Latest Texas Headlines
All the headlines from our Texas Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Texas Fire Investigators Honored for Service
Mar 27 2015 // A Texas Advisory Council on Arson (ATAC) has honored two Texas fire investigators for their years of service and accomplishments. The two honored were Azle Fire Marshal Kenneth Wilson and Lt. Lorenzo Chavez, a fire...
One Killed by Falling Beams After 18-Wheeler Hits Texas Bridge
Mar 27 2015 // One man was reported killed and three injured on March 26 after a tractor trailer truck hit the FM 2484 overpass bridge on Interstate 35 in Central Texas, causing beams to fall on the traffic below. The bridge near the...
Federal Judge Blocks Granting Family Leave to Same-Sex Couples in Texas
Mar 26 2015 // The U.S. was barred by a federal judge from immediately enforcing a new rule that would grant Family and Medical Leave Act benefits to same-sex couples. Texas sued the U.S. last week, claiming that the government’s...
Despite Opposition, Texas Senator Eyes Obamacare Insurance for Family
Mar 26 2015 // Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a GOP presidential candidate, could soon be buying his family’s health care coverage through the Affordable Health Care Act he has vowed to dismantle. Cruz, whose Senate filibuster against the...
Recall for Texas-Based Blue Bell Ice Cream Products Expanded
Mar 25 2015 // Federal authorities say Brenham, Texas-based Blue Bell is expanding the recall of some ice cream products because of possible exposure to the listeria bacteria. Blue Bell is recalling 3-ounce cups of chocolate, strawberry...
Texas Windstorm Insurer: Private Carrier Interested in 60K Policies
Mar 24 2015 // The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) announced that a carrier participating in its depopulation program has signaled an interest in around 60,000 policies that currently are on TWIA’s books. TWIA is the...
Texas Leads the Way in Work Zone Crashes, Fatalities
Mar 24 2015 // Texas by far had the most work zone crash fatalities of any state last year and the state’s transportation department is urging drivers to slow down and pay attention. Work zone crash fatalities in Texas rose to 146...
Crack on Texas Cliff Where House Fell Puts Homes, Boaters at Risk
Mar 23 2015 // Steve Mellgren’s worries began when a chunk of land near his house crumbled down a cliff, leaving his neighbor’s palatial home dangling above a lake before a demolition crew sent it tumbling into the water. One...
Suits over Texas Softball Team’s Fatal Crash Settled or Dismissed
Mar 23 2015 // Though final report on an Oklahoma bus crash that killed four North Central Texas College softball players is still pending, three lawsuits have been dismissed or settled, though the reasons and terms have not been...
Business Moves
Mar 23 2015 // Integro, Design Insurance Agency Insurance brokerage and risk management firm Integro has acquired Design Insurance Agency Inc., a specialist brokerage providing professional liability coverage and risk management services...
Tennessee Weighs Workers’ Compensation ‘Option’ Legislation
Mar 23 2015 // Tennessee may soon have its own alternative workers’ compensation insurance through new legislation by Republican lawmakers known as the Tennessee Employee Injury Benefit Alternative. State Sen. Mark Green and Rep....
Texas Commissioner Files Revised Farmers Insurance Refund Settlement
Mar 23 2015 // On the heels of a $325.5 million dollar refund agreement with the state’s largest homeowners insurer, State Farm Lloyds, Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner David Mattax filed a revised settlement with the...
Jury Verdict Favors Texas Insurer in Hidalgo County Hail Claim Case
Mar 23 2015 // A Texas-based insurance company has prevailed in the first lawsuit to go to trial over claims from two massive hailstorms in Hidalgo County, Texas, in 2012. The 12-member jury in Amaro v. National Lloyds found that...
M&A Calendar: P/C Agent, Broker Mergers & Acquisition Headlines in 2014
Mar 23 2015 // Insurance Journal reported on more than 200 deals involving agencies’ or brokerages’ mergers and acquisitions in 2014. Activity was busiest in the first and fourth quarters, with more than 60 announcements...
People – South Central
Mar 23 2015 // Waco, Texas-based Insurors Indemnity Cos. named Dave Talbert as president and chief executive officer. Talbert joined Insurors Indemnity in February 2014 with more than 25 years of industry experience, having previously...
Prosecutor Accused of Misconduct in Texas Arson-Related Execution Case
Mar 20 2015 // A prosecutor who handled the case of a Texas man executed for the fire deaths of his three daughters has been formally accused of misconduct over allegations that he concealed evidence during the 1992 murder trial. The...
Judge Dismisses Mayflower, Arkansas Oil Spill Lawsuit
Mar 19 2015 // A federal class-action lawsuit against Exxon Mobil Corporation over a 2013 crude oil spill in central Arkansas has been dismissed by a federal judge, who acknowledged in his ruling that his decision seems unfair. U.S....
Hallmark Insurance Group Ratings Affirmed, Outlook Still Negative
Mar 19 2015 // A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of the members of Fort Worth, Texas-based Hallmark Insurance Group (Hallmark...
Texas A&M: Student/Faculty Personal Data Mistakenly Published
Mar 16 2015 // Texas A&M may have accidentally compromised personal data belonging to about 5,000 graduate students and university faculty members. An email sent out by the university earlier said Social Security numbers, along with...
Feds: Texas Company’s Guardrails Meet Safety Standards in 8 Crash Tests
Mar 16 2015 // Federal officials said that a guardrail system found on many U.S. highways met safety standards in crash tests that followed accusations they have speared cars. Forty states have stopped installing the guardrails, and...
