Business Insurance articles from July 2006

Business Insurance archives from July 2006

Compact aims for uniform state regulation.(News)(Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Commission)(insurance products regulation)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Meg Fletcher KANSAS CITY, Mo.-The creation of an interstate compact to make regulation of some life/health products more uniform and efficient is a significant sign of progress in market regulation, insurers and regulators agree....

Fitch sees improved model through Prism.(Industry News)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Regis Coccia NEW YORK-Fitch Ratings is rolling out a new global insurance capital model that the rating agency says is a significant innovation in analyzing capital adequacy. Called Prism, the new system will incorporate the...

Industry solvency rules won't involve widespread ratings adjustments: Moody's.(Industry News)(Moody's Investors Service)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... LONDON-Moody's Investors Service Inc. said it does not expect the European Union's new insurance industry solvency standards to result in widespread adjustments of European insurers' ratings or the need to raise capital. In a "special...

Liberty Mutual office expansion underway.(Industry News)(Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... DOVER, N.H.-Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group broke ground last month on a new office building on 225 acres the company owns in Dover, N.H. The company expects to begin occupying the 350,000 square foot building in late 2007. The $50...

On the Move.(Industry News)(Arch Capital Group Ltd.)(GAB Robins Group)(XL Capital Ltd.)(insurance industry appointments)
July 1, 2006... Hamilton, Bermuda-based Arch Capital Group Ltd. has promoted Mark Lyons to president and chief operating officer of the company's Arch Insurance Group (U.S.) operation. Most recently, Mr. Lyons had been executive vp of group operations and...

THE QUOTE.(Industry News)(John C. DeCaro on insurance market)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... `Now we've reached the point where we've had a big property cat loss and I think the insurance and reinsurance markets have accepted the hedge funds and capital markets investors.' John C. DeCaro Portfolio Manager, Stark Investments...

Irresponsible competition is industry execs' top concern.(Industry News)(Survey)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Rupal Parekh NEW YORK-Insurance industry executives view irresponsible competition-or the underpricing of products to gain market share-as the biggest single threat to their business, a recent survey shows. Of the approximately...

Mobile computing requires security to avoid data risk.(Tech Focus)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Rodd Zolkos Wireless applications and mobile computing are becoming must-use technologies for insurance industry companies. By allowing employees to work from outside the office and providing access to critical information from...

Unisys, REAAL ink outsourcing contract.(Tech Focus)(REAAL Insurance)(Unisys Corp)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... BLUE BELL, Pa.-Unisys Corp.'s Netherlands subsidiary has entered into a new five-year outsourcing contract with REAAL Insurance valued at $11.6 million. Under the terms of the contract, Unisys will manage the Netherlands-based insurer's...

In the year 2020: `Mega-trends'.(Gatherings)(innovations in insurance industry)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Rodd Zolkos BOSTON-Many of the challenges the insurance industry faces as it seeks to meet the market conditions of the future stem from the multiple channels through which it reaches its customers, according to one industry...

Reinsurance at a transition point.(Last Word)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Franklin W. Nutter This year's hurricane season and the recent 100-year anniversary of the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 are reminders of many lasting lessons. Among them are the resilience of affected communities in the...

Sidecars gaining traction with the help of capital markets.(Cover Focus: Reinsurance Strategies)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Rupal Parekh The rapid growth in reinsurance sidecars will not threaten the catastrophe bond market, but instead will form a complementary alternative to traditional reinsurance in a tight market for catastrophic coverage,...

Three Questions.(Steven K. Bolland offers his thoughts on reinsurance market)(Interview)
July 1, 2006... Steven K. Bolland is president of financial adviser and reinsurance intermediary Gill & Roeser Inc. in New York. Recently, he offered his thoughts on the current state of the reinsurance market, the impact of capacity shortages in the property...

InsuranceNoodle beefs up offerings with new portfolio.(Industry News)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... CHICAGO-Online insurance broker InsuranceNoodle has added American International Group Inc.'s WorldRisk portfolio of international products to its offerings. The WorldRisk products provide coverage for small U.S.-based companies that sell...

