Massachusetts News

Chubb Expands Excess Flood Policy

The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies has begun to offer an admitted excess flood insurance product to homeowners policyholders who face either inland or coastal exposures in 15 jurisdictions, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York …

Fla.’s Citizens Makes Sinkhole Coverage Optional for Some

By making sinkhole coverage optional, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will reduce rates for Pasco County homeowners by as much as 56 percent. Homeowners throughout the state who wish to purchase the sinkhole coverage may do so for an additional premium …

N.Y. Gov.-Elect Spitzer Nominates Dinallo as Insurance Chief

Mass. Incoming New York Governor Eliot Spitzer will nominate Eric Dinallo, the former head of Spitzer’s own investment public protection division while he was attorney general and currently general counsel of Willis Group Holdings, to be superintendent of insurance in …

Mass. Auto Rates Cut 11.7% for 2007

As expected, auto insurance rates in Massachusetts will be going down again in 2007, this time by as much as 11.7 percent on average. Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Julianne M. Bowler today announced the decision in the 2007 private passenger insurance …

Insurers Seek Springfield, Mass. Church Documents on Sex Abuse

A judge is weighing whether to order the release of thousands of pages of Springfield (Mass.) Diocese documents in a dispute between the church and seven of its insurance carriers over settlements with clergy sex abuse victims. The diocese sued …

Commerce, AAA in Mass. Extend Sales Partnership with 20-Year Pact

The Commerce Insurance Co. has entered into a long-term marketing agreement with AAA Southern New England that extends the two organizations’ business partnership in selling to auto insurance in Massachusetts to a minimum of 20 years, enhancing a successful relationship …

Mass. Commissioner Orders Long-Awaited Transition to Assigned Risk Plan

Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Julianne M. Bowler today iorder the implementation of an assigned risk plan for the state’s private passenger auto insurance market. The assigned risk plan will replace the existing pooling mechanism and establish appropriate incentives for companies to …

Her Future’s Uncertain but Mass. Commissioner Keeps Busy

These are busy days for Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Julianne Bowler. Within weeks, even days, Bowler is expected to release final plans for a new auto insurance assigned risk plan, decide on auto insurance rates for 2007 and complete a study …

National Atlantic and Commerce Group End Talks

National Atlantic Holdings Corp. today confirmed that preliminary discussions with The Commerce Group, Inc. regarding a potential business combination or other strategic transaction have been terminated by mutual agreement of the parties. National Atlantic Holdings Corp.and its subsidiaries provide property …

New Markets

Monoline Auto Classes, Small Commercial Businesses Nuts & Bolts: Zurich’s small business agents now have more than 500 monoline auto classes to sell. The company has opened an additional 257 existing America Premier classes for monoline auto and added 238 …