White House

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  2-Mile Wide Tornado Strikes Outside Oklahoma City; Death Toll Estimate Lowered

  By Carey Gillam, Reuters, Ian Simpson, Reuters  |  May 21, 2013

  Emergency workers searched for survivors in the rubble of homes, schools and a hospital in an Oklahoma town hit by a powerful tornado, but officials on Tuesday sharply lowered the number of deaths caused by the storm.

• Some Healthcare Costs May Rise When 'Obamacare' Implemented: Official

  By Jeff Mason, Reuters, David Morgan, Reuters  |  March 29, 2013

  President Barack Obama's top healthcare adviser acknowledged on Tuesday that costs could rise in the individual health insurance market, particularly for men and younger people, because of the landmark 2010 healthcare restructuring due to take effect next year.

• As NFIP Faces Deepening Debt, Some Call for More Subsidies and Lower Rates

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  March 29, 2013

  Congress faces renewed pressure from both federal and state legislators to reduce the cost of flood insurance. But will the program ever be able to pay down the deficit?

• As NFIP Faces Deepening Debt, Some Call for More Subsidies and Lower Rates

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  March 25, 2013

  Congress is coming under renewed pressure from both state and federal legislators to reduce the cost of flood insurance and provide greater subsidies for the National Flood Insurance Program.

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  Producer Profiles: March 2013

  By Staff Writer  |  March 25, 2013

  Six insurance professionals from Ohio, Illinois, New York, California, Idaho and Virginia offer career advice and describe why they love serving as agents

• Kinetic Energi

  By Dave Lenckus  |  March 4, 2013

  In response to the Liability crisis of the mid-1980s, during which capacity halved and premiums doubled, a pair of insurance companies formed to create new coverage solutions—and they ultimately grew into two of the largest insurance players in the world: Ace and XL.

• Ben Nelson to the Rescue

  By Ted Besesparis  |  March 1, 2013

  New head of NAIC supports state insurance regulation

• Lew Confirmation Could Clear Way for Delayed Federal Insurance Initiatives

  By Elizabeth Festa, PropertyCasualty360.com, Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  February 28, 2013

  The confirmation of Jacob Lew as secretary of the Treasury late Wednesday clears the way for action on several insurance-related issues, including the release of a long-delayed report on insurance-regulation modernization.

• U.S. Housing Official Says FHA Could Avoid Need for Bailout

  By Margaret Chadbourn, Reuters  |  February 13, 2013

  The U.S. Federal Housing Administration will raise fees and implement other "aggressive measures" so it may not need taxpayer money to cover a projected deficit for the first time in the agency's nearly 80-year history.

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  Congress Passes NFIP Borrowing Authority Increase Amid Calls for Reforms

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  January 4, 2013

  Congress passed and sent to President Obama for signature today legislation that increases the borrowing authority for the National Flood Insurance Program by one-third.

• Senate Passes NFIP Borrowing Increase

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  December 28, 2012

  The Senate passed legislation late Dec. 28 that includes a provision to increase the borrowing authority of the National Flood Insurance Program.

• Fiscal Cliff Standoff Coming Down to the Wire; Agents Brace for Estate-Tax Fallout

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  December 28, 2012

  Talks intensified Friday as congressional leaders and President Obama worked to avert a combination of tax hikes and budget cuts scheduled to go into effect Tuesday that economists fear could send the economy into recession.

• NFIP Borrowing Authority Increase Cleared for Senate Vote, but Faces Obstacles in House

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  December 21, 2012

  The fate of what is seen as a needed increase in the borrowing authority of the National Flood Insurance Program before year-end is in doubt as Congress breaks until Wednesday.

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  Obama Administration Asks for a Near $10B Increase in NFIP Borrowing Authority

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  December 10, 2012

  The borrowing authority for the National Flood Insurance Program would be increased 50 percent, to $30.4 billion, as part of a Superstorm Sandy supplemental budget request submitted to Congress by the Obama administration late Friday.

• FEMA Reps Bracing for Consumer Backlash When NFIP Actuarial Rates Phased In

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  December 3, 2012

  Federal Emergency Management Agency officials are girding for sticker-shock outrage from consumers as they prepare to implement across-the-board rate increases in the flood-insurance program.

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  Incoming and Outgoing: Washington Players Impacted by the Election

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  November 12, 2012

  Last Tuesday’s election will generate substantive changes in who makes the decisions affecting the insurance industry in Washington. Here is a look at the key people certain to be impacted by the change.