Latest California Headlines

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

Confie Seguros Acquires West Coast Auto Insurance Services

Sep 24 2008 // Confie Seguros, a provider of auto insurance with an emphasis on serving Hispanic consumers, has acquired auto insurance brokerage West Coast Auto Insurance Services. The acquisition broadens Confie Seguros’ presence...

California Commissioner Proposes Pay-As-You-Drive Regulations

Sep 22 2008 // California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has proposed regulations that would make a green auto insurance option available for California consumers. If implemented, pay-as-you-drive auto insurance would allow...

Reporting Requirements

Sep 22 2008 // A Review of Reporting Changes in Licensee’s Background Information Many licensees or applicants are unaware of the continuing requirement to notify the California Department of Insurance (DOI) of changes in the...

People

Sep 22 2008 // Swiss Re appointed Walter A. Bell chairman of Swiss Re America Holding Corp. He will provide supervisory governance of the Americas businesses and also will oversee and direct regulatory and public affairs for all of Swiss...

Appeals Court Throws out $241 Million Award in Executive Life Suit

Sep 22 2008 // An appeals court tossed out a $241 million award won by California in a lawsuit over the takeover of failed insurer Executive Life by French investors. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the award by a lower...

Business Moves

Sep 22 2008 // Armstrong/Robitaille/Riegle,Balance Insurance Agency Orange, Calif.-based Armstrong/Robitaille/ Riegle Business and Insurance Solutions has acquired Balance Insurance Agency of Irvine, Calif. Balance Insurance Agency was...

California Workers’ Comp Division Strengthens Judges’ Ethics Rules

Sep 22 2008 // California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation has adopted revised ethics regulations governing workers’ compensation judges. According to the DWC, the rules and regulations “are designed to enforce...

Funeral Held for Insurance Agent, California Bans Train Operators from Texting

Sep 19 2008 // The first memorial service for a victim of the Sept. 12, 2008, Metrolink train collision was held in Simi Valley, Calif. Howard Pompel, 69, an insurance agent and father of three from Moorpark, Calif., was among the 25...

California Commissioner Issues Statement on AIG

Sep 19 2008 // Responding to the federal government’s bail-out of AIG, California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner issued the following statement, noting the two dozen companies under the AIG corporate umbrella that are...

Calif. Insurance Commissioner Considers 2010 Bid

Sep 18 2008 // California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, a wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneur with a centrist political style, took an initial step toward seeking the Republican nomination for governor in 2010. Poizner filed...

Insurers Seek Veto of California Workers’ Comp Bills

Sep 17 2008 // The American Insurance Association says three measures on the way to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk should be vetoed because they will increase employers’ costs for workers’ compensation,...

California Legislative Session Positive on Insurance Issues

Sep 15 2008 // This year’s California legislative session has been a relatively positive one for property/casualty insurers and their customers, according to the Association of California Insurance Companies. Legislators generally...

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires California Insurance Center

Sep 12 2008 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired California Insurance Center, Inc. of Lafayette, Calif. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1929, California Insurance Center Inc. is a retail insurance broker...

Ranch Blamed for Calif. Landslide to Sell Assets

Sep 10 2008 // A ranch company found negligent in a 2005 landslide that killed 10 people has agreed to sell its assets to pay for damages, the plaintiffs announced. A jury in August faulted La Conchita Ranch Co. for failing to build...

Hub International Acquires Fredricksen Insurance Services

Sep 10 2008 // Chicago-based Hub International Ltd. has acquired Fredricksen Insurance Services, a Hemet, Calif., agency, as well as acquired PMT, Fredricksen’s retail brokerage subsidiary. Fredricksen’s operations will...

California To Discuss PAYD Auto Insurance on Oct. 20

Sep 10 2008 // The California Department of Insurance has announced that it will host a public hearing at 10 a.m. on Oct. 20, 2008, in San Francisco, to discuss Commissioner Steve Poizner’s proposed pay-as-you-drive auto insurance...

California in Holding Pattern on Insurance Bills

Sep 9 2008 // With Democratic and Republican legislators unable to agree on a budget since California’s fiscal year began on July 1, 2008, many state services — as well as insurance bills — are at a standstill. Gov....

Ah-Tye Appointed Chief Counsel at California State Fund

Sep 9 2008 // California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund has promoted Suzanne Ah-Tye to chief counsel of the Legal Department. Ah-Tye brings more than 25 years of State Fund legal experience to her new post. She began her...

California Workers’ Comp Division Strengthens Judges’ Ethics Rules

Sep 9 2008 // California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation has adopted revised ethics regulations governing workers’ compensation judges. According to the DWC, the rules and regulations “are designed to enforce...

Parties Can Contract for Expanded Judicial Review of Arbitration Awards

Sep 3 2008 // The California Supreme Court held that under the California Arbitration Act (CAA), parties to an arbitration agreement may agree to expanded judicial review of an arbitration award for legal error, according to Cable...