Government News

Allianz Warns Climate Change Could Hit Harder than Financial Crisis

As the UN climate summit in Cancun approaches, the insurance industry is preparing to present its case to the poiticians, business leaders and scientists, who will be attending. “As an insurer, we are the frontline industry to feel the heat …

Best Affirms Fremont’s ‘A-‘ Ratings

A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of Fremont Insurance Company, as well as the ICR of “bbb-” of its parent holding company, Fremont Michigan InsuraCorp, Inc. (OTC …

Mississippi Court Rejects Bad Faith Part of Katrina Damages Award

The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld a breach-of-contract verdict in a dispute between an insurance company and a retired Navy admiral over coverage of damages from Hurricane Katrina. However, the high court said Admiral James W. Lisanby and his wife, …

Safety Officials Warn 13 Mines in 7 States

Federal regulators late Friday warned 13 mining operations in seven states, including two owned by troubled Massey Energy Co., to show improvement on safety or face stricter enforcement. The Mine Safety and Health Administration says a 14th mining operation, Massey’s …

Kentucky Jury Awards $42 Million in Nursing Home Death

The family of a man who died after nine days in a Madisonville nursing home has won a $42.75 million verdict. Attorney Lisa Circeo argued in court that 92-year-old Joseph Clint Offutt died because Harborside of Madisonville staff neglected him. …

New York Agents Lose Court Battle over Compensation Disclosure

New York agents failed to make their case that insurance regulators cannot require agents and brokers to disclose their commissions, a Supreme Court judge has ruled. That just-released decision by Supreme Court Justice Richard M. Platkin appears to end for …

Deal Settles Most Lawsuits over WTC Toxic Dust

A deal reached by New York City and workers exposed to toxic dust that blanketed ground zero after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will resolve an overwhelming majority of the lawsuits over the city’s failure to provide protective equipment to …

Forfeiture Hearing Set in Ex-Pennsylvania Judge’s Fraud Conviction

A federal court forfeiture hearing is set in the case of a former Pennsylvania Superior Court judge convicted of insurance fraud. Michael Joyce, of Millcreek Township, is serving a 46-month prison sentence for collecting $440,000 in a low-speed accident in …

Florida’s BankAtlantic Executives Found Guilty of Securities Fraud

Executives at Florida-based lender BankAtlantic Bancorp Inc. failed to alert investors about risks in its real estate loan portfolio as the U.S. housing market collapsed, a Miami federal jury ruled Thursday in a rare securities fraud class action verdict. The …

Oregon Proposes Changing Insurance Licensing Requirements

The Oregon Insurance Division recently has proposed changing rules to restructure the order in which a person applies for an insurance license to eliminate the pre-approval process. Restructuring the process would eliminate the pre-approval process that is currently conducted before …