Illinois News

Liberty Mutual Drops Direct Sales to Middle Market Businesses; Insurer Puts Faith in Independent Agents

Liberty Mutual Group is throwing in the towel on direct distribution of insurance to middle market businesses. Since it couldn’t beat independent agents and brokers – who dominate sales in this segment – Liberty Mutual has decided to join them. …

Business Moves

Liberty Mutual, Wausau Liberty Mutual Group, which sells insurance both direct and through independent agents, is discontinuing direct distribution to mid-sized businesses and now plans to distribute its commercial property/casualty insurance products in the middle market exclusively through independent agents …

People

Former Iowa Insurance Commissioner Therese M. Vaughan, Ph.D., has been named chief executive officer of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), effective Feb. 18, 2009. Vaughan replaces Catherine J. Weatherford, who left the NAIC in July 2008. Andrew Beal, …

People

Former Iowa Insurance Commissioner Therese M. Vaughan, Ph.D., has been named chief executive officer of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), effective Feb. 18, 2009. Vaughan replaces Catherine J. Weatherford, who left the NAIC in July 2008. Andrew Beal, …

Business Moves

Liberty Mutual, Wausau Liberty Mutual Group, which sells insurance both direct and through independent agents, is discontinuing direct distribution to mid-sized businesses and now plans to distribute its commercial property/casualty insurance products in the middle market exclusively through independent agents …

Liberty Mutual Drops Direct Sales to Middle Market Businesses

Puts Faith in Independent Agents Liberty Mutual Group is throwing in the towel on direct distribution of insurance to middle market businesses. Because it couldn’t beat independent agents and brokers — who dominate sales in this segment — Liberty Mutual …

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. High-Value Homeowners’ Protection Market Detail: Irwin Siegel Agency Inc. brings agents access to AIG’s Private …

Okla. AG ‘Not Optimistic’ About Settlement in Poultry Pollution Case

Oklahoma’s attorney general says he remains hopeful, but not optimistic, about a pretrial settlement in the state’s federal lawsuit against more than a dozen poultry companies accused of polluting the one million-acre Illinois River Watershed with bird waste. “Being somewhat …

Auto Deaths Decline in 40 States; Less Driving, More Seat Belt Use Cited

Automobile fatalities declined in 40 states in 2008, according to a survey of state highway safety agencies, an early sign that traffic deaths could dip to their lowest levels in four decades. The Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state …

Florida Lawmakers Question State Farm on Why It’s Leaving

State Farm Florida has lost hundreds of millions of dollars in the state in the last decade and risks insolvency if it continues writing property insurance here, company executives told a legislative committee this week. Jim Thompson, president of State …