Travel: LATE Dpounds ALS
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Families can get in to the spirit of Christmas this year on an exciting day trip to visit the real Santa Claus in Lapland. Specialist tour operator Canterbury Travel is offering a selection of fully inclusive day tours with civilised departure times on flights from Belfast. With a wealth of experience and an exceptional degree of sensitivity, the company has created 'Santa encounters' in magical, pristine settings....
The World Today: Youngsters Defy Stereotypes
Friday, November 17, 2006
AN increasing number of young people are defying the stereotype of drunken, loutish youths by working hard, saving and leading a healthy lifestyle, according to a new report today.A survey of 2,000 people found that three out of four 18 to 24- year-olds are saving for the future and half describe themselves as hard workers.AA car insurance said it was looking at ways of lowering insurance premiums for responsible young drivers in the light of the results of its study....
Insurer Says Blue Light Wasn't Enough ; Rescue Worker Held Partly Liable in Crash
Friday, November 17, 2006
HAWTHORNE Patricia Alberta needed to get there fast, so the volunteer ambulance corps member turned on the flashing blue light on the dashboard of her beige 2005 Nissan Altima.As she headed south on Fifth Avenue at 4:43 p.m. Jan. 14, a car in front of her moved to the right, appearing to pull over to let Alberta pass. However, State Farm spokeswoman Teanice Wells-Ernest said Alberta appeared to have needed a siren or bell, in addition to the blue light, in order for cars to need to yield to her....
Premium Boost for Young 'Savers'
Friday, November 17, 2006
AN increasing number of young people are defying the stereotype of drunken, loutish youths by working hard, saving and leading a healthy lifestyle, according to a new report. A survey of 2,000 people found that three out of four 18 to 24 year olds are saving for the future and half describe themselves as hard workers. AA car insurance said it was looking at ways of lowering insurance premiums for responsible young drivers in the light of its study....
Liability Limits to Double ; South Carolina Drivers' Insurance Costs May Rise
Friday, November 17, 2006
AIKEN - Darren Miller's still a little angry.Supporters of a law change that will raise the minimum liability coverage South Carolina drivers must carry say that's why higher limits are needed."I would think that, as a consumer, that most consumers - even thought it's going to be a little extra premium - they're going to be getting almost twice the coverage at not twice the price," State Farm Insurance spokesman Bruce White said....
Safeco Cuts Auto Insurance Rates in Colorado
Friday, November 17, 2006
SEATTLE, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Safeco announced today it is cutting auto insurance rates in Colorado by as much as 21 percent, with the average Colorado customer experiencing a 4.8 percent decrease. Since July 2004, Safeco has taken rates down more than 17 percent.Safeco reduced rates after seeing reduced claims activity among Colorado customers, including fewer bodily injury, medical payment and collision claims....
GEICO Names Warren Klawitter Vice President and Chief Actuary
Friday, November 17, 2006
GEICO's board of directors recently announced the promotion of Warren Klawitter to vice president and chief actuary at the company's headquarters in Chevy Chase, Md.Klatwitter, of Gaithersburg, Md., has served as vice president and actuary with responsibility for actuarial pricing since 2004.Klawitter joined GEICO in 1976 as an actuarial assistant and has spent his entire career in the actuarial department, rising to associate director and assistant actuary before becoming an officer in 1994....
GEICO Names Karen Brinster Associate Actuary
Friday, November 17, 2006
GEICO's board of directors recently named Karen Brinster of Rockville, Md., associate actuary with responsibility for actuarial reserving at the company's headquarters in Chevy Chase, Md.Prior to assuming her current responsibilities as a company officer, Brinster served as director and assistant actuary."Karen has the strong actuarial judgment and high professional integrity needed to oversee GEICO's reserving operations and maintain our commitment to a disciplined balance sheet," said Don Lyons, GEICO senior vice president....
GEICO Names Jacqueline Pasley Assistant Vice President
Friday, November 17, 2006
GEICO's board of directors recently named Jacqueline Pasley of Silver Spring, Md., an assistant vice president at the company's headquarters in Chevy Chase, Md.Pasley will have responsibility for product management in underwriting and product management. Pasley began her GEICO career in 1986 as an actuarial assistant and went on to serve a number of positions in the actuary department....
Insurer Adds Income Stream By Buying Estate Agencies
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Protectagroup - one of Wales' largest insurance companies - is moving into the lucrative property sector. The Williamstown business - which aims to float in 2011 - has bought four estate agency branches for pounds 250,000. It employs 180 staff through its network of 20 branches in Wales and its 28,000 sq ft head office in the Rhondda....
Local Insurance Market Valued $600 Million
Thursday, November 16, 2006
According to El-Khabar newspaper (November 13, 2006), Mr. Mohammed Haj Al-Sabea, Head of Insurance Department at the Algerian Finance Ministry, said that the value of the Algerian insurance market amounted to $600 million last year, a 17% rise compared with the previous year. The official also said that his department is determined to promote all insurance services and brands in Algeria, particularly since this sector is currently limited to cars insurance service.(c) 2006 Info-Prod Research (Middle East)....
Roads Paved With Gold for Insurers
Thursday, November 16, 2006
HIGHER car insurance charges have helped push up industry profits from customers by more than half in a year. The average profit per customer from general insurance which includes both car and home policies is up by 50.3 per cent on a year ago, according to a study. This year, companies are raking in average profits of Pounds 35.10 per customer, compared to Pounds 23.20 in 2005....
