Relation Insurance Gets Close With Carolina Heritage Agency
Relation Insurance Services, ranked by Insurance Journal as one of the largest brokerages in the country, has grown a little larger with the acquisition of Carolina Heritage Insurance, the company announced. Carolina Heritage, based in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, …
Audit Finds Some Florida Citizens’ Policies Over Limit, Small Use of Clearinghouse
Florida’s state-created Citizens Property Insurance Corp., has a few issues it needs to address, including policies with coverage values above its statutory limit, not sending enough renewals to its Clearinghouse, and failing to beef up its computer security measures, according …
Cal/OSHA Cites Nine Employers for Silica Safety Violations
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited nine employers in Sun Valley following efforts to address the growing number of silicosis cases among stone workers in California. The safety violations include more than $168,000 in fines. Cal/OSHA cited the …
Disability Rights Group Sues to Stop Mask Ban in Suburban New York County
A disability rights organization is challenging a suburban New York ban on wearing masks in public except for health and religious reasons, arguing it is unconstitutional and discriminates against people with disabilities. The federal class action lawsuit, filed by Disability …
Crest Insurance Group Acquires Winren in Arizona
Crest Insurance Group acquired Winren Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona. Winren is an insurance agency specializing in group benefits insurance. Winren CEO Blaise Byrne has been in the industry since 1984. Crest is an insurance brokerage firm that provides property/casualty and …
Vermont Regulator Weighs Affiliation of Union Mutual With Norfolk & Dedham
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article referred to this transaction as an acquisition. As both insurers are mutuals, and as mutuals cannot be legally acquired, the structure of the affiliation is not setup as a true acquisition. Insurance …
Man Accused of Starting California Wildfire by Throwing Firework out Car Window
A 26-year-old man has been accused of igniting a destructive California wildfire in early July by throwing a firework from a car window during hot, dry and windy weather. Spencer Grant Anderson, of Oroville, was charged this week after weeks …
Inszone Acquires Texas’ Keith Williams Insurance Agency
Inszone Insurance Services, a provider commercial, personal and benefits insurance, announced the acquisition of Keith Williams Insurance Agency, Inc. (KWI), a Victoria, Texas-based agency serving individuals and businesses throughout Texas. This strategic move underscores Inszone’s commitment to expanding its footprint …
Coney Island Roller Coaster Shut Down After Mid-Ride Malfunction
The famous Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster in New York City was shut down indefinitely after coming to a stop mid-ride last week. The 97-year-old wooden roller coaster at Luna Park was on its ascent on Thursday when ride operators …
Insurtech Root, Goosehead Partner on Tech Integration for Independent Agents
Root, Inc., parent company of Root Insurance Company, has partnered with personal lines insurance agency Goosehead Insurance, Inc. on a technology integration partnership they said will speed up Goosehead agents’ ability to sell Root insurance products. “Root and Goosehead identified …
Kansas Man Sentenced for Securities Fraud
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced that a Wichita man has been sentenced to prison for securities fraud. Jesse Wayne Harris, age 36, was sentenced in Sedgwick County District Court on August 20 to 30 months in prison for three …
SageSure and Markel Collaborate to Expand Capacity in Coastal States
Managing general underwriter SageSure announced it is collaborating with Markel to introduce new capacity to its expanded markets program, broadening underwriting eligibility in coastal states. SageSure Expanded Markets will distribute Markel’s insurance products first in Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas, …
First MainStreet Insurance Adds Three Agencies
First MainStreet Insurance announced the addition of three new agencies to its platform. Pederson Insurance located in Nevada, Iowa joined FMSI on July 1. The insurance agency offers auto, commercial, farm, financial, home and powersports products. Jarod Pederson has owned …
Childcare Provider to Pay $43K in Back Wages After Retaliation Against Texas Worker
The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered the Southlake, Texas location of a national childcare provider to reinstate an employee and pay $43,295 in back wages and damages after the employer fired them for reporting concerns about unsanitary and unsafe …
Chicago Is About to Sizzle Under Hottest Days of the Summer
Chicago and the Midwest will swelter under the warmest days of summer as forecasters warn people to limit their outdoor activities. Temperatures in the Windy City are forecast to reach 96F (36C) on Monday and 98F on Tuesday, but with …
AT&T Paying to Resolve Investigation Into 911 Outage
AT&T has agreed to pay $950,000 after a Federal Communications Commission investigation found the company failed to deliver 911 calls to emergency call centers and did not notify officials during an August 2023 outage, the agency said on Monday. The …
The Murdaugh Drama in SC Continues: Store That Sold Beer Now Suing its Insurers
The saga of the Murdaugh family in South Carolina continues, now with a convenience store company suing its liability insurers for failing to defend it against a second lawsuit stemming from the sale of beer to an underage Paul Murdaugh …
Chinese Hackers Breach US Internet Firms Via Startup, Researcher Says
The state-sponsored Chinese hacking campaign known as Volt Typhoon is exploiting a bug in a California-based startup to hack American and Indian internet companies, according to security researchers. Volt Typhoon has breached four US firms, including internet service providers, and …
Climate Campaigners Take EU to Court Over 2030 Emissions-Cutting Rules
Environmental campaigners have taken the European Commission to court over its emissions rules for 2030, seeking a ruling from Europe’s second-highest court that would force the bloc to strengthen its climate policy, they said on Tuesday. In a case before …
Lowe’s Scraps Some DEI Policies as Activist Claims a New Win
Lowe’s Cos. is scaling back its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the latest American company to end such initiatives following a series of activists attacks on firms that promote DEI. The home-improvement retailer will no longer participate in surveys for …