Insurance Journal

Fla. Citizens Grants UPC Homeowners Extra Time to Find Repairs or Apply for Coverage

Policyholders with the now-insolent United Property & Casualty Insurance Co., who have existing damage and who have been assumed by Citizens Property Insurance, will have an extra 90 days to show that repair contracts have been signed, Citizens&#...

Posted: Apr 03, 2023

Florida DWC Gives Long-Awaited Nod to Ambulatory Surgical Reimbursement Manual

After almost three years of hearings, workshops and debate between insurers and medical centers, the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation has given final approval to the 2020 reimbursement manual for ambulatory surgical centers. The manual...

Posted: Apr 03, 2023

Florida DWC Gives Long-Awaited Nod to Surgical Center Reimbursement Manual

After almost three years of hearings, workshops and debate between insurers and medical centers, the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation has given final approval to the 2020 reimbursement manual for ambulatory surgical centers. The manual...

Posted: Apr 03, 2023

Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Filing False Auto Insurance Claim

A Kirkland, Washington man pled guilty to committing insurance fraud after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit. Jerame Thurik pled guilty to false claims or proof on March 27 in King County Su...

Posted: Apr 03, 2023

People Moves: Buckner in Utah Adds Bakhshyan and Kinard to C-Suite

Buckner has appointed two new C-suite executives. Agnesa Bakhshyan is the firm’s new chief growth officer. Bakhshyan has more than 25 years of insurance industry experience, including as a Nationwide Insurance agency owner. Lianna Kinard is the...

Posted: Apr 03, 2023

Exploring the Dos and Don’ts of Drones, Insurance-Wise

By Jahna Jacobson Drones are an increasingly popular hobby for adults and kids. And it’s all fun and games and cool videos until something glitches, and an out-of-control rack of spinning blades hits someone in the head. Or crashes into …

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Small Business Gap

There appears to be a large gap between small business owners’ biggest stressors in 2023 and what they’re prepared for when it comes to their insurance knowledge and coverage. That’s according to data released from NEXT Insurance wh...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

U.S. Commercial Rates Increased in Q4 — But at Slower Pace: WTW

U.S. commercial insurance prices grew in the fourth quarter of 2022 by an average of 4.8%, down from the rate of 5.2% in the previous quarter (Q3 2022), according to WTW’s most recent Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS). The &#823...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Winning the Referral Game with Real Estate Education

In the highly competitive world of property/casualty insurance, building a strong referral network is key to success. Referrals are an effective way to generate new business, as they come from satisfied clients who are willing to recommend your servi...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

EEOC Releases Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2022

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released its report on the agency’s performance during the 2022 fiscal year (FY). The report highlights the EEOC’s efforts that advance its mission for equal employment opportunity,...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Workplace Shootings Are on The Rise; Here’s How the Insurance Industry Can Respond

Tragically, active shooter incidents are on the rise across the country. According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 100 mass shootings have occurred in the U.S. in 2023 alone. News organizations have reported that there have been more mass &#82...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Hard Commercial Property Market to Linger as Property Owners Take On More Risk

By Chad Hemenway Today’s hard U.S. commercial property insurance market — one that is the longest and toughest seen during the careers of even the most seasoned industry veterans — is likely here to stay for a while. “This is...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Overcoming Barriers: Where Are the New MGAs?

Our industry’s rising volume of non-traditional risks won’t diminish anytime soon. That’s why it’s vitally important to support underwriters and other entrepreneurs who choose to build new managing general agent (MGA) business...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Lawyer: LSU Anti-Hazing Verdict Sends Strong Message

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – A jury’s decision that a Louisiana State University fraternity pledge’s family is entitled to $6.1 million for his hazing-related alcohol death in 2017 sends a powerful message, the family’s attorney said. M...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Investigators Cite BP Safety Failures in Ohio Refinery Deaths

BP violated U.S. process safety rules and did not train workers properly at its Toledo, Ohio refinery, contributing to the death of two workers at the plant last year, U.S. federal investigators said. The two refinery workers died from their …

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

When it Comes to Today’s Mega-Concerts, Insurance Takes the Spotlight

Music lovers have heard the recent horror stories about how some of Taylor Swift’s fans were upset when they could not get tickets to see her upcoming mega tour. Her young fans and their “forever trying to please the children” &#823...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Architects & Engineers Market Sees Rising Claims Severity Amid Wave of New Projects

By Ezra Amacher The construction industry continues to see a wave of new projects, creating plenty of work for architects and engineers. While design firms experience growth amid an expanding market, insurers providing architects and engineers (A/E)...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Donelon Won’t Seek Reelection

By Ezra Amacher Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon announced that he will not run for reelection this fall, marking an end to 17 years as the state’s chief insurance regulator. “I’ve made that decision for two reasons: The...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Wichita, Kansas Settles Fatal SWAT Shooting Suit for $5M

By Margaret Stafford The city of Wichita, Kansas approved a $5 million settlement of a lawsuit filed by the family of a man who was shot and killed by a police officer during a hoax call in 2017. The settlement …

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

A Checklist to Successfully Hire Remote Account Managers

Buffer has been studying remote workers for several years. Their 2022 State of Remote Work report surveyed over 2,000 people in 16 countries with three-quarters at firms with less than 500 employees. Consistent with their 2021 findings, the most rece...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Opportunity Abundant in the Multifamily Affordable Housing Market

The habitational market has seen more than its fair share of challenges, with many insurers cutting capacity or leaving the market in recent years. While the multifamily affordable housing market — a niche habitational category — shares m...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Louisiana Supreme Court Reverses, Finds No Coverage Owed for COVID Shutdown

By Jim Sams The Louisiana Supreme Court has joined state high courts across the nation in rejecting a policyholder’s business-interruption claim for income lost because of government restrictions imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19. The high...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

The Talent Crunch Is Poised to Get Much, Much Tougher: Here’s How to Win

I recently participated in a discussion on agency challenges for a major commercial property/casualty carrier. When asked about their challenges, every single agency owner cited talent as their number one challenge. Frankly, there wasn’t much c...

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Risk Management Considerations for Condo Association Boards

By Patrick Wraight The condo association takes on a special level of responsibility because of the unique form of ownership that is the condominium. To make sure we are all on the same footing — a condominium is a form …

Posted: Apr 02, 2023

Acquisitions and Agency Value

Growth by merger or acquisition is still a popular and valuable tool. One of the main reasons why this is staying popular among agencies is because it is a way for them to show growth when they are struggling with …

Posted: Apr 02, 2023