Latest Michigan Headlines

Michigan Insurance Department Recovers $17 Million in 2008

Jan 8 2009 // Michigan Insurance Commissioner Ken Ross recently announced that the Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) had recovered $17,487,531. According to Ross, $6,782,777 of the recoveries involved insurance and...

Victoria Insurance Co. Changes Name to Cranbrook Insurance

Jan 6 2009 // Victoria Insurance Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Michigan-based USF Insurance Co., has changed its name to Cranbrook Insurance Co., effective Jan. 1. Cranbrook is incorporated in Texas with its headquarters in...

Smoking Ban Deal Still Discussed by Michigan Lawmakers

Dec 22 2008 // Michigan lawmakers had not reached deals to ban smoking in restaurants and bars or change the rules for pricing individual health insurance policies as their 2007-08 session neared an end on Thursday, Dec. 18. Both issues...

AAA Reports: 2 Million Michigan Residents Plan Holiday Travel

Dec 22 2008 // An estimated 2 million Michigan residents — almost the same number as last year — will travel 50 miles or more from home during the upcoming Christmas holiday period, according to AAA’s latest travel...

Michigan Man Files Suit to Stop AIG Bailout on Religious Grounds

Dec 17 2008 // A Michigan man is challenging the government’s bailout of American International Group Inc., claiming the move is illegal because the insurer has financial products that promote Islam and are anti-Christian. The...

Mich. Senate Votes to Require Ignition Devises in Drunk Driving Cases

Dec 12 2008 // Michigan is looking to get tougher on drunken drivers. Legislation approved late Dec. 10 by the state Senate would require drivers with a high blood-alcohol content of 0.15 or more to install an ignition interlock device...

Michigan Group Elects 2009 Officers

Dec 5 2008 // Robert Donnay, manager, industry/government relations, GMAC Insurance in Southfield, Mich. was elected chair of the Insurance Institute of Michigan (IIM). The elections took place on Dec. 2 at the IIM Annual Meeting in...

Burns & Wilcox Announces Promotions in Michigan Office

Dec 3 2008 // Burns & Wilcox announces that it has promoted two individuals at its Farmington Hills, Mich. office. Laura Colbert was named director of sales and marketing. She is responsible for developing initiatives that will...

It Figures

Nov 30 2008 // 1.4 Million According to the Michigan AAA, an estimated 1.4 million Michiganians traveled during the 2008 Thanksgiving holiday period, a 6-percent decrease from last year, says AAA Michigan. AAA forecasted a small decline...

People

Nov 30 2008 // Safeco Insurance and Indiana Insurance, both Liberty Mutual Agency Markets companies, recently announced key management appointments to lead their respective personal and commercial lines operations in their Midwest...

Declarations

Nov 30 2008 // Obama on Climate, Jobs “My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process.” —A Reuters...

Michigan Man Admits to Collecting Annuity Checks After Deaths of Parents

Nov 26 2008 // One of three brothers accused of cashing annuity checks that were supposed to end when their parents died has pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering. Forty-six-year-old...

Wells Fargo Acquires Assets of Michigan’s Doeren Mayhew Risk Management

Nov 24 2008 // San Francisco-based Wells Fargo Insurance Services Inc. a bank-owned insurance brokerage and a subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Co., has acquired the assets of Troy, Michi.’s Doeren Mayhew Risk Management LLC. Doeren...

1.4 Million Michigan Residents to Travel During Thanksgiving Holiday

Nov 21 2008 // Despite the economy, many will travel by car and air this holiday weekend. An estimated 1.4 million Michiganians said they will travel during the 2008 Thanksgiving holiday period, a 6-percent decrease from last year, says...

Michigan Consumer Advocate Hosts Final Public Hearing in Detroit

Nov 18 2008 // Michigan’s Automobile and Home Insurance Consumer Advocate Melvin Butch Hollowell held the final public hearing in Detroit on Saturday, Nov. 15 to hear from consumers and industry experts about the affordability of...

Mich. Hosts Hearings on Auto Insurance Affordability; Industry Counters

Nov 13 2008 // The Michigan Department of Insurance and Regulation’s consumer advocate is hosting a series of public hearings on the issue of insurance affordability. Melvin Butch Hollowell was appointed by Governor Jennifer M....

National Study Says Michigan Average Auto Premiums Decline

Nov 10 2008 // Michigan’s average auto insurance premiums decreased in 2006, compared to 2005, a recent study released by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) shows. For the two-year period 2004-6, Michigan...

Oct 20 2008 // American International Group Inc. (AIG) elected Edward M. Liddy as chairman and CEO. Liddy, 62, succeeds Robert B. Willumstad. Stephen F. Bollenbach, who was named lead independent director in June 2008, continues in that...

Allstate Responds to Mich. Consumer Advocate’s Call for Investigation

Oct 20 2008 // Michigan’s new insurance consumer advocate wants the state to investigate Allstate Insurance Company. Melvin “Butch” Hollowell said on Oct. 7 that the insurer reported that Michigan’s drivers...

Allstate Responds to Mich. Consumer Advocate’s Call for Investigation

Oct 9 2008 // Michigan’s new insurance consumer advocate wants the state to investigate Allstate Insurance Company. Melvin “Butch” Hollowell said Tuesday the insurer reported that Michigan’s drivers drastically...