Latest Legislation Headlines

Los Angeles Judge Dismisses Sterility Verdict Against Dole

Jul 19 2010 // A judge on Thursday dismissed a $2.3 million judgment against Dole Food Co. in a lawsuit by purported Nicaraguan banana workers, ruling that the company and the court were victims of a massive fraud. Los Angeles Superior...

Davis Honored with Insurance Council of Texas’ Raymond Mauk Award

Jul 16 2010 // Will Davis, a partner with the law firm of Thompson, Coe, Cousins and Irons LLC, has been presented the Raymond Mauk Leadership Award at the Insurance Council of Texas’ 18th Annual Mid-Year Property and Casualty...

How Financial Reform Package Affects Insurance, Surplus Lines

Jul 16 2010 // The Senate has passed the Dodd-Frank financial services reform package that will have some impact on the insurance industry and add involvement by the federal government in the state-based insurance regulatory system. The...

Mining Firms Complain Democrats’ Safety Bill Too Harsh

Jul 15 2010 // The nation’s top mine safety official urged quick passage this week of a bill that would crack down on mines with safety problems, despite industry complaints that the legislation is too punitive. Mine Safety and...

Hearing Scheduled Today on HR 3424, Reinsurance Tax Bill

Jul 13 2010 // HR 3424 will be the subject of a hearing House by the House Representatives Ways and Means Committee today at 10:00 a.m. The Bill, sponsored by Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-MA), has been the subject of a lengthy debate [See IJ...

Illinois Set to Implement State-Based Licensing System for Producers

Jul 13 2010 // The Illinois Department of Insurance has announced that on July 26, 2010, it will implement the State-Based Systems (SBS) licensing system. SBS will allow producer licensing functions to be completed electronically through...

The Growing Risks of Social Media

Jul 12 2010 // Asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton famously replied: “Because that’s where the money is.” Something similar can be said to explain why companies are paying more attention to social media these days...

Michigan Supreme Court Lifts Ban on Use of Credit Scores by Insurers

Jul 9 2010 // The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that the Granholm Administration exceeded its authority when it banned the use of credit scoring by insurance companies in the state. The decision means insurers in Michigan can...

How P&C Agents Can Benefit from Upcoming Health Insurance Boom

Jul 7 2010 // For independent insurance agents, upcoming healthcare reform could be an opportunity to gain a bigger share of the health insurance and benefits market, provided they can properly advise their customers about their...

Actuarially Sound Property Rates Remain Elusive Along Texas Coast

Jul 7 2010 // Insurance company interests have long complained that the state-backed Texas Windstorm Insurance Association charges rates that are not actuarially sound for the risks it insures, making it impossible for private insurers...

Indiana Man Seeks Tougher Rules for Mo-Ped Drivers

Jul 7 2010 // An Indiana man whose son was seriously hurt in a mo-ped accident is urging state lawmakers to crack down on use of the vehicles. Arthur Jewell said his son had lost his driver’s license for driving while intoxicated...

Some Question Campaign Run by Oklahoma Workers’ Comp Judge

Jul 7 2010 // The presiding judge of the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court has created a furor by choosing to retain his post while running for a job as an Oklahoma County district judge. Some attorneys say Judge Kent Eldridge...

Judge Approves $712.5M Settlement Deal for 9/11 Responders

Jul 5 2010 // Some recounted their days at the smoldering ruins of the World Trade Center. Some fought back tears. Some complained that no amount of money would make them whole. Despite the mixed emotions, most of the responders on...

Declarations

Jul 5 2010 // Don’t Text, Just Drive “Txt Back L8R” —Billboards going up around Michigan are reminding drivers to hold off on text messaging. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning said that the billboards in...

Michigan Court Rules Liability Waivers for Kids Do Not Bar Lawsuits

Jul 5 2010 // A parent’s signature doesn’t waive the legal rights of a child who is hurt at play, the Michigan Supreme Court said in a decision that has consequences for businesses, schools and other groups offering...

Jul 5 2010 // Congress’s inability to act leaves many in flood prone areas vulnerable – for the second time this year and the fourth in 12 months’ time. When it rains it pours, as the saying goes. By extension, one...

Court Rules in Favor of Calif. State Compensation Workers

Jul 5 2010 // About 7,900 employees of California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund are entitled to back pay after a state appeals court ruled in their favor over furloughs. The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco...

Rough Road for Trucking in the New Economy

Jul 5 2010 // Rising Taxes, Inflation Will Force Insurance Market to a ‘Déjà vu All Over Again’ The insurance industry has a long history for cyclical price adjusting, featuring long periods of marginal to inadequate...

How to Manage the Growing Risks of Social Media

Jul 5 2010 // Advertising, Defamation, Privacy and Security Laws All at Issue Asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton famously replied: “Because that’s where the money is.” Something similar can be said to explain why...

Webinar to Help P&C Agents Benefit from Health Insurance Boom Under Reform Law

Jul 1 2010 // For independent insurance agents, upcoming healthcare reform could be an opportunity to gain a bigger share of the health insurance and benefits market, provided they can properly advise their customers about their...