Monthly Archives: <span>November 2018</span>

AXA XL Adds Cybersecurity Services to Cyber Insurance Program

AXA XL, a division of AXA, has added complimentary proactive cybersecurity services for its primary cyber & technology insurance clients to improve their cybersecurity preparedness. During their first cyber insurance policy year, AXA XL’s cyber clients can choose one of …

Texas’ Hotchkiss Insurance Hires 2 in Employee Benefits Division

Hotchkiss Insurance, a Texas-based full-service independent agency, has expanded its employee benefits division with the addition of Chris Hamilton as the employee benefits practice leader and Natalie Cooper as an account executive. Hamilton and Cooper will serve clients statewide from …

Merk Tapped as Next Executive VP, CEO at Wisconsin’s Rural Mutual

Madison, Wisconsin-based property/casualty insurer, Rural Mutual Insurance Co. (Rural), has appointed Daniel J. Merk as its next executive vice president and CEO. Merk will work with current executive VP and CEO Peter Pelizza in a transitional period while holding the …

Lion Air Crash Demonstrates Unintended Consequences of Cockpit Automation

As Boeing Co. was developing its latest version of the 737 airliner, it discovered the design was slightly more prone to a loss of control. So the company added a computer-driven safety feature — one that is now a focus …

Harvey Relief Fund Grants Total Nearly $114M

A relief fund established after heavy rain from Hurricane Harvey swamped parts of Houston has provided its final grants in an overall nearly $114 million charitable effort. Leaders of the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund on Nov. 28 announced $3 million …

Explosion at ChemChina’s Hebei Plant Caused by Gas Leak

A gas leak at a plant owned by a ChemChina subsidiary caused a blast that killed 23 people and injured 22 this week in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, ChemChina said in a statement on Friday. PVC producer Hebei Shenghua Chemical Industry …

Chicago’s MillerCoors, Pabst Settle Suit Over Brewing Contract

MillerCoors and Pabst Brewing Co. settled a lawsuit on Nov. 28 in which the hipster’s brand of choice claimed the bigger brewer lied about its ability to continue brewing Pabst’s beers to put that company out of business. The settlement …

Modeler: Insured Losses from Woolsey Fire in Southern California at Least $2.5B

Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide on Friday said it estimates that insured losses from the Woolsey Fire in Southern California will be at least $2.5 billion. Moody’s on Thursday released estimates showing property/casualty insurers and reinsurers total insured losses …

Hawley to Reintroduce McCaskill’s Duck Boat Bill

Republican Sen.-Elect Josh Hawley of Missouri says he’ll reintroduce a duck boat safety bill that his campaign rival Sen. Claire McCaskill proposed after a duck boat sank in July, killing 17 people. Hawley said he’ll bring the legislation up again …

Beazley Adds QBE’s Lever to Marine Underwriting Team in Houston

Beazley has appointed Reese Lever as a U.S. marine underwriter for the Southwest region. Reese joins Beazley’s office in Houston, Texas, from QBE where he was a vice president, marine, based in the same city. A seasoned all lines marine …