Insurance Journal » Midwest News http://www.insurancejournal.com Insurance Journal delivers the latest business news for the Property/Casualty insurance industry Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:30:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Survey: Michigan Businesses Confident About Growth http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/17/295789.htm Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:47:19 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295789 The latest Michigan Future Business Index survey of small and midsize business leaders shows unequalled confidence in the state’s business economy and a rekindled desire to reinvest in their own future, according to Accident Fund Insurance Company of America. Business …

The article Survey: Michigan Businesses Confident About Growth appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> More than 63K Insurance Claims so Far from St. Louis Tornadoes http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/17/295761.htm Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:22:55 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295761 The major insurance companies serving the St. Louis area have received more than 6,300 claims from residents with damage from tornadoes that struck the area on May 31, according to Missouri insurance regulators. The Missouri Department of Insurance said insurance …

The article More than 63K Insurance Claims so Far from St. Louis Tornadoes appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Electronic Proof of Auto Insurance Coming to Indiana http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/17/295737.htm Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:12:57 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295737 Indiana drivers who have to show proof of insurance to police after an accident or traffic violation can do so electronically starting July 1 under a new law that signals an increasing use of technology in insurance laws. Indiana will …

The article Electronic Proof of Auto Insurance Coming to Indiana appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Midwest Pelted With Rain, Wind, Hail, Tornadoes http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/14/295647.htm Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:44:23 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295647 A massive line of storms packing hail, lightning and tree-toppling winds rolled through the Midwest on June 12 in the evening, driving people into basements for shelter, tearing down power lines and causing flooding in low-lying areas. Forecasters predicted that …

The article Midwest Pelted With Rain, Wind, Hail, Tornadoes appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Sentry Insurance Adds Sanders as Chief Financial Officer http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/14/295628.htm Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:14:57 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295628 Sentry Insurance, a mutual company in Stevens Point, Wis., announced that Carol Sanders will join Sentry in July as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Sanders has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. She served …

The article Sentry Insurance Adds Sanders as Chief Financial Officer appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Ohio May Allow Car Insurance Proof by Smartphone http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/14/295616.htm Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:08:09 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295616 Ohio drivers could provide required proof of insurance using smartphones rather than the typical printed card under a proposed change in state law. The bill would allow drivers to prove they are insured through information on electronic wireless communications devices …

The article Ohio May Allow Car Insurance Proof by Smartphone appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Kansas City-Area Insurance Exec Seeks GOP Nod for Commissioner Post http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/14/295611.htm Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:06:49 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295611 A certified public accountant from Leawood who’s also an insurance industry executive has launched a campaign for the Republican nomination for Kansas insurance commissioner. Ken Selzer announced that he’s running for the regulatory position, and he’ll face at least two …

The article Kansas City-Area Insurance Exec Seeks GOP Nod for Commissioner Post appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Final Judgment for 32 Disabled Men in Iowa: $3.4M http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/13/295431.htm Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:08:25 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295431 A judge in Iowa has entered final judgment of $3.4 million against a Texas company found to have mistreated 32 mentally disabled workers at an Iowa labor camp. U.S. Senior Judge Charles Wolle ruled on June 11 the men will …

The article Final Judgment for 32 Disabled Men in Iowa: $3.4M appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Ohio Governor: Push Harder for Flood Control Funding http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/13/295427.htm Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:04:21 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295427 Gov. John Kasich says members of the state’s congressional delegation haven’t pushed hard enough for federal money to help with flood control along the Blanchard River in northwest Ohio. The Courier in Findlay reports the former congressman discussed the issue …

The article Ohio Governor: Push Harder for Flood Control Funding appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Iowa Pharmacist ‘Vehemently Denies’ Fraud Charges http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/13/295424.htm Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:02:09 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295424 An Iowa City pharmacist will contest federal criminal charges alleging that he improperly filed insurance claims for expensive drugs needed to treat patients with hemophilia, his attorney said. Michael F. Stein made an initial appearance in federal court in Des …

