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Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Strikes Northern California

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake has struck offshore Northern California at 12:20 p.m. PST, about 35 miles from Petolia and 50 miles from Eureka, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. This is the second earthquake in the area in less than a …

House to Vote on Repeal of Health Insurers’ Antitrust Exemption

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week on repealing the antitrust exemption for health insurers, but Democrats remained uncertain Tuesday on how to proceed on a broader healthcare overhaul. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy …

Ratings Roundup: Validus (Notes), South China

A.M. Best Co. has assigned a debt rating of “bbb-” to the recently issued $250 million 8.875 percent senior unsecured notes, due 2040 of Bermuda’s Validus Holdings, Ltd., and has assigned them a stable outlook. Best noted that the “proceeds …

Best Assigns ‘B+’ Rating to Petrovietnam Insurance; Outlook Positive

A.M. Best Co. has assigned a financial strength rating of ‘B+’ (Good) and an issuer credit rating of “bbb-” to Vietnamese insurer Petrovietnam Insurance JSC (PVI), with a positive outlook on both ratings. The ratings reflect PVI’s “sound capitalization, excellent …

California Evaluates Continuous Coverage Discount

A California voter initiative that will appear on the June 8, 2010, ballot aimed at rewarding drivers who have had insurance for some time to be eligible for a “persistency discount,” even if they change carriers could result in a …

AIG Retention Bonuses Will Be Completed in March, Says Pay Czar

President Barack Obama’s pay czar Wednesday predicted the issue of hefty bonuses for AIG employees would end in March and denied a Republican claim that the firm outmaneuvered the Obama administration. “It ends this March with the last of these …

Ratings Recap: Mass. Homeland/York, Rockhill, Paratransit, MGA,

A.M. Best Co. has placed the financial strength ratings of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of “a” of Massachusetts Homeland Insurance Company and York Insurance Company of Maine under review with negative implications. Best took the rating actions following …

Best Comments on Tower Group; OneBeacon Personal Lines Buy Impact

A.M. Best Co. has commented that the financial strength ratings (FSR) of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of the New York-based Tower Group Companies, its pooled members and Bermuda-based CastlePoint Reinsurance Company Limited are unchanged. Best …

Agents Honor Texas House Speaker with Leadership Award

The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) on Feb. 2 presented its 2010 Independent Leadership Award to Joe Straus III, speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. Speaker Straus was elected to the House of Representatives in 2005 and served …

Lockton Adds Corkan in Southeast

Insurance broker Lockton Southeast recently added Veronica Corkan to its team of benefits experts as vice president and unit manager in Atlanta. She joins Lockton after having served as a senior health and welfare consultant at Towers Perrin. Corkan has …

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