Latest Washington Headlines

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

Atlantis Effect? Rising Sea Level Worries Wash. Shoreline Areas

Sep 5 2007 // Washington’s low-lying capital city is a bit nervous in planning a new $38 million City Hall near the shoreline of Puget Sound, fearing that global warming and rising waters could submerge much of the downtown in...

Business Moves

Sep 3 2007 // Hawaii, DTRIC Insurance UnderwritersHawai’i State Insurance Commissioner J.P. Schmidt announced the launch of DTRIC Insurance Underwriters Ltd. (DIU), an “A-” rated company and subsidiary of local...

Washington L&I Makes Appointments to Advisory Committees

Aug 29 2007 // Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) announced appointments to medical and chiropractic advisory committees that will assist the department in providing high-quality, safe and cost-effective...

Liberty Mutual Realigns Agency Companies to Welcome Ohio Casualty

Aug 27 2007 // Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group finalized its acquisition of Ohio Casualty Corp. on Friday, Aug. 24, 2007 and immediately announced a realignment of its $5.9 billion net premium regional agency company organization to...

Former Wash. Mayor Charged in Fraud Scheme with Slain Trooper

Aug 27 2007 // Detectives investigating the killing of a former state patrol sergeant last year say they learned that he was involved in an insurance scam with another trooper.That second trooper, Douglas Merino, 51 — who is also...

Wash. Fines Progressive for Charging Incorrect Premiums

Aug 17 2007 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has fined an Ohio auto insurer a total of more than $150,000 after it unlawfully calculated and charged incorrect premiums to more than 62,700 Washington policyholders.During...

Wash. Court: Old Bankruptcy Nixes Worker’s Asbestos Claim

Aug 13 2007 // Todd Shipyards Corp. can’t be sued for a deceased worker’s asbestos exposure because the man missed a filing deadline in a 20-year-old bankruptcy proceeding, the Washington Supreme Court said.In a unanimous...

Wash. Medical Malpractice Rules Outline Reporting Requirements

Aug 7 2007 // Regulations designed to provide guidance to insurers, providers, attorneys and claimants on complying with Washington’s new Health Care Liability Reform Law have been implemented, according to the Office of the...

Insurance referendum appears headed for Washington ballot

Aug 6 2007 // In its latest attempt to block a Washington regulation that insurers say would drive up insurance rates, insurance industry associations have launched a public campaign to take their issue to the ballot box.A campaign...

Business Moves

Aug 6 2007 // SafecoSeattle-based Safeco has expanded its sales organization from five to nine regions, and has named executives to lead two of the territories. “Independent insurance agents have consistently told us they want...

People

Aug 6 2007 // The Main Street America Group named Gregg Effner assistant vice president of distribution management.Effner, who has 30 years of property/casualty industry experience, will be based at the company’s corporate...

Insurance Referendum Appears Headed for Wash. Ballot

Jul 24 2007 // In its latest attempt to block a Washington regulation that insurers say would drive up insurance rates, the insurance industry association has launched a public campaign to take their issue to the ballot box.A campaign...

Thousands of Washington homes threatened by faulty fire sprinklers

Jul 23 2007 // Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna and the Office of the State Fire Marshal are warning Washington apartment homes and hotels that their fire sprinkler systems may be defective.The Washington State Fire...

Washington Firefighters Gain Ground on Blazes but Await Lightning Storm

Jul 16 2007 // Firefighters tried to contain several dozen lightning-caused fires in Washington state on Saturday, as more thunderstorms swept through the region.Close to 2,700 lightning strikes were reported in Washington and Oregon on...

Washington Casualty Reinstated in Idaho

Jul 13 2007 // The Idaho Department of Insurance has reinstated the license of Washington Casualty Co., a subsidiary of FinCor Holdings Inc., allowing it to underwrite insurance in the state. The reinstated license validates WCC’s...

Thousands of Washington Homes Threatened by Faulty Fire Sprinklers

Jul 11 2007 // Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna and the Office of the State Fire Marshal are warning Washington apartment homes and hotels that their fire sprinkler systems may be defective.The Washington State Fire...

Miami, Okla., Residents Fear They May not be Able to Return Home

Jul 11 2007 // Sharon Glass fought back tears after hearing she may not be able to return to her flood-damaged home.“I just wonder how a judgment call could be made before FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) officials have...

Poll: Washington Driver Speed Connected to Household Income

Jul 2 2007 // Washington drivers who earn a household income of more than $75,000 are more likely than their counterparts to speed and talk on a cell phone, according to data from a poll conducted by PEMCO Insurance Northwest.“The...

Washington takes workers’ comp rate holiday

Jul 2 2007 // Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries announced that beginning July 1, employers can take a workers’ compensation premium partial rate holiday.The rate holiday means that most Washington employers...

News Currents

Jul 2 2007 // Washington takes workers’ comp rate holidayWashington’s Department of Labor and Industries announced that beginning July 1, employers can take a workers’ compensation premium partial rate holiday. The...