Monthly Archives: <span>January 2016</span>

Infrared Cameras Assist Liberty Mutual Commercial Field Adjusters

Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance has rolled out portable infrared cameras to its property field adjusters working commercial insurance claims. Water damage is one of the leading causes of commercial property claims, according to the insurer, with an average claim cost …

People on the Move

Scott Tamura Joins Bolton & Company California-based Bolton & Company, a national employee-owned insurance broker, named Scott Tamura vice president of the newly established Technical Consulting Unit within the organization’s Employee Benefits Department. Tamura will lead the new team which …

Study Reveals Workers Leave Both Good and Bad Bosses

When fast-rising employees quit their jobs for better pay or more responsibility at another organization, the knee-jerk reaction may be to blame their leaving on a bad boss. Although the common perception is that workers join companies but leave managers, …

California Suit Involving Lyft Driver Employment Status Settled

Ride-hailing service Lyft has agreed to settle a proposed class action lawsuit in California by giving drivers additional workplace protections but without classifying them as employees, removing a major threat to its business model. The settlement agreement, filed late on …

Families of 10 Sailors Aboard Sunken El Faro Freighter Settle Claims

The families of ten sailors aboard a cargo ship that sank in a hurricane last year have settled claims with the vessel’s owner. The Florida Times-Union reports that each of the families will receive $500,000 each in the settlement with …

Takata Recalls 5.1M U.S. Vehicles Due to Faulty Airbag Inflators

U.S. auto safety regulators said Tuesday that airbag maker Takata Corp declared 5.1 million U.S. vehicles defective, as the company disclosed an 11th death could be linked to a faulty airbag. Most of the vehicles mentioned in numerous previous recalls …

Despite Fewer Natural Disasters in 2015, Damaging Events Still Significant

A downward trend in U.S. natural hazard events in 2015 resulted in decreased damage and loss totals for the year, according to the latest CoreLogic Natural Hazard Risk Summary and Analysis report. The annual report noted that despite the reduction …

Texas Led U.S. in Catastrophic Losses in 2015

Tornadoes, hailstorms and fires took their toll on the state last year with insured losses well over $3 billion. Texas had over three times as many claims and almost three times the dollar amount in losses as the next highest …

New York Factory Village’s Trail of Cancer Leads to Tap Water Probe

After his factory worker father died a painful death from kidney cancer at age 68 in 2013, Michael Hickey made it his mission to find out why so many people in his hometown along the Hoosic River were getting sick. …

Program Underway to Study Texas Earthquake Increase

A program to study the recent increase in earthquakes in Texas is getting underway with management hirings and the deployment of new seismographic equipment. The TexNet Seismic Monitoring Program is being overseen by the University of Texas and bankrolled with …