News Briefs

MISSOURI Insurer to Pay $8 Million: State Farm Insurance has been ordered to pay more than $8 million to a tow truck driver and his sister-in-law who were acquitted of insurance fraud after being accused of faking the theft of …

FLORIDA State Farm of Florida 8.6 Percent Rate Request Approved The Florida Department of Insurance approved an average statewide premium rate hike of 8.6 percent for State Farm of Florida, the largest insurer of homes in Florida, insuring one out …

Louisiana Gov. Urged to Veto Flooded Vehicles Bill The Property Casualty Insurers Association of Amer-ica called upon Louisiana Gov. Kath-leen Blanco to veto a bill that would require all vehicles that are declared “total” losses as a result of recent …

Alaska President Declares Alaska Major Disaster Following Fall Weather The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reported that President George W. Bush has declared a major disaster exists in Alaska and ordered …

CONNECTICUT Work-Related Deaths: The number of deaths in Connecticut due to work-related injuries increased by 50 percent last year, rising from 36 to 54, according to a state report. Connecticut is one of 27 states to have reported an increase …

ILLINOIS Crop Insurance for African Farmers: Opportunity International, a global microfinance network based in Oak Brook, Ill., announced its partnership with the World Bank and its affiliated IFT Commodity Management Group to provide index-based weather insurance to rural farmers in …

ALABAMA Alabama Expects 50,000 Claims More than 50,000 claims are expected in Alabama from hurricane damage, however, complete cost estimates won’t be available until this month. Ragan Ingram, Department of Insurance assistant insurance commissioner, told the Huntsville Times his agency …

ARKANSAS Water Damaged Vehicles Must be ID’d In the wake of the catastrophic pro-perty damage occurring during the 2005 and 2004 hurricane seasons, the Arkansas Insurance Depart-ment believes owners may be selling cars and other vehicles without disclosing the fact …

New Online License Service Available for Wash. Agents and Brokers Insurance agents, brokers and other insurance professionals licensed to transact business in Washington can now print copies of their licenses from their personal computers using a new online service offered …

Greenberg Will Not Face Criminal Charges: Additional civil charges against former American International Group Inc. Chairman and CEO Maurice “Hank” Greenberg are possible, but no state criminal charges are expected, a spokesman for New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said …