Gov. Mary Fallin says the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved disaster assistance for Woodward County following a deadly tornado outbreak. Fallin said that the SBA will provide low-interest disaster loans for renters, homeowners, business owners and private, non-profit organizations …
Louisiana senators refused on April 26 to repeal a law that bans employers from discriminating against smokers, after opponents said the change could lead to widespread firings. More than 20 years ago, legislators passed a law protecting smokers from workplace …
U.S. Sen. David Vitter is pushing for a long-term extension of the National Flood Insurance Program. The Louisiana Republican wants to stop extending the program with short-term extensions. The insurance program, which provides help for people who are flooded, hasn’t …
The Oklahoma House has defeated workers’ compensation legislation that would have allowed large employers to opt-out of the state’s workers’ compensation system. In a bipartisan vote on April 25, House members voted 50-42 against the bill. Its author, Rep. Fred …
Texas Mutual Insurance Co. announced that the Texas Schools Group and Texas Association of Manufacturers safety groups earned a combined $1,094,336 in dividends. The workers’ compensation dividends were based largely on each group’s overall loss ratio. The largest dividend, $780,305, …
In advance of the start of hurricane season, the actuarial underwriting committee of Texas’ property insurer of last resort for coastal counties is recommending a rate increase. The committee on April 20 voted for a proposal that the board of …
A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of B+ (Good) and issuer credit rating of “bbb-” of MGA Insurance Co. Inc. (MGA) in Dallas. The ratings agency noted that the …
Police in Washington, La., have started to enforce the town’s pit bull ordinance that includes a requirement that the dog owners must purchase liability insurance. The Daily World reports 17 pit bulls were turned over to the St. Landry Parish …
Officials in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, have begun the annual work of assembling the parish’s “Cat 5” flood team. The task force is charged with identifying places in the parish that flood excessively in heavy rain. The team was created following …
Dallas-based MarketScout, the national electronic insurance exchange and specialty MGA, announced that Jason Dalton has joined the firm as an energy production underwriter. Dalton has over 15 years of experience in both the admitted and non-admitted marketplace. For three years, …