Climate change: Oh, the humanity.(First Word)(reducing the risk of bacterial pollution)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Rodd Zolkos With July flying rapidly by, another summer is passing much too quickly and with it, perhaps, a chance for our flat-coated retriever, Algren, to find summer employment and earn an honest wage in the risk mitigation...

Segmentation of customer base gives companies an advantage.(Gatherings)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Rodd Zolkos SAN FRANCISCO-By strategically segmenting its market, an insurer can gain market advantage by better understanding its various customers and providing the products and services each segment most desires, according to...

Destination: Arbitration; Reinsurers need to know where potential conflicts will be resolved.(Cover Focus: Reinsurance Strategies)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Meg Fletcher Ceding insurers and reinsurers need to better examine the wording of arbitration provisions in their contracts if they want to avoid unnecessary problems in resolving disputes, attorneys say. One key factor, which...

Agency size, profit key to higher compensation.(Industry News)(Survey)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... HARTFORD, Conn.-Producers at the largest U.S. insurance agencies are compensated considerably more on average than those at smaller agencies, according to a new survey. The survey by Business Management Group Inc., a Hartford, Conn.,...

`Mad scramble' for capital fuels cat bond market.(Cover Focus: Reinsurance Strategies)
July 1, 2006... Byline: Rodd Zolkos Though it's been slow developing, and some believed other alternative sources of reinsurance such as sidecars might supplant it, the risk-linked securities market is showing renewed vigor and increased interest in using...

Former broker CEO passed Golden Torch.(Industry News)(John A. Bogardus Jr.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO-John A. Bogardus Jr., former chairman and chief executive officer of broker Alexander & Alexander Inc., was honored last month with the Insurance Marketing Communications Assn.'s Golden Torch Award. The award was presented...

XL helps communities during Global Giving Day.(Industry News)(XL Capital Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... HAMILTON, Bermuda-XL Capital Ltd. commemorated its 20th anniversary June 16 with a Global Day of Giving, a day dedicated to supporting the communities in which the company operates. The global volunteer event saw XL employees donating more...

Willis launches `Quality Index' benchmark initiative.(Industry News)(Willis Group Holdings Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... NEW YORK-Willis Group Holdings Ltd. has launched an initiative to benchmark insurance companies' client service and support. The Willis Quality Index will examine factors such as how quickly an insurer provides evidence of coverage, how...

Adjusting to a higher plateau of risk.(Cover Focus: Reinsurance Strategies)(risk management strategies )
July 1, 2006... Byline: Meg Fletcher Last year's record onslaught of hurricanes taught many insurance industry players they needed to refine their risk management strategies and better prepare for this year's predicted worse-than-typical season as well as...

Eldorado rebrands, puts MphasiS on core service.(Tech Focus)(MphasiS Healthcare Solutions)(Eldorado Computing Inc. )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... PHOENIX-Eldorado Computing Inc. has changed its brand name to MphasiS Healthcare Solutions to align itself to the Phoenix-based company's core brand and better reflect its scope of automated and outsourced applications and services for health...

Vote your choice for best companies.(News)
July 3, 2006... What companies are the best in the industry? Who's tops in terms of service, value, reputation and innovation? If you read Business Insurance, we want to know what you think. With our second annual Readers Choice Awards, Business Insurance...

GL market showing ample capacity, declining rates.(Spotlight: Midyear Market Report)(General liability )
July 3, 2006... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ General liability insurance buyers are finding a market that is in good shape, with generally flat to declining rates and ample capacity, as the casualty market proves to be largely insulated from the impact of last...

Benefit manager receives honor; Accepts BMOY award, credits teamwork for success.(Benefit Manager of the Year)
July 3, 2006... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK REDWOOD CITY, Calif.-In characteristic egalitarian style, Paul Hackleman, benefits manager for San Mateo County, Calif., shared credit for receiving the 2006 Benefit Manager of the Year award from Business Insurance...

300 attend ALARM conference.(Association of Local Authority Risk Managers)(Brief article)
July 3, 2006... Byline: Sarah Veysey MANCHESTER, England-About 300 attendees gathered June 26-28 for the Assn. of Local Authority Risk Managers' annual conference at the University of Manchester's Institute of Science and Technology in Manchester,...

