Alabama News

Alabama Judge Upholds Chemist’s $192 Million Award in Patent Theft Case

Global chemical giant Ineos Phenol, stung by a $192 million jury verdict, has denied stealing a hazardous waste recycling idea from a Mobile chemist and said it would appeal a judge’s order upholding the award. Mobile County Circuit Judge Robert …

Indiana Pulls Insurance Agent License of Pilot in Florida Jail

An administrative law judge in Indianapolis on Friday permanently revoked the Indiana insurance license of a financial adviser accused of bilking investors before trying to fake his death in a Florida plane crash. Judge Douglas Webber’s order means neither Marcus …

Ohio’s Kehres Named Division III Liberty Mutual Coach of Year

Ohio’s Mount Union College head football coach Larry Kehres has been selected as the 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year for Division III. Kehres and Liberty Mutual will present four local charities and the Mount Union Alumni Association with …

New Markets

The following markets were selected from the MyNewMarkets database of 25,000 coverages and programs. To find additional markets, or to submit markets, go to www.MyNewMarkets.com. Mono-line Property for Coastal Exposures Market Detail: CATalyst Property Insurance from Venture Programs gives agents …

Economic Downturn Driving More Motorists to Ranks of Uninsured

Approximately one in six drivers across the U.S. may be driving uninsured by 2010, according to a recent study from Insurance Research Council (IRC). Although the estimated percentage of uninsured motorists decreased nationally, from 14.9 percent in 2003 to 13.8 …

Ratings Roundup: Mountain States, HMSC, Woodbrook, Gateway, Fremont, Michigan Millers’

A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of “a-” of Mountain States Mutual Casualty Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Mountain States Indemnity …

Former Mississippi Sen. Lott Implicated in Lawsuit Against Scruggs

An Alabama attorney has filed a federal lawsuit against imprisoned attorney Richard “Dickie” Scruggs and several others, alleging they conspired with a former U.S. senator to bribe a state court judge and defraud him of millions in legal fees. The …

Flooding After Torrential Rains Remains Problem in West Alabama

Flood waters are still plaguing the west Alabama city of Demopolis following last week’s torrential rainfall. The Demopolis area and communities in neighboring Greene County have been inundated after the Black Warrior and Tombigee rivers spilled their banks on Sunday. …

Alabama Arson Suspect Lunceford Faced Foreclosure, Federal Agents Say

Witnesses testified that businessman and former Auburn University’s punter Tommy Lunceford Jr. was in a dispute with a couple leasing his Gulf Shores (Alabama) restaurant and faced foreclosure when the building burned as the couple, sleeping upstairs, narrowly escaped injury. …

Business Moves

CRC Insurance, TAPCO Underwriters CRC Insurance Services Inc., the wholesale insurance subsidiary of BB&T Corp. principal subsidiary Branch Banking and Trust Co., plans to acquire TAPCO Underwriters Inc. The transaction was to be completed Dec. 31. Terms were not disclosed. …