Notification may be required after Ark. burglaries

Following a series of burglaries at insurance agencies in Arkansas, Insurance Commis-sioner Julie Benafield Bowman issued a reminder to all insurance companies of the notification requirements in the event of security breaches. Should such a breach occur, companies are required to disclose the breach to their customers in the “most expedient time and manner possible,” according to the insurance department.

Insurance agency burglaries have been reported in Cabot, Conway and Arkadelphia. The thieves appear to be taking mainly petty cash, but the department said it is concerned about the availability of personal information utilized by insurance companies and agents.

Any Arkansas insurance agent who has suffered a break-in should notify the Legal Division of the Arkansas Insurance Department by calling 501-371-2820.

If there is any possibility unauthorized third parties may have obtained confidential information about Arkansas insurance consumers, the notification requirements immediately come into play.