Latest Illinois Headlines
All the headlines from our Illinois Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Budget Dominates Ill. Special Sessions
Jul 12 2004 // Although the 2004 Illinois legislative session continues into overtime with several insurance issues left on the table, it is unlikely that legislators will focus on anything but restoring a viable budget, according to a...
First State Delaware Last on .08 Blood-Alcohol Drunken Driving Law
Jul 5 2004 // Lighting up a cigarette in a bar in Georgetown, Delaware is unlawful, but you can get more drunk in Delaware than anywhere in the nation and still be allowed to get behind the wheel. “Delaware’s got so many...
West Bend Mutual: In With the New, and Hang On to the Old
Jun 21 2004 // Thanks to a hard market, a light catastrophic claims load and consistent underwriting, a little mutual based out of West Bend, Wis., was able to surpass the $1 billion asset mark at the end of 2003 for the first time in...
Regional Focus
Jun 21 2004 // Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill once famously said, “All politics is local.” The same could be said for the insurance industry—insurance coverage is definitely local. In addition, there...
SECURA: Looking to Sustain Hard-Market Success
Jun 18 2004 // The CEO of Appleton, Wis.-based SECURA Insurance Cos., John Bykowski, took some time recently to talk with IJ during the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin’s annual convention. SECURA has total assets of $406...
Illinois DOI Folded Into New Department; Gov. Blagojevich Names Acting Director
Jun 17 2004 // The acting director of the Illinois Department of Labor has been promoted to oversee Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s consolidation of four financial and regulatory agencies, including the Department of Insurance. Blagojevich...
New Illinois Med-Mal Carrier to Focus on Aggressive Defense Tactics
Jun 8 2004 // The Professional Liability Insurance Company of America (PLICA), announced that it now offers physicians in the Illinois malpractice market a professional liability insurance product that has been developed and designed to...
Elderly Drivers Pose Growing Challenge for States and Auto Insurers
Jun 7 2004 // As the nation’s population ages, states are looking for ways to weed out people who shouldn’t drive. Half the states have passed some form of elderly driver restrictions, usually laws that require older...
Illinois Gov. Blagojevich Would Veto Med-Mal Caps
Jun 1 2004 // Gov. Rod Blagojevich said he would veto legislation that tries to slow the growth in malpractice insurance rates by capping some lawsuit awards, an idea being considered by the Illinois House. “I oppose caps...
Democratic Med-Mal Plan Fails in Illinois House
May 28 2004 // The Illinois House of Representatives has voted down a Democratic medical malpractice reform plan that would have given the state’s insurance department the power to rein in rates it deemed excessive and created a...
Illinois Med-Mal Reform Appears to Stall
May 27 2004 // A package of medical liability reforms largely opposed by insurance industry interests seems to have a good chance to pass in the Illinois House of Representatives, but it’s Senate future is grim, according to...
Illinois House Rejects Higher Auto Insurance Limits
May 20 2004 // An Illinois Senate bill that would have increased private passenger automobile financial responsibility limits was overwhelmingly defeated on the House floor this afternoon, according to the Property Casualty Insurers...
Elderly Drivers Pose Growing Challenge for States and Auto Insurers
May 17 2004 // As the nation’s population ages, states are looking for ways to weed out people who shouldn’t drive. Half the states have passed some form of elderly driver restrictions, usually laws that require older...
DOI CONSOLIDATION, MED-MAL ALSO ON ILL. DOCKET:
May 17 2004 // Meanwhile, Blagojevich’s proposal to consolidate the Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) within the Department of Professional Regulation has received some opposition in the Illinois Senate. Democratic Sen. Miguel...
21st Century Moves Into Midwest
May 13 2004 // Woodland Hill, Calif.-based direct auto writer 21st Century Insurance Group announced it has begun selling auto insurance policies to Illinois residents through its subsidiary, 21st Century Insurance Co.. This expansion...
Illinois Electronic Notification Bill Modernizes Law
May 10 2004 // An Illinois bill that permits insurance companies to use modern technology to notify insurance agents and brokers about policy cancellations has passed both chambers and is on the way to the governor for...
Study: Comp Costs Per Claim Rising in Illinois
May 10 2004 // Workers’ compensation costs per claim in Illinois are increasing rapidly, driven by higher medical costs per claim and greater use of medical services to treat injured workers, according to the Workers Compensation...
Misdemeanor Conviction Means No License for Ill. Man
Apr 26 2004 // Illinois Acting Director of Insurance Deirdre K. Manna has denied the insurance producer license of Dennis L. Hartwig of Posen, Ill., effective April 5, 2004. Hartwig’s license was denied by director’s order...
ILL. CONSIDERS SURPLUS LINES BILLS:
Apr 5 2004 // Bills dealing with the surplus lines market are up for consideration in the Illinois General Assembly this session. SB 2560 closely resembles last year’s vetoed bill, which would have amended the state insurance code...
Ill. Senate Passes Electronic Notification Bill
Mar 28 2004 // An insurance industry-supported bill that would modernize existing statutes by permitting insurers to electronically transfer cancellation and nonrenewal notices to agents unanimously passed the Illinois Senate and is...
