It Figures

10%

The increase in Atlanta’s homeowners insurance rates that is possible unless the city hires more firefighters and improves fire training. Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine said a report by Insurance Services Office (ISO) that found Atlanta’s public protection classification rating dropped from 2 to 4 on a scale of 10, with 1 being the best rating. He said Atlanta has nine months to make changes that will allow the city to keep its current rating or drop to a 3. Insurers use the rating in setting premiums.

23

The number of accidents that involved 19 employees of West Virginia’s Alcohol Beverage Control Administration over the past five years, prompting officials to enforce a long-ignored regulation requiring reviews of accidents involving state vehicles and disciplinary action.

$1 Billion

The amount that the U.S. government has paid out in claims to 9,134 Tennesseans made ill from working in the nuclear weapons facilities at Oak Ridge during the Cold War. They worked at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, the former K-25 uranium enrichment plant or the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Since the program began in 2001, about one in five payouts have gone to Tennesseans. Another $500 million has been paid to nearly 4,800 workers in Kentucky.

15%

The increase reported in Florida property/catastrophe reinsurance rates at the June 1, 2009, renewal, compared to a decline of 15 percent a year ago, according to reinsurance specialist Guy Carpenter & Co. Guy Carpenter said this increase was largely consistent with the overall rate trend of 10 to 14 percent increases for U.S. national reinsurers.

$2 Million

The total on a check delivered by Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney to the state’s general fund. The money represents fees collected by the Mississippi Surplus Lines Association, which collects surplus lines fees and premium taxes.

5

The number of Atlantic hurricanes expected this season by forecasters at Colorado State University. That’s down from their original prediction of six. The forecast indicates that the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season will be slightly less active than the average 1950-2000 season.