Latest Illinois Headlines

Minor Earthquake Hits Illinois, Tremors Reported in Indiana, Kentucky

Jan 4 2006 // A minor earthquake hit a small town in southern Illinois yesterday, raising questions again about the threat of a major earthquake for states sitting on or near the New Madrid fault line. The quake struck yesterday at 3:48...

New Ill.Law Makes Driving Without Proof of Insurance a Felony

Jan 3 2006 // The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that a 23-year-old Chicago woman is the first person to be charged under a new state law that changes two traffic offenses — driving on a suspended license and driving without proof...

Settlement proposed in class action against ChoicePoint

Jan 1 2006 // Insurance agents and agencies who provided personal information regarding potential or actual insureds to ChoicePoint Services Inc. between Jan. 1 1997, and Aug. 9, 2005, may be entitled to money and benefits as a result...

Illinois governor pushes plan to help uninsured kids

Jan 1 2006 // After signing a state law offering low-cost medical coverage for most uninsured children in Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich flew to Washington to push for broader health insurance coverage for children around the...

Editor’s Note

Jan 1 2006 // Making those New Year’s resolutions … We all know that the New Year provides a great opportunity to commit to making a list of positive changes in our lives. Is it possible that judges in state court...

Ill. Agents,Companies Plan Annual Insurance Industry Legislative Day

Dec 27 2005 // The Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois, in conjunction with the Illinois Insurance Association, Illinois Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Illinois State Association of Health Underwriters...

Ill. Insurance Dept. Offers Advice for Holiday Hosts, Travelers

Dec 20 2005 // If you’re hosting friends and family this holiday season, it might pay to check your insurance first, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance. Better to know in advance what is covered and what isn’t...

Illinois Counties Cited in Tort Reform Group’s Top ‘Judicial Hellholes’

Dec 19 2005 // The fourth annual “Judicial Hellholes” report, a ranking of state courts that are sought by plaintiffs because they are judged by critics to have the toughest environment for defendants in civil liability...

News Briefs

Dec 18 2005 // MISSOURI Insurer to Pay $8 Million: State Farm Insurance has been ordered to pay more than $8 million to a tow truck driver and his sister-in-law who were acquitted of insurance fraud after being accused of faking the...

Settlement Proposed in Insurance Agent Class Action Against ChoicePoint

Dec 18 2005 // Insurance agents and agencies who provided personal information regarding potential or actual insureds to ChoicePoint Services Inc. between Jan. 1 1997, and Aug. 9, 2005, may be entitled to money and other benefits as a...

Dec 18 2005 // Illinois Counties Cited in Tort Reform Group’s Top ‘Judicial Hellholes’ The fourth annual “Judicial Hellholes” report, a ranking of state courts that are sought by plaintiffs because they are...

Ill. Gov. Blagojevich Seeks to Expand Insurance for Children

Dec 13 2005 // With a new Illinois state law now offering low-cost medical coverage for most uninsured children in Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich flew to Washington on Monday to urge lawmakers to provide broader health insurance coverage...

Insurance Commissioners Announce Framework for National Cat Program

Dec 5 2005 // Insurance regulators from California, Florida, Illinois and New York, on the heels of the National Catastrophe Insurance Summit held in November, are peddling the framework for a national catastrophe insurance program that...

New Markets

Dec 4 2005 // Non-Franchised Auto Dealers Nuts & Bolts: DMI Insurance Services Inc. ha expanded the range of markets it supplies to producers serving non-franchised auto dealers and automotive specialty shops. The new markets will...

Dec 4 2005 // Burns & Wilcox, a national specialty insurance managing general agency, has promoted Wayne Bates to director of the company’s Special Risk Division (SRD), International and promoted him to associate vice...

Illinois Duo Seeks to Radio Midwesterners of Region’s Earthquake Threat

Dec 4 2005 // Harvey Henson knows people might not fret much about Midwest earthquakes. But since this region has one of the nation’s most active underground faults, that lack of preparedness makes him tremble. “It’s...

Insurance Commissioners Announce Framework for National Cat Program

Dec 4 2005 // Insurance regulators from California, Florida, Illinois and New York, on the heels of the National Catastrophe Insurance Summit held in November, are peddling the framework for a national catastrophe insurance program that...

Insurers Join in Illinois Court Case That Could Alter Timely Claim Notice

Dec 1 2005 // The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies joined with the Illinois Insurance Association Nov. 22 to file an amicus brief in a case dealing with the issue of timely notice to an insurer of a claim or lawsuit....

New Markets

Nov 20 2005 // Motor Carriers Suite Nuts & Bolts: Lexington Insurance Company, a member company of American International Group Inc., introduced Lex TransportPlus, a new product suite encompassing two policies: Motor Truck Cargo and...

Ill. Supreme Court Ruling Spotlights Venue Reform

Nov 17 2005 // The Illinois Supreme Court today ruled that a lawsuit brought in Illinois by a Louisiana plaintiff did not belong in an Illinois state court. In Gridley v. State Farm , the high court remanded the issue to the circuit...