Property/casualty cost depends on zone; Coastal, quake-prone areas hit hardest.(Spotlight: Midyear Market Report)
July 3, 2006... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are alive and well and calling themselves the U.S. commercial property insurance market. That's the clear message from risk managers and brokers who are trying to negotiate the current...

Ruling raises hurdle for claim denials; Supreme Court of Canada upholds damages for distressed claimant.(News)(Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada)
July 3, 2006... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ OTTAWA-The Supreme Court of Canada last week upheld a lower court ruling that found that aggravated damages can be awarded in the absence of bad faith merely on a finding that an insurance company wrongfully denied...

Cat-exposed energy rates experience hefty increases.(Spotlight: Midyear Market Report)(catastrophe-exposed )
July 3, 2006... Byline: PETA MILLER Rates for catastrophe-exposed energy risks are increasing in multiples of 100 at midyear renewals, but rates for other energy coverages are seeing only moderate increases or, in some cases, rate cuts. After the...

Health cost management improves lives, bottom line.(health care benefit plan)
July 3, 2006... Byline: REGIS COCCIA CHICAGO-Controlling employee behavior through health care benefit plan design is a key to reducing costs, and tying benefits to business objectives is crucial to getting management support for plan changes, benefit...

WTC policyholders seek insurer pledge for rebuilding effort.(News)(World Trade Center)(Silverstein Properties Inc.)(Allianz Insurance Co.)(Industrial Risk Insurers)(Travelers Indemnity Co.)
July 3, 2006... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD NEW YORK-Policyholders are planning to use insurance proceeds to help fund rebuilding on the World Trade Center site, and they want a guarantee from insurers that plans for the construction will not interfere with...

Devising a consistent risk management plan.(Perspectives)
July 3, 2006... Byline: Don Riggin While this may seem radical, stop and think: Does the insurance industry dictate your risk management strategy? If not, congratulations; you are among a minority of risk managers who understand the purpose of risk...

Products & Services.(Venture Insurance)
July 3, 2006... Lexington introduces warehouse policy NEW YORK-Lexington Insurance Co., a unit of American International Group Inc., is offering warehouse legal liability insurance. The warehouse legal liability insurance policy provides coverage for...

Bombings uncover recovery plan problems.(World)
July 3, 2006... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY MANCHESTER, England-The bombings that struck the London transportation system almost a year ago provided valuable risk management lessons for the public-sector risk managers involved in dealing with the attacks'...

Insurers settle semiconductor plant fire claims.(World)(Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc.)(Brief article)
July 3, 2006... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD CHUNG-LI, Taiwan-Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. will collect $247 million from insurers to settle claims from a fire that damaged its plant last year. As repairs at ASE's plant at Chung-Li, Taiwan, are...

Retirement plan design offers dual advantages; Hybrid would ease funding problems.(News)(PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P. )
July 3, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL A new retirement plan design may reduce the problems associated with offering defined benefit plans or exclusively offering defined contribution plans. The design, developed by the human resources services unit of...

Project aimed at cutting schools' insurance costs.(World)
July 3, 2006... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY MANCHESTER, England-A pilot project aimed at improving risk management in elementary and secondary schools likely will reduce insurance costs for public-sector risk managers, according to a panel at the Assn. of Local...

Workers comp rates soften as insurer losses drop; Combined ratios decline sharply for 2005.(Spotlight: Midyear Market Report)(workers compensation )
July 3, 2006... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Pricing for workers compensation coverage is softening slightly in a market that several observers describe as competitive yet stable. California, however, represents an anomaly as reforms adopted in 2003 and...

Energy business remains focus for AIG.(News)(American International Group Inc.)(Ralph W. Mucerino,)(Interview)
July 3, 2006... American International Group Inc. has long served the needs of energy industry clients and will offer new services through a recently created division, AIG Global Marine & Energy (see related story). Despite severing its ties during this year...

Marine risks enjoy increased capacity.(Spotlight: Midyear Market Report)
July 3, 2006... Byline: Peta Miller Plentiful capacity is keeping a lid on worldwide rate increases for marine risks during the midyear renewal, brokers and underwriters say. Although accounts with poor loss records are seeing double-digit rate hikes,...

