California Police Adopt WingtraOne Drone For Wildfire Damage Assessment

It is up to us to seize this moment and be a resource for the “new normal” so that clients are prepared to get back to business, and life, as quickly and safely as possible.

You may think there is no good reason for your car crash, truck accident or motorcycle insurance claim to be denied. The experienced team of skilled trial lawyers at Pignatelli& Associates, PC can review your claim at no cost to determine if you may be eligible for compensation. Our trial lawyers have recovered over $90 million dollars in settlements and verdicts…

Several lawsuits filed recently in U.S. District Court in St. Louis reveal insurers are arguing that viruses are not covered under what is known as “business interruption insurance,” and the insurers say paying claims would lead to financial ruin as they’re unable to cover the scope of the financial losses.

When it comes to determining rates and associated costs, insurance companies analyze a vast number of factors. These factors can be classified into 3 main categories: driver-related factors, car-related factors and coverage-related factors. Most states, except California, Hawaii and Massachusetts, allow insurance companies to look at the driver's credit…

While most people start learning how to drive with a hand-me-down car from parents or relatives, there comes a time when they want to get their first new car. With hundreds of models to choose from, narrowing it down to just one can seem overwhelming. Specifically, each model earns a Top Safety Pick recommendation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Los Angeles, CA—- 11/17/2020– The most advanced study released by AMR on the Non-Life or Property& Casualty Insurance market comprising key market segments such as Type, Application, Sales, Growth, Comprises details of companies manufacturing field, production volume, capacities, value chain, product specifications, raw material sourcing strategies,…

Reliance Partners, LLC, a Chattanooga- based commercial insurance agency that expects to book more than $200 million of revenues this year, serves primarily the trucking and logistics industry and currently has nearly 175 employees at locations in Chattanooga, Chicago, Milwaukee, Tampa, Birmingham, Alabama, Sacramento, California, and Austin, Texas.

Nov. 16– MALDEN, Whitman County– The Labor Day fire that destroyed most of this community started in a stand of pine at the edge of a farm field. In less than an hour, the fire galloped some 4 miles to the southwest through pine and fields of grain to reach Malden. I've just started to be able to sleep through the night, “said Scott Hokonson, a volunteer firefighter and town…

COVID-19 has shifted consumer behavior, but most auto insurers have struggled to respond to those behaviors quickly enough. Moreover, providing consumers with the insurance bundle they need, at the time they need it and at a rate they can afford remains a long-lasting challenge for many insurers.

PointeNorth Insurance Group, LLC, one of the largest locally owned and operated independent insurance agencies in the Southeast, has increased its footprint with the merger and acquisition of three insurance agencies: The Stastka Agency, Inc.; The Myrick Agency, LLC; and D& G Insurance, Inc. The combined acquired revenue exceeds $3.1 M. The Stastka Agency, Inc….

With Eta threatening Florida and the Gulf Coast in a few days, the study's lead author warned of more damage away from the coast than in the past. The new study looked at 71 Atlantic hurricanes with landfalls since 1967. “This is a huge increase,” study author Pinaki Chakraborty, a professor of fluid dynamics at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan.

As Florida homeowners recover from shocking cost increases for their next year of insurance coverage, pressure is mounting on state lawmakers to step in and stem the bleeding. “We support legislative changes to address the litigation environment in Florida. That’ s the single greatest cost driver we face,” said Michael Carlson, president of the Personal…

The NAIC Center for Insurance Policy and Research (CIPR) will hold a three-hour special session on business interruption insurance during…

Nov. 11– A Buffalo teen has been charged after prosecutors say he attempted to defraud his car insurance provider by intentionally damaging his own vehicle and spray-painting racist graffiti on it. Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced multiple charges against 18- year-old Clifton D. Eutsey of Buffalo who was virtually arraigned Tuesday…

–IMS is partnering with Nationwide as the technology provider for the SmartMiles ® pay-per-mile insurance program. “During a time of uncertainty, SmartMiles is successfully giving our customers the ability to control their auto insurance expenses with personalized pricing“, said Teresa Scharn, Vice President of Personal Lines Product Development at…

Nov. 9– Iowans have received more than $1.6 billion from insurance claims because of the Aug. 10 derecho as of Nov. 2, the Iowa Insurance Division said Monday. Commercial insurance and farm owners insurance also have seen more than a $100 million in claims. “As policyholders pursue claims under their insurance contracts, we encourage property owners to continue to…

Nov. 9– NEW BEDFORD– The Red Cross is reporting that multiple families have been displaced after their homes were damaged by the earthquake that struck off the Massachusetts coast Sunday morning. Residents of Crapo Street in the South End of New Bedford have been kept out of their homes as a result of the quake. The New Bedford Fire Department reported destruction…

Nov. 5– PANAMA CITY– Bay County commissioners on Tuesday approved a grant submittal to buy homes that were damaged from Hurricane Michael. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has allocated $27 million to its Rebuild Florida Hurricane Michael Voluntary Home Buyout Program, with a maximum single award not to exceed $5 million. Bay County applied for…

