| Markel Insurance Renews as Title Sponsor for USEF Young Horse ...
The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the continuation of a multi-year partnership with Markel Insurance to sponsor the USEF Young Horse Dressage Program. This sponsorship also includes the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championship presented by Collecting Gaits Farm and the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Selection Trials. "Markel came on board to sponsor this program early in our strategy to build our developing horse and rider programs which are critical to our future success in international competition," said John Long, USEF Chief Executive Officer. "This young horse program has been extremely successful and we thank Markel for their vision, enthusiasm and continued support." Whether you are dreaming of competing internationally at the FEI World Championships for Young Dressage Horses or aiming for the Markel/USEF Young Horse Championships in September, DressageDaily Young Horse Talent Scouts will be following your progress, throughout the year.
New Discount for Online Auto Insurance Shoppers
VISTA, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As part of its ongoing commitment to providing high-quality auto insurance at affordable rates, Unitrin Direct is offering an instant $50 discount in 17 states for customers who use Esignature, a convenient online service that lets you sign policy documents at http://www.unitrindirect.com/. "One of our main goals at Unitrin Direct is to continually seek new ways to provide a terrific value on outstanding car insurance coverage," says Unitrin Direct President Scott Carter. "With Esignature, consumers not only save money instantly, they do it with the knowledge that they have a trusted company behind them that prioritizes customer service." The Esignature discount is automatically deducted from the car insurance rate when customers get a free, no obligation online quote by going to the "Get A Quote" box at http://www.unitrindirect.com/ and typing in their zip code.
ATERAS Awarded New Conversion After Successfully Completing ...
ATERAS announced today that they have been selected by ProgressiveCasualty Insurance Company for the Policy Number Expansion Project, usingDB-Shuttle(TM) Enterprise Change capabilities. This project follows thesuccessful ATERAS migration of Progressive's IDMS CORE Claims System to aCICS COBOL DB2 environment, retiring IDMS and ADS/Online completely. ATERAS will use its DB-Shuttle Enterprise Change technology to performthe Policy Number Expansion. The purpose of the project is to use a standardautomated method to identify and change the field definition and length of 36different DB2 columns (including policy number, name and address) acrossmultiple databases in the Progressive Enterprise. DB-Shuttle's EnterpriseChange technology will also find and change all related program variables,regardless of the variable naming conventions and the use of these fields inthe business logic.
AM Best Launches New Online Consumer Insurance Information Center
OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2007--A.M. Best Co. has launched Best's Consumer Insurance Information Center, an online resource designed to inform consumers about the various insurance options available to them, and to demonstrate the importance of an insurer's Best's Financial Strength Rating in determining how likely the company is to fulfill its financial obligations to policyholders. Overview information on life insurance and annuities, health and accident insurance, and auto, home and personal property insurance is currently available in this Center. Visitors can also expect to find answers to basic questions that may arise when deciding on the line of coverage that would best suit their needs, such as: "What does it protect against?" "Who needs it?" and "When should I buy it?"
This Center features a convenient tool that lets users search for an insurer and view its Best's Rating, basic contact information and its top five lines and states of business (by direct premiums written).
bellwetherreport.com: In- Depth Research on Group 1 Automotive Inc.
Group 1 Automotive, Inc. operates in the automotive retail industry. The company markets and sells a range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles and related financing; vehicle maintenance and repair services; replacement parts; and warranty, insurance, and extended service contracts. As of December 31, 2006, it owned and operated 143 franchises at 105 dealership locations and 30 collision centers located in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Houston, Texas. Shares were up 3% after continuing to embark on both a growth and cost-containment strategy. BellwetherReport.com is a leading online research firm for international investors looking to get an edge over their portfolio.
bellwetherreport.com: Analysis of ProCentury Corporation
As the good Samaritan of the insurance industry, ProCentury focuses on the geographically remote and the hard to insure. The company specializes in commercial excess and surplus lines (coverage that other insurers have rejected). It writes liability, property, and multi-peril insurance for small and midsized corporations, including specialty coverage for retail stores, non-residential contractors, daycare facilities, and fitness centers. Focusing on excess and surplus, ProCentury exited the auto and workers' compensation industries in 2000 and 2002, respectively. The company markets its products through more than 100 agents in 35 states. Shares were down 6% since announcing financial strength rating. BellwetherReport.com is a leading online research firm for international investors looking to get an edge over their portfolio.
ATERAS awarded new conversion
Dallas (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - ATERAS announced today that they have been selected by Progressive Casualty Insurance Company for the Policy Number Expansion Project, using DB-Shuttle(TM) Enterprise Change capabilities. This project follows the successful ATERAS migration of Progressive's IDMS CORE Claims System to a CICS COBOL DB2 environment, retiring IDMS and ADS/Online completely. ATERAS will use its DB-Shuttle Enterprise Change technology to perform the Policy Number Expansion. The purpose of the project is to use a standard automated method to identify and change the field definition and length of 36 different DB2 columns (including policy number, name and address) across multiple databases in the Progressive Enterprise. DB-Shuttle's Enterprise Change technology will also find and change all related program variables, regardless of the variable naming conventions and the use of these fields in the business logic.
