Fast Trains, Toxic Chemicals: Why Rail Safety Is Still a Problem
In the year since the derailment of a Norfolk Southern Inc. train brought national attention to US railroad safety, little has changed. Trains are still rolling through East Palestine, Ohio, at 50 miles per hour — the same speed allowed …
AM Best Downgrades Wisconsin’s Acuity
AM Best has downgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “aa-” (Superior) from “aa” (Superior) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A+ (Superior) of Acuity, A Mutual Insurance Company (Acuity) based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The outlook …
Jensten Acquires UK Community Broker Melville Burbage
Jensten, the London-based independent insurance broking group, announced it has acquired independent community broker Melville Burbage. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, brings a dedicated team of 15 to Jensten, along with two additional offices and will contribute …
Markets/Coverages: Descartes Launches 1st Parametric Cyber Shutdown Cover in France
Descartes Insurance, the risk-carrying insurer formed in 2022 by climate-risk managing general agent Descartes Underwriting, has launched the first parametric cyber insurance for corporate clients in France. Described as the first insurance of its kind offered anywhere in the world, …
Ken Griffin Wants to Stop ‘Toxic Waste’ Casinos in South Florida
(Bloomberg) — Ken Griffin wants to exert more influence in Florida politics. One of his top priorities: stopping new casinos in his backyard. The state’s second-richest person is opposing a bill that would allow new gambling venues in South Florida …
Florida High Court Says Appraisals Can Be Compelled Before Coverage Decided
The Florida Supreme Court has resolved a conflict between differing appeals court decisions, deciding that property insurers can be compelled to submit to the appraisal process long before causation, coverage and misrepresentation issues are settled in claims disputes. “For the …
Judge Rejects Virginia School System’s Request to Toss Student’s Sex Assault Lawsuit
A federal judge has rejected a request by Virginia’s largest school system to toss out a lawsuit accusing it of indifference to a middle school student’s claims of sexual abuse and harassment. The Fairfax County School Board filed a motion …
Southern California Topped List of Catalytic Converter Theft Claims
The Southern California regions of Los Angeles and Orange County are again the top spots for catalytic converter theft claims. The regions topped the list for the eighth consecutive quarter in a new report of markets for the most frequent …
Officials Say California Family Arraigned for Auto Insurance Fraud Filed 40-Plus Claims
Shannon Ninio, 60, of North Hills was arraigned for insurance fraud after a California Department of Insurance investigation found she and her husband, Moshe Ninio, allegedly stole customers’ personal information and used that information to file more than 40 fraudulent …
Pennsylvania High Court Backs ‘Regular Use’ Exclusion for Underinsured Motorist Cover
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has upheld a “regular use” exclusion in an auto insurance policy that prohibits underinsured motorist coverage for injuries involving a non-owned vehicle that an insured used regularly. In so doing, the state’s high court reversed a …
Former Washington Insurance Producer Pleads Guilty to Theft and Money Laundering
A Selah, Washington man pled guilty to first-degree theft and money laundering after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigation Unit. Jason Eaton was sentenced to 60 days of electronic home detention and ordered to pay $100 restitution …
Aviation Lessors Secure Settlements With Russia Totaling $2.5B for Trapped Planes
Aircraft leasing firms have secured settlements with Russia totaling more than $2.5 billion for over a quarter of the roughly 400 aircraft stuck in the country since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In return, international lessors are handing ownership …
Louisiana Medical Group to Pay $480K Over Phishing Attack
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR), last month announced that Lafourche Medical Group, a Louisiana medical group specializing in emergency medicine, occupational medicine, and laboratory testing, agreed to a settlement over a …
Bayer’s Billions in Roundup Verdicts Increase Pressure for New Legal Strategy
Bayer AG faces mounting pressure to come up with a new plan for handling its Roundup weedkiller litigation after getting hammered by US jury verdicts totaling almost $4 billion over the last three months. The German conglomerate’s latest courtroom loss …
Highway Repairs Underway in Ohio Following Tanker Truck Crash and Fuel Spill
MACEDONIA, Ohio (AP) — Authorities have identified the tanker truck driver killed in a crash in Ohio that spilled thousands of gallons (liters) of diesel fuel over the weekend as repairs to the highway continue. The Summit County medical examiner’s …
BMS Re’s CEO Chandler Steps Down to Become Vice Chair; Interim Co-CEOs Named
BMS Re, the specialty reinsurance arm of global broker BMS Group, announced that Andrew Wheeler and Russ McGuire have been appointed as interim co-CEOs of BMS Re. The appointments follow Pete Chandler stepping down as CEO and becoming vice chair …
Norfolk Southern Says Total Costs of East Palestine Derailment Up to $1.1B
Norfolk Southern’s fourth-quarter profit fell 33% because of the ever growing costs of the cleanup of last year’s fiery derailment in eastern Ohio, but the railroad did deliver 3% more shipments during the quarter and even without the costs related …
Wisconsin Ice Cream Plant Fined $145K for Safety Violations
Responding to a report of workers being exposed to anhydrous ammonia, federal investigators found a Madison, Wisconsin ice cream plant lacked sufficient process safety management procedures to control the release of hazardous chemicals. Exposure to anhydrous ammonia, used in the …
State Troopers Arrested for Alleged Commercial Driver’s License Bribery Scam
Two current and two former Massachusetts State Police troopers are among six charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to give passing scores to certain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants, including individuals who had failed or did not take the …
Move to End Georgia’s Direct-Action Lawsuits vs. Trucking Insurers Gaining Steam
This year could be the year that Georgia joins most other states and repeals its direct-action law that has reportedly caused severe problems for trucking companies needing liability insurance. Several Georgia Republican legislative leaders and the state’s insurance commissioner said …
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