Latest Washington Headlines

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

Three Passengers Sue Alaska Airlines After Off-Duty Pilot Accused of Trying to Cut Engines

Nov 6 2023 // Three passengers sued Alaska Airlines, saying they suffered emotional distress from an incident last month in which an off-duty pilot is accused of trying to shut down the engines of a plane while catching a ride in the...

US Cities Consider Banning Right Turn On Red Amid Rising Pedestrian Deaths

Nov 6 2023 // CHICAGO (AP) __ Sophee Langerman was on her way to a bicycle safety rally in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood in June when a car turning right rolled through a red light and slammed into her bike, which she was...

Sovereign Nations Insurance to Stop Selling Unauthorized Products in Washington

Nov 3 2023 // Sovereign Nations Insurance, LLC signed a settlement agreement with Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler to cease its operations in the state. Kreidler ordered Sovereign Nations to stop selling unauthorized...

Washington Commissioner Fines UnitedHealthcare $500K

Oct 20 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler imposed a $500,000 fine against UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company for reportedly failing to demonstrate how it administers its mental health and substance use disorder...

Brown & Brown Acquires Assets of Pacific Underwriters in Washington

Oct 17 2023 // A subsidiary of Brown & Brown Inc. has acquired substantially all of the assets of Pacific Underwriters. Following the acquisition, the Pacific Underwriters team will continue doing business from their existing...

Former Washington NFL Player Denied Workers’ Compensation for Hip

Oct 17 2023 // Stuart Anderson, who played linebacker for the National Football League’s Washington Redskins (now known as the Washington Commanders) in the mid-1980s, has lost his bid to collect workers’ compensation medical...

Captain Likely Asleep Before Ferry Crash in Washington Last Year, Officials Conclude

Oct 17 2023 // Fatigue and complacency led to a passenger and car ferry crashing into a terminal in Seattle last year, causing $10.3 million in damage to the ferry, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s final...

Warrant Issued for Former Washington Lawyer Accused of Stealing Insurance Settlement

Oct 16 2023 // A Bothell, Washington man was added to Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Insurance Fraud Most Wanted list.Clinton Jonathan “Sonny” Behrends failed to appear at his arraignment after being charged by...

Failure of Component Caused Washington Seaplane Crash That Killed 10, NTSB Says

Oct 11 2023 // U.S. investigators have confirmed that a mechanical issue caused the seaplane crash that killed 10 people off an island in Washington state last year.The National Transportation Safety Board, which investigated the Sept....

Washington Insurance Commissioner Issued $262K in Fines for Violations

Oct 4 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued fines in July and August totaling $262,250 against insurance companies and insurance producers for violating state insurance laws and regulations.Following is a...

Lawsuits Blame Utility for Washington Fire That Killed Man and Burned Hundreds of Homes

Oct 3 2023 // Two lawsuits have been filed against an electric utility for allegedly sparking a fire in eastern Washington that killed a man and burned approximately 240 homes.A lawsuit filed in Spokane County Superior Court says Inland...

Washington Asks Insurers to Expedite Approval Process for Debris Removal After Wildfires

Oct 2 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler sent a letter asking insurance companies and adjusters working with communities impacted by the Gray and Oregon Road fires to expedite the approval process for debris...

Rhode Island Bank to Pay $9M to Resolve Discriminatory Lending Allegations It Denies

Sep 29 2023 // A community bank in Rhode Island agreed to pay $9 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in lending discrimination by redlining majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods, a U.S. attorney announced Wednesday.A...

Warrant Issued for Former Washington Lawyer Accused of Stealing Insurance Settlement

Sep 25 2023 // A Bothell, Washington man was added to Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Insurance Fraud Most Wanted list.Clinton Jonathan “Sonny” Behrends failed to appear at his arraignment after being charged by...

Washington Proposes 4.9% Increase in Workers’ Comp Rates for 2024

Sep 20 2023 // The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is proposing a 4.9% increase in the average hourly rate employers and workers will pay for workers’ compensation insurance next year.If adopted, the increase...

Washington Roofer Who Faked Injury Pleads Guilty to Workers’ Comp Fraud

Sep 1 2023 // A Pierce County, Washington man who removed and installed roofs while claiming he was too injured to work has pleaded guilty to stealing workers’ compensation benefits.Patrick Dean Farthing, 64, pleaded guilty...

Man Kills Three in Racially Motivated Shooting at Jacksonville Store

Aug 28 2023 // A masked white man carrying at least one weapon bearing a swastika fatally shot three Black people inside a Florida store Saturday in an attack with a clear motive of racial hatred, officials said.The shooting in a Dollar...

Washington Commissioner’s Orders Insurers to Extend Policyholders Protections for Wildfires

Aug 25 2023 // Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued an emergency order requiring all property/casualty insurers to provide additional protections for policyholders impacted by the Gray and Oregon Road fires.The...

One Dead, 185 Structures Destroyed in Eastern Washington Wildfire

Aug 21 2023 // A wind-driven wildfire in eastern Washington state had destroyed at least 185 structures, closed a major highway and left one person dead over the weekend.The blaze began shortly after midday Friday on the west side of...

Washington Dollar Tree Store Fined for Worker Safety Violations

Aug 21 2023 // Dollar Tree in Washington faces $132,000 in fines for reported work safety violations including locked emergency exit routes, improper stacking of boxes, and scattered debris.The fine is in connection with violations at...