Massachusetts News

Occidental Agrees to Alter Rating System for Massachusetts Drivers

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said that Occidental Fire and Casualty Insurance Co. of North Carolina has agreed to make significant changes to the way it rates Bay State drivers. Occidental, which announced plans earlier this year to enter Massachusetts …

New York Governor to Reintroduce Gay Marriage Bill

New York Gov. David Paterson is making another push to legalize gay marriage in New York, tapping into the momentum of other states that have recently allowed same-sex couples to wed, but the measure will face stiff opposition in the …

Massachusetts Drivers Can View Driving Records Online

Massachusetts drivers can now view their records online. The Registry of Motor Vehicles announced Monday that drivers can see their driving records on the Registry’s Web site and download them or request certified copies. An unattested driving record can be …

Best Revises Liberty Mutual Group Outlook to Negative; Affirms Ratings

A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to negative from stable for the financial strength (FSR) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of Liberty Mutual Group, Inc. (LMGI), Liberty Mutual Insurance Companies and Liberty Insurance Holdings (LIH) and their members, as …

Occidental Agrees to Alter Rating System for Massachusetts Drivers

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said that Occidental Fire and Casualty Insurance Co. of North Carolina has agreed to make significant changes to the way it rates Bay State drivers. Occidental, which announced plans earlier this year to enter Massachusetts …

Push for Transgender Protection Grows in New England

For Ethan St. Pierre, allowing someone who is biologically female but self-identifies as male to use the men’s bathroom is a no-brainer. “Look at me,” said St. Pierre, who was born a woman but is now a transgender man with …

Anti-Fraud Group Urges Maine to Fight Insurance Fraud

An national advocacy group is urging lawmakers in Maine to create an insurance fraud bureau. The Pine Tree State, according to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, has the highest per-capita rate of insurance fraud in America and should act to …

Former Maine CEO in Hot Seat over AIG Bonuses

The public outrage aimed at American International Group over bonuses given to its executives has reached the man whose committee approved the payouts: James F. Orr, former chief executive officer of Unum Corp. The Portland Press Herald said leaders of …

People

The Professional Insurance Agents of Connecticut Inc. (PIACT) elected new officers. They are: President James Goodman, who is president of Goodman Insurance Inc. in Shelton; President-elect Howard Olderman, who is president of The Olderman and Hallihan Agency Inc. in Ansonia; …

Direct Writers Reconsidering Massachusetts

As Managed Competition Marks Anniversary, Agency-Distributed Auto Insurance Faces New Rival It’s finally happened: Geico is entering the auto insurance market in Massachusetts. Insurance Commissioner Nonnie Burnes confirmed in a statement earlier this month that the nation’s third-largest auto insurer …