Cities Win Rate Cuts for Auto-Fraud Efforts
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Nov. 15--State regulators yesterday approved a special auto insurance rate cut for drivers in communities that have launched efforts to crack down on fraud, including Lawrence and Boston. Lawrence drivers will see their rates for bodily injury and personal injury coverage drop 20 percent more than the statewide average, while most Boston drivers will see a reduction 10 percent greater than the statewide average. Lynn, Brockton, Springfield, Lowell, and Holyoke have all launched fraud-fighting efforts....
Developer Buys Denham Springs Tract
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Steve Keller, developer of the Towne Center project on Corporate Boulevard, paid $4.5 million last week for a 75-acre tract on the northwest corner of Interstate 12 and Juban Road in Denham Springs, clerk of court records show.Keller's Creekstone/Juban LLC bought the land Wednesday from W.A. Investments LP, a Nashville company linked to Jacqueline Adair, chief operating officer of Direct General Corp., the high-risk auto insurance company also based in Nashville.It was unclear what Keller, who lives in Houston, plans to do with the property....
Insurance 'Get Tough' Call By Minister ; The World Today
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
TRANSPORT minister Stephen Ladyman will today call for tougher sentences for motorists who drive without insurance.Mr Ladyman says current fines, which were often less than the cost of insurance cover, were not tough enough to deter people from taking to the wheel of a car uninsured.In an interview on Tonight With Trevor McDonald on ITV tonight, he said: "Sentences, of course, are not a matter for government....
GAINSCO Reports 3rd Quarter Results
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
DALLAS, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- GAINSCO, INC. today reported net income and net income available to common shareholders for the third quarter 2006 of $2.8 million, or $0.14 per common share, basic and diluted. This compares to third quarter 2005 net income of $1.4 million and net income available to common shareholders of $0.9 million, or $0.05 per common share, basic and diluted.For the nine months ended September 30, 2006, net income was $6.3 million versus $3.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2005....
Insurance Division Will Push Ahead on Overhaul
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Nov. 11--The state Division of Insurance yesterday pushed ahead with proposed changes in the state's auto insurance system that could affect one of every four drivers in the state, even as some lawmakers and companies urged the agency to wait until Governor-elect Deval Patrick has a chance to review the issue. Senator Marc R. Pacheco, a Democrat from Taunton, called it "an arrogance of power" to implement in the final days of the Romney administration a new system for apportioning among insurance carriers the drivers that no company wants to insure voluntarily. Officials with the Patrick campaign declined to comment....
Compete, Inc. Will Work With Esurance to Increase Marketing and Advertising Effectiveness
Monday, November 13, 2006
Compete Inc. today announced that Esurance has selected Compete to provide regional competitive intelligence in the online auto insurance industry. While working with Compete, Esurance expects to further grow the conversion rate of consumers visiting its Web site.For Esurance, Compete will provide services to assess the effectiveness of its offline and online advertising in referring and converting consumers on its Web site....
Young Drivers Offered a Way Out of Bumper Bills for Cover ; They're Not All Boy Racers, so Some Insurers Are Making Motoring More Affordable
Sunday, November 12, 2006
The kids, it seems, are all right. There are policies now, for example, that financially reward drivers for avoiding the road at night or steering clear of "higher risk" urban streets. And that's if they can get cover at all, as some providers now refuse outright to insure motorists aged under 21 because of the statistical likelihood of young people being involved in a crash....
Hilary & Damien Duff
Sunday, November 12, 2006
HOLLYWOOD teen queen Hilary sells millions of albums and DVDs each year - Damien sells car insurance. She has millions of fans worldwide thanks to her gorgeous good looks and singing and acting talent. Damien used to score goals for Ireland but things have gone "coal" since he moved to Newcastle....
FOOLY COVERED ; EXCLUSIVE At Last.. Drivers Get One Over on Insurance Firm
Sunday, November 12, 2006
MORE than 2000 people drove off with free car car insurance after a computer glitch.Co-operative Insurance (CIS) sent out certificates to car owners - but forgot to take the money.It took three months to spot the blunder which ended up costing pounds 400,000....
Motoring NEWS
Saturday, November 11, 2006
NEARLY half a million motorists have driven without car insurance during the past year.Research has revealed the growing menace of drivers not being properly covered.The study by Sainsbury's car insurance believe the problem could get much worse as a result of rising costs....
Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2006 Net Income of $4.9 Million, or $0.27 Per Diluted Share
Saturday, November 11, 2006
FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. reported record quarterly net income of $4.9 million for the third quarter ended September 30, 2006, representing a 97% increase from the $2.5 million in net income for the third quarter of 2005. In the absence of this non-cash expense, the Company's net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, would have been $10.5 million, representing a 67% increase over the similar period of 2005, and its diluted earnings per share would have been $0.66 for the nine months ended September 30, 2006.During the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2006, Hallmark reported total revenues of $56.4 million and $148.1 million, representing 124% and 145% increases, respectively, over the $25.2 million and $60.4 million in total revenues for the comparable periods of 2005....
Warning, Steer Clear of Jamie and Grace
Saturday, November 11, 2006
THEY are the names that strike fear into the hearts of insurance firms across the country. Drivers named Jamie are more likely than any other men to crash their cars, while women drivers called Grace or Lydia are the most prone to prangs, new figure show. It would also be wise to give male drivers named Sam or Jonathan a wide berth....
Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation to Present at the Credit Suisse Insurance Conference
Saturday, November 11, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation , today announced Mr. James R. Gober, Chairman, President and CEO will speak at the Credit Suisse Insurance Conference in New York on Thursday, November 16 at 1:40 p.m. (ET). A live webcast will be available at http://ir.ipacc.com/. Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation is a national provider of personal automobile insurance with a concentration on nonstandard auto insurance....