State and Regional News

Kansas to Receive $500K in AIG Workers’ Comp Settlement

A signed legal settlement with American International Group will net the State of Kansas general fund $500,000, according to Sandy Praeger, Commissioner of Insurance. “The AIG settlement for Kansas was part of a nationwide $146 million agreement over alleged misreporting …

New York Plans to Merge Banking, Insurance Regulators

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo plans to improve regulation of Wall Street with a smaller state government that would merge the Banking and Insurance departments, Cuomo told a radio station yesterday. Cuomo, a Democrat who took office on Saturday, is …

Defense in Kentucky Insurance Regulator Death Cites Mental Defect

Defense lawyers for former Kentucky lawmaker Steve Nunn may argue that he had a mental or emotional defect when his former fiancee was shot to death. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Nunn attorneys have filed documents showing they intend to …

North Carolina Insurers Seek Rate Hike on Dwelling Fire Policies

North Carolina insurers are looking to raise rates from 7 percent to 25 percent, or an average 20.9 percent statewide, for 2011 on dwelling fire and extended coverage policies. If approved the higher rates would affect about 570,000 policyholders, with …

Florida Workers’ Compensation Market Remains Competitive: Report

Florida’s workers’ compensation market remains competitive with more than 250 private insurers writing coverage and only a fraction of business being funneled to the residual market. Also, availability does not appear to be a major concern in the aggregate, although …

Oklahoma Law Protecting Health Care Volunteers Now in Effect

A new state law protecting health care professionals who volunteer at school sporting events from being sued has gone into effect in Oklahoma and its author wants schools to take advantage of it. State Rep. Joe Dorman says House Bill …

Arkansas Counties Declared Disaster Areas After Storms

Gov. Mike Beebe has declared two Arkansas counties affected by a tornado and severe storms as state disaster areas. Severe weather on Dec. 31 caused three deaths and eight injuries, along with damage to more than 30 homes and businesses …

Florida Approves Lower Collateral for Renaissance Re

Bermuda-based Renaissance Reinsurance Ltd. has been approved to participate in Florida’s property reinsurance marketplace with modified collateral requirements. In 2007, Florida lawmakers passed legislation that authorized the Office of Insurance Regulation to establish lower collateral requirements for non-United States based …

South Carolina Awards 85 Mitigation Grants to Coastal Homeowners

Eighty-five South Carolina homeowners who live on the coast are the latest recipients of grants to help them strengthen their homes against storms. Scott H. Richardson, state insurance commissioner, said the SC Safe Home awards went to homeowners living in …

Iowa to Allow Broad Public Access to Wellmark Rate Increase Hearing

Iowa’s Insurance Commissioner Susan Voss announced that she has made arrangements for unprecedented access to a Jan. 6, 2011, hearing that will be held at the Iowa Insurance Division, 330 Maple Street, Des Moines, Iowa. The topic of the hearing …