Latest Commercial Lines Headlines

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

Best Practices for Employers Using Tests to Screen Employees

Feb 10 2008 // Employers often use tests and other selection procedures to screen applicants when hiring and evaluating employees for promotion. In fact, there has been an increase in employment testing due in part to post-9/11 security...

N.C. Workplace Deaths Dropped

Feb 10 2008 // The North Carolina Labor Department says workplace deaths dropped 29 percent statewide in 2007, down to 46 from 65 the year before.The leading cause of workplace death was being crushed, with those accidents having claimed...

U.S. Risk Names Hicks Senior Commercial Underwriter

Feb 6 2008 // Dallas-based managing general agency and surplus lines wholesaler U.S. Risk Insurance Group Inc. announced it has named Jeff Hicks a senior underwriter in its Commercial Underwriting department.In this position, Hicks will...

Motorists Mutual Adds Employment Liability to Commercial Auto Policies

Feb 5 2008 // Motorists Mutual Insurance Co. will automatically include $100,000 of employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) in most commercial policies starting in April.This change gives agents an additional selling tool,...

Peerless Unveils New Commercial Product

Feb 5 2008 // Keene, N.H.-based Peerless Insurance has released a new commercial property and liability coverage designed to cover nearly 400 classes of business.Called Custom Protector, the coverage can be customized for small and...

The Republic Group Now Writing Personal, Commercial Lines in Ark.

Feb 5 2008 // The Republic Group (Republic), based in Dallas, has entered the personal lines market in Arkansas, the company announced. Republic entered the state with its commercial lines products in December 2007.Republic companies...

Calif. High Court Rules Employers Can Fire Workers Using Medical Marijuana

Jan 28 2008 // Employers can fire workers found to have used medical marijuana even if it was legally prescribed, the California Supreme Court ruled last Thursday, dealing the state another setback in its standoff with U.S. law...

Employers Should Evaluate Testing Procedures to Eliminate Bias

Jan 27 2008 // Employers often use test and other selection procedures to screen applicants when hiring and evaluating employees for promotion. In fact, there has been an increase in employment testing due in part to post 9/11 security...

Commercial Insurers’ Stocks Flat in 2007; M&As Heat Up

Jan 27 2008 // Stock Prices: Commercial lines insurers’ stocks have been relatively flat in 2007. Chubb Corp. (NYSE:CB) posted the largest gain at 5 percent.M&A Activity: The fourth quarter started with a bang as two large...

As Stocks Fall, Small Businesses Urged to Start Retirement Plans

Jan 25 2008 // Amid the turbulence of the plunging stock market, there’s a great opportunity for small business owners — if they set up retirement plans now, they’ll position themselves and their employees for big gains...

Welch Joins Vermont Mutual as Commercial Lines Underwriter

Jan 25 2008 // Michael P. Welch recently joined Vermont Mutual Insurance Group in Montpelier as a commercial lines underwriter. Welch spent the past 11 years with Underwriters Agency of New England as assistant vice president of...

North Carolina Officials Say Workplace Deaths Dropped in 2007

Jan 23 2008 // The North Carolina Labor Department says workplace deaths dropped 29 percent statewide in 2007, down to 46 from 65 the year before.The leading cause of workplace death was being crushed, with those accidents having claimed...

Sharon Haenig Joins Sullivan E&S as Commercial Lines Manager

Jan 23 2008 // January 23 2008 – Orange, CA – G.J. Sullivan Co., a member of Los Angeles-based The Sullivan Group, has appointed Sharon Haenig as Commercial Lines Manager for its office in Orange, CA. Sharon will be...

State Auto Middle Market Open House to Celebrate Move to Texas

Jan 22 2008 // Announcing plans for major growth in the Texas marketplace, State Auto Middle Market Insurance (SAMMI), said it will host an open house Jan. 28 in its new office in Austin to celebrate the unit’s entrance into the...

Sullivan E&S Appoints Haenig as Commercial Lines Manager

Jan 22 2008 // G.J. Sullivan Co., a member of Los Angeles-based The Sullivan Group, has appointed Sharon Haenig as commercial lines manager for its office in Orange, Calif. Haenig will be responsible for business development and market...

Commercial Lines Pricing Shows Modest Decrease from 2006 to 2007

Jan 17 2008 // Average prices for all lines of commercial insurance decreased 4 percent to 5 percent between 2006 and 2007, according to Towers Perrin’s commercial insurance pricing study. More specifically, the survey data for the...

S&P Affirms, Withdraws Westport Ratings after Merger with Employers Re

Jan 16 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its ‘AA-‘ financial strength rating on Westport Insurance Corp. and then withdrew the rating at the request of management. The outlook had been...

5 Fla. Juveniles Charged with Arson, Commercial Building Destroyed

Jan 14 2008 // Five Pensacola, Fla., juveniles are facing arson and burglary charges following an investigation into a fire that destroyed a commercial building on January 3. No injuries were reported. The juveniles ranging in age from 8...

Survey: Prices Continue to Drop for Commercial Lines Market

Jan 14 2008 // Commercial lines insurance premiums continued to tumble during the fourth quarter of 2007, according to the RIMS Benchmark Survey, an industry survey of policy renewal prices as reported by corporate risk managers.Despite...

Employers Should Evaluate Testing Procedures to Eliminate Bias

Jan 13 2008 // Employers often use test and other selection procedures to screen applicants when hiring and evaluating employees for promotion. In fact, there has been an increase in employment testing due in part to post 9/11 security...