Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Arson and Insurance Fraud Scheme
An Illinois man admitted guilt in federal court last week for his involvement in a scheme to commit arson on residential properties and collect fraudulent insurance benefits. Rufis A. Jefferson, 47, of Venice, Illinois, pleaded guilty to 14 federal felony …
Family of Texas Woman Killed in Propane Truck Collision Files $150 Million Lawsuit
The family of a Texas woman killed in a January collision with a propane truck has filed a $150 million lawsuit against the propane company and the driver of the vehicle, citing negligence and wrongful death. Nineteen-year-old Yuliana Castillo and …
Vans, Dickies Owner VF Corp: Data of 35.5M Consumers Stolen in Recent Cyberattack
Apparel and footwear company VF Corp. disclosed last week that the personal data of about 35.5 million consumers were stolen as part of a December 2023 cyberattack. According to a Jan. 18 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, …
Florida Senate Committee Adopts Litigation Funding Rules; Expands Wrongful Death
Litigation financing could soon become more transparent and less influential in Florida, but a 34-year-old restriction on who can file medical malpractice wrongful death claims would be expanded under bills approved Monday by a key Florida legislative panel. The Senate …
Georgia Woman Wanted on Charges She Filed $45,000 in Faked Pet Insurance Claims
Law enforcement officials on Monday were looking for a Georgia woman who allegedly gained almost $45,000 from fraudulent pet insurance claims, from 2019 through 2022. Amanda Lindley, 39, of Paulding County, northwest of Atlanta, is wanted for submitting 48 claims …
Roof Claim for Damage by Vultures Fails on Ordinary, Not Expert, Meaning of ‘Infestation’
How many vultures are required and how long must they be present to create an infestation? The Pennsylvania-based owner of a Maryland commercial building has learned that the answer, at least for insurance purposes, does not lie with an expert …
5 Firefighters Injured Battling Pittsburgh Blaze; 2 Fell Through Roof
Five firefighters were injured, two by falling through a roof, while battling a blaze at three buildings in a Pittsburgh neighborhood over the weekend, authorities said. Fire crews were called just before 9:30 a.m. Saturday to the Homewood neighborhood where …
Man Who Built Plane That Crashed off California Coast Recalls Selling to Enthusiast
A small airplane that crashed into the ocean off the California coast on Sunday was constructed piece by piece over nearly a decade, one of tens of thousands of home-built aircraft that are part of a high-flying hobby taking off …
New Orleans to Activate Citywide Freeze Plan Ahead of Extreme Winter Weather
The City of New Orleans announced that they will activate a citywide freeze plan in anticipation of the extreme winter weather expected to bring dangerously low temperatures below freezing starting Jan. 19. The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts that there …
Medical Experts May be Needed, Even in Negligence Claims – Kentucky Supreme Court
When a baseball umpire, well-traveled in college conferences, went to a hospital for X-rays on his surgically repaired ankle in 2015, a hospital attendant pushing the ump’s wheelchair accidentally bumped his foot against a desk. The question that has percolated …
Cold Weather Causes More Than 60 Oil Spills in North Dakota
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Bitter cold weather is causing a rash of spills in the oil fields of North Dakota as well as a slowdown in production, regulators say. North Dakota has seen multiple days of frigid weather with windchills …
People Moves: Atain Names Dassow VP, Head of Primary Liability; WSIA Names New Secretary and Director Following Maner’s Retirement
Atain Names Dassow VP, Head of Primary Liability Atain Insurance Companies, headquartered in Farmington Hills, Mich., hired Tom Dassow as vice president and head of primary liability, leading Atain’s newly formed general liability brokerage unit. Most recently, Dassow led CM …
Texas Car Dealership Faces Lawsuit for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
South Austin Nissan, a car dealership in Austin, Texas, operated by NICPA Central Auto Group, LLC, subjected female employees to sexual harassment and retaliated against employees when they reported the harassment the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in …
GM Financial Rebranding OnStar Insurance as General Motors Insurance
GM Financial earlier this week said it is rebranding its OnStar Insurance to General Motors Insurance, with plans for market expansion. During 2023, the GM Insurance unit shifted from an agency model to a full-stack carrier, GM Financial said. The …
People Moves: Castle, Gray Named to Senior Posts at American Coastal
St. Petersburg-based American Coastal Insurance Corp. has named two to high-level positions in the company. Svetlana Castle is the new chief financial officer, starting Jan. 22, the company said in a press release. Castle, who holds a law degree and …
19 Dead, Hundreds of Auto Accidents from Ice Storm in Tennessee, Mississippi
Tennessee health officials have confirmed at least 14 weather-related deaths from the icy storm that has gripped much of the country. Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the state’s largest public school system with about 100,000 students, canceled Thursday classes. The Tennessee Valley …
Keystone Agency Partners Secures $300 Million in Additional Financing
The Pennsylvania-based Keystone Agency Partners (KAP) insurance brokerage platform reported that it has secured an additional $330 million of financing. Apogem Capital led the financing which was significantly over-subscribed and jointly arranged by Crescent Capital, both existing lenders to KAP. …
Travelers’ Q4 Net Income Skyrockets as Personal Lines Reverses Underwriting Loss
Net income at The Travelers Cos. for the last quarter of 2023 about doubled compared to the same time last year to $1.6 billion on lower catastrophe losses and a return to profitable results in the personal insurance segment. The …
Allstate Q4 2023 Reserve Charge Near $200M
Allstate offered some preliminary details of factors that impacted fourth-quarter 2023 earnings—among them a $199 million non-catastrophe reserve charge. The carrier said the figure representing unfavorable prior year reserve reestimates, excluding catastrophes, included roughly $148 million related to personal auto …
People Moves: Liberty Specialty Markets Appoints Bolaños as CUO, Moreno as President US, LatAm; HDI Global Names Tarantino MD of Singapore Branch as Silton Retires
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Liberty Specialty Markets and HDI Global. A summary of these new hires follows here. Liberty Specialty Markets Names Bolaños as CUO, Moreno as President US, LatAm Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), part …
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