Latest USA Headlines
All the headlines from our USA Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Debate on Fate of Barrier Islands off Miss. Coast Continues
Jul 17 2007 // The barrier islands off the Mississippi coast offer pristine beaches to sun-loving tourists, a unique ecosystem to sea life and protection to the mainland from deadly storm surges during hurricanes. That’s why...
U.S. Senate Panel Weighs Funding for Weather Satellites
Jul 16 2007 // Cuts to planned weather and environmental satellites will significantly affect scientists’ ability to study the Earth’s climate, experts told a U.S. Senate committee last week. The Commerce, Science and...
Report: U.S. Slow in Delivering Benefits for Volunteer Firefighters’ Families
Jul 16 2007 // An Alabama woman’s heartbreak over the death of her firefighter father as he battled a brush fire has been compounded by delays in obtaining federal survivor benefits — a frustration shared by many seeking the...
U.S. Regulators Ink Agreement with Korea’s Financial Supervisors
Jul 16 2007 // The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Korea’s Financial Supervisory Commission and Financial Supervisory Service in Seoul, Korea. NAIC...
Fortis to Sell Stake in Spanish Unit
Jul 13 2007 // Financial services company Fortis NV said this week it will sell its 50 percent stake in its Spanish insurance business to joint venture partner la Caixa for euro980 million (US$1.35 billion) in cash. That comes after...
Trial Set in Calif. for Latin American Banana Workers
Jul 11 2007 // The pesticide was designed to kill worms infesting the roots of banana trees on Latin American plantations. But at least 5,000 agricultural workers from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama have filed five...
Wholesaler U.S. Risk Acquires Boston Insurance Brokerage
Jul 11 2007 // U.S. Risk Insurance Group, Inc., a managing general agency and surplus lines wholesaler headquartered in Dallas, has expanded into New England by acquiring Boston Insurance Brokerage, Inc. in Boston. Boston Insurance...
Judge in La. Won’t Force Prosecutor to Enter Katrina Whisteblower Case
Jul 11 2007 // A federal judge in New Orleans on June 9 withdrew an order challenging U.S. Attorney David Dugas for not intervening in a whistleblowers’ lawsuit that accuses insurance companies of overbilling the federal government...
U.S. P/C Insurers’ Paid $2.1 Billion for 2d Quarter Catastrophes
Jul 10 2007 // U.S. property/casualty insurers are expected to pay homeowners and businesses an estimated $2.175 billion for second-quarter property losses resulting from a total of six catastrophes in 25 states — tying the record for...
Staff Revolt Shakes U.S. National Hurricane Center
Jul 9 2007 // The new director of the National Hurricane Center, under fire from staff members who want him ousted, said that he does not plan to resign but will if that would benefit the public. About half the center’s employees...
A.M. Best: P/C Industry Posts 1Q Underwriting Profit
Jul 9 2007 // The U.S. property/casualty industry followed record profits in 2006 with continued favorable trends in first quarter 2007, posting net income after taxes of $16.7 billion. An underwriting gain of $8.0 billion and net...
Mattress Manufacturers Awake to New U.S. Flammability Standards
Jul 6 2007 // It took less than three minutes for the old mattress to become a flaming inferno. And even inside the safe confines of a Sealy Corp. testing lab in North Carolina, it took a technician armed with a gas mask and fire...
S&P Report Analyzes Bancassurance in Europe, U.S., Russia
Jul 6 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a new report -“Bancassurance Approaches Employed In Europe, The U.S., And Russia: Similarities And Differences-” that analyzes the sector in those...
Senate Confirms Marsh Counsel Sullivan to be U.S. Judge
Jul 6 2007 // The U.S. Senate has confrmed Richard J. Sullivan to serve as a district judge on the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York. Sullivan currently serves as general counsel for Marsh Inc., Marsh &...
U.S. Mine Agency Admits Shortcomings, Vows Safety Steps
Jul 5 2007 // Federal inspectors missed obvious problems and failed to follow procedures before three high-profile accidents that killed 19 men at underground coal mines in West Virginia and Kentucky last year, according to the Mine...
Editor’s Note: Jackpot justice
Jul 2 2007 // Few political issues get the business community’s attention like tort reform. Not surprisingly, business owners do not like to be sued any more than they like paying higher insurance costs fueled by lawsuits. One of...
Editor’s Note: Jackpot justice
Jul 2 2007 // Few political issues get the business community’s attention like tort reform. Not surprisingly, business owners do not like to be sued any more than they like paying higher insurance costs fueled by lawsuits. One of...
My New Markets
Jul 2 2007 // Security Guards Nuts & Bolts: Brownyard Group’s program for security guard firms has been expanded to include limits up to $5 million. Coverage includes general liability, excess/umbrella liability,...
Treasury Chief Paulson Vows Review of U.S. Financial Services Regulation
Jun 28 2007 // The Bush administration plans to review the U.S. government’s regulatory system for financial institutions with the goal of making changes to better reflect modern markets. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the...
P/C Industry Net Income, Overall Profitability Slip in 1Q 2007
Jun 28 2007 // The U.S. property/casualty insurance industry’s net income after taxes dipped to $15.8 billion in first-quarter 2007 from $16.7 billion in first-quarter 2006 and $17.7 billion in first-quarter 2005, according to...
