AIG Settles Another Cosby Lawsuit

Bill Cosby’s spokesman says an insurance company has settled another defamation suit filed by an accuser, this one by model Janice Dickinson.
July 25, 2019 Liability Litigation California

Earthquake Insurance Rates Head Sky-High In Parts Of California

As Californians rocked by the recent quakes seek coverage, they’re finding sky-high premiums. Across California, consumers have been watching earthquake insurance rates increasing. The reason is that the latest premiums calculations include forecasts of how large future quakes will be and where the worst ones will strike.
July 17, 2019 Property California

California’s Wildfires Are 500 Percent Larger Due To Climate Change

On a hot July evening last year, a rancher tried to use a hammer and stake to plug a wasp’s nest. The hammer slipped, a spark flew, and a patch of dry grass ignited, according to the Los Angeles Times. Within minutes, the brush fire fed on bone-dry conditions and became too big to control.
July 16, 2019 Catastrophe California

Roof Collapses At Lucky Lady Casino In Gardena, California

Firefighters rushed to Larry Flynt’s Lucky Lady Casino in Gardena Monday morning after its roof partially collapsed, injuring nearly a dozen people.
July 16, 2019 Liability Property California

Gas Explosion Levels California Home, One Fatality And 15 Injured

A utility worker was killed and 15 other people were injured on Monday when a ruptured gas line triggered an explosion that leveled a house and shattered windows in nearby homes in the Southern California town of Murrieta, authorities said.
July 16, 2019 Excess & Surplus Lines Liability Property Subrogation Workers' Compensation California

California Senate Passes Controversial Wildfire Liability Bill With Bipartisan Vote

California senators approved a proposal Monday aimed at stabilizing the state’s electric utilities and putting a renewed focus on safety in the face of devastating wildfires caused by utility equipment, with supporters calling it a plan that holds utilities accountable and protects ratepayers.
July 10, 2019 Excess & Surplus Lines Legislation & Regulation Liability California

California Earthquake Assessments Ongoing; State Of Emergency Declared

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in two counties hit by the earthquakes that struck the state Thursday and Friday and has asked the federal government to step in, while initial reports of damages and losses are still being conducted.
July 9, 2019 Property California

California’s Top Insurance Regulator Accepted Political Contributions From Industry Executives

Soon after becoming California’s eighth insurance commissioner, Ricardo Lara organized a reelection committee that began accepting tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions from people with ties to companies he regulates, campaign disclosures show.
July 8, 2019 Legislation & Regulation Weird California

Thousands Of Aftershocks, And Most California Residents Without Earthquake Insurance

The Mojave Desert shuddered and rumbled for a fourth day Sunday, but experts tried to ease fears that another massive aftershock or quake would soon slam the battered communities in south-central California.
July 8, 2019 Property California

Big Quake Rumbles Across Southern California, Some Damage Northeast Of Los Angeles

A powerful earthquake jolted Southern California on Thursday, touching off fires and damaging buildings in a desert town northeast of Los Angeles, but authorities said there were only minor injuries.
July 5, 2019 Property California

California Wildfires: A Call For Best Practices From Insurers, Legislators

California’s insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara recently announced two new actions intended to help survivors of the state’s recent spate of catastrophic wildfires who are facing unavoidable delays in rebuilding.
July 1, 2019 Catastrophe Legislation & Regulation Property Risk Management California

US Cargo Theft Cases Rise In First Quarter Of 2019

During the first quarter of this year, cargo thefts in the United States rose 25% to 144 reported incidents, with the average loss for each occurrence rising 1% to $116,717, according to a report from the SensiGuard Supply Chain Intelligence Center.
June 28, 2019 Excess & Surplus Lines Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California

Proposed Class Action Affects Millions Of Hyundai And Kia Vehicles

A Hyundai and Kia fire lawsuit alleges recalls ordered to repair Theta II engine problems didn’t do enough to protect millions of customers from the risk of finding their vehicles in flames.
June 26, 2019 Auto Litigation Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California

Tom Petty And Tupac Estates, Soundgarden Part Of $100M Lawsuit Against Universal Music Group Over Destroyed Recordings

A leading record company is under fire after a 2008 blaze destroyed music by big-name stars. Universal Music Group was hit with a $100 million lawsuit by grunge group Soundgarden, the estates of rapper Tupac Shakur and rocker Tom Petty, and others over the fire at Universal Studios Hollywood more than a decade ago.
June 26, 2019 Excess & Surplus Lines Liability Litigation California

A Withering Assault: Analyzing The Impact Of The $2B Verdict Against Monsanto’s Roundup

In September 2018, we assessed the impact of the headline-grabbing $289 million verdict delivered by a San Francisco jury in DeWayne Johnson v. Monsanto Company. Johnson, a former school groundskeeper, alleged that his occupational use of the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup caused him to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
June 19, 2019 Liability Litigation California
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