Declarations

‘Changing of the Guard’

“Those of us who have watched Berkshire Hathaway for a long time have suspected there may be a changing of the guard in insurance operations. … My sense is that he may be moving on, and I suspect that is behind his stock sales.”

— Said Cathy Seifert, a CFRA Research analyst who rates Berkshire a “buy,” regarding Ajit Jain, the longtime top insurance executive at Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, who recently sold more than half of his Class A shares in the conglomerate, according to a Reuters report. Seifert said Jain’s selling may reflect personal circumstances rather than his view of Berkshire’s prospects.

Vermont Mitigation Plan

“The growing frequency and power of extreme weather events makes it clear Vermont needs to do more to proactively ready our communities to reduce the danger to Vermonters’ lives and property,”

— Vermont state auditor Doug Hoffer said in a statement about the findings of a report from his office showing that Vermont has failed to complete many actions in its five-year hazard mitigation plan developed by Vermont Emergency Management aimed at reducing the risk from natural disasters such as flooding. Just a third of the 96 actions, and half of the priority actions in the 2018 plan, had been completed by last year, according to the audit.

Satisfying Settlement

“It is deeply satisfying that this community overwhelmingly supports this settlement. … This result would not have been possible without their resolve and determination to hold Norfolk Southern accountable.”

— Plaintiffs’ lawyers in a class-action suit against Norfolk Southern over the February 2023 East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment, noting that few people eligible to participate in a $600 million class action settlement have opted out of the deal. The lawyers who negotiated on behalf of everyone affected by the derailment said only 370 households and 47 businesses in the 20-mile radius around the derailment had opted out. Altogether, 54,925 claims had been filed as of early September.

‘Contact Your Insurer’

“If you need to file a claim, contact your insurer first. … Make sure you hire reputable contractors during the recovery process and be wary of anyone you did not contact offering to do work on your home.”

— Advised Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple in a statement warning Louisiana residents to be aware of contractor fraud following Hurricane Francine, which hit Southwest Louisiana early on September 11. Large storms events such as hurricanes provide an opening for dishonest services providers to take advantage of homeowners, Temple said.

EPIC and the Dolphins

“For large sports organizations like the Miami Dolphins and state-of-the-art venues like Hard Rock Stadium, effective risk management is essential to safeguarding both operations and enterprise value.”

— Tod Swanson, entertainment and sports practice leader for EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, said in a news release announcing that San Francisco-based EPIC is now the official provider of risk management services for the Miami Dolphins football team and Hard Rock Stadium. The deal will produce some visibility for EPIC at Dolphins’ charity gatherings, including the Dolphins Fins Weekend, a fishing event in June, and the Dolphins Cancer Challenge, a fundraiser.

‘Egregious Offenses’

“My motivation in pursuing this lawsuit was to ensure that others do not have to endure the same egregious offenses that I experienced.”

— Said Christina Cardenas, the wife of an inmate at a correctional facility in Tehachapi, California. Cardenas filed a lawsuit after being sexually violated during a strip search when she tried to visit her husband in prison, according to her attorneys. She will receive a $5.6 million settlement, of which the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation will pay $3.6 million. The rest will be paid by the other defendants, which include two correctional officers, a doctor, and the Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley hospital.