Latest Texas Headlines

Ohio State Automobile Mutual to Purchase Beacon Insurance Group

Dec 18 2006 // Columbus, Ohio-based State Automobile Mutual Insurance Co. announced today that, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, it has agreed to acquire the Beacon Insurance Group, headquartered in Wichita Falls, Texas. Closing is...

Seven Indicted for Workers’ Compensation Fraud in Texas

Dec 15 2006 // Texas Mutual Insurance Company reported that seven individuals were indicted, in separate cases, in Travis County on workers’ compensation fraud-related charges. The individuals allegedly collected a combined $31,358...

Texas Work Comp Division Revises Training, Scheduling for Doctors

Dec 14 2006 // The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation announced it has approved new training for designated doctors in the Texas workers’ compensation system while improving the scheduling of...

Kilburn, Reynolds Promoted at PWIB Texas

Dec 13 2006 // Dallas-based PWIB Texas recently announced the promotions of Brett Kilburn and Travis Reynolds. Kilburn, who has been with PWIB Texas since 2004, was named vice president. She previously served as assistant vice president....

Texas Agent Accused of Issuing Bogus Insurance Certificates in La.

Dec 12 2006 // The Louisiana Department of Insurance announced that a Texas insurance agent has been told to cease and desist engaging in allegedly fraudulent insurance activities in Louisiana where he is not a licensed agent. The...

Texas Agents and Empower Insurance Respond to Christmas Wishes

Dec 12 2006 // Texas-based auto insurance provider Empower Insurance Group announced it is teaming up with numerous independent insurance agents across the state to reach out to families in need this holiday season through the Empower...

Call to Texas Arson Hotline Nails Juveniles

Dec 12 2006 // A call into the Texas Arson Hotline resulted in four juveniles being cited for criminal mischief in Marfa, the Texas Advisory Council on Arson reported. The four allegedly participated in setting a bag of trash on fire on...

New Markets

Dec 11 2006 // Coastal Property — Texas Nuts & Bolts: Western Security Surplus has increased capacity to write coastal property coverage in Texas, including wind and hail, Tier 1 and 2 counties. The property coverage is...

People and Places

Dec 11 2006 // The Texas Surplus Lines Association Inc. announced the election of the following officers and directors: President Len Kaplan, executive vice president and CFO, Delta General Agency, Houston; Vice President Lana Parks,...

Texas commissioner approves TWIA rate hike

Dec 11 2006 // Although not as substantial as those sought by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Associa-tion, Texas Insurance Commis-sioner Mike Geeslin signed an order on Nov. 15 giving TWIA rate hikes of 3.7 percent for commercial property...

Zurich agrees to terms to close multi-state bid-rigging probe

Dec 11 2006 // In separate but related move, N.Y., Conn., Ill. tell four insurers contingent commissions no longer an option Ten states, led by Texas and its Attorney General Greg Abbott, have come to terms with Zurich American, closing...

News Currents

Dec 10 2006 // Texas commissioner approves TWIA rate hike Although not as substantial as those sought by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Associa-tion, Texas Insurance Commis-sioner Mike Geeslin signed an order on Nov. 15 giving TWIA rate...

Dec 10 2006 // People The Texas Surplus Lines Association Inc. announced the election of the following officers and directors: President Len Kaplan, executive vice president and CFO, Delta General Agency, Houston; Vice President Lana...

8 Texas commissioner allows windstorm rate hike

Dec 10 2006 // Although welcome, some think it’s not enough 9 Louisiana’s special session Despite protests, governor calls for 10-day session 10 Judge says water may be covered in New Orleans canal case Ambiguities in...

New Markets

Dec 10 2006 // Coastal Property – Texas Nuts & Bolts: Western Security Surplus has increased capacity to write coastal property coverage in Texas, including wind and hail, Tier 1 and 2 counties. The property coverage is...

Zurich agrees to terms to close multi-state bid-rigging probe

Dec 10 2006 // News Currents Ten states, led by Texas and its Attorney General Greg Abbott, have come to terms with Zurich American, closing their probe into the insurer’s involvement in alleged bid-rigging and unfair compensation...

Hartwig to Speak in Austin at Insurer Group’s Public Policy Forum

Dec 7 2006 // Dr. Robert Hartwig, president-elect and chief economist for the Insurance Information Institute is scheduled to speak in January at a public policy forum hosted by Southwestern Insurance Information Service. SIIS announced...

Higginbotham-Austin Adds Benefits Broker

Dec 6 2006 // Higginbotham & Associates announced it has added Account Executive Cynthia Brown to its Austin, Texas, office to provide commercial clients with employee benefit plan brokerage and account support. Brown, who is...

Caudill Joins Colemont’s Texas Operations

Dec 6 2006 // Colemont Insurance Brokers-Texas announced the recent addition of Larry Caudill as the company’s marketing manager. Caudill will work to strengthen existing agent partnerships and foster new business...

Hubacek Named Member Services Ambassador for IIAT

Dec 5 2006 // The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas has appointed P. Scott Hubacek to the newly created position of IIAT Member Services Ambassador. Hubacek will be responsible for recruiting new members and for helping new and...