Insurance Auto Auctions Announces Improved Fourth Quarter and Full ...
WESTCHESTER, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc., a leading provider of automotive salvage and claims processing services in the United States, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2006. The Company's strong performance in 2006 was driven by successfully integrating acquisitions and greenfields along with increased buying activity as a result of the Company's live auctions combined with Internet bidding capability. The Company recorded revenues for the quarter of $92.6 million, compared to $69.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2005, an increase of 32.5%. Fee income in the fourth quarter increased to $79.2 million versus $59.6 million in the fourth quarter of last year. The Company reported Consolidated EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) consistent with the definition in the Company's senior credit agreement of $15.8 million during the quarter compared to $10.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2005, an increase of 56.4%.
Travel Tips: Be Sure You Are Insured When Renting An Automobile
(NC)-Canadians renting an automobile may experience confusion about the insurance coverage. Before you leave home, says the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), it is important to familiarize yourself with some of the alternatives to the insurance offered by the rental company. Here are the main choices: Your Current Auto Insurance Policy: Most Ontario automobile insurance companies offer an option for additional coverage on automobiles not owned by the policy holder. If your policy includes the OPCF 27 (the Rental Vehicle Insurance Endorsement) you are likely covered for rentals in Canada and the United States. OPCF 27 does not insure your rental overseas so other coverage will need to be purchased. There are other terms too, so be sure to get all the details from your broker, agent or company representative.
InsuranceLister.com Introduces A New Look To Their Agency Listings
InsuranceLister.com introduces a new look to their agency listings. Agents are now going to have an ability to customize their agency listing and create custom sub-domains. With new added features like agency contact forms, maps, directions and custom sub-domains, InsuranceLister.com is equipping agents with everything they need to have an adequate web presence. InsuranceLister.com is a unique and inexpensive alternative to buying insurance leads. InsuranceLister.com will work with individual insurance agents on customizing their agency profile to comply with the requirements of their companies. We have agents from dozens of different insurance companies in over 1500 zip codes. Don't miss out on reserving your zip codes today! InsuranceLister.com is at the cutting edge of advertising. According to eMarketer in April 2005, the 2004 "Internet Trends Report" states that insurance shoppers search online at an increasing rate of about 40% every year.
Report on Health Insurer Promised
The Connecticut Insurance Department, needled by the attorney general, said Thursday it will issue findings early next week on its investigation of Assurant Health's denial of claims. The department and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal have received consumer complaints that Assurant unfairly denied health insurance claims by saying they stemmed from medical problems that patients should have known about and disclosed when applying for policies. The department had said it expected to issue the results of its market conduct investigation by the end of February. On Thursday, a Blumenthal press release said the department ``must act now to complete its long delayed audit'' and cited a new South Carolina court ruling that underscores concerns about Assurant, whose companies include Fortis and John Alden Life.
Health Savings Account participants take on more risk ...
With health insurance costs spiraling, employers and consumers are looking for ways to regain control over their health-care expenses and choices, and lawmakers are looking for ways to make the health-care system more competitive. One option is for consumers to take on more risk and responsibility. That's where consumer-directed health plans come in. These are high-deductible insurance plans paired with a tax-deferred account. Because the premiums for high-deductible plans are significantly lower, participants can invest the money saved into an account for future health-care expenses on a tax-free basis. They can also use the funds to pay for medical expenses until they reach their deductible, with preventative care often covered by the plans. In a Health Savings Account (HSA), the account is owned by the individual or employee, though an employer can contribute.
Retirement plans should fit life stages
Retirement planning is like budgeting. We know we ought to do it, but few of us pay more than lip service to it.
A recent survey of 1,000 people by Scottrade Inc., the discount brokerage firm based in St. Louis County, shows that retirement is Americans' top financial concern. However, two-thirds of those surveyed didn't think they were saving enough for retirement, while a third think they will be unable to retire.
You're worried. So, what's next? Retirement-planning experts say you can begin at any stage of life. Approaches to planning typically vary by your age, income and relative wealth. But the need for it cuts across all age groups and income levels.
First, you might want to think about goals. What does retirement mean to you? Quitting work and moving to a tropical getaway? Changing to a low-stress job? Turning a hobby into a business? Living out your days with your feet up in your own home? .