The article Iowa Pharmacist ‘Vehemently Denies’ Fraud Charges appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Wisconsin Insurance Leaders Detail Uncertainty of Exchanges http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/13/295418.htm Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:58:16 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295418 It will be a tough task implementing the online health insurance marketplaces that are required of each state under the federal health care overhaul, and there will no doubt be consumer horror stories about trying to navigate them, according to …

The article Wisconsin Insurance Leaders Detail Uncertainty of Exchanges appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Indiana Fire Deaths Surge, Already Top 2012′s Total http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/12/295162.htm Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:40:42 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295162 Indiana’s fire deaths have surged to 54 so far this year, giving the state more fire fatalities in just over five months than all of last year – a troubling increase the state’s top fire official said he’s at a …

The article Indiana Fire Deaths Surge, Already Top 2012′s Total appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Ohio Regulators: Health Insurance Costs to Increase Under Exchange http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/12/295157.htm Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:29:31 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295157 The Ohio Department of Insurance said insurers’ health insurance plans for the federal insurance exchange for Ohio show that expenses for consumers will significantly increase. Based on a report released by the Society of Actuaries earlier this year, the department …

The article Ohio Regulators: Health Insurance Costs to Increase Under Exchange appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> More Sinkhole Problems in Cape Girardeau, Missouri http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/12/295149.htm Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:07:26 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295149 Two new sinkholes are causing problems in Cape Girardeau, Mo., creating what city leaders call a “very dangerous” situation. The Southeast Missourian reports that the sinkholes are on busy South Sprigg Street, near LaCroix Creek. One is causing creek water …

The article More Sinkhole Problems in Cape Girardeau, Missouri appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Can Missouri Schools Withstand a Severe Storm? http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/11/295007.htm Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:02:22 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295007 Buildings in the St. Joseph, Mo., School District can withstand winds up to 90 mph. None are prepared to withstand the likes of an EF5 tornado, with winds of more than 200 mph, which devastated parts of Oklahoma City and …

The article Can Missouri Schools Withstand a Severe Storm? appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Wisconsin Dairy Farmers Disagree on Sales of Raw Milk http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/11/295005.htm Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:01:39 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295005 When it comes to raw milk, even dairy farmers who drink their own product disagree over whether they and their peers should be allowed to sell it. The issue has made headlines with the recent trial of a Sauk County …

The article Wisconsin Dairy Farmers Disagree on Sales of Raw Milk appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Early Tornado Season in North Dakota Prompts Safety Warnings http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/11/295003.htm Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:01:00 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=295003 Western North Dakota has already had three tornadoes in June, and a meteorologist warns that severe weather might be the norm this summer. Patrick Ayd of the National Weather Service tells the Forum News Service that last week’s tornado touchdowns …

The article Early Tornado Season in North Dakota Prompts Safety Warnings appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Flood of 2008 Changed Wisconsin Landscape, Taught Lessons http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/11/294997.htm Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:59:19 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294997 A devastating flood in 2008 that killed three people and caused $763 million in damage also changed the landscape of many Wisconsin counties – and while the changes were hard to stomach for some, authorities say the state learned valuable …

The article Flood of 2008 Changed Wisconsin Landscape, Taught Lessons appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Indiana BMV Warns of Inappropriate Insurance Offers http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/10/294909.htm Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:17:43 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294909 The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is warning Hoosier motorists that someone is making inappropriate phone solicitations regarding insurance rates: BMV Commissioner R. Scott Waddell said that his office learned motorists are receiving calls from an outside organization claiming to …

The article Indiana BMV Warns of Inappropriate Insurance Offers appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> 14 Insurers File to Be on Michigan Health Exchange http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/10/294907.htm Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:17:04 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294907 Fourteen health insurance companies have filed to offer plans through a new Michigan insurance market being created under the federal health care law. The state Department of Insurance and Financial Services says it received filing information from 13 insurers wanting …

The article 14 Insurers File to Be on Michigan Health Exchange appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Illinois Lt. Governor: Cities Should Consider Assault-Weapons Bans http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/10/294905.htm Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:16:17 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294905 Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is urging Illinois communities to consider banning assault-style weapons before new legislation is signed that could prohibit local governments from doing so in the future. The General Assembly approved a measure last month that would end …

