Latest Texas Headlines
All the headlines from our Texas Topic Page, ordered by recency.
New Markets
Jun 16 2008 // The following markets were selected from the MyNewMarkets database of 25,000 coverages and programs. To find additional markets, or to submit markets, go to www.MyNewMarkets.com. Custom Home Builders Market Detail: Lemac...
Texas Chemical Plant Explosion Leaves 1 Dead, 6 Injured
Jun 13 2008 // An explosion at a Goodyear chemical plant in Houston killed a worker and injured six others on June 11. The body of the worker, whose name was not released, was found under debris about seven hours after the 7:30 a.m....
Insurors Group Adds Rio Grande Valley-based Shepard Walton King
Jun 11 2008 // Insurors Group LLC has added Cameron Investment Company Inc., dba: Shepard Walton King Insurance Group, located in McAllen and Harlingen, Texas, as one of its members. Shepard Walton King Insurance Group was formed in 1995...
Texas’ April Enforcement Actions Result in $771K in Fines, Restitution
Jun 10 2008 // Enforcement actions taken by Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin that became final during April 2008 include nine license revocations, two license denials and fines and restitution totaling $771,165. The today...
Texas Governor’s Mansion Heavily Damaged in Fire; Arson Suspected
Jun 9 2008 // Arson is suspected in a fire that swept through the Texas Governor’s Mansion early on June 8, causing damage that state officials described as “bordering on catastrophic.” The 150-year-old mansion has...
Texas Agent Group’s Recruiting Manager to Help Members Find Staff
Jun 9 2008 // Colleen O’Sullivan has joined the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas as the organization’s first-ever recruiting manager. Sullivan’s duties will include assisting the IIAT’s Trusted Choice...
Texas Begins Test of Uninsured Driver Verification Program
Jun 4 2008 // A coalition of Texas state agencies on June 2 launched a 60-day test of TexasSure, a program aimed at reducing the number of uninsured drivers in the state. The program was initiated in the Austin area and is a joint...
New Purchasing Group for Texas Lodging Industry Launched
Jun 4 2008 // Texas Mutual Insurance Company has partnered with Hilb, Rogal and Hobbs (HRH) to offer a workers’ compensation purchasing group for hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and hospitality groups. Members of the Texas...
Texas Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Resigning
Jun 4 2008 // Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Albert Betts will resign his post effective Aug. 31, 2008, the insurance department announced. Betts was appointed as the first...
4 Texas Agencies Picked for Big ‘I’ Best Practices Study Group
Jun 3 2008 // Austin, Texas-based Combined Agents of America LLC (CAA) announced four of its member agencies, Bigham-Kliewer-Chapman-Watts, Bryan Insurance, Pierson & Fendley and Weatherby-Eisenrich, were selected to participated...
Coastal Growth from Texas to N.C. Lends Urgency to Hurricane Forecasts
Jun 2 2008 // The rapid pace of development along hurricane-prone coasts is adding a new level of urgency for forecasters to more accurately pinpoint potential storm impact zones, the director of the National Hurricane Center...
Here We Go Again
Jun 2 2008 // The odd-numbered year scenario could come as close to predicting hurricanes as hurricane forecasting experts have recently. Gulf Coast residents: It’s time to cross your fingers, pull out the old rabbit’s foot,...
People
Jun 2 2008 // Specialty Insurance Managers Inc. CEO Frank R. Berry and President Diana G. Berry are retiring. The Austin, Texas-based managing general agency chose to perpetuate by passing the leadership of the firm to Mike Berry,...
Credit Woes May Cause Turbulence in Catastrophe Markets
Jun 2 2008 // Florida, Louisiana and Texas may be most at risk The credit crunch in the U.S. financial markets that boiled over due to the subprime mortgage meltdown may affect the ability of insurers and reinsurers that cover coastal...
$50M in Insured Losses Expected From May Storm in Austin
Jun 2 2008 // Earlier North Texas storms rack up more than $200 million in damages Trees downed in May 14 storm damaged this house in central Austin. Back-to-back storm systems that surprised Central Texas overnight May 14-15 with...
Dispute Between State Farm and Texas Goes On
Jun 2 2008 // State Farm Insurance does not have to refund consumers some $650 million in alleged overcharges while its dispute with Texas regulators over homeowner rates is reviewed. A state appeals court ruled the insurer was denied...
Texas Review Board Says Insurance Department Works Well but Offers Changes
Jun 2 2008 // Department could do a better job regulating property/casualty rates Texas Sunset Advisory Commission staff in a report released in May 2008 said the Texas Department of Insurance functions well but that the state’s...
Appeals Court Overturns $7.75 Million Vioxx Verdict
Jun 2 2008 // An appeals court in Texas overturned a $7.75 million verdict against Merck & Co involving its withdrawn pain drug Vioxx, May 14, ruling that evidence presented at trial failed to prove the medicine caused the heart...
New Markets
Jun 2 2008 // The following markets were selected from the MyNewMarkets database of 25,000 coverages and programs. To find additional markets, or to submit markets, go to www.MyNewMarkets.com. Energy Risks Market Detail: MarketScout has...
Texas Approves 10 Companies to Self-Insure for Workers’ Comp
May 30 2008 // Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation Albert Betts approved 10 companies, employing approximately 31,400 employees in Texas, to self-insure for workers’ compensation claims for a one-year period under the Texas...
