New Hampshire Police Investigating Case of Man Found Dead at Insurance Department
The New Hampshire State Police reported that troopers are investigating the death of an adult male found dead at the New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID). Investigators said they do not believe the death is suspicious and there was no public …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:24 PM |
Texas Contractor Faces $107K Fine for Exposing Workers to Trench Collapse
A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation has found a Frisco, Texas contractor repeatedly exposed workers to serious hazards by sending them into unprotected trenches without providing a means of escape. The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 5:27 PM |
Former New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board Employee Arrested for Workers’ Comp Fraud
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Special Agents arrested a former employee with the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans on December 20 for allegedly committing workers’ compensation fraud. On August 27, 2024, LBI Special Agents …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 5:17 PM |
Nebraska AG Sues Change Healthcare Over Data Breach
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers filed a lawsuit last week in Lancaster County District Court against Change Healthcare alleging violations of the state’s Consumer Protection and Data Security Laws. The complaint stems from a February data breach and subsequent operational …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 5:12 PM |
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires Illinois’ Afina Insurance
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois-based Afina Insurance Advisors Inc. (Afina Insurance). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Afina Insurance is a property/casualty insurance broker serving clients in greater Chicago. George Van Denend …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 4:53 PM |
People Moves: B. F. Saul Hires Horcher; Maryland Auto Appoints Brown
B.F. Saul Insurance, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, appointed John Horcher, Jr. as a commercial lines producer. Horcher is based in Philadelphia. Horcher’s previous roles include vice president positions at Marsh, HUB International and Arthur J. Gallagher, with experience in expertise …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 4:03 PM |
Lawsuit Targets Universities for Allegedly Favoring Wealthy in Admissions
Children of the wealthy and connected get special admissions consideration at some elite U.S. universities, according to new filings in a class-action lawsuit originally brought against 17 schools. Georgetown’s then-president, for example, listed a prospective student on his “president’s list” …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 3:09 PM |
Preconstruction Work to Begin in January to Rebuild Collapsed Baltimore Bridge
Preconstruction work to collect data to design a new Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is scheduled to begin in January, according to Maryland officials. The Baltimore Sun reports that work is scheduled to include topographic and underwater surveys, as …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 2:52 PM |
FAA Probes Holiday Drone Show Accident that Injured Florida Boy
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that it has launched an investigation into why several drones collided and fell from the sky during a holiday show over the weekend in downtown Orlando, Florida, injuring a 7-year-old …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 2:48 PM |
Hockey Player Involved in Deadly Collision Seeks Donations for Legal Costs
Matt PetgHockey player Matt Petgrave has called the death of Adam Johnson “a tragic accident” in a public appeal for donations to his legal costs amid a police investigation. Johnson, who had briefly played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, died after …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 2:31 PM |
Investigation Continues After South Florida Boat Explosion Kills 1, Injures 6
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A boat explosion at a South Florida marina has left one person dead and six others injured, officials said. The explosion occurred Monday night about 6 p.m. at the Lauderdale Marina, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 2:31 PM |
Japan Plane Crash Probe Points to Coast Guard Crew Confusion
Cockpit voice recordings released Wednesday indicate Japanese coast guard pilots wrongly thought they could enter an active runway minutes before being struck by a Japan Airlines Co. jet. The recordings, in a report tabled by the Japan Transport Safety Board …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 1:48 PM |
Rescuers Retrieve 38 Bodies and Recorders From Azeri Plane Crash
Kazakh authorities said that a rescue team has recovered 38 bodies at the crash site of Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer SA 190 aircraft as clean-up efforts continue. As many as 29 people survived the crash and are in the hospital, while …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 1:44 PM |
INSIGHT-Airline Pilots, Crews Voice Concerns About Middle East Routes
In late September, an experienced pilot at low-cost European airline Wizz Air felt anxious after learning his plane would fly over Iraq at night amid mounting tensions between nearby Iran and Israel. He decided to query the decision since just …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 11:15 AM |
Catastrophe-Bond Issuance Pushes Overall Market to Almost $50 Billion
Catastrophe-bond issuance rose to a record this year, increasing the overall market to almost $50 billion, as insurers transferred more risk from costly climate disasters to private investors. Sales of bonds earmarked for supplemental coverage of large windstorms, earthquakes and …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 11:01 AM |
Claims Satisfaction Leaders Reveal Secrets to Success
What is the secret to an insurance claims experience that satisfies customers? For years, J.D. Power has conducted surveys and curated lists recognizing insurers that succeed at providing satisfactory claims experiences. Carrier Management recently asked claims leaders at two of …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:21 AM |
What Changes Should Small Businesses Be Aware of for 2025?
For small businesses, the biggest change in the new year will be the arrival of a presumably more business-friendly administration in Washington. But there are other shifts owners should keep on their radar. Among them: changes to state-level overtime and …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:09 AM |
Five Collision Claim Trends to Watch in 2025
The auto insurance industry has weathered its share of storms in recent years. Despite fewer claims in early 2024, carriers still face headwinds when it comes to vehicle complexity and its effect on severity and cycle time. Following are the …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:03 AM |
Allied World Policy Doesn’t Cover Troubled Sperm Bank’s Lawsuits, Court Says
At what point does a demand from an injured party constitute an insurance claim? In the case of a Georgia-based sperm bank, it’s when the injured party sends the letter – a date that came before the clearly worded policy …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:01 AM |
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires Durham & Bates in Oregon
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. acquired Portland, Oregon-based Durham & Bates Agencies Inc. Jeremy Andersen, Sean McCarthy, Christen Picot, Stephanie Murphy, David Hearns and their team will remain in their current location under the direction of Jim Buckley, head of …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:00 AM |
Losses From Crypto Hacks Jump to $2.2 Billion in 2024, Report Says
Funds stolen by hacking cryptocurrency platforms surged 21% from a year ago to $2.2 billion in 2024, a report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis showed on Thursday. The hacking amount exceeded $1 billion for the fourth straight year and the …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:00 AM |
California’s Lemon Law is Changing and Car Buyers Have Fewer Protections in the New Year
The year 2025 is shaping up to be a confusing one for Californians unlucky enough to buy a new or used car that turns out to be a clunker. Starting Jan. 1, car buyers who purchase a faulty vehicle will …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:00 AM |
Trump’s Lawyers Take Broad Approach in Suits Against Media
President-elect Donald Trump is adopting a wide-ranging legal strategy in suing media companies over what he describes as false or misleading coverage about him, filing cases under civil anti-fraud laws in addition to defamation lawsuits. Some legal experts say the …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:00 AM |
Cal/OSHA Cites Animal Services Center $563K After Worker Mauled
An animal services center has been fined for several worker safety violations, including one in which an employee’s leg was mauled by a dog, requiring hospitalization. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health issued $563,250 in penalties to Harbor …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:00 AM |
Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Policy Upheld on Appeal
A New Jersey appeals court has ruled that the state bar association’s diversity policy of setting aside a certain number of its governance seats for members of under-represented minority groups is a legal exercise of the association’s First Amendment right …
POSTED DECEMBER 26, 2024 6:00 AM |