Massachusetts News

14 Pa. court: no agency duty to inspect flood risks

Would amount to ‘onerous’ burden, says court; agents agree 14 Mass. agents cautious on assigned risk plan Court approves Commissioner Bowler’s ARP; what’s next step? 15 Northeast leads in firms buying terror coverage Take-up rates vary by region and property …

Michigan Supreme Court shows judicial restraint with asbestos decision

Courts and legislatures around the country are taking a serious look at the problems created by the consolidation of mass tort cases, such as asbestos and silica litigation. The Michigan Supreme Court provided the latest move toward restoring balance with …

Mass. agents cautious on assigned risk plan

Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Julianne Bowler has been given the green light by the state’s high court to proceed with installing an auto insurance assigned risk plan and she appears intent on doing so. On Aug. 23, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial …

Michigan Supreme Court shows judicial restraint with asbestos decision

Courts and legislatures around the country are taking a serious look at the problems created by the consolidation of mass tort cases, like the asbestos and silica litigation. The Michigan Supreme Court provided the latest move toward restoring balance with …

Figures

-16% The percentage that Beacon Mutual Insurance Co., Rhode Island’s dominant workers’ compensation insurer, plans to reduce rates on average. The company, which has roughly 14,500 policyholders, says it expects the rate reduction to save Rhode Island employers about $9 …

Joel Ario, Oregon, Insurance Administrator

When looking at credit scoring, the affordability and availability of health care, or even the construction liability market, states often are better-equipped than the federal government to address the issues, according to Oregon’s Insurance Administrator Joel Ario. After all, states …

People and Places

American International Group Inc. named Nicholas J. Ashooh as senior vice president of communications. Ashooh succeeds John T. Wooster Jr. who had filled that role on a temporary basis since year-end 2005, and earlier had been AIG vice president of …

Michigan shows judicial restraint with asbestos decision

Courts and legislatures around the country are taking a serious look at the problems created by the consolidation of mass tort cases, like the asbestos and silica litigation. The Michigan Supreme Court provided the latest move toward restoring balance with …

People

American International Group Inc. named Nicholas J. Ashooh as senior vice president of communications. Ashooh succeeds John T. Wooster Jr. who had filled that role on a temporary basis since year-end 2005, and earlier had been AIG vice president of …

The Commissioners

In January, Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. selected R. Steven Orr to serve as Maryland Insurance Commissioner, succeeding Alfred W. Redmer, who resigned in October 2005 to join the private sector. Orr most recently served as senior vice president …