Insurers News

Crop Insurers Reluctantly Agree to $600 Million a Year Subsidy Cut

All 16 private insurance companies that participate in a federal crop insurance program have signed off on the new federal reinsurance agreement that cuts the subsidies they get by $600 million a year for the next 10 years. The insurers …

Markel to Acquire Workers’ Compensation Insurer FirstComp

Specialty insurer Markel Corp., has struck a deal worth at least $135 million to acquire Aspen Holdings, which sells workers’ compensation under the name FirstComp to small businesses in 31 states. Aspen, which is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, operates primarily …

Insurer to Occupy Majority of Cincinnati’s New Tallest Building

When complete, the Great American Tower in Cincinnati, Ohio, will be the city’s tallest building, and one crowned with a tiara. City leaders celebrated Tuesday as the final piece was placed into the “grand tiara” on top of the building …

Allstate’s Castle Key Insurers Seek 18-33% Rate Hikes in Florida

Allstate Insurance subsidiaries in Florida are seeking rate increases from 18 percent to 33 percent. Castle Key Insurance Co. has filed with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) to increase homeowners rates by an average of 33 percent. Castle …

Michigan Supreme Court Lifts Ban on Use of Credit Scores by Insurers

The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that the Granholm Administration exceeded its authority when it banned the use of credit scoring by insurance companies in the state. The decision means insurers in Michigan can continue to use credit scoring in …

Obama Administration Asks Health Insurers to Embrace Reforms Now

U.S. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who has bashed insurers over rate increases, is seeking their help in making medical coverage accessible for more patients in the years before major reforms take effect. Sebelius, in an interview with Reuters, said she …

3 in New York Charged with Stealing $500K from Insurers Over 10 Years

Police in Colonie, N.Y. have arrested three people — including an insurer claims employee– for stealing nearly $500,000 from two insurance companies by allegedly forging and cashing claims checks in a scheme that ran nearly 10 years before it was …

Insurer Ace Replaces Millipore on S&P 500

Standard & Poor’s Thursday said it will add property and casualty insurer Ace Ltd to its flagship Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index after the close of trading on July 14. Ace will replace Millipore Corp, a maker of laboratory …

Health Insurer to Pay Connecticut $250K for Data Breach

A California-based health insurance company has agreed to pay Connecticut $250,000 for losing a disk drive containing private information of 1.5 million customers, including nearly 450,000 state residents. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced that along with the settlement, Health Net …

Arkansas: Consumers Scammed by Insurer Face Claim Deadline

Arkansas Consumers who were scammed by an unlicensed health benefits company called American Trade Association Inc. (ATA) or its affiliates have until Aug. 31, 2010, to pursue a refund of money they paid for this phony insurance product, the Arkansas …