California News

Senate Panel to Hear Extending Flood Insurance Program This Week

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is set to expire on Sept. 30, just as the 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season reaches its height. The House has already passed an extension, while a Senate panel is slated to hear a bill …

California Processes 15.5% Fewer Surplus Line Premiums

State To Increase Surplus Line Requirements The Surplus Line Association of California has processed $1.9 billion in premium for the first six months of 2010, a decrease of 15.5 percent compared to the same period in 2009. The total number …

RMIS Adds Smith as Business Development Manager

Fullerton, Calif.-based RMIS has added Ana Mari Smith to the marketing team as business development manager. Smith most recently worked for a startup general agency in Southern California, but spent the majority of her 20 years insurance experience marketing for …

It Figures

$8.3 Million The Fourmile Canyon fire burning in Colorado, which crept to within 5 miles of Boulder, has been dubbed the “most destructive wildfire in Colorado history.” As of press time, the fire destroyed 172 structures and incurred $8.3 million …

Fireman’s Fund Ready to Rally

Fireman’s Fund’s financials, like other insurance carriers’, got bruised a little in the first half of 2010, following some heavy catastrophe losses. But in an exclusive mid-year market update, company President and CEO Mike LaRocco said he’s “very bullish” about …

Business Moves

Monarch E&S Monarch E&S Insurance Services opened new offices in Hawaii and Arizona. The Hawaii office, located in Waikoloa, will be operated by company CEO Derek Borisoff. The Arizona office, located in Chandler, will be run by Senior Underwriter for …

Declarations

Interlinked Failures “A complex and interlinked series of mechanical failures, human judgments, engineering design, operational implementation and team interfaces came together to allow the initiation and escalation of the accident.” β€”A report issued by BP Plc failed to identify any …

People

Philadelphia Insurance Cos. promoted Christopher J. Maguire and Sean S. Sweeney to co-presidents. Maguire joined Philadelphia Insurance Companies in 1987 and has managed underwriting operations and production. In his most recent role as chief operating officer, his focus became building …

America’s Best Independent Agencies to Work For

Salaries and Benefits Lead but Quality of People and Relationships Win Votes, Too The results are in from the 2010 Best Independent Insurance Agency to Work For survey by Insurance Journal. The owners of the Best Agencies to Work For …

Ryan Group Denies Wrongdoing by Former Employee

North Carolina-based wholesale insurance broker AmWINS has won a court order against a former employee it believes is using confidential client information to target AmWINS business accounts and win them over to his new employer. The former employee, David Austin, …