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Despite Concerns, County in Indiana Plans to Allow ATVs on Roads

Owen County, Indiana’s decision to allow all-terrain vehicles on county roads is raising concerns that drivers won’t install safety equipment or obtain proper registrations and insurance required to make them street legal. Acting against the advice of their attorney, county …

World Leaders Try to Save Troubled Climate Talks

World leaders took the stage at the largest ever climate talks on Wednesday as ministers scrambled to rescue troubled negotiations on a pact to avoid dangerous global warming. Police using truncheons and pepper spray detained 230 people outside the conference …

National Flood Insurance Program to Expire Dec. 18

Time is running out once again for the National Flood Insurance Program, which is set to expire on Dec. 18. Congress passed a short-term extension in September that moved the expiration deadline for NFIP to Dec. 18, 2009. But if …

Earthquake Early Warning System Possible

An earthquake early warning system for California is feasible in coming years, according to research being presented at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco this week. The ongoing study demonstrates that an earthquake early warning system for California …

Economists Estimate $309M Arkansas Crop Losses

Rains late in the growing season that inundated some cropland and pummeled rice and cotton plants caused an estimated $309 million in losses, according to economists at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. The $309 million loss is equal …

S&P Upgrades Catlin’s Subsidiaries Ratings to ‘A’; Outlook Stable

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has raised its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on the following core subsidiaries of Bermuda-based Catlin Group Ltd. to ‘A’ from ‘A-‘: — Bermuda-based Catlin Insurance Co. Ltd. — U.S.-based Catlin Specialty …

Wells Fargo Appoints San Francisco Broker

Wells Fargo Insurance Services is pleased to announce Jennifer Schaeffer is a senior broker with the Professional Risk Group. Schaeffer will be based in San Francisco, Calif. She will focus on directors’ and officers’ liability insurance for both new and …

Best Affirms Swiss Re and Subs ‘A’ Ratings; Outlook Stable

A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd. and its subsidiaries. Best also affirmed all debt ratings issued by Swiss Re and its …

Sparks to Chair Insurance Council of Texas Board

The Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) has elected Craig Sparks chairman of its board of directors beginning Jan. 1, 2010. Sparks has been president of the Union Standard Insurance Company in Irving since 2000. Sparks’ insurance career began the day …

Willis Concludes Financial Institutions’ Hard Market May Soften in 2010

The hard market for financial institutions (FI) insurance, which has seen insurers push premiums up at renewal by a minimum of 10 to 15 percent, is unlikely to last until the end of 2010, according to the latest Willis FI …

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