Latest Illinois Headlines

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

Illinois Injured Worker Prescription Drug Costs Lower Than Study Median

Apr 19 2010 // The payment per claim for prescription drugs used to treat injured workers in Illinois was slightly lower than in most study states, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).The...

Insurer Wins Appeal in Lead-Contaminated Chinese Toy Case

Apr 16 2010 // A federal appeals court has ruled that an insurance company has no duty to defend against class action lawsuits filed in Illinois targeting the company’s insured, a Chinese manufacturer of toys sold in the United...

Illinois Gov. Signs Bill Creating Tax Credit for Small Businesses

Apr 14 2010 // Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has signed a bill into law that that is expected to boost Illinois’ economy by creating up to 20,000 jobs over the next year at small businesses across the state.Senate Bill 1578 creates...

Illinois Surplus Line Association Unveils Tutorial Videos

Apr 6 2010 // The Surplus Line Association of Illinois has launched a new series of training videos. The videos were developed for training licensees and clerical staff.The series of 16 different videos covers various topics from...

Illinois High Court Rules Against Insurer in Underinsured Motorist Case

Apr 5 2010 // The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that an appellate court was correct when it found that an insurance company cannot exclude occupants of an insured vehicle from underinsured motorists coverage (UIM).The high...

USG Insurance Services Adds Janis in Illinois Office

Apr 5 2010 // USG Insurance Services, a national wholesale insurance agency, has hired Chris Janis as underwriter/broker in its Palatine, Ill., office. Janis previously was an underwriter at Atlantic Specialty. His experience includes...

Weisz Named Acting Chair of Illinois Work Comp Commission

Mar 26 2010 // Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has appointed workers’ compensation attorney Mitchel R. Weisz as acting chairman of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.Amy Masters, who has been heading the organization since...

Illinois Supreme Court Rules Against Insurer in Underinsured Motorist Case

Mar 22 2010 // The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that an appellate court was correct when it found that an insurance company cannot exclude occupants of an insured vehicle from underinsured motorists coverage (UIM).The high...

Illinois Outlines Expected Changes Resulting from Health Insurance Reform

Mar 22 2010 // The Illinois Department of Insurance has developed a “Top Ten” list of changes to the performance, transparency and accountability of health insurers and health insurance products in Illinois expected to result...

Wellness Programs Thrive at 2 Medium-Size Illinois Companies

Mar 16 2010 // Workplace wellness programs aren’t just for large corporations.Mechanical Devices Co. in Bloomington and the Town of Normal are among central Illinois medium-size businesses that have developed wellness programs...

Insurers Urged to Keep Improvements to Medical Liability Line in Illinois

Mar 7 2010 // The consulting and actuarial firm, Milliman, reports that the Illinois Supreme Court’s overturn of caps on non-economic damages in medical liability cases will increase claim costs in that state. It’s thought...

U.S. Senator Presses Agencies for Information About Illinois Levees

Mar 1 2010 // U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin wants a meeting with two federal agencies to seek information about efforts to certify five levee systems in three southwestern Illinois counties.Durbin and other overseers of the levees in Madison,...

Illinois Workers’ Comp Commissioner and Chief Legal Counsel to Retire

Feb 24 2010 // Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Paul Rink and Chief Legal Counsel Kathryn Kelley are retiring, effective Feb. 26, the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission reported.Commissioner Rink joined...

Illinois Urges Continued Competition, Lower Rates in Medical Liability Line

Feb 23 2010 // The Illinois Department of Insurance reported it has observed increased competition and 10 percent decrease in premium paid in the medical malpractice line of insurance since reforms were enacted in 2005.The Department of...

Milliman: Repeal of Med-Mal Caps Will Hike Claim Costs in Illinois

Feb 22 2010 // Consulting and actuarial firm Milliman Inc. says a study it conducted in response to the Illinois Supreme Court’s overturn of caps on non-economic damages in medical liability cases will increase overall claim...

Illinois Officials Recommend Review of Earthquake Insurance

Feb 18 2010 // Insurance regulators in Illinois are encouraging residents to review earthquake insurance policies after a small quake was recorded in the state recently.The 3.8-magnitude earthquake surprised northern Illinoisans Feb. 10....

Large Brokers Freed to Go After Contingent Commissions But Will They?

Feb 17 2010 // The nation’s largest insurance brokers have received the go-ahead to begin accepting contingent commissions again — but two of them say they won’t do it.Officials in New York, Illinois and Connecticut...

Illinois Commissioner Urges Purchase of Snowmobile Insurance

Feb 11 2010 // Snowmobilers in Illinois should properly insure their vehicles according to state insurance regulators. The Illinois Department of Insurance issued a statement saying it is encouraging enthusiasts to purchase snowmobile...

Rare Earthquake Rattles Northern Illinois; No Damage Reported

Feb 11 2010 // A small pre-dawn earthquake hit northern Illinois on Feb. 10, startling residents as far away as Michigan and Iowa, but no damage or injuries were immediately reported. The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) said the...

Insurers Decry Overturn of Illinois Med-Mal Caps; Attorneys Praise Ruling

Feb 5 2010 // The American Bar Association says the Illinois Supreme Court was right in striking down as unconstitutional the caps on non-economic damage awards in medical malpractice cases.Insurer groups, however, say the decision will...