California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner rejected a 22.8 percent workers' compensation insurance rate increase request yesterday, vowing the rate won't change "one dime" until insurers address avoidable costs in the system.

SCOR said it is combining its U.K.-based property and casualty treaty reinsurance, P&C specialty lines and life reinsurance operations into one new office at10 Lime Street in London.

AlphaStaff Group, Inc., of Ft. Lauderdale has executed an agreement with Selective Insurance Group, Inc., to acquire its Sarasota, Fla.-based PEO subsidiary, Selective HR Solutions, Inc.

Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration recently previewed the first phase of two new Internet-based programs for storing personal health records -- Florida Health eBook and My Florida eBaby Book.

The New York Insurance Association announced that Richard J. Zick, president and chief executive officer of Utica First Insurance Company, was elected NYIA chairman at the association's annual meeting last week in Latham, N.Y.

The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee unveiled an omnibus financial bill that would require a study of ways to modernize insurance regulation and creation of an Office of National Insurance.

Insurance agents are voicing dismay over health care reform legislation passed by the House late Saturday, and are hopeful that a more acceptable product can be produced by the Senate.

New York State's top insurance regulator has told insurance executives that upholding the public's right to know requires new rules for disclosure of agent compensation.