Briefly ...

  • Bank of America $8.5 billion mortgage settlement case opens

    Bank of America Corp's proposed $8.5 billion settlement with investors in mortgage securities that went bad during the financial crisis offers billions more than they are likely to get if they go to trial, ...

  • US blames Apple for 2010 run-up in e-book prices

    A U.S. government lawyer opened a civil trial Monday by portraying Apple Inc. as a corporate bully that swaggered into the market for electronic books in 2010, forcing an end to price competition and costing ...

  • Court: 2003 Conn. state worker layoffs improper

    A federal appeals court has ruled that former Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland's administration violated state employees' constitutional rights when it laid off 2,800 workers based on their union membership ...

  • Rajaratnam’s brother in plea talks over insider charges

    Rengan Rajaratnam, the younger brother of imprisoned hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, is negotiating with prosecutors on a possible resolution to his criminal insider trading case, including a possible ...

Big Uncle Sam Is Watching

Eric Arthur Blair is the new hot selling British author.  Better known by his “pen name” as George Orwell, sales…

2 Found Dead in Area Burned by Out-of-Control Colo. Wildfire that Destroyed at Least 360 Homes

Associated Press (06/14/13) Daley, Haven; Slevin, Colleen

After three days of continued damage from the Black Forest, Colo., blaze, firefighters seem to have come to a "draw" with the fast-moving fire, which has killed two people and destroyed at least 360 homes. Within…

Can a Judge Really Block the SEC’s Settlement With Steven Cohen?

Judge Victor Marrero last week became the latest federal judge to question a time-honored tactic of federal regulators: negotiating settlements in which companies pay millions of dollars in penalties without admitting or denying that they've actually done anything wrong.…

2 Found Dead in Area Burned by Out-of-Control Colo. Wildfire that Destroyed at Least 360 Homes

Associated Press (06/14/13) Daley, Haven; Slevin, Colleen

After three days of continued damage from the Black Forest, Colo., blaze, firefighters seem to have come to a "draw" with the fast-moving fire, which has killed two people and destroyed at least 360 homes. Within…

FEMA Report: Climate Change Could Increase Areas at Risk of Flood by 45 Percent

Mother Jones (06/13) Sheppard, Kate; West, JamesAccording to a first-of-its-kind report released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), increasingly severe weather and rising sea levels are expected to increase the number of U.S. regions v...…

Insurance Commissioners to Tour Tornado Damaged Areas

KOKH Fox 25 (06/13/13)On June 13, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak hosted a post-natural disaster forum with regulators from seven states to discuss claims data and what can be learned in the wake of the devastating May tornadoes. More than ...…

NAIC President: ‘No Evidence’ to Justify Moratorium on Insurance Captives

Wall Street Journal (06/13/13) Scism, Leslie; Holm, ErikNational Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) President Jim Donelon is unsure about the need for a nationwide halt on approvals for captive insurance deals. In a report, New York State ...…

State Insurance Commissioner Wants to Bar Anthem From Small Business Exchange

KPBS.org (CA) (06/13/13) Goldberg, KennyConcerns about a pattern of excessive rate hikes has California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones seeking to exclude Anthem Blue Cross from the state's small business exchange, Covered California. He cites a 7....…

Improved Fire Safety Means Lower Insurance Rates

Bastrop Daily Enterprise (La.) (06/13/13) Tubbs, DeeHomeowners in Collinston, La., will see their insurance rates go down beginning July 8, as the fire protection grading has improved from Class 5 to Class 4. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon ...…

Small U.S. Insurers Fill Gaps for Weakest State Health Exchanges

Reuters (06/13/13) Humer, CarolineAs part of the federal healthcare overhaul, the Obama administration had hoped states' planned insurance exchanges would attract large numbers of plans and spur competition, but many large insurers have opted not to j...…

N.J. Gets $22.6M to Keep NJ Protect Program Running to Year’s End

NJBIZ (06/13/13) Fitzgerald, BethNew Jersey will receive $22.6 million from the federal government to continue operating NJ Protect, the state's health insurance program for individuals with pre-existing conditions. As a result, the 1,520 people enro...…

Gov. Names Health Insurance Commissioner

GoLocalProv.com (RI) (06/13/2013)Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee has nominated Dr. Kathleen Hittner to head the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner. She would replace Christopher Koller, who is leaving the post to serve as president of the N...…

Department of Insurance: More Than 6,300 Insurance Claims Filed After St. Louis Tornadoes

Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions & Professional Registration (06/14/13)

The major insurance companies serving the St. Louis area have received more than 6,300 claims from residents with damage from tornadoes that struck the area on May 31. The Missouri Department of Insurance today…