Rates remain stable but D&O insurers seek more detail.(Spotlight: Midyear Market Report)(Directors and Officers )
July 3, 2006... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS Risk managers typically fared better than anticipated during July renewals of directors and officers liability coverage, because a feared reinsurance squeeze on underwriters did not materialize, according to brokers...

Clear communication needed.(Editorial)(Editorial)
July 3, 2006... INSURERS' ABILITY to pay claims and their willingness to do so promptly are two quite different things, but for any policyholder they are essentially intertwined. Two stories in this issue illustrate problems in delayed payment of...

Charities benefiting from industry givers.(Commentary)(Warren Buffett)(Berkshire Hathaway Inc.)(Column)
July 3, 2006... Byline: Regis Coccia Many insurance industry executives have been known for their philanthropy, and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Chairman Warren Buffett's decision to donate the bulk of his wealth raises the bar for charitable giving. Mr....

USI hit with verdict in copyright breach; Jury finds copied materials helped broker win business.(News)(USI Holdings Corp.)(The Graham Co. )
July 3, 2006... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS PHILADELPHIA-USI Holdings Corp. said it will challenge a Philadelphia jury's decision last week to award The Graham Co. $18.9 million in a copyright infringement suit against a USI subsidiary and a former Graham...

Reinsurance market grows even tougher for property.(Spotlight: Midyear Market Report)
July 3, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Midyear reinsurance renewals are dramatically bifurcated, with property catastrophe coverage expensive or difficult to obtain, and rates in other lines relatively flat, say reinsurance officials and intermediaries....

OIL considers options after huge Gulf claims.(Spotlight: Midyear Market Report)(Oil Insurance Ltd. )(Brief article)
July 3, 2006... Byline: Peta Miller HAMILTON, Bermuda-Energy industry mutual Oil Insurance Ltd. plans to review how it will cover Gulf of Mexico windstorm risks in light of the huge losses it faced from the 2005 hurricanes. The Hamilton, Bermuda-based...

Information genie carries time bomb.(Commentary)(Column)
July 3, 2006... Byline: Rodd Zolkos For Americans, the Independence Day holiday is a good time to think about some of the things we hold dear about living in the United States. One of those, I believe, is the right to keep our personal business to...

AIG to finalize divorce from Starr; Insurer forms energy/marine unit, ends MGA pact.(News)(American International Group Inc)(C.V. Starr & Co. Inc.)
July 3, 2006... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS NEW YORK-American International Group Inc. has set up a unit, AIG Global Marine & Energy, to take over business previously underwritten by managing general agencies owned by former its former C.V. Starr & Co. Inc....

Updates; Generali to buy Italian insurer.(World)(Assicurazioni Generali S.p)(Toro Assicurazioni)(Goshawk Insurance Holdings PLC)(Bradley Cooper - FAI Security Group)
July 3, 2006... Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. has agreed to buy rival Italian insurer Toro Assicurazioni for e3.85 billion ($4.81 billion). Trieste, Italy-based Generali said it would buy a 55% stake in Toro from publishing company De Agostini Group and then...

Combine antitrust repeal, reform.(Editorial)(Editorial)(Brief article)
July 3, 2006... HASTE NOT ONLY makes waste, it can lead to a host of unforeseen-and unintended-consequences as well. We hope lawmakers bear that in mind if they proceed with efforts to repeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act's limited exemption from federal...

Court reinstates higher damages; Insurer appeal leads to increased punitives.(News)(Coregis Insurance Co.)
July 3, 2006... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS SACRAMENTO, Calif.-A California school district can collect $13 million in punitive damages it won six years ago in a bad faith case against a liability insurer based on a recent appeals court decision. Had...

Late News; Aon selling some underwriting units.(Aon Corp.)(HCC Insurance Holdings Inc.)
July 3, 2006... Aon Corp. has agreed to sell its Aon Warranty Group underwriting unit to Toronto-based investment firm Onex Corp. for $800 million Canadian ($710 million). The deal includes the sale of Virginia Surety Co. and London General Insurance Co. Ltd....

