Lockton Companies, based in Kansas City, Mo., said it has named Thomas J. Schaffler to the newly created position of president of the brokerage's Chicago office employee benefits practice.

Insurance fraud seems to be a family affair for some Californians. Four members of an extended family have been arrested for allegedly falsifying more than $1.4 million in insurance claims.

Guess whose blog has been nominated as a finalist for an American Business Media Neal Award? NU Editor In Chief Sam Friedman shares the good news and checks out his competition at www.NUSamSoapbox.com.

The Professional Insurance Agents of Connecticut Inc.'s annual convention in March will be addressed by Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Thomas R. Sullivan, the organization said.

For the second consecutive year, service issues and vendor/venue bankruptcies remain the most frequent causes of wedding-day claims, according to Travelers.

Aon Corp. announced it has integrated Paragon Strategic Solutions into Inpoint, an Aon company recently formed to help insurance carriers improve their performance.

A provision extending the National Flood Insurance Program until May 31 is included in bipartisan Senate legislation aimed at creating jobs.

Independent insurance agents give the bulk of their business to insurers who provide contact people, prices, products, and other factors they like, according to a survey released by marketing information firm J.D. Power and Associates.