Having trouble reading this email? View it as a webpage. Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe instantly. Secrets of the Top-Selling Producers 8 Session Producer Performance Development Program Registrations are now open. For those producers who are too busy to take the time necessary to develop their sales skills in a classroom setting, Polestar's nationally-acclaimed, career-shaping, results-driven program is now part of the Insurance Journal's Academy of Insurance curriculum. Only 20 lucky producers will be able to reserve a seat as this training is made available for the first-time ever thru the Academy of Insurance's online classroom. Click here to see what the online version of the Polestar Producer Performance Development Program offers. $4,000 worth of training - for less than $1,000 These benefits and more are delivered in eight, 90-minute webinar sessions supplemented by producer-initiated one-on-one coaching Significant and sustainable increases in new business production Improved retention results A steady stream of quality referrals and cross-sell opportunities from existing clients A priority management system that guides producers in getting the right things done Increased agency (and ultimately carrier) profitability Check out everything that's offered now. 8 Online Training Sessions plus one-on-one coaching Starting March 1, 2011 Any Questions? If you need help or would like to submit a question to the instructors before the webcast, send an email to webcasts@insurancejournal.com. Other courses you might like: The Green Risks Series Boot Camp - an educational 4-Part Series about green buildings Starts next week, Wednesday, March 2 How to Develop Program Business Within Your Agency (3-Part Series) Access the recordings and join us live next Thursday Practical Workers' Compensation: What You Need To Know 5-Course Series - now available on-demand for immediate access to full course Unsubscribe | Send to a Friend | Contact Us Insurance Journal 3570 Camino del Rio North, Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92108 (800) 897-9965 Copyright © 2011 by Wells Publishing, Inc.

Daily Headlines: Wednesday, February 23, 2011

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February 23, 2011 News By Region  National  International  East  Midwest  Southeast  South Central  West Video Today's Headlines National Supreme Court Allows Lawsuits Over Seat Belts The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal regulations setting vehicle safety standards do not bar lawsuits seeking damages from automakers ... Vivendi Wins Narrowing of $9 Billion U.S. Investor Lawsuit Vivendi SA won a big court victory when a federal judge slashed potential damages in a $9.3 billion lawsuit accusing the French media ... Main Street America Group Reports Strong 2010 Results, Eyes Expansion Jacksonville, Fla.-based The Main Street America Group reported that its 2010 financial results included 99.2 combined ratio, 9.1 percent ... Insurers Report 24% Rise in Suspicious Claims Since 2008 There has been a 24 percent rise in what insurance companies consider suspicious claims since 2008. In 2008, a total of 74,146 so-called ... NAS to Offer Low Deductibles for Medical Practice EPLI Insureds For medical risks seeking employment practices liability coverage, NAS Insurance Services offers a $2,500 SIR, competitive premiums, and ... AIG Names Werner to Head Investor Relations American International Group Inc.  announced that Elizabeth Werner has been named vice president and head of Investor Relations. She ... Kneser Named Customer Service Rep of the Year The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big "I") and The Institutes is reminding the insurance industry ... Next for IBM's Watson: Insurance Jobs in Jeopardy? IBM wasted no time in parlaying the winning performance of its artificially intelligent Watson on the TV game show "Jeopardy!" into ... Underwriters Address Political Risk Exposures in Wake of Egyptian Crisis The civil and political unrest in Egypt has brought to light how vital political risk coverage is — regardless of the country in which... More National News East Virginia Bill Extends Sex Abuse Statute of Limitations to 20 Years A bill to extend the amount of time victims of sexual abuse have to file lawsuits against their attackers and others who may have covered ... New York Man Arrested for Insuring 18 Unlicensed Family Members A Middletown man who thought he was doing favors for unlicensed family members and friends by registering and insuring their cars was ... Former New York Insurance Regulator Tapped as Special Prosecutor A New York district attorney is seeking a special prosecutor to investigate possible wrongdoing at a now-closed crime lab. Nassau County ... Parsons & Associates, Couch Braunsdorf Form Alliance to Offer Lawyers PL in NY Parsons & Associates, Inc. and Couch Braunsdorf Insurance Group have formed a strategic alliance agreement to market, sell and service ... More East News Midwest Missouri: Consumers not Being Protected with Earthquake Insurance On the 200th anniversary of the great New Madrid earthquake, Missouri's insurance director says most homeowners would not be adequately ... Accident Fund Insurance Names Haake Cos. as Its Agency of the Year Michigan-based workers' compensation insurance company, Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America, has named Haake Companies of Overland ... Ohio Insurance Department Financial Regulation Director to Retire The Ohio Department of Insurance announced the retirement of Bill Rossbach, an integral part of the department's Financial Regulation ... More