Latest USA Headlines
All the headlines from our USA Topic Page, ordered by recency.
West Virginia Widows Press Case for Mine Inspectors’ Liability
Aug 21 2012 // The widows of two West Virginia coal miners killed in a 2006 fire want the state Supreme Court to rule that private and federal mine safety inspectors can be held legally liable when workers die as a result of their...
Iowa Brokerage Founder Pleads Not Guilty to Fraud
Aug 20 2012 // The founder of an Iowa-based brokerage pleaded not guilty on Aug. 17 to fraud charges in a suspected $200 million embezzlement scheme that drove his firm to bankruptcy and left thousands of customers without their...
Aetna to Buy Rival Coventry Health for $5.6 Billion
Aug 20 2012 // Health insurer Aetna Inc. said on Monday that it would buy rival Coventry Health Care Inc. for $5.6 billion to increase its share of the fast-growing, U.S. government-backed Medicare and Medicaid programs. The purchase,...
Republican VP Pick Ryan Aims to Change Tax Break for Health Insurance Benefits
Aug 17 2012 // Mitt Romney wants to change the U.S. tax code’s treatment of healthcare costs, but his vice presidential pick is one step ahead: Paul Ryan has proposed a plan to scrap a generations-old tax break enjoyed by millions...
Climate Change Poses Risks to Food Supplies Beyond U.S. Drought
Aug 17 2012 // Downpours and heat waves caused by climate change could disrupt food supplies from the fields to the supermarkets, raising the risk of more price spikes such as this year’s leap triggered by drought in the United...
Wildfires: Sage Grouse Habitat Loss Could Impact Nevada Insureds
Aug 16 2012 // If you’re a business in Nevada, it may not be immediately clear why you should be concered with the state’s nearly dozen wildfires that are consuming almost 600,000 acres and destroying sage grouse habitat. But...
US Teen’s Family Sues Tourist, Aloha Jet Ski
Aug 16 2012 // The family of a 16-year-old California girl killed in a Hawaii watercraft crash is suing an Australian tourist charged with third-degree negligent homicide. The lawsuit filed Monday in Circuit Court in Honolulu by Kristen...
West Virginia Carrying Out Real ID Driver’s License Law
Aug 16 2012 // West Virginia continues to issue new driver’s licenses that meet national standards adopted after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, amid a refusal by a number of other states to carry out the federal Real ID law, Deputy...
Goldman Execs Win Dismissal of Mortgage, TARP Lawsuit by Shareholders
Aug 15 2012 // Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein and other bank officials won the dismissal of a shareholder lawsuit accusing them of tolerating poor mortgage practices and quitting a federal bailout program early...
Driving Toward a Future Without Humans Behind the Wheel
Aug 15 2012 // It’s been more than half a century since some of the first concept cars boasting self-driving features were presented to the world and they’re still not on the roads. But many auto executives say the industry...
Catlin Names Curran to Head London Casualty Operations
Aug 15 2012 // The Bermuda-based Catlin Group Limited announced that Daniel Curran has been appointed Head of Casualty for Catlin’s London based underwriting operations. He will have responsibility for “a wide range of...
Standard Chartered Reaches $340 Million Settlement in New York over Iran
Aug 15 2012 // Standard Chartered Plc agreed to pay $340 million to New York’s bank regulator over transactions linked to Iran, in a speedily arranged deal that helped push up the emerging market-focused lender’s shares. The...
AIR Worldwide Now Offering Builder’s Risk Capability
Aug 14 2012 // AIR Worldwide (AIR) has expanded its offerings for commercial insurers with a capability for determining losses from natural catastrophes to buildings under construction. CLASIC/2Version 14.0 introduces the ability to...
NAIC CEO Vaughan to Step Down in 2013
Aug 13 2012 // Dr. Therese M. (Terri) Vaughan announced she will step down as chief executive officer of the organization of state insurance regulators, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), during the first quarter...
Bond Insurers Challenge Stockton’s Bankruptcy Over Pensions
Aug 10 2012 // Two bond insurers challenged the eligibility of Stockton, California, for bankruptcy, arguing that the city can cut pension benefits, a move that could have profound implications for the state. The court filings set a...
El Niño Almost Certain to Arrive In Next 2 Months: U.S. Forecaster
Aug 10 2012 // The U.S. government forecaster warned on Thursday that the feared El Niño phenomenon, which can affect global weather, is almost certain to occur over the next two months, potentially adding strain to global food...
Cyber Surveillance Virus from Mideast Can Spy on Bank Transactions
Aug 10 2012 // A new cyber surveillance virus has been found in the Middle East that can spy on banking transactions and steal login information for social networking sites, email and instant messaging, according to a leading computer...
Montpelier Re Announces Appointments in Property Treaty Operation
Aug 10 2012 // Montpelier Reinsurance Ltd., the Bermuda subsidiary of Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd., has announced several appointments in its Bermuda property treaty operation. Effective immediately, Paul Hopwood, formerly Head of US...
U.S. Judge Puts New Lawsuits Against Banks Over Libor on Hold
Aug 9 2012 // A federal judge on Wednesday suspended several new lawsuits that allege banks rigged key interest rates, saying she first needed to sort through the issues in an earlier round of related lawsuits. U.S. District Judge Naomi...
Swiss Re Reports $83 Million Q2 Net Income; $717 Million in P&C
Aug 9 2012 // Swiss Re reported a net profit of $83 million for the second quarter of 2012, indicating that the figure was “impacted by the sale at a loss of $1.0 billion of the Admin Re® US business.” Property &...