Latest USA Headlines

All the headlines from our USA Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Commercial Property

Sep 20 2004 // Nuts & Bolts: AXIS U.S. Insurance’s excess and surplus property unit is now offering property insurance coverage for U.S.-based lumber, wood products and furniture risks. The underwriting of this specialized...

People and Places

Sep 20 2004 // Jonathan Freeburg Chicago-based online wholesaler Noodle Specialty Brokers announced that Jonathan Freeburg has joined the company as a senior underwriter focusing on private company directors’ and officers’...

People and Places

Sep 20 2004 // Troy Moody Denver-based Moody Insurance Agency, which specializes in insurance, risk management and bonding services for contractors, announced Troy Moody has been named the company’s first COO. In his new role as...

Ivan Not Finished With U.S.; I.I.I. Reports on Florida Hurricane Damage

Sep 18 2004 // While he lost his hurricane designation several days ago, what was Hurricane Ivan continued to bring misery to the United States, spawning more tornadoes and drenching areas from Georgia up through Pennsylvania in the last...

Fitch Estimates Ivan May Become Second Costliest Hurricane For U.S. P/C Insurers

Sep 17 2004 // Chicago-based Fitch Ratings has issued some preliminary comments on the extent of the losses from Hurricane Ivan’s destructive rampage through Alabama, Florida and other Gulf Coast States. Fitch noted that...

U.S. Risk LLP Associate Broker Receives Wells Scholarship to Attend Producer School

Sep 16 2004 // James Russell Debenport, an associate broker in U.S. Risk LLP’s Houston office, was selected as the recipient of the Matt Wells Scholarship for Producer Development for attendance at The National Alliance School for...

Fugitive Sought in Alleged Insurance Scam Arrested

Sep 16 2004 // An international manhunt for a fugitive sought in an alleged $20 million nationwide insurance fraud has ended with his arrest in Canada, according to federal and state authorities in California. A federal complaint filed...

Industry-Backed Study Claims TRIA Extension Would Strengthen U.S. Economy

Sep 15 2004 // A study, commissioned by the American Insurance Association, Financial Services Roundtable, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, National Council on Compensation Insurance, Property Casualty Insurers...

Ivan Skirts Cuba, Yucatan; Heads for U.S. Gulf Coast

Sep 14 2004 // Powerful Hurricane Ivan continues to play cat and mouse with forecasters. As of yesterday morning the Category 5 storm was headed for Western Cuba, but just before hitting the island, Ivan moved westward. The main body of...

Best Reports on Bermuda Insurers

Sep 14 2004 // A.M. Best Co. has issued a report on Bermuda’s insurance and reinsurance industry, timed to coincide with the Reinsurance Rendezvous, currently being held in Monte Carlo. Best reported that in the “first six...

Best Announces Rating Actions on R&SA

Sep 13 2004 // A.M. Best Co. announced several rating actions concerning the U.K.-based insurance group Royal & Sun Alliance and its subsidiary companies. Best affirmed the financial strength rating of “A-” (Excellent)...

Ivan Continues Caribbean Rampage: Jamaica, Cayman’s Hit; Cuba and U.S. on Alert

Sep 13 2004 // Hurricane Ivan continued its destructive rampage through the Caribbean over the weekend, pummeling the island of Jamaica with winds of 155 mph (250km/h), 23 foot (7 meter) waves and heavy rainfall. Ivan is one of the...

Converium Confirms U.S. Operations Run-off ; Comments on Ratings Downgrades

Sep 13 2004 // Swiss-based reinsurer Converium expressed disappointment with Standard & Poor’s latest decision to lower the holding company’s ratings from “A-” to “BBB.” It also confirmed plans to...

Cunningham Lindsey U.S. Names Devall Director of E&S

Sep 13 2004 // Cunningham Lindsey U.S. Inc. (CLUS), based in Dallas, announced the promotion of Jim Devall to director of E&S. Devall, with more than 20 years claims experience, began his specialization in the surplus lines market...

ATRA Urges U.S. House to Help Halt Lawsuit Abuse

Sep 13 2004 // The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) is urging the U.S. House of Representatives to support the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2004 (LARA), which is scheduled for debate in the House on Tuesday. “This common...

A.M. Best Says Reinsurer Financial Strength in Balance

Sep 11 2004 // A mix of positive and negative forces continues to influence the financial strength of reinsurers, according to A.M. Best Co. in the special report, Global Reinsurance. The net effect reportedly continues to be a largely...

N.C. Receives Federal Aid Programs

Sep 11 2004 // North Carolina is receiving federal aid programs to help in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Frances. The following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under...

EQECAT Says Ivan Landfall Would Be a ‘1 in 50 Year’ Series of Storm Events

Sep 10 2004 // It may come as small comfort to Florida’s storm-battered residents, but Thomas Larsen, senior vice president of EQECAT Inc., the Oakland Calif.-based catastrophe modeling specialist, announced that a Florida landfall...

S&P Affirms American Re and Affiliates ‘A’ Ratings

Sep 10 2004 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has affirmed its “A” counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on U.S.-based American Re-Insurance Co. and its subsidiaries American...

Ivan Leaves 15 Dead in Lesser Antilles; Category 5 Storm Heads for Jamaica, Cuba, U.S.

Sep 9 2004 // At least 9 persons were reported to have died on the Caribbean Island of Grenada, following a direct hit from Hurricane Ivan. A report from the BBC, delayed because of damage to communications facilities, said that 90...