Latest Illinois Headlines
All the headlines from our Illinois Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Illinois Metal Treating Facility Faces $181.6K in Fines for Workplace Hazards
Jul 9 2019 // A metal treating facility in Glendale Heights, Illinois, has been cited by federal officials for workplace safety violations and faces imposed penalties of $181,662. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety...
With Governor’s Signature, Illinois Is 11th State to Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Jun 27 2019 // Illinois’ new governor delivered on a top campaign promise by signing legislation making the state the 11th to approve marijuana for recreational use in a program offering legal remedies and economic benefits to...
2 More Illinois Counties Receive Flooding Disaster Proclamations
Jun 25 2019 // Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has issued disaster proclamations for two more counties affected by flooding. Pritzker added Knox and Henry counties in western Illinois to the counties receiving disaster proclamations. That...
Digital Billboards in Illinois City to Display Tornado Warnings
Jun 11 2019 // The National Weather Service and an outdoor advertising company are teaming up to equip nine digital billboards in central Illinois with the ability to display tornado warnings. Adams Outdoor Advertising says the...
Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires MDV Wealth Planning in Illinois
Jun 6 2019 // Global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., has acquired Fox River Grove, Ill.-based MDV Wealth Planning Inc. Terms of the transaction were not...
Illinois Silicone Plant Sued by State, County After Fatal Blast
Jun 6 2019 // Illinois and Lake County are suing the owner of a Chicago-area silicone factory that exploded last month, seeking to force the company to identify the nature and extent of chemical pollution in the area and limit the...
Auto, Homeowner Claims from Severe Midwest Weather Add Up for State Farm
Jun 5 2019 // State Farm said last week it had received over 6,000 homeowner claims and more than 5,000 auto claims related to severe weather that pummeled the Midwest on May 27 and 28. The company reported around 6,110 total homeowner...
Illinois’ AAdvantage Insurance Group Adds Glowacki as Commercial Marketer
Jun 4 2019 // AAdvantage Insurance Group in Glen Carbon, Illinois, has hired Amy Glowacki as a commercial marketer. In this position, she will assist agents in generating quotes and proposals for the company’s commercial insurance...
Illinois Women Plead Guilty in $1.7M Workers’ Comp Fraud Scheme
Jun 3 2019 // Two Chicago, Illinois, women have pleaded guilty for their roles in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) of $1.7 million by falsely billing for services on...
Are Agencies Overpaying for Young Employees Today?
Jun 3 2019 // Memo to insurance agency owners seeking to onboard new employees: Expect to pay more, offer more and train more. Those trying to hire know that already. “What we’re seeing in particular in Texas, and I imagine...
Gerger Joins Illinois Independent Agents Group as Education, Agency Resources Director
May 31 2019 // Brett Gerger, former chief deputy director of the Illinois Department of Insurance, has joined the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL) as director of Education & Agency Resources. In his new position,...
AXA XL Promotes Gauder in Illinois to Lead North Central Region
May 23 2019 // AXA XL has promoted Brian Gauder to lead its North Central region out of Chicago, Ill. AXA also named Raymond Chiusano to lead its North America property insurance team’s Northeast region out of New York. Chiusano is...
Moore Joins Lockton as Sr. VP, Employee Benefits Consultant for Midwest
May 16 2019 // Patrick Moore has joined Lockton as senior vice president and employee benefits consultant for Lockton Midwest with his primary office in Chicago. He brings more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry...
Outlooks Revised to Stable for Illinois’ Specialty Risk of America
May 16 2019 // AM Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb-” of Specialty Risk of America (SPRISKA) in...
Supreme Court Apple Ruling May Increase Liability Exposure for Digital Platforms
May 14 2019 // Consumers can press ahead with a lawsuit that accuses Apple Inc. of using its market dominance to artificially inflate prices at its App Store, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled. The 5-4 decision Monday could add to pressure...
Schmidt Named Director, Business Development at Illinois’ Associated Agencies
May 14 2019 // Associated Agencies Inc. in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has hired Jim Schmidt as director of business development. Most recently, Schmidt worked as commercial lines manager for USI Insurance Services since 2016. There, he...
Explosion at Illinois Plant Leaves 2 Confirmed Dead, 4 Injured, 2 Missing
May 6 2019 // An explosion and fire at an Illinois silicone factory claimed a second victim Saturday when an employee taken to a hospital after the blast died, a local coroner confirmed, and the official death toll is expected to rise...
Communities Along Mississippi River Prepare for Record Crest
May 2 2019 // Communities in several states along the Mississippi River are watching the skies this week as rainfall will likely determine whether the river reaches record crests and how much it will raise floodwaters. The National...
AAIS Adds Jonas as Commercial Lines Product Manager in Illinois
Apr 24 2019 // The Lisle, Illinois-based national not-for-profit insurance advisory organization, American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS), has named Joseph Jonas as its new commercial lines product manager. Jonas is responsible...
Cops Draw Blood to Catch Impaired Drivers
Apr 23 2019 // It was about 6:30 on a Friday night in January when Phoenix Police Det. Kemp Layden pulled over a white Jeep Cherokee that was speeding and weaving in and out of its lane. The 47-year-old driver spoke slowly, his eyes were...
