Monthly Archives: <span>April 2021</span>

Insurers Increase La. Hurricane Payout Estimates By 25%

Insurers have increased their estimates of the cost of the three hurricanes that struck Louisiana by 25 percent since the end of last year, Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon said. Insurance companies now expect to pay $9.6 billion on claims of …

New York Opens Probe Into Toxic Metals In Baby Food

NEW YORK — New York’s attorney general said on Thursday she has opened a probe into whether baby food contains arsenic and other toxic metals, and asked four manufacturers to provide information on whether their infant rice cereal products are …

GM: Software, New Battery Parts Will Solve Bolt Fire Issues

DETROIT (AP) — Engineers at General Motors have figured out how to fix a battery problem with the Chevrolet Bolt electric hatchback that caused five of them to catch fire. The company says they developed diagnostic software to look for …

Gone Fission: Controversial Nuke Plant Near New York City Shuts Down

BUCHANAN, N.Y. (AP) — Indian Point will permanently stop producing nuclear power Friday, capping a decades-long battle over a key source of electricity in the heart of New York City’s suburbs that opponents have called a threat to millions living …

No Ransomware Silver Bullet, Crooks Out of Reach

BOSTON (AP) — Political hand-wringing in Washington over Russia’s hacking of federal agencies and interference in U.S. politics has mostly overshadowed a worsening digital scourge with a far broader wallop: crippling and dispiriting ransomware attacks by cybercriminal mafias that mostly …

California Man Held For Allegedly Starting Deadly Wildfire

VACAVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A man charged with killing a woman in Northern California was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of setting a fire to cover up the crime that spread and killed two other people, authorities said. Victor Serriteno, 29, …

Police: Vehicle Changed Lanes Ahead of Van in Deadly Crash

SUWANEE, Ga. (AP) — A vehicle on a Georgia interstate unexpectedly changed lanes ahead of a van that went out of control, rolled onto its side and slid across two lanes, bursting into flames and killing six women inside, authorities …

Updated FAA Rules May Expand Insurer Use of Drones to Survey Damage

New Federal Aviation Administration rules are expected to clear the way for expanded commercial use of drones, which are increasingly being used by insurers to assess property damage. The updated Operations Over People rules, which took effect on April 21, …

Consumer Watchdog Urges Tougher US Oversight of Insurance Costs, Discrimination

U.S. regulators should strengthen their oversight of insurers to prevent potential overcharging and discrimination in selling coverage for cars and homes, a consumer watchdog group said on Thursday. The campaign by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) comes after an …

J&J Gets Banker’s $117 Million Talc Verdict Tossed on Appeal

Johnson & Johnson persuaded an appeals court to throw out a $117 million award to a banker who alleged the company’s iconic baby powder caused his cancer. Since the New Jersey judge in Stephen Lanzo III’s case erred in allowing …