Latest Washington Headlines
All the headlines from our Washington Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Washington Commissioner Issues Multiple Fines, Enforcement Actions
Jan 31 2007 // Washington’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner has ordered UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co. of Minneapolis to pay a $59,000 fine following an agency investigation into the company’s use of unapproved contracts...
Freon Leak Sends More than Two Dozen to Washington Hospitals
Jan 31 2007 // A freon leak at a drug and alcohol counseling center sent more than two dozen people to hospitals in Sumner, Wash., Monday night after they complained of shortness of breath and irritated eyes, a fire official...
Washington Fraud Unit Collections Up in 2006
Jan 25 2007 // Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) said its fraud program collected $135 million in fiscal year 2006, a 29 percent increase over the previous year. In addition, the department recovered...
Wanna Get Away? See the USA? Insurance Journal Tracks ’07 Meetings
Jan 16 2007 // Looking to rub elbows with industry leaders? Maurice “Hank” Greenberg will be in Atlanta and Lord Peter Levene of Lloyd’s will be in Singapore. Feel like networking among the stars? Fox News commentator...
Washington Rep. Wants To Require Drivers to Purchase Vehicle Liability Insurance
Jan 15 2007 // Washington Rep. Dean Takko has introduced a House Bill 1046 that would make drivers show proof of financial responsibility or motor vehicle liability insurance. According to the bill, the department of vehicle licensing,...
Washington Warns Against Unqualified Contractors
Jan 12 2007 // In the wake of a fierce windstorm that left many Wenatchee, Wash.-area homes damaged, the state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) is reminding the public to be mindful and not to take shortcuts when hiring...
Arrowhead Offers Homeowners (HO3) Market in Arizona, Washington
Jan 11 2007 // Arrowhead General Insurance Agency, San Diego, is offering a homeowners (HO3) market in Arizona and Washington. Coverage is being provided by an admitted “A” rated carrier. Policy limits include maximum...
Geico Gecko Greets N.J. Motorists on Public Road Signs, Toll Plaza
Jan 4 2007 // Geico ads to greet NJ commuters on George Washington Bridge Received by Newsfinder from AP Jan 3, 2007 20:27 Eastern Time Thousands of New Jersey motorists will drive past the Geico gecko next week on their way to New York...
Washington’s New Minimum Wage Takes Effect in January
Dec 28 2006 // Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries has increased the state’s minimum wage 30 cents to $7.93 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2007. L&I recalculates the state’s minimum wage each year in...
Commissioners, compensation rules, earthquakes made for shaky ground
Dec 25 2006 // In the era when cowboys and gold panners roamed, the West was characterized as a wild yet adventurous place to live. Judging by 2006’s insurance industry headlines, those sentiments don’t seem to have...
Top 10 Stories of the Year – West
Dec 24 2006 // In the era when cowboys and gold panners roamed, the West was characterized as a wild yet adventurous place to live. Judging by 2006’s insurance industry headlines, those sentiments don’t seem to have...
Business Moves
Dec 24 2006 // National Atlantic, Commerce Group National Atlantic Holdings Corp. confirmed that preliminary discussions with The Commerce Group Inc. of Webster, Mass., regarding a potential business combination or other strategic...
Pacific Northwest Storms Cause 14 Deaths, More Than $500 Million in Losses
Dec 20 2006 // The winter storm that struck the Pacific Northwest last week is responsible for 14 deaths and is receiving the unfortunate recognition of the worst winter storm in 13 years, according to catastrophe risk modeling company...
State Preparations for Pandemic Flu Creative But Vary Widely
Dec 19 2006 // Trailers packed with cots and medical supplies are parked in secret locations around Colorado, ready for doctors to open makeshift hospitals in school gyms if a flu pandemic strikes. Parts of southeastern Washington are...
Washington Hearings on Workers’ Comp Rate Holiday Begin This Week
Dec 12 2006 // The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) will begin its hearings on a proposal to reduce to zero for six months the premiums employers and workers pay into one of the funds that supports the...
Western U.S. Snowstorms Blamed in Deaths, Injuries; More in Store
Dec 1 2006 // A new storm headed into the northwestern U.S. the region shivered in the aftermath of unusually heavy rain and snow that was blamed for at least eight deaths and has caused traffic nightmares and power outages. The stormy...
Washington Schedules Hearing on AXA Request to Purchase Uniguard
Nov 22 2006 // Washington’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner has scheduled a public hearing to consider a request to acquire three Washington domiciled insurers on Dec. 4. The companies are Unigard Insurance Co., Unigard...
Washington’s online complaint guide deemed helpful, but incomplete
Nov 20 2006 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has launched a new Web-based tool for insurance consumers, called the annual Complaint Comparison Guide. The Washington guide is designed to allow consumers to search online...
Washington employers to save $315 million in workers’ compensation
Nov 20 2006 // Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire announced that the state’s employers and workers could save an estimated $315 million in workers’ compensation premiums next year as the result of a six-month partial suspension...
News Currents
Nov 19 2006 // Washington’s online complaint guide deemed helpful, but incomplete Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has launched a new Web-based tool for insurance consumers, called the annual Complaint Comparison...
