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Colorado Wildfire Destroys 92 Homes

Sheriff’s officials released a preliminary list Wednesday showing the Black Forest Fire northeast of Colorado Springs, Colo. has destroyed at least 92 homes and damaged five more. The fire was among several that surged rapidly Tuesday along Colorado’s Front Range. …

‘Mayhem’ Outspending ‘Good Neighbor’ in P/C Insurance Advertising: SNL

Allstate’s “Mayhem” trumped State Farm Mutual’s the “Good Neighbor” in advertising dollars in 2012. According to an analysis by SNL Financial, Allstate’s ad spend increased 14.8 percent year over year to $828.8 million, while State Farm Mutual reduced its advertising …

Republican Hill, Insurance Agent, Wins Florida House Seat

Republican Mike Hill has defeated Democrat Jeremy Lau for the vacant state House District 2 seat. The Miami Herald reported that Hill carried about 58 percent of the vote in the Northwest Florida district, which includes Escambia and Santa Rosa …

Alabama Officials Question Roadblock Surveys

Alabama’s governor and attorney general are reviewing weekend roadblocks in St. Clair and Bibb counties where motorists were asked for breath, blood and saliva samples. Gov. Robert Bentley said Tuesday he has asked his secretary of law enforcement, Spencer Collier, …

Berkshire Hathaway to Release More Data on Insurance Cat Losses

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is providing more data about claims costs at insurance units after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pressed the company for the information. We “agree to provide disclosures in future filings of the significant catastrophe …

Chemical Shippers Lose Court Bid to Derail Train Safety Technology

Chemical shippers failed to show any business harm from a regulation requiring railroads to deploy new train-safety technology, a U.S. appeals court said, throwing out a lawsuit challenging the 2012 rule. The Arlington, Virginia-based Chlorine Institute argued that the Federal …

FEMA Denies Texas Aid to Rebuild Town After Fertilizer Blast

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it won’t provide U.S. aid to help rebuild the town in Texas where an April fertilizer plant explosion killed 15 people and leveled nearby buildings. In a June 10 letter to Texas Governor Rick …

U.S. Charges 8 with Cybercrime Against Financial Institutions, Government

Federal prosecutors in New Jersey on Wednesday unveiled criminal charges against eight people accused of trying to steal at least $15 million from U.S. customers in an international cybercrime scheme targeting accounts at 15 financial institutions and government agencies. U.S. …

Engelen Joins Mitsui Sumitomo at Lloyd’s for Marine Liability Growth

Mitsui Sumitomo at Lloyd’s has affirmed its commitment to grow its Marine Liability business with the appointment of Simon Engelen as Class Underwriter. Engelen will join Mitsui Sumitomo at Lloyd’s later this year when he leaves his current role as …

Ratings: Heddington, Bosna Re, Arden Re, Syndicate 609, Asia Capital Re (notes)

A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a+” of Bermuda-based Heddington Insurance Limited, both with stable outlooks. The ratings reflect Heddington’s” superior capitalization, consistently positive operating results and the role …

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