Latest Arkansas Headlines
All the headlines from our Arkansas Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Reflections from Rip Van Winkle
Feb 23 2004 // From 1979 to 1988 I had the pleasure of serving as executive V. P. of the Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas. For the past fifteen years I have served as the lobbyist for the Arkansas Medical Society. When Kelley...
Arkansas Clarifies Agent Appointment Rules
Feb 19 2004 // The Arkansas Insurance Department issued the following bulletin clarifying changes to the rules for company appointment renewals required by legislation passed in 2003: Every insurer (“company”) appointing an...
Arkansas Fire Fighters Receive Funds
Feb 16 2004 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens announced the disbursement of $.8 million to certified fire departments in Arkansas. The funds are distributed pursuant to Act 1326 and Act1583 of 2003. More than 900 fire...
Got to Get Away’
Feb 10 2004 // Independent insurance agents go to conferences and conventions to learn, to network, to meet company reps and, sometimes, just to get away. Opportunities to do all of those things abound this year for agents in Arkansas,...
AMA: Arkansas in Liability Crisis
Feb 2 2004 // The American Medical Association applauded President Bush for his efforts in support of patients and physicians, and expressed hope that his recent visit to Arkansas will highlight how America’s broken liability...
ROGUE AGENT IN ARKANSAS:
Jan 26 2004 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens issued a warning that despite his arrest for fraud, Steven Edward Gwin, better known as Steve Gwin, is continuing to sell insurance products in the Northwest Arkansas area....
Arkansas Personal Lines Rate Report
Jan 26 2004 // The Property and Casualty Division of the Arkansas Insurance Department recently issued a report reflecting rate modifications in personal lines filed with the department from Feb. 1, 2003 through Aug. 31, 2003. The...
Companion P&C to Provide Workers’ Comp in Arkansas
Jan 15 2004 // Companion Property & Casualty Insurance Group announced that the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) has awarded the company one of the servicing carrier contracts for the Arkansas Workers’...
Rogue Agent Continues Operating in Northwest Ark.
Jan 9 2004 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens issued a warning that despite his arrest for fraud, Steven Edward Gwin, better known as Steve Gwin, is continuing to sell insurance products in the Northwest Arkansas area....
Arkansas Agent Arrested on Fraud Charges
Dec 23 2003 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens announced the arrest of Steven Edward Gwin, who has been charged with a class D felony count of Fraudulent Insurance Act. A Jan. 20, 2004 court date has been set in Pulaski...
McKinney Joins Arkansas WC Commission
Sep 19 2003 // Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee named Karen Hart McKinney of Little Rock to the state Workers’ Compensation Commission. According to the WCC, McKinney will replace Joe Yates, who’s retiring from the three-member...
Bridgefield Casualty Expands to Arkansas
Aug 5 2003 // Summit Holding Southeast Inc., a specialist in workers’ compensation insurance services, announced that it is expanding the operation of its Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Company subsidiary to Arkansas....
20 States Have Enacted Tort Reforms This Year
Aug 4 2003 // This year has been the busiest for enactment of state civil justice reform legislation since 1995, according to the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA). At mid-year, 20 states already have enacted laws; 19 laws were...
Ark. Average Auto Rates Reportedly Lower than Most Surrounding States
Aug 1 2003 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens announced the existence of a lower auto rate in Arkansas than in all surrounding states, with Tennessee being the state of exception. Arkansas ranked 33rd in 2001 for the...
ARK. WC RATES JUMP A LITTLE:
Jul 21 2003 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens announced an overall loss increase of 1.8 percent in the state’s Workers’ Compensation voluntary insurance market. This small increase is the first for Arkansas in...
20 States Have Enacted Tort Reforms This Year
Jul 15 2003 // This year has been the busiest for enactment of state civil justice reform legislation since 1995, according to the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA). At mid-year, 20 states already have enacted laws; 19 laws were...
Arkansas Sees Small Increase in WC Rates
Jul 14 2003 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens announced an overall loss increase of 1.8 percent in the State’s Workers’ Compensation voluntary insurance market. This small increase is the first for Arkansas in...
Pickens Urges Companies to Consider Tort Reform Act When Setting Rates
Jul 11 2003 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens announced the release and distribution of a Bulletin, which urges insurance companies to consider The Civil Justice Reform Act, Act 649 of 2003, when submitting rate filings...
ARK. GETS TOUGH ON ILLEGAL PLANS:
Jun 23 2003 // Cracking down on illegal benefits plans that have cropped up in his state, Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens revoked the licenses of four insurance agents who sold or were involved in the marketing of an...
Pickens Believes Competitive Market is Best Climate for Business
Jun 23 2003 // Mike Pickens Having served six years in his present office, Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens has had an opportunity to see a number of changes in his state over the years. Pickens recently sat down with...