Nov. 2– Insurance industry analysts estimate storm damage from Hurricane Zeta in Louisiana could cost between $1.7 billion and $2.8 billion in repairs. Analytics business CoreLogic estimated that when storm damage in Mississippi and Alabama are factored in Hurricane Zeta caused $3.5 billion in destruction. Zeta was the third hurricane to make landfall in…

In his new role, Mr. Luyt will have direct responsibility for all IAH underwriting functions, including underwriting governance and controls, product development, and learning and development, across all business segments for the division’s A&H operations in 51 countries and territories outside North America. Mr. Luyt will continue to report to John…

Oct. 31– It felt like a freight train was barreling through the historic 100 Men Hall, which has stood since 1922 as a landmark in Mississippi's African American blues history. Half the roof had been torn off, with pieces scattered around Bay St. Louis's depot area and behind St. Rose De Lima Church. The facility hosts concerts and events and relies in part on visitors…

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31– The Urban Land Institute issued the following news release:. The report, Firebreak: Wildfire Resilience Strategies for Real Estate, published with support from the Kresge Foundation, has been released during the United States' worst wildfire season on record. Oregon and Washington are also among the states experiencing unprecedented…

Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIGI) today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020, with net…

John Bel Edwards said Wednesday Hurricane Zeta is still shaping up as a wind event, including gusts of up to 100 miles per hour in the New Orleans area. “It is going to be a rough evening for Louisiana, especially in the southeast region.” Zeta is expected to arrive on the coast of southeast Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 2 hurricane.

WASHINGTON— President Donald Trump has declared an emergency exists in Mississippi and ordered federal assistance be expedited to aid state, local and tribal efforts to recover from Hurricane Zeta. BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss.— In Bay St. Louis in Mississippi, former mayor Les Fillingame said Hurricane Zeta was“ very intense” when it blew through. Zeta roared ashore in…

—Louisiana braced Wednesday for what is expected to be its third hurricane strike this year as Zeta, the 27th named storm of a historically busy Atlantic hurricane season, headed toward an expected landfall south of New Orleans. Hurricane warnings stretched from Morgan City, Louisiana, along the Mississippi coast to the Alabama state line.

JERSEY CITY, N.J., October 27, 2020 — Net income for the private U.S. property/casualty insurance industry dropped 26% in the…

Oct. 27– PANAMA CITY– Zeta is expected to be only a tropical storm when it likely makes landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday, but Bay County officials are still preparing. Bay County officials said they are taking Zeta seriously, even though the county is not expected to get much wind or rain from the storm. Emergency Management Chief Frankie Lumm said Bay County…

The FDIC has announced a series of steps intended to provide regulatory relief to financial institutions and facilitate recovery in areas of California affected by wildfires. Statement of Applicability to Institutions with Total Assets under $1 Billion: This Financial Institution Letter applies to all FDIC- supervised financial institutions.

–Since all drivers have to have auto insurance, dealing with it becomes a mandatory part of one’s life. While most people believe that they do understand how their coverage works, few actually know the specifics of what their auto insurance covers. ValuePenguin quizzed more than 1,000 respondents on the specifics of liability and comprehensive coverage,…

–Zurich North America Insurance and Advisen Ltd. has released the tenth annual Advisen cyber survey of corporate risk managers and insurance buyers revealing current views about information security and cyber risk management. This year’s survey features the highest percentage of cyber insurance buyers ever– nearly 80 percent carry some level of cyber…

–The insurance industry is exploiting California wildfires for its own financial advantage by arbitrarily refusing to sell or renew homeowners’ insurance coverage, even when people improve the fire safety of their property, Consumer Watchdog testified today at a virtual hearing convened by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.

Oct. 18– On Oct. 9, Iowa Gov. FEMA has approved more than $8.5 million in Individual Assistance grants for 2,278 households. For Jasper County residents, this allows those who have not yet filed for federal or state assistance more time to do so.

Scott Peters, D- Calif., has introduced legislation to “eliminate any subsidies for flood insurance coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program for new construction.” Andy Barr, R- Ky. It was referred to the House Financial Services Committee. Scott Peters, 2338 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515; 202/ 225-0508; or in district office at 4350…

The Insurance Information Institute issued the following news release:. The Future of American Insurance& Reinsurance campaign–an initiative of the Insurance Information Institute– has developed a new interactive tool to help showcase the need for a federal solution to pandemic relief. “The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenging circumstances and…

Environmental writers often employ a banal parable to explain America’ s disregard of an existential crisis: Drop a frog into a vat of boiling water and the amphibian leaps to safety. Place the frog in tepid water, gradually increase the heat to 212 degrees, and the creature stays put, oblivious, never grasping the peril. It’ s a lousy example.

