Latest USA Headlines

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

Business Moves

Nov 30 2008 // Arthur J. Gallagher The HR GroupInternational insurance broker Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. reported it has acquired The HR Group, LLC of Brentwood, Tennessee. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The HR Group...

There’s No Wrong or Right Time for an M&A

Nov 30 2008 // When it comes to acquiring an agency or selling, timing is everything. Hard market or soft market, good business environment or bad, the decision on whether to merge, acquire or sell is unique to each individual business...

Lloyd’s Expects U.S. To Adopt Federal Regulation of Insurance

Nov 30 2008 // Pushed by the global economic crisis, the United States is expected to embrace federal regulation of the insurance industry as early as 2009, according to some financial and insurance executives.Federal regulation —...

All Claims Are Local

Nov 30 2008 // In today’s borderless global economy, claims can arise in just about any part of the world where a company does business. Even small and midsize companies with no physical presence outside the United States can find...

Ex-Pennsylvania Judge Found Guilty of Insurance Fraud

Nov 30 2008 // A retired Pennsylvania appellate judge was convicted of mail fraud and money laundering after prosecutors said he lied about neck and back injuries in a fender bender to collect $440,000 from two insurance companies.Former...

U.S. Finalizes Patient Safety Rules

Nov 26 2008 // The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a final rule for Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs).The rule becomes effective on Jan. 19, 2009. It provides final requirements and procedures for PSOs, new...

Treasury Undecided Over Federal Bailout Funds for Life Insurers

Nov 26 2008 // Life insurance companies, nervous over massive investment losses that could ultimately threaten their viability, are hoping they are next in line to get a piece of the U.S. financial bailout.They argue federal funds could...

AIG Uses Sale of Stock to U.S. Treasury to Lower Loan Amount

Nov 26 2008 // American International Group, Inc. (AIG) reported that it will use the proceeds from a U.S. Treasury purchase of some of its preferred stock to reduce what it owes the federal government.The Treasury bought four million...

Court Lets Kentucky Sex Abuse Case Against Vatican Proceed

Nov 26 2008 // A lawsuit against the Vatican alleging top church officials should have warned the public or authorities of known or suspected sexual abuse of children by priests here can go ahead, a federal appeals court in Kentucky...

OECD Says Changes Needed in US, EU Market Supervision

Nov 25 2008 // Overhauls of U.S. market supervision and European policy coordination are needed to plug regulatory gaps highlighted by the market crisis, the OECD said in its latest economic outlook.Initially billed as a first step to...

IAG Estimates Queensland Storm Claims at $38 to $44 Million

Nov 24 2008 // The Insurance Australia Group Limited (IAG) announced that it has received around 6,000 claims as a result of the storms that hit southeast Queensland (See IJ web site –...

Successive Hurricanes: Potential Windfall for Insureds?

Nov 24 2008 // The 2008 hurricane season came very close to presenting, on a large scale, the potential quandary caused by successive losses. On Sept.1, 2008, Hurricane Gustav came ashore and caused substantial damage from the Louisiana...

AEGON’s Bid for TARP Cash Doomed

Nov 21 2008 // A Dutch insurer’s experimental bid to tap the U.S. government for bailout cash looks doomed to failure, closing off an avenue for other insurers. Aegon NV said this week it was mulling buying a small U.S. bank to...

Bush Briefed, U.S. Consulting Allies on Somali Pirate Menace

Nov 21 2008 // President George W. Bush has been briefed about increasing attacks by Somali pirates off east Africa, and the United States is consulting with other U.N. Security Council members on ways to combat the threat, the White...

Ex-Pennsylvania Judge Found Guilty of Insurance Fraud

Nov 21 2008 // A retired Pennsylvania appellate judge was convicted of mail fraud and money laundering after prosecutors said he lied about neck and back injuries in a fender bender to collect $440,000 from two insurance companies.Former...

ICC Study Finds ‘Lowest Global Economic Index in 10 Years’

Nov 20 2008 // A bulletin from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Ifo Institute for Economic Research, has determined that the “world economic climate index has dropped for the fifth consecutive quarter in a row,...

Des Moines-Based Principal Financial Seeks $2 Billion From U.S. Treasury

Nov 20 2008 // Des Moines-based Principal Financial Group has applied to the U.S. Treasury for $2 billion from a capital purchase program. The retirement, insurance and financial services company says it would issue preferred shares and...

Lloyd’s and Rand Issue New Report on ‘Transatlantic Litigation Trends’

Nov 19 2008 // Lloyd’s and RAND have issued a new report on transatlantic litigation trends. The spread of what Lloyd’s Chairman Lord Peter Levene has called the “compensation culture,” is becoming an increasing...

AEGON May Buy U.S. Thrift

Nov 19 2008 // AEGON, the owner of Transamerica Corp., has confirmed that it is currently examining the possibility of acquiring a thrift in the United States. This would potentially allow the company to qualify for the U.S....

Obama Vows Climate Action Despite Financial Crisis

Nov 19 2008 // Barack Obama said Tuesday that the United States would “engage vigorously” in climate change talks when he is president, and he pledged to work to reduce emissions sharply by 2020, despite the financial...