Latest USA Headlines

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

Best Comments on Ratings of Chartis U.S. Insurance Group

Feb 11 2011 // Best Comments on Ratings of Chartis U.S. Insurance Group A.M. Best Co. has commented that the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of “a” of the New York-based...

S&P Sees No Rating Change for AIG from $4.1 Billion Charge

Feb 11 2011 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that its ratings on American International Group Inc. (A-/Negative/A-2) and AIG’s insurance subsidiaries “are not affected by the company’s...

Bidmead Named CEO of Marsh U.S. Retail Operations

Feb 10 2011 // Marsh Inc. has appointed David Bidmead to the newly-created role of CEO of Marsh U.S. In this capacity, Bidmead will guide Marsh’s U.S. retail brokerage operations.He will report to Joe McSweeny, president of Marsh...

Pirates Hijack U.S.-bound Oil Tanker off Oman

Feb 10 2011 // Suspected Somali pirates captured a U.S.-bound tanker carrying around $200 million worth of crude oil in the Indian Ocean on Wednesday in one of the biggest hijackings in the area so far.The Irene SL, the length of three...

Catlin Group 2010 Profits Fall to $406 Million on Cat Losses

Feb 10 2011 // The Bermuda-based (London headquartered) Catlin Group Limited reported net profits before tax in 2010 of $406 million, compared to $603 million in 2009, primarily due to a significant increase in catastrophe losses last...

AIG to Take $4.1 Billion Q4 Charge for Reserves

Feb 9 2011 // Bailed-out insurer American International Group Inc. said it would take a $4.1 billion charge at its Chartis unit after a review showed higher-than-expected claims on older policies for asbestos exposure and workers’...

SPECIAL REPORT: Extreme Weather Batters Insurance Industry

Feb 9 2011 // In Chester County, South Carolina, off a dirt road in the middle of a field, insurance companies are literally unleashing a storm.To simulate hurricane-like conditions, an industry group has built a wind tunnel big enough...

Climate Skeptics Remain Unpersuaded by Extra-warm 2010

Feb 9 2011 // Remember 2010? U.S. and international scientists reckon it tied for the warmest year on record, supporting findings of unequivocal global climate change, but despite the evidence climate skeptics remain unconvinced.Those...

U.S. Probe: Toyota Throttles Not Cause of Acceleration Accidents

Feb 8 2011 // A U.S. government investigation showed no link between electronic throttles and unintended acceleration in Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles, a victory for the world’s top automaker battered by recalls over runaway...

U.S. Findings on Toyota Throttles Due Today

Feb 8 2011 // The Obama administration will release Tuesday the findings of its long awaited review of Toyota Motor Corp.’s electronic throttles over complaints of unintended acceleration.The Transportation Department said in the...

Business Moves

Feb 7 2011 // Brown & Brown, Balcos Insurance, Mike Howard InsuranceBrown & Brown Inc. subsidiary Brown & Brown of Washington Inc. acquired substantially all of the assets of Balcos Insurance, Inc. and M C H Inc. of Seattle...

Growing Waistlines Costing Economy in Large Proportions

Feb 7 2011 // Measurements of the cost of obesity to the U.S. economy, as well as the workers’ compensation system are growing, becoming an “epidemic,” according to recent research.The studies show that the total...

United States Proposes to Open Roads to Mexican Trucks

Feb 7 2011 // The Obama administration on Jan. 6, 2011, proposed a new inspection and monitoring regime to permit long-haul trucks from Mexico on U.S. highways after years of delays over safety concerns and political wrangling.The...

Climate Change Link to Insurance Losses Decades Away

Feb 7 2011 // Tropical cyclones are expected to cause more damage in the United States and Asia but it could be more than a century before insurers can point to climate change as a factor in losses from storms, scientists say.In a study...

Climate Change Link to Insurance Losses Decades Away

Feb 7 2011 // Tropical cyclones are expected to cause more damage in the United States and Asia but it could be more than a century before insurers can point to climate change as a factor in losses from storms, scientists say.In a study...

Who Will Invest to Boost AIG’s Return to Public Markets?

Feb 7 2011 // As bailed-out insurer American International Group prepares to return to the public markets, some say it needs a sign from an eminent authority that it is a company with solid operations and a stock worth an investment of...

Insured Losses from Recent U.S. Storm Could Top $1 Billion

Feb 6 2011 // Insurers stand to pay between $790 million and $1.4 billion for insured losses to residential, commercial and industrial properties and to automobiles stemming from the winter storm that struck the U.S. on Feb. 1 and Feb....

QBE Forms U.S. General Aviation Underwriting Group

Feb 4 2011 // QBE the Americas created a U.S.-based general aviation underwriting operation.Headquartered in Atlanta, QBE the Americas’ Aviation Team is designed to expand the company’s global aviation activities. QBE is...

Breckenridge Acquires Interest in Reinsurance Broker REcentis

Feb 4 2011 // Breckenridge IS Inc. has acquired a majority interest in REcentis Intermediaries LLC, a specialty reinsurance broker with offices in Westlake Village, Calif. and Sydney, Australia.REcentis has expertise in energy, casualty...

Virginia Move Could Speed Up Supreme Court Review of Healthcare Law

Feb 4 2011 // Virginia said Thursday it will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its challenge to President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul, bypassing the appeals process in a rarely used move to try to speed up a definitive...