A love lost is found (in part)
A New York couple is shedding light on the woman behind World War II love letters that ended up at a Lake Wylie restaurant. Don and Elsie Oliver of Trumansburg, N.Y., were driving through the Carolinas and saw the Feb. 14 Observer story about Evalda Holman of Ithaca, N.Y., and a bundle of letters she received from Howard Strong, a Marine serving in the South Pacific between 1942 and 1945. "I told my wife, `I can't believe this,' " said Don Oliver, a retired New York State park ranger. "These love letters in the paper are from Evalda, the woman who grew up with your mom.' " Each year, Oliver and his wife escape the winters for a couple of months in Myrtle Beach. On Thursday night, the couple were headed back to New York and stopped for supper at the Concord Cove restaurant off S.C.
The Benefits of Travel Insurance
Based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Group Medical Services (GMS) has been providing health and travel insurance to groups and individuals since 1949. We have further diversified by expanding our geographic boundaries from Saskatchewan to other areas of Canada through our subsidiary, GMS Insurance Inc. (established in 2003). Currently, we have branch offices in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Our goal is to offer Canadians a comprehensive choice of health and travel plans for individuals and groups along with a full range of employee benefits for businesses and associations. Mark Mendonca, Business Development Consultant, Group Medical Services - Brampton. (647) 244-9462. Customer Service 1-866-796-9467.Visit us at: http://www.gms.ca/
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Refinancing is getting tougher
That's troubling news for some homeowners who bought during the last two or three years using interest-only mortgages, payment-option plans or adjustable-rate mortgages that allowed for quick escalation of the interest rate. Thanks to an upswing in delinquencies and foreclosures -- and new scrutiny from federal regulators and Congress -- mortgage lenders have tightened their standards for granting loans. And with home prices rising modestly, if at all, appraisers are tightening their opinions on value. Borrowers stuck with mortgages that are more expensive than they had expected can no longer count on a quick home sale to bail them out of the deal. It's pay up -- or refinance into a loan with better terms. If you're looking to refinance, expect lenders to be more demanding about your credit, your ability to document your income and the appraised value of your home.
AM Best Affirms Ratings of Genworth Financial; Upgrades Ratings of ...
OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 4, 2007--A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A+ (Superior) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of "aa-" of the key life/health insurance subsidiaries of Genworth Financial, Inc. (Genworth) (NYSE: GNW) (Richmond, VA). Additionally, A.M. Best has upgraded the FSR to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the ICR to "a" from "a-" for Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood, Tennessee (Continental), a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Genworth. A.M. Best has also affirmed Genworth's ICR of "a-" and its existing debt securities ratings. Concurrently, A.M. Best has assigned a rating of "aa-" to Genworth's newest funding agreement-backed securities (FABS) program and assigned debt ratings of "aa-" to the notes issued under the program.
Week in Review
MANCELONA A man who was hurt falling out of a moving garbage truck apparently was trying to open and re-close the passenger side door. The accident happened around 8 a.m. Wednesday on Mancelona Road, a few miles east of the Antrim County village. Kalkaska resident Joshua Dimon, a 22-year-old employee of American Waste Management, was riding in the passenger seat when he fell out of the truck onto the paved road surface, said Antrim County Undersheriff Dan Bean. The garbage truck was traveling at about 55 mph and Dimon was not belted in, Bean said. Dimon remained hospitalized Wednesday afternoon at Munson Medical Center, where he was being treated for an ankle injury and cuts on his head, Bean said. He is expected to make a full recovery.
States Driving Health Reforms
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- For many Pennsylvanians, the path to medical care may soon be less likely to lead to a doctor. In one of the most far-reaching attempts at the state level to make health care more accessible and affordable to everyone, Gov. Ed Rendell is seeking to lower barriers in Pennsylvania laws and regulations that prevent a wide range of nonphysician health professionals from providing basic types of care. From nurse practitioners and nurse midwives to dental hygienists and pharmacists, the Rendell administration wants to reshape health care practices in Pennsylvania to help provide lower-cost preventive care. The Democratic governor's initiative is an example of states stepping into a void created by a lack of federal action on health care reform. "The national agenda's been overwhelmed by Iraq, and Washington has been paralyzed by ideological and policy gridlock on health care," said Drew Altman, the CEO of Kaiser Family Foundation, which studies health policy.
Realtors seek to open doors to health care
She goes to the doctor for checkups twice per year now. Eats well. Walks a lot. As one of 28 percent of National Association of Realtors members without health insurance, Mary Ann Jarvis, 49, can't afford not to. Jarvis is one of thousands of real estate agents in New Jersey and across the country who, as independent contractors, do not have access to affordable health care. Jarvis' office, Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors in Brigantine, offers a plan for about $450 per month. Jarvis cannot afford to pay that. The housing market is down, and she has been a real estate agent only since 2004. Many of the agents in her office might not have been able to afford it either, but they are on their spouses' plans. Jarvis is single. Nearly 20,000 Realtors in New Jersey are estimated to be without health insurance, according to Atlantic City and County Board of Realtors President Lester Argus.
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