Insurers in North Carolina submitted a rate filing for a statewide average increase in homeowners rates of 25.3%, a request that drew an angry response from the states insurance commissioner.

ACP Re Ltd. will acquire 100% of the outstanding stock of Tower Group International and merge Tower with a subsidiary. AmTrust will acquire the renewal rights of Tower Groups commercial lines insurance operations, and National General Holdings Corp. will acquire the personal lines renewal rights.

It is imperative that an insurer retain a knowledgeable mediator to resolve disputes. A skilled attorney will be prepared every step of the process to optimize the outcome.

The holidays began and ended with the bang of newsworthy cyber breaches that illustrated the complexity of hacking scenarios, which vary in their intent and fallout on targeted companies and their customers.