Latest California Headlines

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

Aon Risk Solutions Adds Valdez in California

May 23 2011 // Aon Risk Solutions, the global risk management business of Aon Corp., announced that Jamin Valdez has joined the Los Angeles office as account executive. In his new role, Valdez is responsible for delivering specialized...

Contractors Object to California Regulator’s Plan to Rehabilitate Majestic Insurance

May 20 2011 // Former members of the self-insured workers’ compensation program Contractors Access Program of California, which was managed by now defunct Majestic Insurance Co., have filed a formal objection to the California...

Calif. Workers’ Comp Bureau Declines Again to Make Mid-Year Filing

May 19 2011 // The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California’s Governing Committee has decided, again, not to make a mid-year rate filing. At its April 6, 2011 meeting, the WCIRB Governing Committee directed...

Prison Case Tests Liability of Private Workers Doing Government Work

May 19 2011 // The Supreme Court this week agreed to hear a case on the liability of employees of private companies that operate state and federal prisons, a case defense lawyers worry could open the floodgates for suits against other...

Why Bragging May Create a Greater Legal Duty of Care

May 19 2011 // It has often been said that every attorney has a little larceny in his heart. In similar fashion, it could be said that every insurance agent has a little puffery in his heart regarding his book of business, background and...

Calif. Practices for Flooding as South is Inundated

May 18 2011 // Emergency workers in nearly half of California counties will be practicing for a catastrophic flood this week — a drill given added urgency by the once-in-a-generation flooding in the Mississippi River delta 2,300...

Calif. Workers’ Comp Premium Written Edges Up to $7.1B

May 18 2011 // California workers’ compensation insurers’ total direct written premium (DWP) rose 3.1 percent to $7.1 billion last year, according to data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) posted...

Calif. Surplus Line Premiums Down 4.34%

May 17 2011 // The Surplus Line Association of California Stamping Office announced premiums processed for the first quarter of 2011 of $953.7 million, a decrease of 4.34 percent from the total premiums processed in the same period in...

Gov. Jerry Brown Proposes Eliminating Standards Board, Insurance Advisor

May 17 2011 // In an effort to save the state about $500,000, California Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed eliminating the Office of the Insurance Advisor and the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, according to his proposed May...

Toyota Can Be Sued for Reduced Value of Cars, U.S. Judge Rules

May 17 2011 // Owners of Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles that were recalled over unintended acceleration may pursue claims against the automaker that the problem caused the value of their cars to fall, a federal judge ruled Monday. U.S....

Feliciano Named VP of California Insurer Association

May 17 2011 // The Association of California Insurance Companies (ACIC) has named Armand Feliciano vice president. He has 17 years of legal, regulatory and legislative advocacy experience in California. He will be responsible for...

‘Crash Tax’ Regs Still OK in California

May 16 2011 // A bill that would have prevented state and local governments from imposing accident response fees for emergency response in vehicle accidents has died in the Senate Public Safety Committee. Senate Bill 49 would have...

Calif. Assembly Bans Workers’ Comp Cuts Due to Race, Sex

May 16 2011 // California’s Assembly approved changes to the state’s safety net for injured workers that would prevent cuts to disability benefits based on race, sex or age. The 44-22 party-line vote on AB1155 came over the...

Calif. Blocks Bill to Boost Insurance Commissioner’s Penalty Powers

May 16 2011 // The California Senate Insurance Committee has blocked a restitution bill that would have given explicit authority to the state Insurance Commissioner to order restitution as part of an administrative enforcement action...

Ratings Recap: Keystone, Forestry Mutual, Residential Re, National Unity, Dakota

May 12 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to ‘A+’ (Superior) from’ B++’ (Good) and the issuer credit ratings (ICRs) to “aa-” from “bbb” of Keystone...

California Group Offers Commercial Insurance Resources

May 11 2011 // The Insurance Information Network of California is now tailoring content to assist small businesses on their understanding of commercial insurance. Information available on its Web site will cover basics of business...

Calif. Workers’ Comp Information Filing Being Reviewed

May 11 2011 // At its April 6, 2011 meeting, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California’s Governing Committee directed the WCIRB to submit to the California Department of Insurance (CDI) an informational...

Top 10 States for Dog Bite Claims

May 11 2011 // State Farm Insurance Co. has released its top 10 states for claims involving dog bites, with California on top in number of claims and Florida recording the highest cost per claim. The Bloomington-based State Farm reported...

California Leads Nation in Dog Bite Claims, State Farm Says

May 10 2011 // California leads the nation in the number of claims made and paid out by State Farm Insurance for dog bites, according to the Bloomington, Ill.-based insurer. The insurer recorded 369 claims were made, and $11.3 million...

Best Affirms No. Am. Casualty Financial Ratings; Upgrades Debt

May 10 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the issuer credit ratings (ICR) to “a+” from “a” of North American Casualty Group (NAC) and its members, California Insurance Company, and Continental Indemnity Company,...