West News

People Moves: Woodruff Sawyer in California Names New VPs

Woodruff Sawyer, based in San Francisco, Calif., named two new vice presidents. Owen Igbinosun joined the firm as vice president, management liability, focused on private equity and real estate in the upper middle markets. Before joining Woodruff Sawyer, Igbinosun spent …

At Least 55 Died in Hawaii Fires, Thousands of Structures Exposed

Wildfires on Maui have killed at least 55 people and wiped out a historic town, exposing thousands of structures in a disaster that could end up exceeding early damage and loss estimates of more than $8 billion. The Associated Press …

Takeaways from Our Conversation on Insurtechs in Cannabis

You don’t hear a lot about insurtechs and cannabis, but one firm aims to change that paradigm. SquareRisk principals say they aim to transform the wholesale distribution model for specialty insurance, building partnerships with more than 15 specialty insurance carriers …

Utah District to Pay $2M to Family of Bullied Black Girl Who Died by Suicide

A Utah school district has agreed to pay $2 million to the family of a Black, autistic 10-year-old girl who killed herself after being harassed by her classmates. The lawsuit said that Izzy, the only Black student in her class, …

AccuWeather: Damage and Economic Loss from Wildfires in Hawaii $8B to $10B

AccuWeather’s preliminarily estimate of the total damage and economic loss from the wildfires burning in Hawaii is from $8 billion to 10 billion. The worst of the fires hit the Island of Maui, with the Lahaina area especially hard hit. …

At Least 36 Killed, Hundreds of Properties Destroyed in Hawaii Fires

Thousands of Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as blazes swept across the island, destroying parts of a centuries-old town and killing at least 36 people. The fire left behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking …

People Moves: Insurance Office of America Hires Leland to Western Division

Insurance Office of America (IOA), headquartered in Longwood, Fla., hired Zack Leland to its western division team. Based in Aliso Viejo, Calif., Leland joins IOA as a commercial lines producer, focusing primarily on staffing, contractors, warehousing and logistics. Before joining …

Wind-Driven Hawaii Wildfire Destroying Maui Tourist Town

A wildfire erupted in Maui on Wednesday fueled by strong winds from Hurricane Dora, destroying homes and businesses in a tourist town and forcing some residents to jump into the ocean to escape the flames. The Associated Press is reporting …

Bursting Ice Dam in Alaska Highlights Risks of Glacial Flooding

The gray, two-story home with white trim toppled and slid, crashing into the river below as rushing waters carried off a bobbing chunk of its roof. Next door, a condo building teetered on the edge of the bank, its foundation …

Glacial Dam Outburst in Alaska Eroded Riverbanks, Destroyed at Least 2 Buildings

Raging waters that ate away at riverbanks, destroyed at least two buildings and damaged others had receded Monday in Alaska`s capital city after an outburst of weekend flooding from a glacial lake, authorities said. Levels along the Mendenhall River had …

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