Latest California Headlines
All the headlines from our California Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Jury in California Awards $18M Cosmetic Talc Cancer Verdict
Oct 27 2016 // A Los Angeles, Calif. jury has returned a $18.07 million verdict against talc supplier Whittaker Clark & Daniels for its role in causing California political figure Philip Depoian’s mesothelioma. The jury verdict...
California Worker Injuries, Illnesses Remain Stable
Oct 27 2016 // There aren’t more workers getting hurt, but there aren’t fewer either, the latest available data shows. The Department of Industrial Relations has posted California’s 2015 occupational injury and illness...
Coastal Wetlands Found to Reduce Hurricane Property Damage by 10%-30%
Oct 27 2016 // Coastal wetlands provide important natural protection during hurricanes. How much? Natural habitats reduced property damage by about $625 million in the Northeast during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, a new study supported by...
Leavitt Group Buys Majority in Murray and Murray in California
Oct 26 2016 // The Leavitt Group has purchased a majority stake in Murray and Murray Insurance Agency in Central California. Dan Lillard, a key team member of Murray and Murray, will become a co-owner and managing principal of the...
U.S. Judge Approves $14.7 Billion Settlement for VW Diesel Car Owners
Oct 26 2016 // A U.S. judge on Tuesday approved one of the biggest corporate settlements on record, Volkswagen AG’s $14.7 billion deal arising from its diesel emissions cheating scandal, and the German automaker said it would begin...
1.8 Million Western U.S. Homes at Extreme or High Wildfire Risk, Report Shows
Oct 26 2016 // Things haven’t gone as bad as they could have so far in 2016 coming off last year’s record-setting wildfire season in the Western U.S., according to a report out today detailing wildfire risks to properties in...
Study: Los Angeles Has Highest Workers’ Comp Claim Costs in California
Oct 25 2016 // The Los Angeles area continues to be a drag on California’s overall workers’ compensation costs, according to a study out today from the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau. The WCIRB’s...
Heffernan in California Names Kamm to Board
Oct 25 2016 // Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Heffernan Insurance Brokers has named Barbara Kamm to its board of directors. Kamm is the former president and CEO of Technology Credit Union. Kamm has also served on the boards of Technology...
Golden Bear in California Upgraded to A.M. Best A- VII Rating
Oct 25 2016 // Stockton, Calif.-based Golden Bear Insurance Co. announced that its A.M. Best issuer credit rating has been upgraded from “A- VI” to “A- VII” (Excellent). “Our rating reaffirms the deep level...
Insurers vow ‘muscular’ response to over-regulation
Oct 25 2016 // Insurers aren’t known for their aggressive pushback against overly meddlesome regulations. American insurance companies – like any massive industry – have a large lobbying presence. But they tend to tread...
Ex-California State Senator Calderon Gets Prison for Bribery
Oct 24 2016 // Former California state Sen. Ron Calderon was sentenced Friday to 31/2 years in prison in a corruption scandal in which he acknowledged taking bribes in exchange for his influence in Sacramento. U.S. District Court Judge...
California Comp Report Shows High Medical and Indemnity Payments for IE and OC
Oct 24 2016 // Average medical and indemnity payments on claims were much higher in San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange and Imperial counties than the rest of the state, according to the latest Regional Score Card issued by the California...
Dangers in Data Collection: How Much Is Too Much?
Oct 24 2016 // How to Help Insureds Manage Customer Privacy Risk Insurance carriers and agents have come to learn that increased data can lead to greater risk for insureds, and they are increasingly advising businesses to disclose data...
California Company Says CDI Wrongly Halting Sales of Workers’ Comp Product
Oct 21 2016 // The head of a business providing worker’s compensation and other benefits that was issued a cease and desist notice from the California Department of Insurance this week says the notice was wrongly issued. The CDI...
National E&S in California Names Skiles Account Manager
Oct 21 2016 // National E&S Insurance Brokers in Palmdale, Calif. has named Brittany Skiles an Account Manager. Skiles works with all lines of insurance including general liability, contractor pollution, professional liability,...
California Company’s Workers’ Comp Program Declared Illegal
Oct 20 2016 // California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones moved to stop a central valley company from selling workers’ compensation and liability policies because they are not properly registered with the Department of...
XL Catlin Names Zimmerman Client Distribution Leader in California
Oct 20 2016 // Steven Zimmerman has joined XL Catlin’s broker and client management team as client distribution leader in Los Angeles, Calif. He reports to Mike Soper, XL Catlin’s U.S. West regional broker and client...
California Rules for Self-Driving Cars Draw Objections from Google, Automakers
Oct 20 2016 // Alphabet Inc.’s Google unit and automakers objected on Wednesday to California proposals to set new, mandatory rules for testing self-driving cars in the state, which industry officials said could hobble their...
State Farm Agrees to Cut Rental Rates in California by 40%
Oct 19 2016 // California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Wednesday announced he has obtained an agreement from State Farm General Insurance Co. to reduce their rental dwelling program policyholders’ rates statewide by an...
California Commissioner Issues Decision on Workers’ Comp Regulatory Filing
Oct 19 2016 // California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones issued a decision regarding the Workers’ Compensation Rating Bureau’s Jan. 1, 2017 regulatory filing submitted to the California Department of Insurance in...
