United States News

Canada Trade Minister Urges Action on Big Doha Issues

WTO member states must find answers to bilateral squabbles if they want to achieve any global breakthrough in free trade talks, Canada’s trade minister said Friday. In an interview with Reuters, Peter Van Loan said he would not point fingers …

Business Moves

NetComp NetComp Insurance, a newly-formed program manager based in Columbia, S.C., has opened its online program (www.netcompinsurance.com) for small to-mid size workers’ compensation business to all independent agents in Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. NetComp said it …

R-T Specialty Acquires Chartwell Independent Insurance Brokers

R-T Specialty LLC, the wholesale brokerage unit of Ryan Specialty Group LLC based in Chicago, has acquired Los Angeles-based Chartwell Independent Insurance Brokers LLC. Chartwell, founded in September 2004 by Ben Beazley, is a national wholesale/intermediary organization with expertise in …

People

Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West’s (IBA West) education division, Insurance Skills Center (ISC), entered into an agreement with Cheryl L. Koch, president and CEO of Agency Management Resource Group, to manage ISC education and training programs. In her …

Risk Managers Not Satisfied With U.S. Insurance Providers’ Service

Corporate risk managers report a serious and growing disconnect between themselves and their insurance brokers and carriers: At a time when U.S. companies are enhancing internal risk management capabilities and elevating risk management to a strategic priority, many brokers and …

Supreme Court Decision Limits Non-U.S. Companies’ Exposure to U.S. Securities Litigation

Securities lawsuits against BP and Toyota may be substantially narrowed, thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision. On June 24, 2010, in a long-awaited decision that will affect the circumstances under which non-U.S. companies can be sued under U.S. securities …

Report WTO’s Lamy Says Doha Participants Are Preparing Final Deal

Participants in the Doha world trade talks are preparing for a final deal but there is no point setting an artificial deadline, the head of the World Trade Organization told a German daily. The Doha talks, launched in late 2001, …

Arguments For and Against Reinsurance Tax Bill Continue

Yesterday’s hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee has inspired both sides in the debate over Rep. Richard Neal’s (D-MA) plan, HR3424, to tax foreign-based insurers and reinsurers. [See IJ web site – https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2010/07/15/111603.htm ]. The immediate focus is …

Ward Group Names Top 50 Performing P/C Insurers

The Ward Group has named the top 50 property/casualty insurers, based on its evaluation of more than 3,000 companies domiciled in the United States. Companies named to the list had surplus and premiums of at least $50 million for each …

McPartland Joining Sentry Insurance as President, COO

Sentry Insurance Mutual Co. in Stevens Point, Wis., announced that Peter G. McPartland is joining Sentry in August as president and chief operating officer. McPartland is a seasoned insurance executive with more than 30 years’ experience in the industry, including …