Midwest News Southeast 57 South Carolina Homeowners Receive Mitigation Grants South Carolina insurance officials this week awarded 57 grants to coastal homeowners for use in installing new roofing systems and taking ... Judges Still Trying to Settle West Virginia Coal Slurry Lawsuit Two judges will try again this week to settle a long-running medical monitoring lawsuit over claims that Massey Energy Co. poisoned ... South Carolina Debates Fine for Texting While Driving People convicted of texting and driving will have to pay a $45 in fines under legislation that is up for debate in a South Carolina Senate ... Homeowners Choice Begins Expansion to Alabama Homeowners Choice, Inc. a Florida-based insurance holding company, has taken initial steps to enter the Alabama homeowners insurance ... More Southeast News South Central Texas Bill Would Increase Insurance for Owning Dangerous Animals Texas Rep. Harvey Hilderbran of Kerrville has filed legislation aimed at elevating public safety and protecting animal health by ... Oklahoma Lawmakers Aim to Increase Consequences for Uninsured Motorists To increase the incentive for all Oklahoma drivers to carry mandatory liability auto insurance, a House of Representatives committee voted ... Texas Windstorm Insurance Litigation Costs Too High, Lawmaker Says The amount the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) has paid out in litigation costs as a result of lawsuits stemming from ... More South Central News West Calif., Colorado Consider Banning 'Crash Taxes' Legislators in both California and Colorado have proposed new laws that would prohibit communities from charging a fee when police and fire ... Crouse & Associates Adds Cardoso as Senior Broker Crouse and Associates Insurance Services has added Frank Cardoso to its Production Team as a senior property and casualty broker in the ... Signature Select Adds Tolliver in Commercial Lines Practice Denver-based Signature Select LLC, a retail insurance broker subsidiary of The IMA Financial Group Inc., today announced that it has ... More West News International Insurers May Face $3.5-$8 Billion New Zealand Quake Hit The insurance industry faces damage claims of between $3.5 billion and $8 billion from Tuesday's devastating earthquake around ... Zurich in $1.67 Billion Deal with Santander for Latin American Distribution Zurich Financial Services Group announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Banco Santander SA to enter into a ... Aon Benfield Pushes for ‘Simplified Internal Model’ for Solvency II Approval Aon Benfield, the global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor of Aon Corporation, is calling for a "simplified Internal Model ... More International News Sponsored Content The e-Marketing Minute is a bi-weekly video series designed to help insurance agents learn how to grow their agency utilizing the Internet. Check it out. More Sponsored Content Join the Insurance Journal Network Insurance Journal TV Will Deficit Debate Affect Flood Insurance? Taxes? Following the November elections, Congress and the White House, as well as states, have... Watch Now How November Elections Changed Insurance Power in Washington The November elections brought change to Washington as Republicans took control of the House... Watch Now Watch more videos at InsuranceJournal.tv New Discussions in the Forums Peo And Employee Leasing Companies? Posted: Wed Feb 23 -- PEO or employee leasing (sometimes referred to as staff leasing...really depends on the States you are talking about), is a great solution... HROplus Agency Management System Posted: Wed Feb 23 -- "Anyone with experience with QQevolution? We are considering that one and hawksoft. Any thoughts?" I switched fro... volstrike3 PA Dog Liability to meet State Requirements Posted: Tue Feb 22 -- So you're saying the mandatory auto liability insurance or WC are illegal? "So the bite was with reasonable... wariline Less than two weeks left! Posted: Tue Feb 22 -- BJ: I care. It sounds like you have done a lot of preparation. Spend these last two weeks focusing on the Educational Objectves in the... Blondie2 Farmers - your opinion Posted: Tue Feb 22 -- I kind of confused this with the one started in Jan, 09 by an Illinois Agent. Seems to be saying the same thing, just under a different... FFA I'm Considering Opening an Independent Insurance Agency Posted: Tue Feb 22 -- You know, Lonestar, it could be a lot of things...and company loyalty might be one component. I was merely narrating my experience of going... d's insurance store Go to Forums Subscriber Tools Send this to a friend Subscribe Unsubscribe Submit News Contact Us Current Issue 100th Anniversary of Workers' Comp. - Special Section, Boats & Marinas, Agribusiness / Farm & Ranch More Newsletters Choose Newsletters Daily Headlines Weekly Reader Picks Magazine Update Insurance Journal TV Classifieds Breaking News MyNewMarkets Daily Claims Daily Enter Your E-mail Market Directories Excess & Surplus Markets Programs Workers' Comp Markets New Insurance Jobs Associate Broker Director of Regulatory Compliance Sales Representatives - Homeowners Insurance Have a job opening? List it on our Web site. How to Advertise For information about advertising on this newsletter and Insurance Journal magazines, contact Julie Tinney at (800) 897-9965 x148. View our Media Kit for advertising options in our magazines and online properties. Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Send to a Friend | Contact Us Insurance Journal 3570 Camino del Rio North, Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92108 (800) 897-9965 Copyright © 2011 by Wells Publishing, Inc.

