Monthly Archives: <span>January 2015</span>

Army Corps Releases Northeast Coastal Flood Risk Management Framework

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday issued a report saying that managing the flooding risk along the North Atlantic coast from events like Superstorm Sandy is something that has to be done collaboratively by all levels of government …

Selective Insurance Group’s Q4 Profit Jumps 63% to $41M

Selective Insurance Group in Branchville, New Jersey, reported $41.35 million net income for the 2014 fourth quarter, a 63 percent increase from $25.34 million net income during the 2013 fourth quarter. The GAAP combined ratio for the fourth quarter was …

Networked Names Hayes Vice President in Southern California

Grass Valley, Calif.-based Networked Insurance Agents has named Phyllis Hayes sales vice president. Hayes will be the key point of contact for independent agency members in the Los Angeles County, Ventura County, San Fernando Valley and Bakersfield areas. In her …

Pelissier Named Partner at Woodruff-Sawyer in California

Woodruff-Sawyer & Co. has named Jared Pelissier a partner and senior vice president in the Southern California office. Pelissier specializes in management liability and cyber liability risks for companies of all sizes across a variety of industries. Since joining the …

California Judge Questions Lyft’s Refusal to Pay Drivers as Employees

Lyft Inc.’s practice of treating drivers as independent contractors was questioned by a federal judge who said that under California law they may be considered employees who would qualify for minimum wage and other benefits. A lawsuit by Lyft drivers …

Lawsuit Against Union Pacific over Texas Veterans Parade Crash Begins

A freight train that slammed into a parade float two years ago, killing four veterans and injuring 16 other people, came within 39 inches of missing the trailer, attorneys for both sides told a West Texas jury. A Midland County …

Investigators Say Christmas Tree Fueled Fatal Maryland Mansion Fire

An electrical fire that spread to a 15-foot Christmas tree prompted a blaze that reduced a 16,000-square-foot riverfront mansion near Maryland’s capital to ruins, killing a couple and four of their young grandchildren, investigators said Wednesday. The fire ignited combustible …

5.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Northern California Coast

A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.7 struck off the coast of Northern California on Jan. 28. The U.S. Geological Survey reports the quake shook at 1:08 p.m. about 40 miles southwest of Eureka. Lt. Wayne Hanson of …

Arkansas Senate Votes to Continue ‘Private Option’ for Healthcare Insurance

The Arkansas Senate voted to continue the state’s compromise Medicaid expansion another year and create a task force to look at alternatives for the hundreds of thousands of people receiving coverage through the first-in-the-nation initiative. By a 29-2 vote, the …

4 CAA Agencies Expand Through M&As

Austin, Texas-based Combined Agents of America LLC (CAA) announced that member agencies have expanded their books of business and locations through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) over the last nine months. Together, four CAA members have grown their agencies by an …