American Integrity Launches Private Flood Insurance

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America issued the following news release:. The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America today urged property owners to take precautions to protect themselves and their belongings as heavy rains continue to hammer portions of the Gulf Coast. “Insurers are here to help in the recovery process and…

DES PLAINES, Ill., June 22, 2017/ PRNewswire-USNewswire/– Reflecting a similar experience with vehicles, the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s annual watercraft theft report shows a one percent increase in watercraft theft in 2016, reversing a multi-year downward trend. A total of 5,116 watercraft were reported stolen between January 1 and December 31, 2016.

The Highway Loss Data Institute, a leading insurance research group, said in study results released Thursday that collision claims in Colorado, Washington, and Oregon went up 2.7 percent in the years since legal recreational marijuana sales began when compared with surrounding states. Legal recreational pot sales in Colorado began in January 2014, followed…

Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America issued the following news release:. The Independent Insurance Agents& Brokers of America today released the following statement by Charles Symington, Big “I” senior vice president of external and government affairs:. Founded in 1896, the Independent Insurance Agents& Brokers of America is the nation’s…

Aventura, Florida- June 20, 2017- London Underwriters LLC, a national MGA and Surplus Lines Broker, announced today that they have…

An estimated 10,000 claims have been filed with insurance companies for storm damage from the wind, rain and hail storm that passed through Iowa and Nebraska Friday evening and early Saturday. The 1,160 claims in Nebraska are clustered around Omaha and Bellevue, nearly all for wind damage to structures, said State Farm spokesman Chris Pilcic.

June 19– A Unity man claims his home was “skunked” twice– first by the striped pest who became trapped inside, then by an insurance company that refuses to cover the damage caused when the pungent spray ruined most of the contents. David Gilligan, a spokesman for Gray’s insurer, Nationwide Insurance, said the company doesn’t publicly comment on specifics of claims…

Witness Leslie Dillon says dozens of people gathered on the deck overlooking Flathead Lake after the service ended when the 10- foot high structure fell. Lake County Sheriff Don Bell says his department won’t investigate the collapse because there wasn’t a crime. Kalspell Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Allison Meilicke says one of the two patients in…

The California Legislature is considering a proposal to link the cost of a traffic ticket to a person’s ability to pay. Supporters say if it becomes law, it will keep minor traffic violations from pushing low-income California drivers deep into debt. California has some of the country’s harshest penalties for minor traffic violations.

NEW YORK – AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFSI) (the “Company” or “AmTrust”) today announced that the Company has been…

asked Town Councilman James T. Smith to fire chiefs and other representatives from Morley, Canton and Rensselaer Falls fire departments. Canton reported that 30 percent of its overall budget at the fire department went toward paying its insurance, while Morley Fire said the roughly $14,000 it pays accounts for approximately 33 percent of its budget.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Faulkner, Fulton, Jackson, Lawrence, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Washington, and Yell. Federal funding also is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for…

Norman E. Barker lives with his wife at 750 Estates Road in Roanoke, where he has lived for the last 20 years. Previously, the couple lived at 3317 Ventnor Road in Roanoke. The distance between the 3317 Ventnor Road house and the 750 Estates Road house is about 1.3 miles.

The Insurance Information Institute issued the following news release:. The number of homeowners insurance claims from lightning strikes and electrical surges in the United States rose in 2016, compared with 2015; however, the average cost that insurers paid on those claims fell, according to a new analysis by the Insurance Information Institute.

June 15– Auto insurance rates paid by North Carolina consumers will rise an average of 2.2 percent later this year, the first rate hike in more than a decade but far less than the double-digit increase sought by insurance companies. According to the Department of Insurance the lower rate hike will save the state’s consumers $1 billion over two years.

June 15– Two members of a car crash ring that swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars from insurers by intentionally driving cars into trees were convicted of fraud and conspiracy charges Thursday by a federal jury in New Haven. Mackenzy Noze, 32, and Jonas Joseph, 33, were part of a group of Haitians who live in and around Norwich and who filed dozens of phony…

—Dozens of insurance companies say they’re not obligated to help pay for Duke Energy Corp.’ s multi-billion dollar coal ash cleanup because the nation’s largest electric company long knew about but did nothing to reduce the threat of potentially toxic pollutants. The claim is in a filing by lawyers for nearly 30 international and domestic insurance…

The addition of one teen results in an annual premium increase of 78% or $671 nationwide. Rate increases for adding a teen have steadily decreased since 2013, when it was 85%. Adding a male teen increases the rate 89%, compared to 66% for a female. Rates vary widely by state. For instance, adding a teen driver in Rhode Island results in a 153% increase, while Hawaii…

Bob Menendez, D- N.J., said at a news conference where he was joined by Louisana Republican Sen. The legal authorization for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to sell coverage expires on Sept. 30, and home sales in flood plains would be disrupted if Congress does not act. Other sponsors of the bill are Republicans Thad Cochran of Mississippi and Marco Rubio of…

