E&S/Specialty

During the past two years, the number of lawsuits against recreation and entertainment business venues has steadily risen. In today's struggling economy, even the smallest incident can result in a lawsuit.

MarketScout, the electronic insurance exchange, said its composite rate for U.S. property and casualty insurance coverage was down 4 percent in March.

The California Insurance Department rejects an argument by insurance groups that its rules concerning investments with Iran-linked companies are illegal, a spokesman for the agency said.

The Navigators Group Inc. founder, Terence N. Deeks, will retire as executive chairman on May 26, the company said.

Utica Mutual Insurance Company has announced it has an agreement to acquire Nationwide Holdings Inc., the holding company for Founders Insurance Company of Des Plaines, Ill.

The impact of the new federal health care law on workers' compensation insurance will be a mixed bag, with some positives for the industry, a managed care expert predicts.

Seeking to redefine the relationship between the wholesale and retail producer, Dallas-based electronic insurance exchange MarketScout announced that Glenn Hargrove has joined MarketScout to launch MSW, or MarketScout Wholesale.

Argo Group US, a subsidiary of Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd., appointed former ACE Westchester executive Louis Levinson to head up the Argo Group's E&S segment.