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Aftershocks Rattle Chile, as New President is Sworn In; RMS Analysis Sebastian Pinera's inauguration as Chile's new president was accompanied by a blunt reminder of the peril the country faces from earthquakes as two large aftershocks struck just before the ... March 11, 2010 11:53 AM Nebraska Jobless Rate 4.6% in January, Well Below National Average Nebraska's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.6 percent in January, still less than half the national rate of 9.7 percent, state officials said in a report issued March 10. The state said ... March 11, 2010 11:52 AM West Pennsylvania Couple Sues Target over Toy Box Injury A suburban Pittsburgh couple is suing Target, claiming their daughter sustained a brain injury when a toy box lid fell on her. Eric and Laura Surman, of Cranberry, claim 2-year-old Camryn Surman ... March 11, 2010 11:21 AM Powerful Tornadoes in Arkansas Damage Homes; Injuries Reported Three powerful tornadoes touched down in Arkansas on March 10, damaging homes and injuring at least four people, Risk Management Solutions (RMS) has reported. According to National Weather ... March 11, 2010 11:15 AM Worker's Compensation Bill Passes Oklahoma Senate The Oklahoma Senate has passed a bill aimed at worker's compensation system reform, SB 1973, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee. Provisions of SB 1973 include: Decreases the ... March 11, 2010 10:57 AM Calif. Earthquake Authority CEO Testifies In Support of Cat Insurance Bill California Earthquake Authority CEO Glenn Pomeroy testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity and Subcommittee on Capital Markets, ... March 11, 2010 10:41 AM Holt Joins Higginbotham & Associates Parker Holt has joined the Austin, Texas, office of independent insurance and financial services brokerage firm Higginbotham & Associates as vice president. He is a property/casualty insurance ... March 11, 2010 10:28 AM National Interstate Adds 144 Companies to Group Programs in 2009 Richfield, Ohio-based National Interstate Insurance Company reports it experienced significant expansion in its Alternative Risk Transfer (ART) component in 2009. The company added 114 companies ... March 11, 2010 10:24 AM Sen. Dodd to Unveil Financial Regulatory Reform Next Week Senator Christopher Dodd said Thursday that he will present on Monday his own version of a financial reform bill after compromise talks with Senate Republicans broke down. Dodd, the chairman of ... March 11, 2010 10:14 AM Zurich Picks Perritaz to Replace Howie as Asia-Pacific/Middle East CFO Zurich Financial Services Group has appointed Pascal Perritaz (37, Swiss citizen) to the position of Chief Financial Officer Asia-Pacific and Middle East (APME), effective April 1, 2010. He ... March 11, 2010 9:52 AM

A.M. Best Company BestWire Feed

Safety Motorcycle Rate Settlement With Massachusetts Affects Profitable 4Q Safety Insurance Group Inc. said an agreement it made with the Massachusetts Attorney General to change how the company calculated motorcycle insurance rates impacted its fourth-quarter net income by ... March 11, 2010 6:04 AM AHIP Launches TV Ad: Insurers Are Small Slice of Health Care Costs America's Health Insurance Plans, from a Washington conference that saw hundreds of marching protesters outside its doors, announced the launch of a new national advertisement. The television ad ... March 11, 2010 5:46 AM AIG Unit Reclaims Crown as Top US Fixed Annuities Seller in Fourth Quarter In the final quarter of 2009, a renamed insurance company subsidiary of American International Group Inc. became the No. 1 seller of fixed annuities overall in the United States, according to Beacon ... March 11, 2010 5:38 AM Malaysia's Regulator Consults on Third-Party Motor Insurance Changes Bank Negara Malaysia, the financial regulator of Malaysia, has set up consultation sessions to work with relevant stakeholders in formulating a new scheme for providing basic motor insurance coverage ... March 11, 2010 4:00 AM Allianz to Boost Investment in Asia-Pacific and Middle East-North Africa Regions Germany-based insurance group Allianz S.E. [085014] said it will continue to invest in sales and distribution in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa in 2010, as well as to safeguard the solvency ... March 11, 2010 3:59 AM Hannover Re Sees Profit as Premiums Surge Hannover Re returned to profit in 2009 as premiums surged and the effects of the global financial crisis faded. Group net income for the year was 731.2 million euros, compared with a net ... March 11, 2010 3:56 AM Update: American Capital Completes Acquisition of GMAC Subsidiaries (This version corrects ACAC’s description and headquarters location.) American Capital Acquisition Corp. and its minority partner, insurance holding company AmTrust Financial Services, said ... March 11, 2010 3:55 AM Update: Hiscox Cover Targets Threats on Houses of Worship (This clarifies the headline from a previous version.) As a specialist insurer, it's not unusual for Hiscox to be approached about providing unique forms of cover for complex risks. ... March 11, 2010 3:51 AM BestDay Video for Thursday, March 11: AIG Asset Sale Should Put Dent in Debt BestDay Video for Thursday, March 11: Associate Editor Chad Hemenway reports the sale of two of American International Group's units will go a long way toward paying back money borrowed from the ... March 11, 2010 3:48 AM A.M. Best Presents at 3rd Life Settlements & Longevity Summit Emmanuel Modu, managing director and global head of insurance-linked securities, of A.M. Best Co. is participating in the International Quality & Productivity Center’s (IQPC) 3RD Life Settlements & ... March 11, 2010 3:46 AM

