Monthly Archives: <span>July 2018</span>

Arkansas Licenses 3 New Property Insurers; That’s 10 for Year

Three new property/casualty insurance companies have been approved to do business in Arkansas, the state insurance department reported. All three are based in Florida. Counting the recently accepted companies, 10 new insurers have been approved to enter the Arkansas insurance …

How Texas Insurance Industry Can Manage Never-Ending Hail Problem

Texas has a hail problem. OK, from an insurance perspective, Texas has a weather problem, period, but that’s another story altogether. Back to hail. On June 6, a hailstorm walloped heavily populated areas of North Texas with baseball sized hail …

Speeding Infractions Costly in Certain States

Reckless driving is, well, reckless. But Americans keep speeding, willing to risk the financial consequences, which vary wildly from state to state. So where is it costliest to floor it? Delaware and Colorado are the toughest states on speeding and …

U.S. Drone Regulations Withstand a Hobbyist’s Legal Challenge

The U.S. government’s ability to police hobbyist drone use was upheld by an appellate court Friday in a ruling that helps set the stage for a series of new restrictions and requirements aviation regulators hope to enact soon. The U.S. …

Newspaper Probe Says Texas Isn’t Enforcing Flood Insurance Rules

Texas officials are struggling to enforce part of a flood insurance program that aims to elevate or remove severely damaged properties from flood plains, according to a newspaper investigation. The Houston Chronicle analyzed more than 36,000 insurance claims of properties …

CFO: Florida Workers’ Comp Carriers Expected to Save $20M in Costs Next Year

Cost savings in two Florida funds paid into by workers’ compensation carriers are expected to equal a nearly $20 million reduction in expenses for insurers operating in the state next year, according to a statement from the Florida Department of …

Judge Tosses $140M Verdict Against AbbVie Over Testosterone Drug

A U.S. judge on Thursday overturned a $140.1 million verdict against AbbVie Inc. in a lawsuit by a man who claimed the company misrepresented the risks of its testosterone replacement drug AndroGel, causing him to suffer a heart attack. U.S. …

A.M. Best Downgrades AmTrust As Insurer Prepares to Go Private

A.M. Best has downgraded its financial strength and credit ratings for insurer members of the AmTrust Group, not long after AmTrust Financial Services Inc. (AFSI) shareholders approved a $2.95 billion deal that will make it a private entity. The insurer’s …

California’s OSHA Opens Third Probe into Tesla Factory

A California agency for occupational safety said on Thursday it opened a third investigation at Tesla Inc.’s factory in Fremont, California, following a complaint. The state’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal-OSHA) said it opened the latest case on June …

California Weighs New Standard for Utilities’ Liability for Wildfires

California lawmakers may change the standard for determining whether utilities are liable for wildfire damage following the worst wildfire season in state history. Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders said on July 2 that they are forming a special committee …