Latest Texas Headlines
All the headlines from our Texas Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Texas Comp Division Sets Payroll Requirements for Seasonal Workers
Nov 2 2007 // The Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers’ Compensation announced that the adjusted annual payroll requirement of an employer for the coverage of seasonal workers is $46,423. This gross payroll amount...
Insurance Office Worker in Texas Accidentally Shoots His Legs
Nov 1 2007 // A 47-year-old man was shot in both legs when he accidentally discharged a handgun while sitting in his cubicle at an insurance office in Fort Worth, Texas, police said. The man, who hasn’t been publicly identified,...
Texas Sept. Enforcements Result in Nearly $376K in Fines, Restitution
Oct 30 2007 // Enforcement actions taken by Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin that became final during September 2007 include 12 license revocations, three license denials and fines and restitution totaling $375,983, the Texas...
Declarations
Oct 27 2007 // The rules of attraction “The program is an effort to attract more property and casualty providers to our state and to increase the private market capacity by 15 percent.” — Louisiana Commissioner of...
Business Moves
Oct 27 2007 // Watkins Insurance Group Austin, Texas-based independent insurance agency, Watkins Insurance Group, has acquired Matz Insurance Agency of Austin. Established in 2002, Matz offers both commercial and personal lines of...
State Farm’s 9.1% rate hike in Texas rejected
Oct 27 2007 // Two administrative law judges in Texas on Oct. 5 rejected State Farm’s plan to increase homeowner insurance rates, calling the hike too excessive. State Farm Lloyds Inc. had appealed to the State Office of...
8 La.’s $100 million incentive program begins
Oct 27 2007 // State hopes to increase private market property coverage 8 State Farm Texas rate hike denied Administrative law judges say 9.1% is too much 8 Insurance complaints decline in Texas Homeowners line dropped the...
Unpaid traffic fines in Texas invalidate licenses
Oct 27 2007 // More than 750,000 Texans are driving without valid licenses because they haven’t paid stiff annual penalties – as much as $2,000 for three years – added to various traffic violations in 2004. The state...
People
Oct 27 2007 // Kyle Stevens was elected the new president and chief executive officer of Western Security Surplus Insurance Brokers, a wholesale broker and managing general agency with offices in California and Texas. Stevens has served...
Texas seeing fewer insurance complaints
Oct 27 2007 // For the fourth year in a row Texans filed fewer complaints against their insurance companies with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). The Insurance Council of Texas reported that TDI’s Consumer Protection...
Texas Insurance Complaints
Oct 27 2007 // Closed complaints FY2006 FY2007 % change Homeowner/farmowners 2,968 1,842 – 38% Automobile 6,836 6,811 – .4% Accident/Health 11,753 10,745 – 8.6% Life/Annuities 1,656 1,544 – 6.8 % *Miscellaneous...
News Currents
Oct 27 2007 // Despite hurricane, coastal insurance ‘road show’ goes on Agents help spread the message about necessary coverages Tropical storms and hurricanes tend to put a hitch in the most well crafted plans. Such was the...
British Petroleum to Pay More Than $370M for Violations in U.S.
Oct 26 2007 // British Petroleum and several of its subsidiaries have agreed to pay approximately $373 million in fines and restitution for environmental violations, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. The sanctions stem from a...
Liberty International Underwriters Expands Dallas Office
Oct 23 2007 // Liberty International Underwriters (LIU), a division of Liberty Mutual Group, has expanded the lines of insurance available in Texas and the Southwest region by offering primary general liability products and...
CAIC Enters Texas Surety Market
Oct 23 2007 // CAIC Holding Company Inc. announced it began offering surety coverages in Texas through its wholly owned subsidiary, Commercial Alliance Insurance Company (CAIC), effective Oct. 1, 2007. Sterling Emens III was appointed...
Texas Workers’ Comp Penalties Total Nearly $685K for Aug., Sept.
Oct 23 2007 // Final disciplinary actions taken by Texas Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation Albert Betts during August and September 2007 include orders assessing administrative penalties totaling $684,877 for violations of the...
Council says Hurricane Humberto Caused $30M in Losses in Texas
Oct 22 2007 // Officials with the Insurance Council of Texas say Hurricane Humberto, which hit the state last month, caused about $30 million in insured losses in Texas. Humberto made landfall on Sept. 13 near High Island, a coastal town...
Texas Green Industry Group Earns $637,511 in Work Comp Dividend
Oct 22 2007 // By controlling its losses, the Texas Green Industry (TGI) workers’ compensation purchasing group earned $637,511 dividend from Texas Mutual Insurance Company. Texas Mutual says TGI has earned more than $1 million in...
Texas Surplus Lines Assoc. to Hold Annual Meeting in Austin Nov. 11-12
Oct 18 2007 // The Texas Surplus Lines Association will hold its annual meeting Nov. 11 and 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin. The Nov. 12 session includes: Gary Schumann, partner in the law firm of Savrick, Schumann, Johnson,...
Zurich NA Commercial Names Cooper to Lead South Central Region
Oct 18 2007 // Zurich North America named Marcus Cooper regional executive for its South Central Region, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Cooper will be based in Zurich North America Commercial’s Dallas,...
