Iowa News

ACG Ranks Second in Nation for Collision Repair Customer Satisfaction

The Auto Club Group (ACG) — holding company for the Auto Club Insurance Association (ACIA) and six AAA affiliates in the Midwest (including AAA Michigan) — is ranked second in the nation for collision repair satisfaction, according to J.D. Power …

Insurance Companies Offer Rewards in Ala. Church Fires

Two companies insuring several rural churches burned in Bibb County and west Alabama are offering rewards that could total more than $77,000, in addition to state and federal rewards totaling $10,000. Five church fires Feb. 3 in Bibb County have …

Iowa Survey Finds Wellness Programs Major Issue for Most Workers

A new survey by an Iowa-based company, suggests that workers value “wellness” programs by employers as a necessary tool for the entire health insurance realm. Most employees, according to the survey, rate insurance coverage right near the top of job-related …

Business Moves

First Acceptance, Chicago Non-Standard Auto Agencies First Acceptance Corporation, a provider of private passenger non-standard automobile insurance, has acquired certain assets of Insurance Plus Agency II Inc. and Yale International Insurance Agency Inc. These agencies sell private passenger non-standard automobile …

University of Iowa Offers New Classes in Risk Management and Insurance

The University of Iowa announced that it is now offering a Certificate in Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) through the Emmett J. Vaughan Institute of Risk Management and Insurance, in the Henry B. Tippie College of Business. As part of …

Miss. Supreme Court Reverses Ruling, Limits Insurance Liability

The Mississippi Supreme Court has reversed a judge’s ruling that could have left Zurich American Insurance Co. liable for as much as $8 million in claims related to a multi-vehicle accident. The accident occurred on June 20, 2002, in Lauderdale …

Surplus Lines Market: Speculation for 2006

Experts agree. The surplus lines market remains alive, healthy and stable. Who can argue with the success of this niche-based market that has risen from 4 percent in 1984 to almost 15 percent of the insurance market in 2005. National …

Case Law Watch

Auto liability Allstate Insurance Company v. Reid (1st Cir. Nov. 30, 2005) Ruling: Coverage Not Available for Damage to Boat Towed by Insured. Defendant and his friend, May, were returning from a fishing trip. Defendant was towing May’s boat and …

Regulatory modernization tops industry’s legislative agenda for 2006

With the extension of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, passage of federal class action and crop insurance reform, enactment of asbestos reform in several states and some changes in state laws on pricing, property/casualty industry trade groups made political progress …

Excess, Surplus & Specialty

Speculations for surplus lines market in 2006 Experts agree. The surplus lines market remains alive, healthy and stable. Who can argue with the success of this niche-based market that has risen from 4 percent in 1984 to almost 15 percent …