West News

How California’s Homeowners Insurance Crisis Is Affecting Brokers

A growing homeowners insurance crisis for Californians is straining brokers who must work harder to get increasingly expensive and more frequently unavailable coverage for their clients, a crisis many of them blame on regulations and wildfires. Wildfires have made the …

Southern California Blaze Destroys Six Homes, Other Fires Still Burning in State

A Southern California fire destroyed six homes and damaged seven others in a blaze that was reportedly ignited by fireworks. The Hawarden Fire started over the weekend and at one point threatened nearly 1,500 homes. Evacuation orders were issued for …

People Moves: MGIS in Utah Names Wrage VP of Sales and Distribution

MGIS, headquartered in Salt Lake City, named Jim Wrage vice president of sales and distribution. Wrage will develop and operationalize the organization’s sales strategy and manage a team of regional sales directors and internal sales specialists. Wrage worked for more …

California Contractor Settles EEOC Harassment Charge

Fremont, California-based contractor Superior Automatic Sprinkler Co. agreed to provide monetary and injunctive relief to a construction worker following an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The worker, who is transgender and identifies as queer, filed a charge …

Buffett’s PacifiCorp Suspected of Collusion by Wildfire Victims’ Law Firms

The law firms leading class-action litigation against PacifiCorp over the 2020 Labor Day weekend wildfires in Oregon want to examine whether the utility owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is colluding with other law firms to reach lowball settlements with …

Allstate, State Farm Sued Over $4 Billion Maui Fire Settlement

A half-dozen Maui wildfire victims sued a group of insurers, including State Farm and Allstate, accusing them of throwing a wrench into a tentative $4 billion deal to settle their claims. The lawsuit filed Friday in state court in Maui …

People Moves: Risk Strategies Names Bagwell Commercial Lines Leader in West

Risk Strategies named Troy Bagwell commercial lines leader for the West region. Bagwell, who is based in Los Angeles, is responsible for building and executing the regional strategy for the commercial property/casualty business segment. Bagwell joins Risk Strategies from Panorama …

Tesla’s California Car Registrations Fall for Third Straight Quarter

Registrations of Tesla cars in California fell 24% in the April to June period, marking the third consecutive quarter that the company posted a sales drop in its key market, indicating mounting challenges for the EV maker, according to industry …

Intense Heat Expected to Challenge Records in Pacific Northwest Over Weekend

Intense heat that has been baking parts of the interior Western U.S. is expected to expand into the Pacific Northwest in the coming days, raising the risk of heat-related illnesses and new wildfires, according to an AccuWeather media advisory. Forecasts …

Southwest Airlines, Archer Aviation to Develop Plans for Flying Air Taxis in California

Southwest Airlines and Archer Aviation said Friday they have agreed to develop operational plans for electric air taxi networks at California airports where the Texas-based airline operates. The companies said they have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on …

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