Latest Michigan Headlines

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

Report: Michigan School Safety Laws Routinely Ignored

Mar 12 2013 // Michigan laws meant to improve safety at schools are routinely ignored and state officials don’t know the scope of the problem, according to the results of a two-month investigation published March 11.Disaster drills...

Marsh Names Jones Head of Grand Rapids, Michigan Office

Mar 8 2013 // Insurance broker Marsh announced that Bob Jones, a 28-year veteran of the insurance industry, has been named head of its Grand Rapids, Mich., office. In his new role, Jones is responsible for ensuring that Marsh delivers...

Michigan House to Debate Propane Accident Liability Limits

Mar 6 2013 // The Michigan House is expected to take up legislation that would limit liability for companies in propane fires and explosions.The bill would free propane companies from liability for injury or damage to property that...

Genstar Capital Acquires Michigan’s Acrisure

Mar 1 2013 // San Francisco-based private equity firm Genstar Capital LLC has acquired Acrisure, a large retail insurance brokerage headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich.Acrisure’s product lines include property and casualty,...

Idea to Limit Auto Claims in Michigan Criticized

Feb 22 2013 // The top elected official in Michigan’s Oakland County is criticizing proposals from fellow Republicans to change Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance program to limit the amount of medical claims.The Detroit News...

Michigan’s Unlimited Auto Insurance, Revisited

Feb 21 2013 // Most of the attempts to fix Michigan’s long-time Essential Insurance Act have ended as spectacularly as the meteor which exploded over the Ural Mountains town of Chelyabinsk a few days ago, injuring over a thousand...

Michigan to Issue Driver’s Licenses to Illegal Immigrants

Feb 20 2013 // Illegal immigrants brought to the country as children can start applying for Michigan driver’s licenses and state IDs.Secretary of State Ruth Johnson’s office began accepting applications on Feb. 19. President...

Michigan Lawmakers Mull $31M For Health Care Exchange

Feb 19 2013 // Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration told lawmakers it needs their approval within weeks to spend a $31 million federal grant to help build a consumer-friendly health insurance marketplace under the contentious...

A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Michigan’s Ally Insurance Group Members

Feb 15 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of B++ (Good) and issuer credit ratings of “bbb” of Motors Insurance Corp. and its reinsured subsidiaries, MIC Property and Casualty Insurance Corp. and...

Michigan Mixed Martial Arts Bill Includes Insurance Requirement

Feb 13 2013 // A Michigan House committee plans to debate a bill that would place state regulations on amateur mixed martial arts events.The Regulatory Reform Committee is considering a bill would require event promoters to get state...

Ratings Recap: Auto Club (Michigan), Atlas Financial, Merced Mutual, ING US (Notes), PEMCO

Feb 8 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to ‘A-‘ (Excellent) from ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) to “a-” from “a” of Auto Club...

Michigan Governor Calls for Creation of Natural Disaster Fund

Feb 8 2013 // Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is proposing setting aside state funds to use in the case of natural disasters such as forest fires, tornadoes and floods. Snyder is calling for $4 million in the budget for fiscal year 2014 that...

Michigan Governor Signs Order Creating New Insurance Department

Jan 28 2013 // In his “State of the State” address in mid-January, Michigan Gov. Rick Synder recognized the importance of the insurance industry in the state, calling for the creation of a new insurance department and...

Business Moves – Midwest

Jan 28 2013 // Willis North AmericaWillis North America, a unit of global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings, has relocated its Cleveland, Ohio office to 1001 Lakeside Ave., Suite 1600. Willis established a presence in Ohio more than...

Michigan’s Heavy Trucks Blamed for Ailing Roads

Jan 24 2013 // Critics of Gov. Rick Snyder’s call for more money to fix Michigan’s ailing roads and bridges are pointing to the state’s highway weight limit as the problem. The Detroit Free Press reports that Michigan...

Michigan Regulators Warn of Bogus No-Fault Auto Insurance Certificates

Jan 23 2013 // The Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) are warning Michigan drivers that they may have unknowingly purchased fraudulent automobile insurance certificates from an unlicensed individual reportedly issued...

Michigan Broker Pleads Guilty in $1M Fraud Case

Jan 21 2013 // A northern Michigan insurance broker accused of manipulating elderly clients has pleaded guilty to fraud.Prosecutors say William Lowder persuaded clients to change their investments and put money in annuities handled by...

Michigan Governor Proposes New Department of Insurance and Finance

Jan 17 2013 // Michigan Gov. Rick Synder has proposed the creation of a new Department of Insurance and Financial Services.Snyder, who is beginning his third year as governor, said the new department will “emphasize consumer...

Michigan Governor Signs Cellphone Ban for Novice Drivers

Jan 14 2013 // Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation prohibiting novice drivers from using a cellphone while behind the wheel.The bill applies to holders of Level 1 licenses, who must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or...

Slip-And-Fall Cases Tough to Make in Michigan Courts

Jan 14 2013 // Slip-and-fall lawsuits once were a staple for injury attorneys. But they’ve become extremely tough in Michigan courts, due to a strict standard set by the state Supreme Court. The court’s conservative majority...