Articles by

Judge Rules Army Corps Not Responsible for Harvey Flooding Damage

A federal judge has ruled the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers isn’t liable to damage to thousands of Houston homes that were inundated by two federally owned reservoirs in the days following Hurricane Harvey because they would have flooded regardless. …

State Auto Financial in Ohio Reports 4Q Net Income of $32.7M

State Auto Financial Corp. reported fourth-quarter net income of $32.7 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier. The Columbus, Ohio-based company said it had net income of 72 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for investment …

California FAIR Plan Can Offer Only Fire Insurance, Judge Says

A fund that offers only fire insurance to California residents in wildfire-prone areas can’t be required to provide coverage for other hazards such as flooding or theft, a judge ruled this week. Superior Court Judge Mary Strobel this week issued …

New Mexico AG Sues Google for Collecting Personal Data of School Children

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas has filed a lawsuit against Google LLC alleging the tech giant is illegally collecting personal information from New Mexico school children under 13 in violation of the Federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and …

Swiss Re Will Absorb Poor 2019 Earnings, Says S&P

S&P Global Ratings said that even though Swiss Re performed materially below expectation for its 2019 earnings, the ratings agency expects the group to maintain its risk-based capital above the “AA” level, which supports the “AA-” long-term ratings and stable …

Roehler Succeeds Theis on Allianz Board of Management

Axel Theis (62), member of the board of Allianz SE responsible for insurance in German-speaking countries and Central and Eastern Europe, is retiring at his own request on March 31, 2020 after more than 33 years at Allianz. The Allianz …

Mortgage Company Staffer in New Jersey Who Stole $2M Gets Prison Term

A mortgage company staffer who created hundreds of fraudulent wire transfers to steal roughly $2 million from the firm has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison. Dilcia Mercedes of Camden, N.J., will also have to serve three …

Lawsuit Settled Between Virginia Tech, Former Student Over Hazing Suspension

A lawsuit has been settled between Virginia Tech and a former student who was accused of overseeing a ceremony that violated the school’s hazing policy. The federal lawsuit filed last month “has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of both …

New York Stenographer Arrested for Extensive Overbilling Scheme

New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro has announced the arrest and arraignment of an Oswego County court stenographer who routinely added zeros to billing invoices to insurance carrier clients over the course of several years, resulting in her alleged …

UK Insurers Could See Underwriting Losses After Storms Ciara, Dennis: Fitch

Losses from storms Ciara and Dennis, which brought strong winds, torrential rain and widespread flooding to the UK, will increase pressure on UK household insurers’ profits in 2020, said Fitch Ratings. While the claims are unlikely to exceed £500 million …