Massachusetts News

Tropical Storm Danny Weakens; East Coast Likely Spared Hurricane

Tropical Storm Danny weakened in the Atlantic Ocean Thursday and was no longer expected to become a hurricane, but it edged closer to the U.S. coast on a path that could take it to Canada’s Atlantic provinces by Sunday. Storm …

Vermont Hits Massachusetts Company with $217K Safety Fine

The state of Vermont has issued one of its largest ever workplace safety fines against a Massachusetts firm that formerly installed cable for Comcast. The Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration found six alleged willful violations by Advanced Digital Communications …

Court: Homeowner’s Policy Won’t Pay Damages for Overdose Death

A homeowner’s policy will not pay damages to the mother of a teenager who died after overdosing on painkillers he stole from the man with whom he and his mother lived, a panel of justices from the Massachusetts Appeals Court …

States Give ‘Thumbs Up’ to Fingerprinting Insurance Producers

Don’t be alarmed, but there are convicted criminals roaming around the country acting as insurance producers. They could be drunk drivers, robbers, forgers, possibly even rapists. They got their producer licenses in states that did not ask them for their …

Rogers & Gray Names Gomes as CFO

Rogers & Gray Insurance Agency Inc.has appointed David B. Gomes as its new chief financial officer and treasurer. Gomes joined the Massachusetts agency on June 1, bringing with him more than 20 years experience in the financial, manufacturing and bio …

Merchants Expands Coverage for Contractors

New York-based Merchants Insurance Group has added artisan contractor’s coverage to its Merchants Advantage Plus commercial insurance product. The MAP Contractors program provides customizable coverage for those who perform residential and light commercial work, including electricians, HVAC technicians, landscapers, painters, …

Family Health Insurance Premiums Seen Rising 94% by 2020

Nationally, family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance increased 119 percent between 1999 and 2008, and could increase another 94 percent to an average $23,842 per family by 2020 if cost growth continues on its current course, according to a new …

Elderly Drivers Found More Prone to Side-Impact Crashes

Many drivers over age 70 realize that their reaction time is slower so they naturally compensate by driving more carefully, says Matthew Romoser, who studies age-related physical and cognitive function and driving skills at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The …

Love of Language Leads Insurance Agent to Hispanic Market

At first glance, Kathryn Soderberg would seem an unlikely candidate for an insurance agent whose expertise in marketing to Hispanic customers lands her gigs on radio talk shows and leading Hispanic market training sessions for large insurance companies. Soderberg, president …

Brrrrr a true golfer! Marc Duffy of Duffy Insurance based in Lynn, Mass., hits the course in Boston in April 2009.