Daily Headlines: Tuesday, February 22, 2011

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February 22, 2011 News By Region  National  International  East  Midwest  Southeast  South Central  West Video Today's Headlines National Allstate Sues Citi, Deutsche Bank Over Mortgage Securities Allstate Corp. sued Citigroup Inc. and Deutsche Bank AG, accusing the banks of causing losses by hiding the risks on more than $385 million ... Litigation, Investigation Fears Driving Up D&O Insurance Limits Directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance is gaining traction as more companies are increasing their D&O liability limits ... BP Oil Spill Claims Fund Alters Some Payment Rules The administrator of BP's $20 billion Gulf oil spill fund announced new rules on how final payments will be determined in the highly ... Supreme Court Rules Federal Law Shields Vaccine Makers from Suits The Supreme Court ruled that federal law shields vaccine makers from product liability lawsuits in state court seeking damages for a ... Senate to Vote on Patent Damages Reform After Break The U.S. Senate aims to begin consideration next month of a bipartisan bill to revamp the U.S. patent system and reduce the likelihood of ... Medical Protective to Offer No Cost Cyber Liability Coverage Medical Protective, the national leader in primary medical professional liability coverage and risk solutions, is now offering MedPro ... Burns & Wilcox Names Cunningham Director of Leisure, Recreation Unit Wholesale broker Burns & Wilcox has named Grace Cunningham as director of its Leisure and Recreation Center of Excellence. Cunningham ... Rockhill Appoints Orza to Lead Management, Professional Liability Unit Rockhill Insurance Company, a member of Columbus, Ohio-based State Auto Group, has appointed A.Q. "Skip" Orza II to leads its ... Underwriters Address Political Risk Exposures in Wake of Egyptian Crisis The civil and political unrest in Egypt has brought to light how vital political risk coverage is — regardless of the country in which... More National News East Pittsburgh Agency Shut for Alleged Premium Fraud The Pennsylvania Insurance Department has shut down Pittsburgh-based Morry Hoffman Agency Inc. for allegedly misappropriating $1 million in ... Injured Connecticut Cheerleader Sues Coach, League The family of a Wilton, Conn. girl who suffered permanent injuries during cheerleading practice has filed a negligence suit against her ... Pittsburgh Pirates Fan Sues Atlanta Braves A Pittsburgh Pirates baseball fan says in a lawsuit that Atlanta Braves' security officers and ushers ignored complaints about a group of ... Vermont Charges Contractor with Workers’ Compensation Violation Williston, Vermont-based home improvement contractor Donald Bevins with three counts of failing to maintain workers' compensation ... New Jersey Added 27 Insurers in 2010 New Jersey saw an increase in the number of new insurance companies doing business in the state, and in carriers writing new lines, in ... More East News Producer Performance Development Program (8 group sessions, plus one-on-one coaching) Finally, one of the insurance industry's premier classroom Producer Sales Training programs is available online. Nearly $4,000 worth of training is delivered at the convenience of the Internet. To allow for an improved learning experience this class is strictly limited to 20 students. Sign Up Today Midwest Appeals Court: Tribe Can Sue Insurer in N.D. Reservation Fire Case An appeals court has reversed a ruling that would have allowed family members of two people killed in a 2002 house fire on the Turtle ... MMIC, Beazley Partner to Offer Data Privacy Insurance MMIC Insurance, Inc. has launched data privacy insurance coverage for the healthcare community and has partnered with Beazley Group, Ltd. ... Illinois Work Comp Commission Shuts Down Uninsured Auto Clinic On Feb. 18, 2010, the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (IWCC) shut down an uninsured employer: ZRJ Auto Repair at 2545 W ... More Midwest News The Green Risks Series Boot Camp Join us for an educational webinar series about green buildings - created by insurance professionals for insurance professionals. As green buildings become mainstream, the challenge is on the insurance industry to be prepared for these genuinely unique risks. Save 25% with code GREEN Register Today Southeast Alabama Governor Vows Special Session on Coastal Insurance Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has renewed a campaign pledge to call a special session of the state legislature to find a solution for coastal ... Georgia Insurance Chief Issued Himself Licenses Before Leaving Office Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine issued himself several licenses to sell insurance and adjust claims in his last full day in ... North Carolina Plans Public Hearing on Dwelling Rate Hikes North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has called for a June 21 public hearing on a proposed 20.9 percent rate increase in ... Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Panel Criticized Over Outside Adviser An audit has found the Kentucky Workers' Compensation Funding Commission paid about $510,000 to a private financial adviser when the law ... More Southeast News South Central Louisiana AG: Repairs on Homes with Chinese Drywall Set to Begin About 109 Louisiana homeowners impacted by defective drywall will soon see relief as plans are finalized to start the first home repairs, ... Garcia, Ross Reappointed to Texas Auto Burglary, Theft Prevention Authority Texas Gov. Rick Perry has reappointed Carlos Garcia of Brownsville and Kenneth Ross of Houston to the state Automobile Burglary and Theft ... Oklahoma Governor Says She Won’t Replace Workers' Comp System Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin says recommendations from a panel she appointed to overhaul the workers' compensation system won't include a ... More South Central News West Montana Proposes Stricter Penalties for Uninsured Motorists Montana regulators have proposed increasing fines for motorists who are repeatedly caught not carrying automobile liability insurance. The ... PPIB Adds Martone to Underwriting Staff Professional Program Insurance Brokerage in Novato Calif., has added Lisa Martone to its underwriting staff. Martone will be a senior ... More West News International New Zealand Quake Kills at Least 65; Race to Reach Trapped Victims New Zealand rescue teams worked under search lights early Wednesday to find scores of people trapped under collapsed buildings after an ... UK Government Announces Financial Regulatory Changes; ABI, Lloyd’s Comment The UK's Conservative government recently announced the long awaited regulatory reform proposals for financial services, covering both ... Iran Oil Tanker Operator Says Ship Insurers Decline to Renew Coverage Iran's biggest crude oil tanker operator, NITC, said on Friday that its club of ship insurers had declined to renew policy cover for the ... Aon Report Concludes P&I Clubs See Improvements on All Fronts A report from Aon Risk Solutions, the global risk management business of Aon, concludes that Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Clubs are ... Argo Group Q4 Net Income Drops to $12.8 Million, FY to $82.6 Million The Bermuda-based Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. posted lower net income figures for the fourth quarter of 2010 and for the full ... AIG Taiwan Unit Sale Faces Union Hurdles Bailed-out insurer AIG is facing fresh hurdles in its second attempt to sell its Nan Shan unit in Taiwan, with an unhappy union weighing in ... Fairfax Financial Posts Q4 Loss on Investments Toronto-based Fairfax Financial Holdings said Thursday it fell to a fourth-quarter loss as its stock and bond portfolios were hurt by ... Willis UK Broker Networks Add Six New Members Willis Group Holdings announced that six new members have joined Willis Networks, its alliance with local, independent insurance brokers in ... Mitsui Sumitomo at Lloyd's Expands Team; Hires Five Execs Mitsui Sumitomo at Lloyd's has made five appointments to its corporate, mid-market and regional distribution teams as the UK non-life ... More International News Join the Insurance Journal Network Insurance Journal TV Will Deficit Debate Affect Flood Insurance? Taxes? Following the November elections, Congress and the White House, as well as states, have... Watch Now How November Elections Changed Insurance Power in Washington The November elections brought change to Washington as Republicans took control of the House... Watch Now Watch more videos at InsuranceJournal.tv New Discussions in the Forums Agency Management System Posted: Tue Feb 22 -- Unless you like corrupted policies, lack of response when support is needed, fixes rolled out every other week to correct whatever the last... CSRQueen Less than two weeks left! Posted: Tue Feb 22 -- Okay, so I am now less than two weeks away from taking my first CPCU class (CPCU 500). I've read the book twice from cover to cover and have... bjwestner Buying a Book of Business Posted: Tue Feb 22 -- Buying an agency can take some time, most especially with the demand for Insurance Agencies. One option is to purchase a book of business,... AgencyEquity I'm Considering Opening an Independent Insurance Agency Posted: Tue Feb 22 -- Sacman & D's Ins, I would venture to guess that customers of certain insurance companies are more loyal to, let's say, State Farm, than... lonestar National Agents Alliance? Legit or Keep Away? Posted: Mon Feb 21 -- Danlman- A true professional WILL inform the customer and pass on business when he/she cannot help instead of force feeding a sale. I have... sacman Farmers - your opinion Posted: Sun Feb 20 -- Sundance, Look, I'm a former FIG agent too. I'm not going to bash them because their business model works (for them). As long as your... RKunz2 PA Dog Liability to meet State Requirements Posted: Fri Feb 18 -- So the bite was with reasonable cause and provocation. Another case where the government is forcing someone to buy insurance. It just does... mica.cooper Go to Forums Subscriber Tools Send this to a friend Subscribe Unsubscribe Submit News Contact Us Current Issue Main Street America - Insuring America's Small Businesses & Their Owners, Errors & Omissions, Nonprofits, Social Services & Public Entities More Newsletters Choose Newsletters Daily Headlines Weekly Reader Picks Magazine Update Insurance Journal TV Classifieds Breaking News MyNewMarkets Daily Claims Daily Enter Your E-mail Market Directories Excess & Surplus Markets Programs Workers' Comp Markets New Insurance Jobs Director of Regulatory Compliance Sales Representatives - Homeowners Insurance Director - Protection Finance Have a job opening? List it on our Web site. How to Advertise For information about advertising on this newsletter and Insurance Journal magazines, contact Julie Tinney at (800) 897-9965 x148. View our Media Kit for advertising options in our magazines and online properties. Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Send to a Friend | Contact Us Insurance Journal 3570 Camino del Rio North, Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92108 (800) 897-9965 Copyright © 2011 by Wells Publishing, Inc.

Tomorrow: Improve the Results of Your Underwriting Submissions

Having trouble reading this email? View it as a webpage. Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe instantly. Preparing an Executive and Miscellaneous Liability Underwriting Submission Live webinar tomorrow, Wednesday, February 23. How well do you know your client's exposures? For P&C underwriters, this is the main question. This session will prepare you for a winning strategy to meeting your clients' needs while helping your markets with the right information. The result, a quicker underwriting process ending with great coverage at the best available price. Register today! Use promo code SUBMIT to save $25. We would recommend you invite your underwriter to attend this class with you (at no additional charge). Afterwards, you can discuss the information discussed and develop a plan for future submissions. Everything will be recorded so you won't miss any of the content. Join us live tomorrow. Watch again at your convenience. When you register, you get: Access to the live class on Wednesday, February 23 Question & Answer session with the instructor Recording of the webcast, so you can watch again Audio download of the webcast Presentation slides download Free invite for your underwriter Date: February 23, 2011 Time: 1:30PM EST / 10:30AM PST Duration: 1 hour Register today! Use promo code SUBMIT to save $25. Meet the Instructor: John Anderson, Management Consultant with IBM John Anderson is an accomplished senior insurance executive with extensive experience in operational management, technology integration, and management liability underwriting. During his career his accomplishments have led to leadership positions at the Chubb Group and Zurich North America. Other courses you might like: How to Develop Program Business Within Your Agency (3-Part Series) Access the recordings and join us live on Thursday Green Risk for Buildings and Materials (4 Part Series) Starts next week, Wednesday, March 2 Producer Performance Development Program (8 Sessions, plus one-on-one producer coaching) This personalized coaching program offers $4,000 value. Strictly limited to 20 students. Any Questions? If you need help or would like to submit a question to the instructors before the webcast, send an email to webcasts@insurancejournal.com. Unsubscribe | Send to a Friend | Contact Us Insurance Journal 3570 Camino del Rio North, Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92108 (800) 897-9965 Copyright © 2011 by Wells Publishing, Inc.

Insurance Journal TV: Gridlock in a Divided Congress Maybe Not

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February 22, 2011 Feature Video Gridlock in a Divided Congress? Maybe Not. The nation now has a divided Congress: Republicans control the House, Democrats control the Senate. For many, this is a recipe for gridlock. But Leigh Ann Pusey, president and CEO... Watch Now Popular Videos With Admitted Carriers in the E&S World, Innovation Carries the Day Industry Can Count on Slow Economic Recovery in 2011 More Insurance Videos Watch InsuranceJournal.tv Subscribe to our iTunes Channel Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Send to a Friend | Contact Us Insurance Journal 3570 Camino del Rio North, Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92108 (800) 897-9965 Copyright © 2011 by Wells Publishing, Inc.