Northeast

• Travelers Awards $175,000 Educational Grant to NAF

  By Staff Writer  |  May 23, 2013

  As part of a two-year grant to support NAF's educational mission to prepare students for college and careers, Travelers donates $175,000.

• Agents Must Develop Sales Teams to Grow, but Who to Hire?

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 23, 2013

  To grow and improve revenue, producers cannot depend on renewals and price changes in the insurance marketplace, but rather must proactively recruit the best sales force and pursue business, the president of agency-consulting firm Marsh, Berry & Co. Inc. says.

• Who's Using What: The Latest News in Insurance Software Implementations

  By Robert Regis Hyle, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 23, 2013

  CUNA Mutual Group, through its TruStage Insurance Agency, has revamped its customer contact strategy through the use of SAS Enterprise Guide to provide relevant, timely offers to credit union members.

• Under Pressure, Landrieu Again Seeks to Block NFIP Rate Increases

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 22, 2013

  Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., late Tuesday introduced legislation that would roll back a number of National Flood Insurance Program reforms passed last year.

• Offshore Insurer Tax Debate Revived with Introduction of House, Senate Bills

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 22, 2013

  The fault lines between domestic and offshore insurers again opened due to bills in the House and Senate of legislation that would reduce the tax benefits foreign insurers receive by ceding U.S. property and casualty premiums to their foreign affiliates.

• Treasury Refuses to Give Timetable on Systemically Important Non-Bank Designations

  By Elizabeth Festa, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 21, 2013

  The Financial Stability Oversight Council expects to vote on proposed designations of an initial set of nonbank financial companies in the near term, according to Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew in prepared testimony today before the Senate Banking Committee.

• New Hampshire Gov Re-Appoints Sevigny as Insurance Commissioner

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 21, 2013

  Roger Sevigny, New Hampshire insurance commissioner since 2003 has been re-appointed for the position by Governor Maggie Hassan.

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  For Core Solutions, Some Insurers Opt for the Suite Life

  By Robert Regis Hyle, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 21, 2013

  The decision isn’t just which new software solution to buy, but whether your strategy should be to purchase a best-of-breed solution or the increasingly popular software suite.

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  Battle over NFIP Rate Hikes Causes Ripples in Louisiana Senate Race

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 20, 2013

  The battle over rate hikes imposed on flood insurance program policyholders in Louisiana is intensifying, with the big prize being the Senate seat now held by Mary Landrieu, D-La.

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  Bryan Insurance Agency: Best Agency Website Finalist

  By Melissa Hillebrand, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 20, 2013

  New Windsor, N.Y., agency draws visitors and leads with SEO management, mobile site and blogs

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  Targeting the Other 1 Percent: Hiring Veterans

  By Laura Mazzuca Toops, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 17, 2013

  Inculcated with team thinking and strong work ethic, veterans seem like a natural fit for the insurance industry. Unfortunately, the industry doesn't agree.

• Wells Fargo, QBE Agree on $19.3M Force-Placed Settlement

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 17, 2013

  Wells Fargo and QBE have agreed to settle a lawsuit dealing with force-placed insurance policies in Florida involving 24,000 borrowers.

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  U.S. Questionable Claims Referrals Up, Again

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 17, 2013

  U.S. questionable claims increased 16 percent in 2012, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

• NAMIC Opposes Mandatory Coverage for Gun Owners in D.C.

  By Anya Khalamayzer, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 17, 2013

  Under the proposal, the state’s current 2,000 registered gun owners and all future buyers would have to take out a $250,000 policy covering damage from any gun use, even willful and illegal acts.

• National Flood Services to Acquire CSC’s Flood Insurance BPO Unit

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 16, 2013

  CSC, which handles NFIP-Direct for the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been acquired by the company which does most of the back-office work for 50 Write-Your-Own companies.

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  AccuWeather Predicts Three Land-Falling Hurricanes for 2013 Season

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 15, 2013

  As the June 1 Atlantic Hurricane season approaches, AccuWeather.com echoes earlier predictions by saying Atlantic basin residents can expect an active hurricane season.