Blog

A Connecticut business owner has been sentenced to one year of home confinement for participating in a scheme to steal furniture from The Hartford Insurance Company.Terrance Healy of Windsor, was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Bridgeport to four years of probation, 300 hours of community service and restitution of nearly $72,000. The 63-year-old Healy pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property and to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.Healy owned Sundrop Corporation, an interior design and furniture installation company.Prosecutors say Healy admitted that he conspired to transport stolen furniture that was owned by The… Read More »Stealing Furniture from The Hartford

Listed companies in the Chinese mainland are lagging in establishing internal controls despite a looming deadline to put a framework of controls in place, a recent survey reveals.More than half —56% — of the respondents in a survey of 126 companies by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu said they either have no internal controls in place or their systems are not up to par. Listed Chinese companies have until July 1, 2009 to establish a system that complies with the Basic Standard for Enterprise Internal Control, which was agreed to last month by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission and several other regulatory… Read More »Chinese companies lag on internal controls: Study

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle has signed into law a bill that requires only fire-safe cigarettes be sold in Hawaii as of Oct. 1, 2009. State officials say reduced ignition cigarettes burn at a lower temperature, thereby reducing possible fire hazards caused by smoldering cigarettes.The Hawaii Fire Council reports there were 438 fires caused by cigarettes in Hawaii between 2001 and 2006, causing $1.5 million in property damage and 10 injuries.Lingle says low ignition cigarettes can help reduce accidental fires,. as well as injuries caused by smoldering cigarettes.But she adds the cigarettes aren’t guaranteed to be self-extinguishing, so smokers must take… Read More »Hawaii Law Mandates: Fire-Safe Cigarettes Only

The rural area to the northeast of Denver, Colo., tops the nation when it comes to regions most prone to tornados, according to Boston-based CDS Business Mapping LLC, an online hazard mapping firm. The top 10 most tornado prone metro-areas include:1. Denver, Colo.*2. Houston, Texas3. Miami, Fla.4. Hollywood, Fla.5. Tampa, Fla.6. Lincoln, Ill.7. Lakeland, Fla.8. Little Rock, Ark.9. Cape Coral, Fla.10. Oklahoma City, Okla.*Not downtown, but a rural area to the northeast.This list is based on the RiskMeter Online’s Tornado Model, which predicts the severity of tornadoes for any location in the Continental United States.Tornado exposure has and will always… Read More »Top 10 Most Tornado Prone Areas: Colorado, Texas

The 1995 Honda Civic was the car stolen the most in 2007, according to “Hot Wheels 2008,” the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) study that determines the vehicle make, model and model year most reported stolen each year. According to the 2008 report of cars stolen in 2007, older model vehicles are a target for thieves because they provide the best market for stolen vehicle parts. On a positive note, the FBI preliminary Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data revealed that motor vehicle theft is headed for an 8.9 percent decrease in 2007. The final data will be released later this… Read More »Honda Civic, Accord Top 2008 List of Most Stolen Cars

A surprising fact: wildfire can happen in almost every state. While wildfire strikes more frequently in the West, nearly every state has been devastated by fires in the last century. And each year hundreds of homes are destroyed as more people choose to live closer to nature.Know what your insurance covers and how much you need. Your insurance policy covers repair or rebuilding costs. If you can’t live in your home, insurance company will pay additional living expenses as provided in your policy—typicallyvfor up to 12 months. Review your policy for detailed coverage explanations. Business owners should also consider business… Read More »You live in an area prone to wildfire. Are you prepared?

Put safety first. Make personal safety your first priority. Listen to the radio for up-to-date information. If you’re in an evacuated area, don’t return to your home or business until local authorities report that it’s safe. When you return to survey your property, remember that there may be broken glass and sharp objects, and air quality may be poor. Wear protective clothing—sturdy shoes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves and a handkerchief to protect your face from ashes and soot. Check your roof immediately and put out any sparks or embers with a hose. Also check your property for signs… Read More »I have wildfire damage. What do I need to do?

Officials said San Francisco is not liable for the death of a San Jose, Calif., teenager who was attacked by an escaped tiger on Christmas Day at the San Francisco Zoo. The city instead referred a claim filed by the parents of 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. to the San Francisco Zoological Society, which manages the zoo, and to the society’s insurance company, according to a letter issued by City Attorney Dennis Herrera. Herrera responded similarly in May to claims filed by brothers Kulbir and Paul Dhaliwal, two friends of Sousa who also were mauled by the tiger. The city’s denial… Read More »Tiger Attack: San Francisco Denies Liability

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has created a new Web-based service with total-loss data for consumers so they can learn if a vehicle has previously been severely wrecked, flooded or stolen: www.NICB.org It does not provide access to the records of self-insured vehicles, rental fleets and insurers that are not NICB members, a gap the National Automobile Dealers Association would like to see filled. Each year several million cars and trucks are flooded, severely wrecked in accidents or stolen. Many of these totaled cars are placed back on the road after individuals rebuild them, wash the titles and resell… Read More »Free Vehicle Report Check

California State Compensation Insurance Fund announced that it will extend credit to policyholders who have suffered a financial loss or business disruption caused by the hundreds of wildfires burning throughout California. Most fires sparked by lightning, in one of the driest springs on record, have burned some 416,272 acres, destroying 29 structures and threatening 8,638 more. President George Bush declared a state of emergency for California, prompting federal aid. State, local and federal firefighters continue to battle the wildfires. Dedicated customer service lines have been set up to provide assistance to policyholders. State Fund will work with employers who were… Read More »Credit to Wildfire Victims Extended by California State Compensation Insurance Fund