INSURANCE NEWS
Employers Can’t Use Vicarious Liability to Block Negligence Claims, TN High Court Says
The Tennessee Supreme Court this week dealt a blow to businesses and insurance companies, finding that employers can no longer argue that direct negligence claims are barred when the business admits vicarious liability for a worker’s actions. “We hold that …
People Moves: BenefitMall Expands Southern California Team
BenefitMall named Patrice Evart a benefits sales executive for Southern California. Evart has 30 years of experience specializing in employee benefits for employers in Southern California. She recently joined BenefitMall after more than 25 years at Warner Pacific, most recently …
California Lawmakers Introduce Disaster Resiliency Bill to Aid State’s Insurance Issues
California representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) introduced the Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act of 2024. H.R. 7849 would provide homeowners in disaster-prone regions with incentives to harden their properties against wildfires and other risks. The legislation is …
Oregon Division of Financial Regulation Fines State Farm $200K
The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation issued a $200,000 fine against State Farm after the company reportedly failed to send notices over the past six years informing its insureds of their ability to request an annual credit check, which could …
Grand Jury Indicts ‘Hole-in-Won’ Owner on Prize Insurance Fraud Charges
A federal grand jury in Connecticut returned a six-count indictment charging a Norwalk, Connecticut business owner with fraud offenses related to his operation of a prize insurance business. According to the officials, Kevin Kolenda owns and operates Hole-In-Won LLC, which …
Virginia Governor Seeks to Fix ‘Bad Faith’ Bill Insurers Wish He’d Veto
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has returned a “bad faith” insurance claims bill to the General Assembly with recommendations for changes, disappointing property/casualty insurers that had hoped he would veto the measure. Youngkin’s action keeps the measure alive for reconsideration by …
Unlicensed Home Warranty Company Ordered to Cease-and-Desist in Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) issued a Cease-and-Desist Order against First Premier Home Warranty Corp. for unauthorized sale of home warranty contracts in Oklahoma. Effective immediately, the company is required to halt all sales activities in the state. The OID …
Construction-Focused MGA, Phoenix Specialty, Launches With Capacity From AXA UK
Acies MGU, the London-based managing general underwriter and MGA incubator, announced the launch of Phoenix Specialty, a specialist MGA serving the construction sector. Phoenix will be led by managing director Tim James, subject to regulatory approval. James led the successful …
Texas A&M Considers Restoring Bonfire Tradition After 1999 Tragedy
Building the Aggie bonfire was once among the most prized student traditions at Texas A&M University. That changed when the 60-foot stack of logs fell and killed 12 people in 1999, becoming one of the most painful chapters in the …
Illinois State Senator Ann Gillespie Named Acting Director of DOI
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced that Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) Director Dana Popish Severinghaus will step down from her role on April 15th. Popish Severinghaus has served as Director of DOI since January of 2021. Pritzker has appointed State …
Iowa’s EMC Insurance Updates Brand, Logo
Des Moines, Iowa-based EMC Insurance is debuting an updated brand, including a new logo, effective April 9. The company’s website and social media channels have been refreshed with the new look and feel. EMC’s new logo features a distinctive letter …
Vehicle Complexity, Labor ‘Reshaping’ Auto Insurance and Collision Repair: Report
New technologies and rising labor costs are putting pressure on auto insurance carriers and auto repairers by making repairs more costly and increasing repair times, trends that a new report asserts are “reshaping” the industries. The bottom-line message: Newer vehicles …