The Travelers Companies, Inc. News Release

Travelers Launches Mobile Applications New mobile apps help consumers anytime, anywhere HARTFORD, Conn., Mar 08, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- As the number of consumers turning to their easy-to-use smartphones continues to rise, Travelers (NYSE: TRV) announced today the launch of its first mobile applications, "Auto Accident Help" for iPhone(R) and "Quick Connect" for BlackBerry(R) smartphones. Both applications are free for anyone to download. Auto Accident Help is available at the iTunes(R) store and Quick Connect is available on Travelers.com. The new mobile tools provide auto accident assistance for iPhone and BlackBerry1 smartphone users. Additionally, Travelers customers will have the added advantage of starting the auto claim ... March 08, 2010 7:57 AM Travelers Schedules First Quarter 2010 Earnings Release and Conference Call NEW YORK, Mar 05, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Travelers Companies, Inc. will review its first quarter 2010 results via webcast at 9 a.m. EDT on Friday, April 23, following the release of earnings earlier that morning. A slide presentation, statistical supplement and live audio broadcast will be available on the investor section of the Travelers Web site at http://investor.travelers.com.  Following the webcast, the presentation and an audio playback of the teleconference will be available at the same Web site. About Travelers The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business . A component of the Dow Jones Industr... March 05, 2010 9:02 AM Travelers President and Chief Operating Officer Brian W. MacLean to Speak at AIFA Conference NEW YORK, Feb 23, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Brian W. MacLean, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Travelers Companies, Inc., is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion entitled "State of the P&C Insurance Industry" at the 35th Annual Association of Insurance and Financial Analysts Conference on Monday, March 1, 2010, at 9 a.m. EST. The panel discussion will be available in live audio on the investor section of the Travelers Web site at http://investor.travelers.com. A replay of the panel discussion will be available on the same site for 30 days. About Travelers The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home... February 23, 2010 9:28 AM Travelers Announces 2009 Charitable Contributions of Nearly $19 Million in Community Support Employees Contributed 12,000 Volunteer Hours NEW YORK, Feb 22, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) and its private foundation, the Travelers Foundation, today announced its 2009 total charitable contributions of nearly $19 million in community support across the country. Travelers is committed to strengthening local communities by investing in community-based nonprofit organizations and their work serving others, specifically in the areas of education, community development and the arts, as well as providing employee volunteer support. In 2009, Travelers employees contributed 12,000 volunteer hours to their local communities. Education Commitment In 2009,... February 22, 2010 9:01 AM Travelers Chairman and CEO Jay S. Fishman to Speak at Bank of America Merrill Lynch Insurance Conference NEW YORK, Feb 17, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Jay S. Fishman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Travelers Companies, Inc., is scheduled to speak at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Insurance Conference in New York City on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, at 8 a.m. EST. The presentation will be available in live audio on the investor section of the Travelers Web site at http://investor.travelers.com. Presentation materials will be made available on the Web site at the start of the webcast. A replay of the webcast will be available on the same site for 14 days. About Travelers The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home an... February 17, 2010 2:02 PM Travelers Construction Insurance Offers Wrap+(R) Fidelity and Crime in Its Comprehensive Package of Coverages Making it Easy for Agents to Include Fidelity and Crime Coverage Requests on Construction Insurance Submissions HARTFORD, Conn., Feb 17, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- To help protect construction contractors' assets from internal theft, Travelers (NYSE: TRV) Construction Insurance and Travelers Bond & Financial Products teamed together to offer the Wrap+ Fidelity and Crime Coverage to the Construction Industry. According to the 2008 Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud and Abuse, American construction contractors that hired a Certified Fraud Examiner suffered a median loss of $330,000 as a result of internal fraud. The same study showed that businesses with fewer than 100 employees ... February 17, 2010 11:05 AM Wedding Day Woes New data identifies the unexpected glitches that can ruin the big day HARTFORD, Conn., Feb 12, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- For the second consecutive year, vendor and venue bankruptcies and service issues remain the most frequent causes of wedding day mishaps for couples, according to an analysis of 2009 wedding insurance claims by Travelers (NYSE: TRV). A total of 62 percent of all wedding insurance claims from 2009 were the result of vendor and venue problems, a 19 percent increase in this category in comparison to a similar study Travelers released last year. Travelers' 2009 claim data showed mishaps with banquet facilities, caterers, photographers and flower shops left some newlywed... February 12, 2010 9:45 AM Travelers Promotes Bill Cunningham to EVP, Business Insurance NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) announced today that Bill Cunningham has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Business Insurance, leading the company's Business Insurance segment, effective March 1, 2010. Cunningham succeeds John Albano following Albano’s decision to take on a part time role at Travelers so he can pursue outside interests. Brian W. MacLean, President and Chief Operating Officer, said, “Bill has a tremendous depth of underwriting and leadership experience across our commercial lines businesses and is the stand-out choice to continue building on the success and strong organization that John has built.” Cunningham began his career wi... February 09, 2010 5:00 AM Travelers Declares Dividend on Common Shares NEW YORK, Feb 03, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Board of Directors of The Travelers Companies, Inc. today declared a regular quarterly dividend of 33 cents ($0.33) per common share. This dividend is payable March 31, 2010, to shareholders of record as of the close of business March 10, 2010. Travelers is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business . A Fortune 100 company, Travelers has more than 30,000 employees and generated revenues of approximately $25 billion in 2009. Travelers stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TRV) and is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. For more information, visit http://www.travelers.com/. SOURC... February 03, 2010 11:15 AM Travelers Reports Record Fourth Quarter 2009 Net Income of $1.285 Billion and Record Net and Operating Income per Diluted Share of $2.36 and $2.12, Respectively Book Value per Share of $52.54 Up 22% in 2009 Fourth Quarter Return on Equity of 18.5% and Full Year Return on Equity of 13.5%   Fourth quarter 2009 net and operating income of $1.285 billion and $1.155 billion. Full year 2009 net and operating income of $3.622 billion and $3.600 billion. Fourth quarter 2009 net and operating income per diluted share increased 75 percent and 34 percent, respectively, from prior year quarter. Fourth quarter 2009 total revenues of $6.456 billion increased 11 percent from the prior year quarter. Impact of renewal rate changes on premiums remained positive across all three business segments. Four percent decline in net written premiums from prior... January 26, 2010 5:53 AM

