Latest California Headlines

All the headlines from our California Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Consumer Group Hammers Mercury Rate Increase Filing in California

Jan 9 2012 // A California consumer group is challenging a rate hike bid by Mercury Insurance because the group claims the company is trying to pass along the costs of its political campaigning. But the insurer says those costs are not...

Under Construction

Jan 9 2012 // Apartment Builders see Uptick in Market Changing demographics and new economic realities are driving more people away from homeownership in the suburbs and into rental properties and apartments in many areas around the...

Business Moves

Jan 9 2012 // Neff Risk, Cochrane Neff Risk and Cochrane and Co. are officially one. The combined company will operate under the name Cochrane and Company and be headquartered in Spokane, Wash. The resulting footprint of the merger will...

California Arson Suspect Also Faces German Fire Probe

Jan 6 2012 // The man who allegedly ignited more than 50 fires that terrorized Los Angeles last week is also under investigation in Germany for a house fire near Frankfurt. U.S. investigators also disclosed that a search of Harry...

Finston Named California Deputy Insurance Commissioner

Jan 6 2012 // John F. Finston has accepted an appointment to be Deputy Commissioner for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs at the California Department of Insurance. Finston was the head of SNR Denton’s insurance regulation...

Western Insurance Agents Roundtable Discussion Highlights

Jan 5 2012 // Rancho Cordova, Calif.-based WIAA Education & Research Foundation, a nonprofit corporation focused on advancing knowledge of insurance industry professionals, hosted a recent roundtable discussion on the industry and...

California Based Builders & Tradesmen’s Insurance Purchased by AmTrust

Jan 5 2012 // Rocklin, Calif.-based Builders & Tradesmen’s Insurance Services Inc. (BTIS) has been purchased by AmTrust Financial Services Inc. BTIS is an insurance wholesaler and general agent specializing in the procurement...

Willis Names Richardson Regional Partner In Northern California

Jan 5 2012 // Willis North America has named Jason Richardson as Regional Partner of Northern California. The appointment is effective immediately. Richardson will be based in San Francisco, Calif. Richardson will oversee Willis’...

Honda Owner Bypasses Class Action in California, Hopes Others Follow

Jan 4 2012 // A woman who expected her 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid to be her dream car wants Honda to pay for not delivering the high mileage it promised. But rather than joining other owners in a class-action lawsuit, she is going solo in...

Safeco Names Mitchell Regional General Manager For California

Jan 4 2012 // Safeco Insurance named Diane Mitchell as the company’s new regional general manager for California. The change was effective Jan. 2. During her time at Safeco, Mitchell has held a variety of roles. Most recently, she...

Jones Announces Joint Effort to Fight California’s ‘Underground Economy’

Dec 29 2011 // The California Department of Insurance (CDI) is joining with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and other agencies to fight labor law and insurance-related violations in an “underground economy.” The...

Chiang Finds More Signs of Fiscal Abuse in Southern California City

Dec 28 2011 // State Controller John Chiang on Wednesday released his final review of the city of Montebello, alleging possible pension spiking, payroll errors, a loose petty cash drawer, and “systemic problems” in the...

Northern California City Pumps More Money Into Fight With Deloitte

Dec 28 2011 // Marin County in Northern California is pumping more money into its legal battle with Deloitte Consulting LLP over a $30 million computer system that county officials say was riddled with problems. The Marin Independent...

California AG Announces Half-Billion Dollar Settlement over Price-Fixing Scheme

Dec 27 2011 // California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced on Tuesday that her office, along with the attorney general offfices, reached a $553 million settlement with manufacturers for allegedly engaging in price fixing of...

Mathews Named President and COO of California-based Atlas

Dec 27 2011 // Mike Mathews has been named president and chief operating officer of San Diego, Calif.-based Atlas General Insurance Services. Mathews is responsible for executing Atlas’ long-term strategy of profitable growth for...

Consumer Group Hammers Mercury Rate Increase Filing in California

Dec 22 2011 // A California consumer group is challenging a rate hike bid by Mercury Insurance because the group claims the company is trying to pass along the costs of its political campaigning. But the insurer says those costs are not...

Jones Clears Way for California’s ‘Principally At-Fault’ Regulations

Dec 21 2011 // California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Wednesday announced the final approval of amended regulations that simplify the requirements for determining whether a driver is principally at-fault (PAF) for an accident,...

10,000 Gallons Of Sewage Spills Into Central California Creek, Ocean

Dec 20 2011 // A power outage has sent about 10,000 gallons of sewage into a California central coast creek and to the Pacific Ocean. San Luis Obispo County officials have warned swimmers, surfers and others to avoid Cambria’s...

TWFG Expands in Texas, California

Dec 19 2011 // The Woodlands Financial Group Inc. (TWFG), a retail and managing general agency headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, announced new branch locations. Chad Luitwieler opened a new office in Brea, Calif. Luitwieler comes to...

Santa Ana Winds to Return to Southern California Friday

Dec 15 2011 // A “classic Santa Ana wind event is taking shape for Southern California” on Friday, the National Weather Service was reporting on Thursday afternoon. The strong winds may not reach the epic proportions of winds...