Articles by Insurance Journal Staff Reports

OSHA Fines Georgia Concrete Pipe Maker $246,000 After Death of Worker in Florida

The death of a 19-year-old Florida worker could have been prevented if a concrete pipe maker had ensured that employees followed proper safety procedures, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said. OSHA cited Foley Products Co., based in Georgia, …

Carshare Restart: Hochul Signs Bill Allowing Out-of-State RRGs to Cover Nonprofits

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation that should make it easier for nonprofit groups to find auto insurance coverage through risk retention groups. Assembly Bill 5718 and its companion Senate bill allows out-of-state risk retention groups, starting in …

New York Contractor Sentenced for Defrauding State Workers’ Comp Fund

A drywall contractor has been sentenced to six months in jail for defrauding the New York State workers’ compensation insurance fund out of almost $3 million in premiums over an eight-year period. The Manhattan District Attorney announced the sentence this …

When Policies Conflict, Insurers Must Split Costs, Appeals Court Finds in Georgia Case

When the wording of insurance policies conflict with each other and can’t be reconciled, insurers must share defense expenses, a federal appeals court said in a case that stemmed from lawsuits against school personnel. “The district court concluded that the …

Appeals Court: Atlanta Weatherman Fired for Harassment, Not Because He Is White

One of the longest-serving TV meteorologists in Atlanta was terminated from his high-profile job in 2019 because of repeated instances of sexual harassment of colleagues, not because his skin is white, a federal appeals court decided. Paul Ossmann was fired …

MS Workers’ Comp Trust Can Seek Reimbursement From Driver in State Official’s Injury

A workers’ compensation fund for Mississippi state agencies can take subrogation action against the driver of an all-terrain vehicle that badly injured the then-chief of staff to the state’s lieutenant governor, the Mississippi Supreme Court decided this week. A circuit …

AM Best: Idalia Will Put Pressure on Underwriting Results, Could Tighten Reinsurance

Hurricane Idalia, with estimates of insured losses as low as $2 billion, will nonetheless affect underwriting results for a number of carriers, the AM Best financial rating firm said in a report released Friday. “Hurricane Idalia will most likely be …

Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner Oxendine Fraud Case Headed to Trial

Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine is headed to trial on health insurance fraud and money laundering charges after a federal judge this week denied all of his efforts to have an indictment dismissed. “Having now addressed all referred pretrial …

NCCI Calls for Average 15% Decrease in Florida Workers’ Compensation Rates

The National Council on Compensation Insurance has proposed an average 15.1% decrease in rates for Florida, starting Jan. 1, the latest and one of the largest reduction recommendations in more than a decade of rate filings. The filing, which will …

Federal Reserve Fines Alabama Bank $3M for Flood Insurance Monitoring Issues

The Federal Reserve Board has fined Regions Bank, based in Birmingham, Alabama, almost $3 million for failing to ensure that borrowers maintained flood insurance on their properties. The board did not detail the violations, but a consent order signed this …