Auto Tech - Progressive Insurance Blogs

Boat Gadgets Take Tech to the Water As more people discover the joys of boat ownership, the desire for gadgets and equipment to have on board grows, too. Now more than ever, the boating world is proving that car drivers don't have an exclusive on tech gadgetry. July 02, 2009 11:00 AM Curbing Emissions Takes Center Stage In the last few months, worldwide, federal, and state initiatives have placed an emissions control challenge to automakers: Cut emissions significantly going forward. The new initiatives focus squarely on reducing carbon dioxide (CO2). May 29, 2009 11:00 AM New York Auto Show Highlights Automakers used the recent 2009 New York International Auto Show to roll out new models loaded with the latest technology features and to introduce energy-efficient concept vehicles that your children will drive. May 08, 2009 1:00 PM X-Ray Vision While You Drive To address blind spots, automakers are turning to technology-based solutions. One interesting approach, still in the experimental stage, renders a vehicle's frame transparent, allowing drivers to "see" through a car's pillars and dashboard. March 30, 2009 3:00 PM Motorcycle Gear Improves Safety Motorcycle manufacturers and aftermarket customization shops — even apparel and helmet makers — are finding ways to introduce products that offer head-turning aesthetic appeal while reducing the accident factor of the ride. March 05, 2009 2:00 PM Podcast: 2009 Detroit Auto Show What was unusual about the 2009 North American International Auto Show (The Detroit Auto Show's formal name) was the level of interest in green cars: hybrids, electrics and low-emission diesels. Nearly half the major introductions involved green vehicles. February 06, 2009 10:00 AM Safer Texting and Calling While Driving If you want to curb the potentially dangerous behavior of texting while driving, technology solutions are emerging that leverage the GPS, accelerometer or other capabilities of mobile phones to provide a level of control. January 19, 2009 10:00 AM Best of: Manual Vs. Automatic Transmissions New developments in manual transmissions offer more options for drivers, including a hybrid that provides both automatic and manual shifting. November 10, 2008 12:00 PM Best of: Why Can't I Get the Kind of Mileage on the Window Sticker? The government has introduced new fuel economy ratings that are more accurate. We make them easy to understand. October 28, 2008 1:00 PM Match the Right Tire Technology to Your Driving Tires make a big, if unexciting, difference in your car's performance and safety, especially in the rain, slush and snow of the winter months. For that reason, buying a second set of tires for winter driving may be a good investment. October 14, 2008 1:00 PM

