Latest Alaska Headlines

All the headlines from our Alaska Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Alaska Workers’ Comp Conference Report Raises Concerns

May 17 2005 // A workers’ compensation conference report approved during a special session of the Alaska Senate includes several new issues that raise a red flag for insurers and employers, says the American Insurance Association...

Alaska Workers’ Compensation Bill Goes into Overtime

May 12 2005 // An Alaska committee of House and Senate members was unable to hammer out a compromise plan to revise workers’ compensation laws, leaving work on the bill to be completed during a special session scheduled to take...

PCI Urges Alaska Governor to Sign Rate Modernization Bill

May 12 2005 // The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) is urging Gov. Frank Murkowski to sign into law legislation which would modernize Alaska’s system for regulating forms and rates for most lines of...

Ark. Secretary of State Issues Franchise Tax Reminder

Apr 21 2005 // Arkansas Secretary of State Charlie Daniels reminded businesses, including insurance organizations, that they should be aware that the filing deadline for franchise taxes is one month earlier this year with monies due to...

AIA Pleased as 2005 Ark. Legislative Session Ends

Apr 21 2005 // The Arkansas General Assembly has completed its business for 2005, but will return for a formal and mostly ceremonial sine die adjournment on May 13, the American Insurance Association (AIA) reported.“AIA had two...

Ark. DOI Issues Reminder on Producer Appointments

Apr 12 2005 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Julie Benafield Bowman recently issued the following notice to insurance companies regarding their agent/agency appointments in Arkansas.Every insurer (company) that appoints a producer in...

Average Workers’ Comp Rates to Fall in Ark.

Apr 8 2005 // Insurance Commissioner Julie Benafield Bowman announced new workers’ compensation rates, which will take effect July 1, 2005.“I am happy to see that overall rates in the workers’ compensation market...

‘Any Willing Provider’ Bill Passes Ark. House

Feb 24 2005 // Following emotional speeches about a lack of treatment options offered by managed health plans, the Arkansas House of Representatives voted to resurrect the state’s “any willing provider” law and open the...

Ark. House Approves Bill to Ban Credit as Factor in Rating Auto Premiums

Feb 24 2005 // Auto insurance companies would be barred from using credit ratings as a factor in setting auto insurance premiums under a bill passed by the Arkansas House of Representatives, the Associated Press reported.Rep. Rick Green,...

Can it Happen Here’ Tsunamis a Possible Threat to West Coast

Jan 24 2005 // Southeast Asia’s devastating tsunami has left many wondering if the threat could hit close to home. The reality is that tsunamis, in fact, have already made their mark on the West Coast, and the threat still remains...

UnumProvident to Reassess Claims of 2,000-Plus Ark. Insurance Consumers

Jan 7 2005 // Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens announced his state has reached a settlement agreement with UnumProvident insurance companies, which requires a re-evaluation of certain consumer-disputed disability insurance...

Ark. Issues Reminder of Credit Scoring Reports

Dec 22 2004 // The Arkansas Insurance Department recently issued a reminder to property and casualty insurers operating in the state of the requirement to submit a report to the department concerning companies’ use of credit...

People & Places

Dec 20 2004 // The American Agents Alliance Board of Governors announced the selection of Ken Nigohosian as the association’s new executive director. He has worked for Safeco Insurance for 25 years. He began his career as...

Ten Small Alaska Communities Drop City Insurance

Dec 20 2004 // Ten small Alaska communities have discontinued their municipal insurance because of declining assistance from the state and rising insurance and fuel costs, and another dozen could follow within the next few months, said...

Report Says Ark. Has Fewer Children Without Health Insurance; Lower than National Average

Dec 13 2004 // A new report says the share of Arkansas children not covered by health insurance declined from 19.4 percent in 1996 to 11 percent in 2002—lower than the national average of 12 percent.Rhonda Sanders, director of health...

Ark. Commissioner Warns of Alleged Fraudulent Activity by Unlicensed Company

Dec 8 2004 // Arkansas State Insurance Commissioner Mike Pickens recently issued a warning for consumers to be on alert for potentially fraudulent insurance activity from a company called Nations Hazard Insurance and an individual using...

Bowman Named Ark. Insurance Commissioner

Dec 8 2004 // Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has named Julie Benafield Bowman of Little Rock as the state insurance commissioner. The governor made the announcement during a Tuesday morning news conference at the state Capitol. Bowman will...

McKinney Reappointed to Ark. WCC

Dec 8 2004 // Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee announced the reappointment of Karen McKinney of Little Rock to the state Workers’ Compensation Commission. She will serve until Dec. 5, 2010. She will continue to serve as the...

Ark. Issues ‘Reminder’ on Producer Compensation

Nov 29 2004 // The Arkansas Insurance Department announced it has begun a general investigation of the insurance practices of Arkansas insurance brokers and insurance companies. In light of the recent “bid-rigging”...

Association Not Likely to Push Liability Cap for Nursing Homes in Ark.

Nov 22 2004 // No effort is planned in the upcoming Arkansas legislative session to gain approval for a measure that would limit damages that could be awarded in suits against nursing homes, a top industry official says.A measure to cap...