Newswires

Roger Wicker, R- Miss., issued the following column:. Before the end of its term this year, the Supreme Court is expected to make a major ruling on whether the President’s health-care law violates the Constitution by requiring every American to buy health insurance.

With the right products at the right prices supported by the right marketing, a CU can have a booming business in mortgages, as $680 million Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, Groton, Conn., can attest.

Jan. 21– LEWISTON– A day after the CEO of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center told Gov. Paul LePage that proposed cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services was a “nuke approach” that would leave thousands of Mainers without health insurance, hospital leaders across the state echoed that concern.

The siblings of a man who died of carbon monoxide inhalation received a $300,000 settlement from the owner of the apartment complex where the man lived. Michael Brewer’s insurer, Allstate Insurance Co., settled with the siblings of Brett A. Quinn: Leslie Ali Khan, Sharon Kreutztrager, Brian Quinn, Dennis Quinn and James Quinn.

In this case, the plaintiffs are three brothers who purchased health insurance through their businesses from Blue Cross. They sued under the Montana HIPAA law when Blue Cross raised their premiums by 40 percent.

State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company Appealed from circuit court, Montgomery County, Sutherland, J.. Ford Appealed from circuit court, St. Louis County, Dolan, J. ( Chris Koster and Robert J. Bartholomew for respondent). State Appealed from circuit court, St. Louis County, Bresnahan, J..

California recently enacted a number of employment-related laws, including a requirement to provide health insurance during family leave and adding gender identification and genetic information as protected categories from discrimination. California has now added “genetic information” to existing state law’s list of protected classes.

Jan. 18– Haywood County is nearing the end of a nearly four-year process to complete new flood maps, craft an updated ordinance and adopt a flood insurance study. County Planning Director Kris Boyd said there is a lot at stake in meeting the April 3 adoption deadline.

The following seven John Hancock Closed-End Funds announced the results of their annual shareholder meeting: John Hancock Bank and Thrift Opportunity Fund, John Hancock Preferred Income Fund, John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II, John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III, John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund, John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund and John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund.

A controversial measure affecting automobile insurance in California has been approved to be placed on the ballot for the upcoming 2012 elections in November…

Jan. 20– Local fire and city officials say the regular closures of Gloucester’s outlying fire stations could soon pose a new problem for homeowners: higher home insurance premiums.

A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to C from A- and issuer credit rating to“ ccc” from“ a-” of First Sealord Surety, Inc.. The rating actions reflect the increased uncertainty that FSSI’ s stock purchase agreement with Torus National Insurance Company, originally scheduled for January 2011, will close, as well as A.M.

The financial experts at WealthTrust-Arizona have developed five suggested recommendations for dealing with your investments in 2012…

A.M. Best Co. has placed under review with positive implications the financial strength rating of B- and issuer credit rating of“ bb-” of Medico Insurance Company.

In an election-year decision certain to disappoint religious conservatives, the Obama administration announced Friday that church-affiliated institutions will get only one additional year to meet a new rule to cover birth control free of charge…

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has named a former top executive with Coventry Health Care Inc. and UnitedHealth Group as its new president and chief executive officer, effective in mid-February. Kenneth Burdick succeeds Patrick J. Geraghty, who left to join Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida last summer.

CHICAGO, Jan. 20, 2012/ PRNewswire/– Old Republic International Corporation, today announced that its subsidiary, Republic Mortgage Insurance Company has been ordered into supervision by the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

Fried will be reporting to Manuel Bauer, board member of Allianz SE, and he succeeds Kamesh Goyal who will take over as head of group planning and controlling at Allianz. Fried’s appointment will “lead Allianz’s significant footprint in Asia to new heights” with his Asian insurance experience and markets knowledge, said Bauer in a statement.

Thailand’s Office of Insurance Commission is looking to set up a 50 billion baht catastrophe fund after the country was hit by severe flooding in recent months that brought nationwide damage to residential, farming and industrial properties.