Yahoo! News: Internet News

Pink Floyd wins battle with EMI over online sales (AP) AP - Album lovers may rejoice a little at last: a British court says Pink Floyd, purveyor of iTunes-unfriendly concept records, cannot be unbundled. March 11, 2010 12:06 PM British Conservatives promise superfast Internet (Reuters) Reuters - Investing in a high-speed Internet network would open up a new global trade route for Britain, boosting economic recovery and creating thousands of jobs, the opposition Conservative party said on Thursday. March 11, 2010 12:00 PM Faraway Iditarod fans feed race habit online (AP) AP - Cathleen Griffin usually feeds her passion for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race through the Internet, but next week she'll travel to Alaska for the first time to see the winner cross the finish line in the old gold rush town of Nome. March 11, 2010 11:02 AM China lawmakers test out microblogging (AFP) AFP - Mao Zedong may have used paintbrush and ink to write classic poems in calligraphy, but his grandson is firmly in the 21st century -- micro-blogging by laptop from China's annual session of parliament. March 11, 2010 11:01 AM Google says talks with China ongoing (AFP) AFP - Google said Thursday that it was in talks with China on the future of the US Internet giant in the Asian nation, after the firm threatened to leave over cyberattacks and state web censorship. March 11, 2010 10:33 AM Pink Floyd wins UK court battle with EMI label (Reuters) Reuters - British rock band Pink Floyd won its court battle with EMI on Thursday with a ruling that prevents the record company from selling single downloads on the internet from the group's concept albums. March 11, 2010 10:18 AM Summary Box: Huge 'botnet' only slowed by takedown (AP) AP - BOTNET AMPUTATED: An Internet provider thought to be helping spread malicious software was taken down, apparently cutting criminals off from millions of personal computers under their control. March 11, 2010 9:26 AM Hands On: Google Reader Play - A Beta Browsing Tool (PC World) PC World - Google launched an experimental Web browsing tool called Google Reader Play Wednesday that allows you to browse content associated with a Google Reader news feed. Google Reader is a Web-based content aggregator that assembles RSS news feeds for online or offline reading. To use Google Reader Play you do not need a Google Reader account, but if you do Google will be able to personalize the experience with your RSS preferences. March 11, 2010 9:08 AM 2nd mistrial declared in case against NJ blogger (AP) AP - A New York judge has declared a second mistrial in the case against a New Jersey blogger charged with threatening federal judges. March 11, 2010 7:30 AM Digital mirror: fashion brands convey glamour online (Reuters) Reuters - With videos of catwalk shows, pictures of glamorous models and a catalog of chic products, luxury brands are creating "digital mirrors" online as they turn to the internet to tap into growing e-commerce demand. March 11, 2010 5:43 AM

