Latest California Headlines

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

California Wildfire Continues to Grow Near Yosemite

Jul 24 2018 // California firefighters worked in worsening heat Monday to contain a forest fire outside Yosemite National Park. The Ferguson Fire had scorched nearly 53 square miles of timber and brush in the Sierra Nevada west of...

What’s New in Today’s Construction Insurance Market

Jul 23 2018 // Brokers who specialize in the construction industry love their clients and are very committed to keeping up with their needs. Ask them, “So what’s new?” and the conversations inevitably veer off in...

Texas Stamping Office: National E&S Insurance Premium Up 9.4% at Mid-Year

Jul 23 2018 // Excess and surplus lines (E&S) insurance premium recorded by the 15 managing service offices in the United States increased 9.4 percent as of the 2018 mid-year point, the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX)...

Warren G. Bender Co. in California Names Wood Personal Lines Manager

Jul 23 2018 // Warren G. Bender Co. in Northern California has named Jeffrey Wood manager of its personal lines department. He has 21 years of experience in personal insurance. He was previously an agent with Albano, Dale, Dunn &...

Study Examines California Worker’s Comp Prescription Drug Outcomes Under New Formulary

Jul 20 2018 // A new analysis offers a preliminary look at Utilization Review and Independent Medical Review outcomes involving pharmaceutical requests for California injured workers since the state implemented a workers’...

Lyft Will Beef Up Background Checks Following California Driver Arrest

Jul 20 2018 // Ridesharing company Lyft said Wednesday that it’s beefing up its background checks after a driver arrested for rape was found to be in the United States illegally. The company’s “enhanced detection...

California Suspect in Serial Rapes Was a Lyft Driver

Jul 19 2018 // Ridesharing company Lyft said this week that it’s investigating how a former driver now charged in a series of rapes passed a background check even though federal immigration officials say the suspect was living in...

WSS California Operation Adds Bertram, McLeod

Jul 18 2018 // WSS, part of XPT, a new specialty insurance distribution company, has named Lynn Bertram senior broker/underwriter in the commercial lines department, while Stefanie McLeod will serve as vice president and senior...

Paragon Opens New Office in California, Adds Etzler as Director of Workers’ Comp

Jul 18 2018 // Paragon Insurance Holdings LLC is expanding in San Diego, Calif. with the opening of a new office in downtown and the hiring of Robert Etzler. He will serve as senior vice president and director of workers’...

Mueller Industries Settles Disability Discrimination Suit in California for $1M

Jul 17 2018 // The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has settled a disability discrimination lawsuit in California against a global metal goods manufacturer Mueller Industries Inc. for $1 million and other injunctive...

The Dentists Insurance Co. in California Names Spinelli CEO

Jul 17 2018 // The boards of directors for the Sacramento, Calif.-based Dentists Insurance Co., Northwest Dentists Insurance Co. and Dentists Benefits Insurance Co. have named Bob Spinelli president and CEO. In addition to leading all...

Workers’ Comp ‘Disruptor’ Launching in California for Injured Farm Employees

Jul 16 2018 // An insurtech startup says it will disrupt California’s workers’ compensation system with “technology-enabled triage and care coordination” for California Farm Management. ChronWell, a mobile...

The Doctors Co. in California Names Bashaw Senior Vice President

Jul 16 2018 // Napa, Calif.-based The Doctors Co. has named Kerin Torpey Bashaw senior vice president of patient safety and risk management. Bashaw reports to Bill Fleming, chief operating officer. Bashaw has more than 20 years of...

25 Injured When Bus Overturns on California Freeway

Jul 16 2018 // Authorities say 25 people have been injured after a bus overturned on a Southern California freeway but most of the passengers had minor injuries. The Los Angeles Fire Department says the bus crashed shortly before 4 a.m....

California Wildfire Insurance Policy Notification Bill Signed

Jul 16 2018 // California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation to require insurance companies to let homeowners know whether their policies are sufficient to rebuild or replace their homes after a disaster. Assembly Bill 1799, by...

Pacific Bell Settles California Disability Discrimination Lawsuit With EEOC

Jul 13 2018 // Pacific Bell Telephone Co., formerly known as AT&T Pacific Bell, will pay $15,000 and furnish other relief to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the...

Will California Wildfires Be Worse This Year?

Jul 13 2018 // As blame for California’s wildfires rises over Sacramento like smoke from last year’s blazes, the state is being forced to confront the possibility that it’ll happen again in 2018. California’s...

Survey Shows More Americans Believe There is ‘Solid Evidence’ of Global Warming

Jul 12 2018 // There’s a surefire way to get more people to believe in global warming. Just crank up the heat. A larger percentage of Americans say there is “solid evidence” of global warming than at any time since...

A.M. Best Downgrades Ratings of Pacific Specialty Insurance Group in California

Jul 12 2018 // A.M. Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Ratings to A- (Excellent) from A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings to “a-” from “a” of Pacific Specialty Insurance Co. and Pacific...

Warren G. Bender in California Names Bracero Commercial Account Executive

Jul 11 2018 // Sacramento, Calif.-based Warren G. Bender Co. has named Lisa Bracero an account executive the commercial lines department. She has 15 years of experience in commercial insurance. She was previously a field sales manager at...