Mike Pence: “With regard to hurricanes, the National Oceanic Administration tells us that actually, as difficult as they are, there are no more hurricanes today than there were 100 years ago.” Here's why: As Hurricane Delta headed for the Gulf Coast, Vice President Mike Pence downplayed a connection between climate change and natural disasters striking the…

Oct. 14– The similar paths of hurricanes Laura and Delta have triggered a law that prevents Louisiana policyholders from paying a hurricane deductible twice during the same storm season. Ike veered to the left as it approached the Louisiana coast and ended up making landfall in Galveston, Texas. Louisiana legislators copied a Florida law that was enacted after…

A“ staggering” rise in climate disasters has marked the first 20 years of the 21st century, and industrial nations are“ failing miserably” to reduce climate-change-enhancing emissions, a United Nations agency said Tuesday, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. The UN Office on Disaster Risk Reduction issued an urgent call to countries, especially…

Top companies, including the Reinsurance Group of America, have reported hundreds of millions in payouts, leading to huge losses in some sectors. And $240 million of that- 80%- was from its business in the U.S.. “We expect the U.S. will continue to be the key driver of COVID-19 mortality claims for RGA in the near term,” chief risk officer Jonathan Porter said on a recent…

Gavin Newsom attributes to climate change and lightning strikes sparking fires in the forest brush, more than 4 million acres of California land have burned in 2020, including the state's very first “Gigafire.” Los Angeles County is still battling the Bobcat Fire that has burned through 115,796 acres of the Angeles National Forest and destroyed 87 homes.

PHILADELPHIA- When Hurricane Delta smashed ashore along the Louisiana coast at 6 p.m. Friday, it became the 10th tropical storm to make landfall in the United States in 2020, breaking a record that had survived more than a century. It also was the second significant hurricane in six weeks to target the same region of southwestern Louisiana.

–Aon plc, a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, today launched the latest edition of its monthly Global Catastrophe Recap report, which evaluates the impact of the natural disaster events that occurred worldwide during September 2020. Total direct economic costs from the fires across…

Capstone Associated Services, Ltd. announces that The Feldman Law Firm LLP and Foley Gardere have filed a reply brief with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of Reserve Mechanical Corp.. The appeal challenges the U.S. Tax Court's rulings in the well-publicized Reserve captive insurance case. Reserve's reply brief addresses the issues raised by the…

—For the sixth time in the Atlantic hurricane season, people in Louisiana are once more fleeing the state's barrier islands and sailing boats to safe harbor while emergency officials ramp up command centers and consider ordering evacuations. Forecasts placed most of Louisiana within Delta's path, with the latest National Hurricane Center estimating…

Oct. 7– PANAMA CITY– Bay County commissioners on Tuesday approved a $50 million bond with Truist Bank for Hurricane Michael recovery. The $50 million will be used for several projects, including building new fire stations in Hiland Park, Southport and Panama City's west end station on Michigan Avenue. “We've already paid back around $100 million to the banks…

Allstate announced job cuts, as well as details on the impacts of its multi-year Transformative Growth Plan and record low interest rates on third-quarter earnings.

Cherokee County Emergency Management Director Mike Underwood said the National Weather Service is reporting an active winter for Oklahoma. “Of what I've been hearing from the National Weather Service is they're looking for this to be colder, possibly more of a chance of ice and snow this year than in previous years,” Underwood said. In the event that there is…

An initial ruling requiring it to defend Oklahoma City- based Crown Energy in the litigation was issued by a district court judge in Oklahoma County. Crown Energy, established in 1995, operates production and disposal wells and provides various other energy-related services to well and mineral owners across parts of Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.

Sep. 27– WILKES-BARRE– A local law firm has filed a series of suits in Luzerne County Court, arguing on behalf of several local businesses that the loss of revenue caused by COVID-19 should be covered by business interruption insurance. Each of the suits is targeting the respective businesses' insurance companies, with Attorney Bill Anzalone saying the suits are…

At the National Council of Insurance Legislators “Summer” Meeting in Alexandria, Va., the organization adopted the NCOIL Private Primary Residential Flood Insurance Model Act.

–Chesapeake Utilities Corporation today announced that its electric subsidiary, Florida Public Utilities Company, received approval from the Florida Public Service Commission on a settlement agreement between FPUC and the Office of Public Counsel regarding final cost recovery and rates associated with Hurricane Michael. “Because of the collaborative…

Attorney Chip Merlin, who specializes in insurance claim disputes and author of Pay Up! Preventing A Disaster With Your Own Insurance Company, is giving policyholders helpful advice during these active hurricane and wildfire seasons. With over a million acres burned from wildfires in western states and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration…

COLUMBUS, OH – The latest research from Nationwide’s Agent Authority study highlights areas of opportunity for agents at a time…

—Tropical Storm Beta made landfall on the upper Texas coast on Monday evening. The storm made landfall about 5 miles north of Port OÇonnor, Texas, with maximum winds of 45 mph, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. “This still is probably the most uncertain part of the forecast,” Dan Reilly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the Houston- Galveston…

—Tropical Storm Beta made landfall on the upper Texas coast late Monday night. The storm made landfall just north of Port O'Connor, Texas. Beta will move inland over southeastern Texas through Wednesday and then over Louisiana and Mississippi Wednesday night through Friday.