House tort reform bill aims at securities suits; Measure would curb alleged abuses.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-The House of Representatives has begun considering legislation designed to curb alleged attorney abuses in private securities litigation. The controversial nature of this issue was evident last week...

Agent/broker directory available in Excel form.(usage of online as either an Excel file or as a PDF)(Brief article)
July 10, 2006... Business Insurance's 35th Annual Agent/Broker Profiles issue will list the top 10 brokers worldwide based on brokerage revenue. Interested in knowing the next 50 largest? Or a comprehensive ranking of all the brokers in the directory? Or a...

States moving ahead while national health reform stalls.(Benefits Management)
July 10, 2006... Byline: LOUISE KERTESZ Any hopes for comprehensive health care reform at the national level have been put on hold as an increasing number of states enact legislation to expand health care coverage. That is a major change from the...

Massachusetts merits praise for health care reform effort.(health insurance plans)(Editorial)
July 10, 2006... How often DO federal or state regulators issue key rules a little more than two months after comprehensive legislation is passed? The short answer is hardly ever, and that is one reason we are impressed with the speed at which Massachusetts...

Career moves: A risk pro's story.(Emerging Risk Strategies)(Lance Ewing )
July 10, 2006... Byline: John J. Hampton Lance Ewing is hardly an unknown individual in the world of risk management. In addition to a high-profile position as vp of risk management at Harrah's Entertainment Inc., Mr. Ewing was the president of the Risk &...

Europe offers generous but widely varying leave.(employee benefits)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JONATHAN GARDNER LONDON-With a new push by several U.S. states to mandate that employees taking family leave receive supplementary pay, U.S. companies may find themselves, like their European counterparts, confronted by a maze of...

Zocor move muddles generics strategies.(usage of generic drugs)
July 10, 2006... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck & Co.'s decision to offer pricing incentives to encourage insurers and pharmacy benefit managers to favor its brand-name drug Zocor over recently introduced generic versions has...

California aims at work/life balance.
July 10, 2006... Byline: Judy Greenwald California employers regard the state's Paid Family Leave program with equanimity and even a degree of enthusiasm. The United States "does not provide as much time as many other countries do'' for events such as...

Paid family leave growth relatively slow.(leave law)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Employers in Massachusetts and other states that may ultimately follow California's lead in introducing a paid family leave law are unlikely to have much to worry about, if California's experience to date is any...

Costs of care prompt Mass. to pass reform.(Benefits Management)
July 10, 2006... In April, Massachusetts enacted what is widely considered to be landmark health care legislation. The new law is intended to achieve near-universal coverage of state residents within a few years. To reach that goal, the law provides...

Between the Lines; Serious uses for `lifestyle' drugs.(treatment of heart diseases)
July 10, 2006... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik Two popular "lifestyle'' drugs may soon be used to treat two serious medical conditions. While Viagra may improve a man's love life, the little blue pill also may reduce the incidence of heart disease...

Biloxi's '05 bet pays off in covering casino taxes.(taxation)
July 10, 2006... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD BILOXI, Miss.-The city of Biloxi, Miss., is coming up dry during the current hurricane season after making a shrewd insurance play last year that will repay the town nearly $10 million in lost revenue. The...

Wellness program growth brings risks for employers.(rules for health care costs)
July 10, 2006... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-Employers seeking to control health care benefit costs by instituting employee wellness programs may be voyaging into "totally uncharted legal waters,'' according to an employment law expert. ...

Canadian firm liable under Superfund law for non-U.S. dumping.(News)(Teck Cominco Metals Ltd.)
July 10, 2006... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS SAN FRANCISCO-A first-of-its-kind federal appellate court ruling not only puts foreign companies at risk of being held liable under the Superfund law for waste disposals outside of U.S. borders but also could lead to...

Clear work policies necessary in electronic communication age.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-Employers seeking a single workplace privacy law to guide them through the Internet age are in for a disappointment, according to a prominent employment attorney. "I'm basically here to tell you that...

Pennsylvania lets ACE complete sale of runoff reinsurers; Several cedents fought move.(News)(Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd.)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD HAMILTON, Bermuda-ACE Ltd. last week completed the sale of three runoff reinsurance subsidiaries to a London investment firm, closing a deal that drew objections from some cedents when it was announced last year. ...