Years later, Shammie Fisher is fighting in court to get compensation for the ruined house in North Boise. I really haven’t, “said Fisher’s lawyer, James G. Reid of the Boise law firm Kaufman Reid. Fisher’s 1,152- square-foot midcentury house on North 34th Street was covered under an insurance policy with Garrison Property and Casualty Insurance Co. After she got…

Washington (June 13, 2017): With teens obtaining driver’s licenses during the summer more than any other season and an average…

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Tuesday that it tested 37 midsize SUVs and only two received a “good” rating: the 2017 Volvo XC60 and 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. “We continue to see headlights that compromise safety because they only provide a short view down the road at night,” said Matt Brumbelow, a senior research engineer at IIHS. Other 2017 vehicle…

ARLINGTON, VA, June 12, 2017 — Commercial insurance prices in the U.S. were nearly flat during the first quarter of…

The Trump administration’s blueprint calls for $29 billion in cuts to crop insurance over the next 10 years. The bulk of the cuts, $16 billion, would come from limiting the size of premium subsidies to $40,000. However, another $11 billion in cuts comes from jettisoning the subsidy for a widely used insurance option that helps farmers hedge their risk.

–Impact Forecasting, Aon Benfield’s catastrophe model development team, today launches the latest edition of its monthly Global Catastrophe Recap report, which evaluates the impact of the natural disaster events that occurred worldwide during May 2017. Aon Benfield is the global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor of Aon plc.

Advocates for Highway& Auto Safety issued the following statement by President Jackie Gillan, on enactment of the texting while driving ban in Texas:. Today, Texas Governor Abbott signed into law HB 62, a primary enforcement ban on texting while driving. Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety congratulates Governor Abbott, the House and Senate bill sponsors and…

ARLINGTON, VA, June 7, 2017 — Over the next two years, more than half of all drivers (55%) who participated…

South Carolina drivers are getting in more wrecks, the damage is getting more expensive to repair, and the state’ s auto insurers are starting to pass along the bill. And the phenomenon appears to be especially pronounced in South Carolina, where a long stretch of better-than-average job growth, a fast-growing population and a high rate of crashes have pinched…

Last week, nearly 30 insurance companies, including Allstate and State Farm, filed a motion requesting that the bad-faith claims in the lawsuit and the class action be dismissed. Filed in January 2016 by Attorney Ryan Barry, the suit claims that 111 active Connecticut insurance companies are part of a “concerted scheme to deny coverage for their failing…

An indictment filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California said members of the Hooligans Motorcycle Club, which is based in Tijuana, would scout out Wranglers across southern California, note their unique VINs, then send the number to gang leaders who had established a relationship with key cutters who were able to access a…

June 06– A controversial Michigan Supreme Court decision has upended bill-collection practices for hospitals and clinics that treat people after auto accidents and could result in some patients getting surprise medical bills in the mail, although insurance companies say it may reduce costs for consumers. A Free Press investigation last month found that…

Fitch Ratings-Chicago-01 June 2017: The U.S. commercial auto insurance industry in 2016 reported its worst underwriting performance since 2001 and…

Fitch Ratings-Chicago-31 May 2017: U.S. property/casualty (P/C) insurer industry capital strength is very strong and most insurers should be able…

Governor Mary Fallin today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved the state’s request for disaster assistance for 18 counties related to the severe weather that that occurred April 28- May 2. Disaster assistance is approved for Adair, Beaver, Caddo, Cherokee, Cimarron, Craig, Delaware, Haskell, Kiowa, Lincoln, Logan, Mayes, Muskogee,…

It’s not just nearly three feet of extra water that’s washed ashore off Lake Ontario, wrecking properties along the waterfront in Niagara County.

About 2,500 pedestrians are killed at night every year crossing the road, in many cases because drivers can’t see them because their headlights don’t shine brightly enough.

Prosecutor Erik Rauba with the State Attorney’s Office on Friday filed 13 counts of misapplication of funds against 47- year-old Duane. Rauba said those added charges are tied to Cottier’s original charge of a organized fraud of over $50,000, which Cottier was arrested on in October after the state Department of Financial Services’ Divisions of…

May 30– Although a major hurricane hasn’t unleashed its full fury on Florida in more than a decade, property insurance rates are climbing statewide because of another kind of storm– claims abuse. The Atlantic season runs from Friday, June 1, to Nov. 30. More: Looming sunset of flood insurance deal stirs angst in Florida, Congress.

Today’s flood insurance market Ls being driven by a pair of 5- yearold events- Hurricane Sandy, which wreaked havoc on communities along the Long Island Sound and the Hudson River, and the passage of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Act of 2012, which sought to significantly increase premiums in the federal National Flood Insurance Program.

