar year combined ratio stands at 96.5 percent — the best underwriting result in at least 30 years and the first …

Miss. Attorney General Sues State Farm for Breach of Contract

In the Circuit Court of Hinds County Monday, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood filed a complaint against State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. alleging bad faith breach of contract related to the settlement agreement the two parties entered into on …

Richardson has high hopes for S.C. omnibus coastal legislation

Insureds would receive premium discounts for storm mitigation efforts and be able to establish tax-free personal catastrophe savings accounts while insurers would receive tax breaks for writing coastal properties under omnibus coastal insurance legislation taking shape in South Carolina. The …

Pet food case raises product recall, ‘special property’ and new coverage issues

The manufacturer of the contaminated pet foods that caused an unknown number of pet deaths and illnesses may want to put the controversy behind it, yet the pet food maker along with insurers, lawyers and other manufacturers may be dealing …