Community Forums.(Opinions)
July 10, 2006... Readers are invited to take advantage of a new online feature that allows risk and benefits management professionals to connect and exchange information at www.BusinessInsurance.com. The Community Forums is an easy-to-use discussion board...

Liberty Mutual to contest charges filed by Illinois AG; Suit is third to allege insurer rigged bids.(News)(Attorney General Lisa Madigan)(Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.)
July 10, 2006... Byline: RUPAL PAREKH CHICAGO-Liberty Mutual Group Inc. is facing bid-rigging and steering allegations from a third state, after Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit Thursday against the insurer over alleged wrongful...

Employers slow to add Roth 401(k) plans; Tax-free savings' permanence an important issue.(Benefits Management)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL Employer adoption of Roth 401(k) plans remains slow as many companies are holding off until federal lawmakers decide on the future of the newest type of retirement savings plan. A small but steady stream of...

Employees set contribution levels.(Benefits Management)(Brief article)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL In a way, the term Roth 401(k) plan is a misnomer. A provision in tax legislation passed five years ago by Congress, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2006, created what the law calls Roth contributions. Roth...

SCOR to purchase life reinsurance unit in $773 million deal.(World)(Revios Ruckversicherung A.G)(SCOR S.A.)
July 10, 2006... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY PARIS-SCOR S.A. announced last week that it would buy German life reinsurer Revios Ruckversicherung A.G. for e605 million ($773.1 million). Paris-based SCOR said the deal, which is to be retroactive to Jan. 1,...

Canadian pension rulings favor employers.(World)(Rogers Communications Inc. vs. Buschau)(Bisaillon vs. Concordia University)
July 10, 2006... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Two recent Supreme Court of Canada rulings in pension cases have been seen as generally favorable to employers although they leave room for future pension litigation. Pension experts and plan sponsors, though,...

Health care critical issue for employers.(Benefits Management)(Interview)
July 10, 2006... Frustrated by the federal government's failure to address the nation's uninsured problem, state legislatures and labor organizations have begun targeting employers. Their theory is that if more employers are required to provide health benefits...

Updates; European insurers report growth in 2005.(World)
July 10, 2006... The European insurance industry recorded increased premium volume in 2005, totaling e978 billion ($1.16 trillion), up from e927 billion ($1.26 trillion) in 2004, according to provisional figures from the European insurance and reinsurance...

Everybody must consider threat of flu pandemic.(Editorial)
July 10, 2006... THE AVIAN INFLUENZA pandemic that has been feared for years has yet to materialize. That's certainly good news. But as we report on page 4, the fact that the pandemic may come later rather than sooner, if it comes at all, has not led to...

Comings & Goings - Industry.(News)(insurance industry appointments)
July 10, 2006... Brokers: Dallas-based Apex Global Partners has named K. Brian McLaughlin as president and chief operating officer, and director and vice chairman of the board of directors. He will continue as president and chief executive officer of...

Former HIH manager plans to plead guilty to fraud charges.(World)
July 10, 2006... Byline: Sarah Veysey SYDNEY, Australia-Another former employee of insolvent Australian insurer HIH Insurance Ltd. has indicated that he will plead guilty to fraud charges next month when arraigned on charges relating to his role in the...

Mass. issues health care reform regulations.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL BOSTON-Proposed regulations provide clear and easily passed tests for Massachusetts employers to determine whether they will be subject to a special assessment mandated by the state's landmark health care reform law....

JLT in talks to buy rival U.K. brokerage; Purchase of Heath Lambert would boost retail operation.(News)(Heath Lambert Group)(Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group PLC)
July 10, 2006... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY LONDON-After weeks of speculation, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group P.L.C. last week announced that it was in preliminary discussions about a possible takeover of rival brokerage Heath Lambert Group. JLT, ranked the...

Late News; HRH to buy broker Thilman & Filippini.(Thilman & Filippini L.L.C.)(Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co. )
July 10, 2006... Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire most of the assets of Chicago-based brokerage Thilman & Filippini L.L.C. for an undisclosed amount. Thilman & Filippini, which generated about $24 million in 2005 revenues,...