Washington News

W.B. Adams Co. Names Beymer Assistant VP

W.B. Adams Co., a regional independent agency located in the Portland, Ore., area, has announced that Linda Beymer has joined the firm as a producer and assistant vice president. She has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance …

California Estimates Easter Quake Damage at $91 Million

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has estimated the Easter earthquake caused about $91 million in damage in impoverished Imperial County. Schwarzenegger’s office sent a letter to the federal government with the preliminary estimate and asked that the quake that left two people …

Flights Resume in Parts of Europe

Flights from large parts of Europe are set to resume on Tuesday under a deal agreed by the European Union to free up airspace closed by a cloud of ash hurled into the sky by an Icelandic volcano. However, with …

Auto Insurers Begin Process of Recouping Losses from Toyota

Insurance companies are gearing up to recoup from Toyota money they paid for claims in crashes involving sudden acceleration, the subject of major safety recalls by the Japanese automaker. It could also mean money back for some drivers who paid …

North Carolina Court Upholds 2008 Rate Hikes Opposed by Coastal Towns

The North Carolina Court of Appeals has declined to upset a 2008 agreement between the state’s former insurance commissioner and insurers that hiked insurance rates for some coastal homeowners up to 30 percent and cut them for others in inland …

Financial Crisis Handing Spitzer Chance at Political Comeback: Author

The financial crisis and its aftermath may yet revive the political career of disgraced former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, the author of a new book about Spitzer says. Other politicians might have been finished by the scandal surrounding Spitzer, …

Who Pays?

Things are heating up in the world of Chinese drywall. Courts are issuing opinions, a U.S. consumer products safety agency is recommending gutting homes with the product, and a consumer watchdog group is insisting that President Obama board Air Force …

Toyota Pays $16.4 Million Fine But Says It Acted in Good Faith

Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday it will pay a record $16.4 million fine to U.S. safety regulators to settle a complaint that the company delayed a recall over defective accelerator pedals. Toyota, however, said it made a “good faith” effort …

Charges Against Goldman Could Unleash Torrent of Lawsuits

The fraud charges against Goldman Sachs & Co. that rocked financial markets Friday are no slam dunk, as hazy evidence and strategic pitfalls could easily trip up government lawyers. Yet that hardly matters, experts say, because the allegations will kick …

Beazley Expands Architects and Engineers Team

Robin McNeill has joined the architects & engineers professional liability team at underwriter Beazley Group. McNeill, who will be based in Washington, D.C., was most recently a vice president with Victor O. Schinnerer & Co., the underwriting manager for CNA’s …