Minnesota News

Willis Appoints Housh to Head Minnesota Operations

Global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings has named Scot A. Housh president and CEO of Willis’ Minnesota operations, effective immediately. Housh is based in Minneapolis and will report to Tom Ealy, national partner of Willis’ Midwest Region. Housh, who joined …

Minnesota Woman Sues Cargill for $100M Over E. coli Infection

A Minnesota woman who became severely ill from an E. coli infection after eating a tainted hamburger has sued a division of agribusiness giant Cargill Inc. for $100 million. Stephanie Smith, 22, of Cold Spring, became ill in September 2007 …

People

Des Moines, Iowa-based Principal Financial Group announced that John Aschenbrenner, president of its insurance and financial services division, will retire at the end of 2009 after more than 37 years with the company. Aschenbrenner joined The Principal in 1972 and …

Declarations

No Workers’ Comp for Illegals “We are going to provide a mechanism for those claims to be investigated and if the people turn out to be unauthorized there will be no coverage. We will try to wring costs out of …

New Markets

The following markets were selected from the MyNewMarkets database of 25,000 coverages and programs. To find additional markets, or to submit markets, go to www.MyNewMarkets.com. Campgrounds, Dude Ranches & Other Outdoors Risks Market Detail: Hull & Company Inc. has availability …

Minnesota Fines Agent $250K

The Minnesota Department of Commerce has issued a $250,000 fine against Michael Antonello, an insurance agent the department previously accused of insurance fraud. It is the largest fine levied against an individual by the department in recent memory. Antonello’s agency …

Unemployed Face Higher Healthcare Premiums Without COBRA Extension

Millions of unemployed U.S. workers face sharply higher health insurance premiums and loss of coverage as temporary federal subsidies expire, a healthcare advocacy group said Tuesday. With the U.S. unemployment rate topping 10 percent, FamiliesUSA is urging Congress to extend …

Hoehne Joins Lockton Benefit Group in Minneapolis

Christine Hoehne has joined Lockton Benefit Group as an account executive in Lockton’s International Benefit Services practice in Minneapolis, Minn. Prior to joining Lockton, Hoehne spent eight years as an account executive for the Americas region of All Net, the …

Tour Bus Crashes in Minnesota; Company Says Driver Had Aneurysm

A tour bus driver suffered a ruptured aneurysm before a crash on a southern Minnesota interstate that killed two people and injured 21 others. That’s according to a spokesman for Strain Bus Line, the company that runs the trips to …

Downstream Towns in Midwest Worried About Red River Diversion

Residents living downstream from Fargo, N.D., and neighboring Moorhead, Minn., along the Red River fear their towns would be sacrificed in a diversion plan to save the two larger cities from chronic flooding. Backers of the plan say it’s too …