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America issued the following statement by Joe Woods, vice president, state government relations following Attorney General Hood’s release of the Auto Body Repair Consumer Guide. “While PCI generally appreciates all efforts to educate consumers on auto body repairs, we are disappointed with the Consumer Guide…

May 26– CEDAR RAPIDS– A Rwandan man, who is serving 15 years in federal prison on immigration fraud charges, was convicted of insurance fraud Thursday in Linn County District Court. Authorities said Ngombwa, also originally charged with second-degree arson, intentionally set fire to his Habitat for Humanity home in Cedar Rapids and then submitted a false…

Owing to Fort Myers Beach being a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, flood insurance for our home and business owners is of paramount importance. The NFIP, however, is due to expire on September 30, with the possible result being substantially increased flood insurance premiums for the most at-risk communities like Southwest Florida, and in particular places…

But state officials may bolster the fund, which helps private insurers pay claims if Florida gets hit by a major hurricane, with a purchase of $1 billion in private reinsurance. “We had a sobering reminder last year of the perils that Florida faces every year,” Ash Williams, executive director of the State Board of Administration, told Gov. But with relatively…

Millennials in their early 20s tend to be even riskier drivers than previous generations such as Generation X at the same point in their lives.

Why did Randy Palmieri’s auto insurance rates more than double recently? His insurance company was Elephant Auto Insurance, which is based in Henrico but is a subsidiary of Admiral, a giant British insurer. In 2015-16, his auto insurance cost $559 annually, and Palmieri paid that in one lump.

May 23– A start-up player in Florida’s home insurance market, Mount Beacon Insurance Co., is going out of business and about 22,000 of its policies have been transferred to Florida Specialty Insurance Co., the latter firm’s CEO said Monday. Call it a sign of the challenges facing consumers in Florida, where many big national insurers have largely stopped writing…

May 22– NORFOLK– In 2015, Tina Grimes left a microwave running unattended in her Virginia Beach hotel room, according to court documents. Attorneys for Grimes and Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Co. are set to argue the case in front of a jury Oct. 31 in U.S. District Court in Norfolk. The lawsuit, filed March 21, stems from Grimes’ visit May 9, 2015, to Virginia Beach.

Stevens Institute of Technology issued the following news release:. Insurance coverage for autonomous vehicles will bring US $81 billion in new premiums to the U.S. auto insurance industry over the next eight years, driven by risks related to cybersecurity, software and hardware and by the need for additional public infrastructure coverage, according to a…

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is announcing the issuance of an Emergency Rule which extends protections for policyholders impacted by the August flooding. “This rule comes on the heels of FEMA’s decision to grant my request for an extension to the National Flood Insurance Program Proof of Loss deadline until September 1. ·The Emergency Rule applies to…

The Hartford’ s board of directors today declared a quarterly dividend of $0.23 per share of common stock, payable on July 3, 2017, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 1, 2017. The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds. The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., operates through its…

May 18– In 2007 Washington became the first state to ban texting while driving, but that law didn’t say anything about Twitter, Facebook or iTunes. “Before, someone could be playing’ Pokemon Go,’ and the law didn’t cover that,” Washington State Patrol spokesman Kyle Moore said. That included 171 such deaths in Washington, according to the state Traffic Safety…

The groups want to open the books to understand how the state Catastrophic Claims Association calculates rates. Starting July 1, the rate will rise to $170 from $160. The state appeals court last year said the Catastrophic Claims Association is a public body, but lawmakers carved out a public records exemption.

Strong underride guards on the rear of tractor-trailers have proven effective in preventing underride in crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Now, new IIHS tests show how a well-built guard can prevent a passenger vehicle from sliding beneath the side of a semitrailer. IIHS ran two 35- mph crash tests: one with an AngelWing side…

This historic step by the governor concludes a decade-long effort by AAA to help reduce distracted driving by teenagers in Arizona. “This law marks a tremendous milestone for traffic safety in Arizona,” said Tim Condon, president and CEO of AAA Arizona. “On behalf of more than 900,000 members in Arizona, AAA would like to thank Gov. Ducey for recognizing the need for…

RALEIGH- Less than one percent of the funding requested by North Carolina leaders for Hurricane Matthew recovery will be funded. Gov. Cooper said he worked with Republican Senator Thom Tillis and Representatives David Price and David Rouzer to compile a list of unmet needs resulting form the historic damage done to eastern North Carolina in the wake of…

May 16– LANSING– Drivers would be prohibited from using their hand-held electronic devices for any purpose while they’re driving under a bill that a House committee is considering. Martin Howrylak, R- Troy, sponsored the legislation. His Chrysler 300 was totaled last year by a driver who was playing Pokemon go and rear-ended him on Big Beaver in Troy.

—New York state is moving to restrict the ability of auto insurers to use a customer’s job or education to set premiums. Andrew Cuomo announced the proposed regulation Tuesday. The New York Public Interest Research Group hailed the move.

May 16– Hurricane Rita destroyed an oil and gas well about 75 miles off Louisiana in 2005, but when Prime Natural Resources sought to recover damages from its insurance company, it was rebuffed. Prime, a Houston venture capital firm that owned a 50 percent stake in the well, sued several underwriters through the Lloyds of London syndicate to help repay the $17…

A growing number of home foundations in central and northeastern Connecticut are failing because of the presence of pyrrhotite, a mineral that naturally reacts with oxygen and water. The problem, which first came to light in the mid-1990s, has been traced to a Willington quarry that provided material to a concrete maker whose product was used in thousands of…