Author: completebodyneeds

By Julie Carr Smyth Jurors failed to reach a verdict last month in the corruption trial of two fired FirstEnergy Corp. executives charged with alleged roles in a $60 million scheme to bribe politicians for a $1 billion nuclear bailout and other favors. The declaration of an impasse came after more than eight days of deliberations following the six-week trial in Akron of former CEO Chuck Jones and former senior vice president Michael Dowling. Over that time, the jury had repeatedly sent clarifying questions to Summit County Common Pleas Judge Susan Baker Ross, who had once before sent them back…

Beware, agents. That email from the National Insurance Producers Registry may not be legit. NIPR said it has learned of an active phishing email campaign referencing past-due invoices. The emails may look like they are from trusted sources such as @nipr.com, @naic.org, or @stipe, but they are fraudulent and insurance agents are urged to use caution. Agents should not open any attachments, click links, or send payments if they receive an email asking for payment. Contact NIPR before taking action at niprbillingdept@nipr.com. “The emails impersonate NIPR and request payment. Agents should be aware of any unexpected or unsolicited invoices received,…

By Andrew G. Simpson The state of Maryland has reached a settlement in principle with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., the owner and operator of the M/V Dali, resolving a portion of the state’s claims arising from the cargo ship’s allision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge two years ago. Attorney General Anthony G. Brown did not disclose any details of the settlement that is still being finalized. Brown said the settlement resolves claims brought against the vessel interest by the state and its agencies, including the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Maryland Port Administration, and the…

Florida has the largest wind-mitigation grant program in the country, providing more than $300 million to homeowners over the last few years, resulting in insurance premium discounts for thousands of people. But it’s not enough. The program is not targeted at enough properties that would produce the most benefit for insurers, homeowners and state interests. And too many insureds and builders fail to see the return from retrofitting their homes or building stronger structures in the most hurricane-prone state. That was the word from Florida professors, actuaries and insurance interests who participated in a panel discussion at the Florida Office…

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed its version of a five-year farm bill after stripping a provision opposed by the “Make America Healthy Again” movement that would have blocked some lawsuits against pesticide makers. The House passage shows progress for the long-stalled, sweeping legislation, which funds agricultural and food aid programs, but it will still need to pass the Senate before it can advance to President Donald Trump’s desk. Historically bipartisan, the farm bill has faced hurdles since the prior bill expired in 2023, as Republicans and Democrats in both chambers battle over its provisions, which range from…

An arraignment has been rescheduled for a former sheriff’s detective in Tennessee who is charged with setting fire to his own vehicle and filing a fraudulent insurance claim. Daniel Lee Garrett, 44, who until recently was with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, was indicted and arrested in April after a 16-month investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, according to the Bureau and recent court filings. Garrett’s vehicle caught fire in December 2024 in Scott County, northwest of Knoxville, the Bureau said in a bulletin. A month later, TBI began investigating and determined that the fire was intentionally set by…

Commodity trader Mercuria is suing the Baltic Exchange, the world’s top provider of benchmark shipping indices, over losses it said were caused by oil tanker pricing data that did not account for the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a court filing showed. The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which began on February 28, has left hundreds of ships and 20,000 seafarers stranded inside the Gulf and unable to sail through the vital chokepoints with only a few ships willing to make the voyages daily. In a court filing dated April 30 and submitted through England’s high court, Swiss-headquartered Mercuria…

Inszone Insurance Services announced the acquisition of Mena Insurance Agency, Inc. This strategic acquisition brings a century-old institution and an experienced team into the Inszone organization, further expanding its footprint in Arkansas. Founded in 1911 by H.G. McLafferty, Mena Insurance has been a cornerstone of the local community for over a century. The agency is now led by P.T. Plunkett. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Was this article valuable? Yes No Here are more articles you may enjoy. Interested in Mergers? Get automatic alerts for this topic.

In a rare crossing of insurance lines, Alabama-based Protective Life Insurance Co. is moving to expand into property/casualty lines by acquiring Obsidian Insurance Holdings, Inc., a New York-based property, casualty and specialty insurance platform. The companies say the acquisition will establish a new business line for Protective while giving Obsidian long-term capital support and additional flexibility. Terms were not disclosed. The purchase agreement was signed with Obsidian’s private equity founder, Genstar Capital, and involves acquiring Obsidian Insurance Holdings, Inc. and its affiliates Obsidian Specialty Insurance Co. (Delaware), Obsidian Insurance Co. (Ohio), and Obsidian Pacific Insurance Co. (Delaware). Obsidian’s admitted and…

Former Florida governor and U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist is seeking yet another office, this time running for mayor of his hometown of St. Petersburg. Crist, 69, has been a Republican, a Democrat and an independent during his political career. He served as a Republican governor from 2007 to 2011 and was a Democratic member of the U.S. House for three terms, ending in 2022. He also unsuccessfully ran against Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022 and previously challenged then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2014, as a Democrat in both races. Now Crist has his sights set on St. Petersburg City Hall…