Yahoo! News Search Results for auto insurance

Get to know the facts before you spend money on auto insurance (Purcell Register) (ARA) - Don't you wish there were classes on subjects such as mortgages, taxes, auto insurance or even saving for retirement? How many times have you looked for background information on each of these issues? March 11, 2010 5:38 AM Ontario auto insurance changes hit pedestrians, cyclists (Spacing Wire) Anyone who doesn’t own a car, and the insurance that goes with it, is going to have fewer resources to deal with injuries if they are hit by a car, as a result of changes to auto insurance just introduced by the Province of Ontario. In an effort to reduce auto insurance costs, the Province has [...] March 10, 2010 8:39 AM An Occasional Review of Auto Insurance Policies May Lower Premiums (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance) The average motorist has the tendency of purchasing an auto insurance policy and continues paying premiums without reviewing whether the current coverage listed is still beneficial or if the rate being paid for protection is still competitive; OnlineAutoInsurance.com advises consumers to revisit their policies to ensure that they are not overpaying for coverage or maintaining unnecessary ... March 10, 2010 7:00 AM Surprising Ways to Save Money With Insurance (ABC News) Your homeowner's and auto insurance coverage could help you save on legal fees, pet injuries and more. Insurance - Vehicle insurance - Business - Financial services - Agents and Marketers March 10, 2010 6:20 AM Va. assembly approves bill to bar health-insurance mandate (Washington Post) RICHMOND -- The Virginia General Assembly has given final approval to a bill that would make it illegal for the government to require individuals to purchase health insurance, a measure intended to conflict with Democratic efforts to reform health care in Washington. March 10, 2010 11:00 PM Don't overpay for auto insurance if you've had tickets (WAFB Baton Rouge) Traffic tickets don't have to be a financial death sentence when it comes to shopping for auto insurance. March 07, 2010 7:15 PM Two Lawyers Named to Minnesota Auto Insurance Plan Governing Committee (Insurance Journal) Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Glenn Wilson has appointed two public members to the governing committee of the Minnesota Automobile Insurance Plan (MAIP). Thomas J. Evenson is an associate with ... March 09, 2010 11:06 AM Louisiana Legislature Should Ask Tough Questions About Insurance (Bayou Buzz) A number of Louisiana legislators are feeling increasing heat back in their districts about why Louisiana continues, year after year, to have the highest insurance rates in the nation. A small deep southern state should be way down the list of most expensive states. March 11, 2010 8:14 AM Subprime Lending Crisis: Auto Loans Thrive, Housing Down (Time Magazine) In the wake of the credit crisis, banks have scaled back lending to subprime borrowers. But other lenders have stepped in, making high-interest-rate loans to borrowers with low credit scores March 11, 2010 11:39 AM National freeze on health insurance rates needed (News-Medical-Net) Harvey Rosenfield, author of California's landmark insurance regulation Proposition 103—recognized as the most successful insurance regulation in the country—was joined today by people struggling to pay for health insurance in calling on President Obama and Congress to impose a national freeze on health insurance rates as part of the final round of votes on reform. Consumers must have a breather ... March 11, 2010 3:27 AM

Yahoo! News Search Results for insurance

Unemployment insurance continuing claims spike (CNNMoney.com via Yahoo! Finance) The number of Americans filing continuing claims for unemployment insurance spiked last week, the Labor Department said Thursday, as sluggish hiring continues to drag on the labor market's recovery. March 11, 2010 11:01 AM Va. assembly approves bill to bar health-insurance mandate (Washington Post) RICHMOND -- The Virginia General Assembly has given final approval to a bill that would make it illegal for the government to require individuals to purchase health insurance, a measure intended to conflict with Democratic efforts to reform health care in Washington. March 10, 2010 11:00 PM Video: Insurance Companies Anger Citizens (CBS News) Emotions are running high in Washington as the push for a House vote for health care reform approaches. As Nancy Cordes reports, protesters directed their anger at the insurance company. March 11, 2010 8:19 AM Time for a national insurance program to cope with natural disasters? (The Christian Science Monitor via Yahoo! News) Given that so many Americans live in areas that have been prone to natural disasters – hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados – is it time for the federal government to intercede to help states and property owners obtain more reasonable castastrophic insurance? March 10, 2010 7:06 PM Insurance Mandate May Need Strict Penalties (NPR) The health care plans before Congress require individuals to purchase insurance. But the penalty for violating the individual mandate may be so low that healthy people might be tempted to pay it instead of buying insurance. That would leave insurers with less healthy customers, prompting companies to raise their rates, prompting more people to drop out, and so forth. March 11, 2010 5:36 AM Federal legislation to lower property insurance costs debated (Sun-Sentinel) Legislation that could give South Florida homeowners a break from soaring property insurance premiums received a mixed reception by federal lawmakers Wednesday. March 11, 2010 9:48 AM Va. General Assembly votes to ban mandatory health insurance coverage (Washington Post) RICHMOND -- Virginia's General Assembly is the first in the nation to approve legislation that bucks federal health care reforms by banning mandatory health insurance coverage. March 10, 2010 2:46 PM Tanene Allison: In DC Americans Take On Health Insurance Executives (The Huffington Post) Health insurance executives, left to their own devices, will continue to keep America sick for their own profit. March 11, 2010 11:27 AM Lithuania awaits NATO 'insurance plan' on Russia (The Star) VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuania, marking 20 years since its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union on Thursday, remains wary of huge neighbour Russia and is looking forward to the "health insurance" of a new NATO Baltic defence plan, President Dalia Grybauskaite said. March 11, 2010 10:00 AM Fitch Holds Conference on China's Life, Non-Life Insurance Sectors (Insurance Journal) Fitch Ratings hosted a teleconference today, March 11 on the performance of China's life and non-life insurance sectors. A replay of the conference is expected to be posted soon on the rating ... March 11, 2010 10:06 AM