The article Illinois Lt. Governor: Cities Should Consider Assault-Weapons Bans appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Meteorologists: 9 Twisters Part of Missouri, Illinois Storm System http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/10/294901.htm Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:12:18 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294901 The National Weather Service says storms that last week ravaged the St. Louis area and portions of neighboring Illinois spawned nine tornadoes, amazingly not causing any serious injuries. KMOV-TV reports some of the worst destruction resulted from an EF3 twister …

The article Meteorologists: 9 Twisters Part of Missouri, Illinois Storm System appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> 10 Hurt After Shooting at North Illinois Gun Club http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/07/294784.htm Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:47:30 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294784 Kane County authorities say 10 people were injured this week when a shotgun accidently discharged inside a gun club in Blackberry Township, Ill., sending buckshot ricocheting around the facility. Sheriff’s investigators say three people, including a 14-year-old boy, were treated …

The article 10 Hurt After Shooting at North Illinois Gun Club appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Socius Insurance Services Hires Morman as Assistant VP in Chicago Area http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/07/294782.htm Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:45:32 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294782 Socius Insurance Services Inc., a management liability and property/casualty insurance wholesaler, has hired Michael Morman as assistant vice president – property/casualty producer. Morman will be based in Elgin, Ill, in the Chicago area. A graduate of Olivet College in Olivet, …

The article Socius Insurance Services Hires Morman as Assistant VP in Chicago Area appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> H.E.A.T.: Unconventional Auto-Related Crimes Increasing in Michigan http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/07/294774.htm Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:38:47 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294774 Auto thefts in Michigan are in a five-year decline, but other forms of vehicle-related crime are on the rise, according to Help Eliminate Auto Thefts (H.E.A.T.), a statewide insurance industry-funded theft prevention program and confidential tip line. Some of the …

The article H.E.A.T.: Unconventional Auto-Related Crimes Increasing in Michigan appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Wisconsin Court: Bar not Liable for Underage Drinker http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/07/294786.htm Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:31:26 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294786 A Wisconsin court has ruled that a bar that served alcohol to an underage drinker can’t be sued for negligence because the person provided a false ID. Jennifer Serkowski was accidentally injured by a friend after they drank at a …

The article Wisconsin Court: Bar not Liable for Underage Drinker appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Kansas Farmer Sues Monsanto over GMO Wheat Discovery http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/06/294627.htm Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:12:38 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294627 A Kansas farmer has sued seed giant Monsanto over the recent discovery of genetically engineered experimental wheat in an 80-acre field in Oregon, claiming the company’s gross negligence hurt U.S. growers by driving down wheat prices and causing some international …

The article Kansas Farmer Sues Monsanto over GMO Wheat Discovery appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> South Dakota Gov. Questions Complaint Probes Against Insurers http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/06/294618.htm Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:05:17 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294618 Gov. Dennis Daugaard has asked South Dakota Labor Secretary Pam Roberts to review her agency’s procedures for investigating consumer complaints against insurance companies. The move comes after the Argus Leader newspaper in Sioux Falls reported that the Department of Labor …

The article South Dakota Gov. Questions Complaint Probes Against Insurers appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> Michigan Pair Plead Guilty to Embezzling from Workers’ Comp TPA http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/06/294568.htm Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:43:13 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294568 Michigan’s attorney general announced that the former CEO and a bookkeeper of a non-profit workers’ compensation insurance-related organization have pleaded guilty to embezzling millions. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said Jerry Stage, 67, of New Hudson, and George Bauer, 55, …

The article Michigan Pair Plead Guilty to Embezzling from Workers’ Comp TPA appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]> J.M. Wilson Adds Pusateri as Underwriter in Wisconsin http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/06/06/294562.htm Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:30:35 +0000 http://www.insurancejournal.com/?p=294562 Managing general agency J.M. Wilson announced it has hired Kristen Pusateri as property/casualty underwriter in its Madison, Wis., office. Her responsibilities include reviewing, quoting, binding and servicing commercial P/C accounts for Wisconsin independent agents appointed with J.M. Wilson. Pusateri has …

The article J.M. Wilson Adds Pusateri as Underwriter in Wisconsin appeared first on Insurance Journal.

]]>