Latest Illinois Headlines

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

OSHA: 36 Workers Have Died on the Job in Illinois This Year

Oct 7 2016 // Federal safety regulators say 36 Illinois workers have died on the job since Jan. 1, 2016. That number represents an average of one life lost each week in the state.Since 2013, Illinois worker deaths have increased 28...

Illinois’ Ingensa Insurance Services Acquired by Plexus Groupe

Oct 6 2016 // The Plexus Groupe LLC, a privately held national insurance brokerage and risk management consultancy headquartered in Deer Park, Illinois, has acquired Carol Stream, Ill.-based Ingensa Insurance Services, a diversified...

Report: Some Illinois Insurance Companies Forcing Roof Replacements

Sep 26 2016 // When Dennis Roberts’ car insurance started getting a bit too expensive, he did what a lot of consumers do and shopped around.Then he picked a new company and switched both his home and auto coverage, never expecting...

U.S. Judge Allows Class Action Alleging State Farm Bankrolled Judge

Sep 20 2016 // Some customers of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. claim the company conspired to help elect an Illinois Supreme Court candidate so he could vote to throw out a $1 billion award against the company. Now they will...

Midwest States See Gains in Health Insurance Coverage

Sep 15 2016 // Several Midwest states report significant drops in the number of residents without health insurance.New data shows nearly 200,000 Wisconsin residents gained some form of health insurance between 2013 and 2015. In Illinois,...

4 Tornadoes Sweep Through Central Illinois, Damage Reported

Sep 12 2016 // The National Weather Service is confirming that at least four tornadoes swept through east-central Illinois.Personnel from the weather service’s Lincoln office are surveying damage Saturday in Champaign and...

California-Based Confie Acquires Illinois Insurance Agency

Sep 12 2016 // Confie, a national provider of personal and commercial lines insurance, has acquired the BMR Agency LLC dba First Stop Insurance in Washington Park, Ill. First Stop Insurance specializes in non-standard auto insurance. The...

Illinois, Missouri Handle Problem of Uninsured Drivers Differently

Sep 6 2016 // Dan McMullen is an insurance agent in Ferguson, Mo. His Solo Insurance office is on West Florissant Avenue, the epicenter of the trouble two years ago. The building next to his office burned into ruins.There aren’t...

Missouri Again Non-Renews License of Northern Illinois Agency Owner

Sep 6 2016 // Missouri insurance regulators have once again refused to renew the non-resident producer license of the owner of an Illinois managing general agency that has been able to continue operations despite having his license...

Bell Insurance Solutions in Illinois Joins Valley Insurance Agency Alliance

Sep 1 2016 // Bell Insurance Solutions in Illinois recently joined Valley Insurance Agency Alliance. Bell Insurance Solutions specializes in business, life, home and auto insurance. The firm was founded this year by owner J.R....

New Illinois Law Makes Insurance Companies Find, Pay Beneficiaries

Aug 29 2016 // Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed legislation requiring insurance companies to locate beneficiaries of unclaimed life insurance policies and pay them money they’re owed.The Republican said Friday the state also...

Illinois, Missouri Handle Problem of Uninsured Drivers Differently

Aug 26 2016 // Dan McMullen is an insurance agent in Ferguson, Mo. His Solo Insurance office is on West Florissant Avenue, the epicenter of the trouble two years ago. The building next to his office burned into ruins.There aren’t...

Missouri Non-Renews Insurance License of Northern Illinois Agency Owner, Again

Aug 24 2016 // The Missouri Department of Insurance has once again refused to renew the non-resident producer license of the owner of an Illinois managing general agency that has been able to continue operations despite having his...

Business-Backed Group Pushes for Workers’ Comp Alternative in Illinois

Aug 22 2016 // An Illinois think tank has published a report expressing support for a workers’ compensation opt-out system in that state, saying that it would give employers the ability to lower costs and allow for a more flexible...

People – Midwest

Aug 22 2016 // POWERS Insurance and Benefits, headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., promoted Amy Simkins to commercial account manager. Simkins previously served as POWERS Insurance and Benefits’ accounting specialist.POWERS Insurance...

Illinois Contractor, in Default of $268K in Fines, Cited Again for Safety Hazards

Aug 18 2016 // Illinois contractor Robert Barringer III’s long history of putting his workers in danger of debilitating or fatal falls at his company’s job sites continues, this time at a residential home under construction...

Safety Officials: Higher Speeds Causing More Traffic Fatalities in Illinois

Aug 18 2016 // Safety and insurance industry experts say Illinois traffic fatalities are expected to pass 1,000 this year for the first time since 2008 because of higher speeds, more miles driven and an increase in the number of younger...

Illinois Treasurer Looking into How Life Insurance Companies Avoid Payouts

Aug 17 2016 // Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is launching a series of public hearings to explore how life insurance companies avoid paying death benefits.The first hearing is set for this morning in the city council chambers in...

Feds Investigate Illinois Firm Fined for Exposing Staff to Asbestos

Aug 16 2016 // U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration proceedings against an Illinois construction company fined for allegedly importing Mexican workers to remove asbestos are on hold as federal officials look into possible...

Illinois Senator Says Blue Cross Could Reduce Costs, Be More Competitive

Aug 16 2016 // U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is taking the rare step of weighing in on the state’s handling of a hefty health insurance rate increase request, asking Illinois regulators to press the state’s leading insurer of...