Personal

• Allstate Estimates $216M in Catastrophe Losses for April

  By Staff Writer  |  May 16, 2013

  Northbrook, Ill.-based insurer Allstate Corp. estimates catastrophe losses for the month of April at $216 million pre-tax and $140 million after-tax.

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  Tornadoes Rip Through North Texas, Causing Extensive Damage

  By Anya Khalamayzer, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 16, 2013

  Tornadoes late May 15 in north-central Texas damaged multiple homes, killing six people and injuring 100.

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  New York State Orders RelayRides to Stop Renting Third-Party Autos

  By Bonnie Cavanaugh, Property Casualty360.com  |  May 16, 2013

  RelayRides, a car-sharing service matching owners with third-party renters, agreed to stop conducting business in New York after Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin M. Lawsky called its insurance coverage “illegal and inadequate.”

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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.

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  Top 10 States for Dog Bite Claims

  By Caterina Pontoriero, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 15, 2013

  It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and last year 3,670 State Farm customers were wearing Milk-Bone underwear. Click to see State Farm’s top 10 states for dog bite claims in 2012.

• Progressive April Net Income More Than Doubles

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 15, 2013

  Progressive Corp. says April net income skyrocketed 128 percent to $139.5 million.

• PIA Survey: Northeast Property Rates Up; Underwriting Changes Significant

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 14, 2013

  A survey of independent agents representing four states in the Northeast says the combination of escalating rates and stricter underwriting forced 93 percent to increase their remarketing efforts over last year.

• New Jersey to Adopt Homeowners Policy Summary Sheet

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 13, 2013

  In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, insurers in New Jersey will be required to add a summary sheet to homeowners policies issued to consumers.

• Aon: April 2013 Insured Storm Losses Half 2012; Tornadoes Down

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 9, 2013

  This year’s April storm losses were significantly lighter than the past two years when record number of tornadoes touched down in the U.S. causing billions of dollars in damage, according to Aon Benfield.

• Louisiana Senators Push for Delay in NFIP Rate Hikes

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 8, 2013

  Louisiana’s two senators are proposing an indefinite delay to flood insurance premium hikes mandated by legislation enacted in 2012.

• State Farm Seeks New Trial Against Rigsbys in Katrina-Related Whistleblower Case

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 8, 2013

  State Farm is seeking a new trial with two sisters, independent adjusters, who accused the insurer of defrauding the federal government following 2005’s Hurricane Katrina.

• Personal Lines Rate Increases Moderate in April

  By Phil Gusman, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 7, 2013

  Personal-lines insurers priced risks a bit more competitively in April, with rates climbing by 3 percent year-over-year compared to 4 percent in March, according to MarketScout’s latest market barometer.

• Nationwide Net Income Off 5% on Claims & Expenses

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 7, 2013

  Claims and expenses took a bite out of Nationwide’s first-quarter earnings as the mutual insurance company says net income was down by 5 percent over the same period last year.

• Berkshire Hathaway Income Up 49%; Insurance Earnings Strong

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 6, 2013

  Berkshire Hathaway says its first-quarter net income rose 49 percent on the strong performance of its insurance businesses, and the company says it has the capacity and desire to write more business.

• P&C Carriers Add Jobs in March; Agent/Broker Employment Continues to Decline

  By Phil Gusman, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 6, 2013

  Property and Casualty carriers added 900 jobs in March -- a month that saw employment shrink in most other sectors of the insurance industry, according to an analysis of the latest figures from the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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  West Fertilizer Co. Had $1M in Liability Insurance

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 6, 2013

  The West Fertilizer Co., site of a massive explosion last month that killed 15 people and damaged or destroyed more than 100 homes, two schools, and multiple businesses, carried $1 million in liability insurance, PC360 has confirmed.