National News

Less Sleep Associated with Increased Crash Risk for Young Drivers

A study by Alexandra L. C. Martiniuk, M.Sc, Ph.D., of The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia, and colleagues suggests less sleep per night is associated with a significant increase in the risk for motor vehicle crashes for young …

Last Chance to Complete Claims Journal’s 2013 Job & Salary Survey

It’s the last chance for claims professionals to participate in the 2013 Job & Salary Survey. Do you want to know how your salary and benefits stack up against your peers? Are you interested in where your peers work: in …

USFA: Changing Severity of House Fires Related to Building Configuration and Flammability Issues

Last year, in response to an invitation from the U.S. Fire Administration, 28 national organizations representing the fire service, fire researchers and other stakeholders in home fire safety came together at the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute in College Park, …

Fireman’s Fund Appoints Erik W. Matson to Commercial Insurance Field Exec

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company announces the appointment of Erik W. Matson to the position of commercial insurance field executive. In this role, Matson will be responsible for growing Fireman’s Fund’s commercial insurance business, including middle market, small business and farm …

Should Insurers Be Concerned About Litigation Funding

Though third party litigation funding has just started to grab headlines in the U.S., the funding method has been used in Europe for some time. According to Jonathan Molot, chief investment officer and co-founder of Burford Capital, people in the …

Report: Feds’ Warnings About Sandy Were Confusing

Federal weather forecasts for Superstorm Sandy were exceptionally accurate last fall, but the warnings themselves were confusing, an internal review found. The gigantic October storm lost tropical characteristics hours before landfall in New Jersey, so the National Oceanic and Atmospheric …

Only 2 of 13 Small SUVs Do Well in Crash Tests

Only two of 13 small SUVs performed well in front-end crash tests done by an insurance industry group. Several popular models fared poorly. Subaru’s 2014 Forester was the only vehicle to get a “good” rating. The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport …

S&P Cuts Berkshire Hathaway Rating by One Notch to ‘AA’

Credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s on Thursday cut its rating on Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the insurance and industrial conglomerate controlled by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, by one notch, citing the company’s reliance on its insurance operations for dividend income. …

Tougher Drunken Driving Threshold Weighed

Federal accident investigators were weighing a recommendation Tuesday that states reduce their threshold for drunken driving from the current .08 blood alcohol content to .05, a standard that has been shown to substantially reduce highway deaths in other countries. The …

State Farm Releases Annual Top 10 States for Dog Bite Claims

Just like people, dogs have their good days and bad days but for the 4.7 million dog bite victims each year, a dog’s bad day can result in serious injury or even death. In 2012, State Farm had 3,670 dog bite …

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