The former director of the District of Columbia’s captive insurance program will return to D.C. as commissioner of the Department of Securities, Insurance and Banking, starting Feb. 14.

Independent reinsurance brokerage firm Holborn said the first quarter has been an eventful one for reinsurers, who will post losses on several events including a recent cyclone and flooding in Australia and developing losses from the New Zealand and Chilean earthquakes in 2010.

Mercury General Corp. is leaving the Florida homeowners market by the end of 2012—a decision driven by significant underwriting losses from sinkhole claims.

Mitchell International and LexisNexis announced an agreement to develop an expanded set of integrated product and service offerings to assist insurance carriers with more effectively managing property/casualty claims.

Vertafore, a provider of software and information to the insurance industry, announced the start of an authorized provider network for education providers across the country.

Is the health care reform law unconstitutional? Florida makes the call.

Will political unrest in Egypt lead to market losses? Industry execs weigh in.

It’s critical that risk managers with staff and locations abroad make sure their contingency plans are up to date and workable, says the risk manager of NYU, who demonstrated his skills last week following continuing troubles in Egypt.