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After Superstorm Sandy victims faced an extensive, burdensome and fraud-ridden flood insurance claims process, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Kathleen rice today announced their push for new bipartisan legislation to require more transparency and accountability from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) so that home and property owners who carry flood insurance policies are better protected in the event of another storm.

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon reports ongoing progress in the shift of policies to the private market from the state’s insurer of last resort, Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens). At the same time, he is also reminding property insurance policyholders that the deadline to claim a rebate for the Citizens Assessment charged on their 2011 insurance policies is December 31, 2015. Nearly $34 million, or 52 percent, of the refundable assessments available for 2011 remains unclaimed.

Senator John Hoeven today held a community roundtable at Watford City High School to take questions from students and area residents. There were approximately 100 high school students, including Watford City High School’s senior class and two classes of social studies/government students. Scott Hennen, host of What’s on Your Mind, served as the event moderator.

FEMA Also Saying If Policyholders Do Not Supply & Other Information to Review Process Within Short 14-Day Period, Their Cases Will Be Closed; Schumer & Gillibrand Urges FEMA to Immediately Work With All Policyholders Who Have Not Yet Submitted Pertinent Info to Agency & To Get Going On Backlog

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater knows that Florida’s homeowners carry insurance to protect their property in the event of an emergency, natural or otherwise. Floridians have seen the costly destruction hurricanes can cause as well the financial volatility that storms can create in the property insurance market. Each year, the Office of Insurance Regulation tests the financial soundness of property insurance companies that conduct business in the state of Florida to ensure they can withstand the catastrophic losses generally associated with major storms.

The American Bankers Association – through its subsidiary the Corporation for American Banking – has endorsed the mortgage insurance solutions of Arch Mortgage Insurance Company?, a leading provider of private mortgage insurance and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arch Capital Group Ltd.

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that in 2014, there was no statistically significant change from 2013 in either real median household income or the official poverty rate. At the same time, the percentage of people without health insurance coverage declined. Unless otherwise noted, the following results for the nation were compiled from information collected in the 2015 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement.

With a record 8.2 million acres already consumed by dangerous wildfires and the peak of wildfire season is just beginning, the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) is using National Preparedness Month to remind homeowners and renters that it’s time to take a “wildfire preparedness reality check” to ensure you’re physically and financially prepared.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) joins with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Ready Campaign and other organizations around the country to encourage home and business owners to take time during National Preparedness Month to reduce risk and be ready before natural disasters strike. IBHS recommends four simple steps to help get prepared

The Federal Housing Administration's mutual mortgage insurance fund plays a critical role in providing access to credit so that millions of Americans—many of whom are first-time buyers, come from low- and moderate-income backgrounds, or purchase homes in communities of color—can be successful homeowners. The FHA today proposed revised language on the lender certification of loan and borrower eligibility and lender disbarment.<

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) and Palm Harbor Homes announced today Palm Harbor’s manufacturing facility in Plant City, Florida has earned a FORTIFIED Home™ – Hurricane manufacturing plant certification to construct and deliver the first-ever FORTIFIED Home labeled and disaster resistant modular homes in hurricane-prone regions.

With National Preparedness Month set to begin September 1, the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) says this is the perfect time to contact your insurance agent or company and make sure you are properly covered for all natural disasters

Rohnert Park Health Center will hold its Grand Opening Celebration and Ribbon Cutting on August 12 , during National Health Center Week. The celebration will be hosted by both the health center and the building owner, Meridian, and will feature keynote speaker Senator Ricardo Lara, the author of SB4, the Health for All Act.

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) today sponsored a policy briefing entitled “Does One Size Fit All? A Policy Discussion on Insurance, Regulation, and the American Economy” on Capitol Hill, where House Financial Services Committee members and industry experts discussed the potential effects of international standard setting on United States’ current state-based regulatory structure.

Private U.S. property/casualty insurers’ net income after taxes grew to $18.2 billion in first-quarter 2015 from $13.9 billion in first-quarter 2014, with insurers’ overall profitability as measured by their rate of return on average policyholders’ surplus growing to 10.8 percent from 8.4 percent, according to ISO, a Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK) business, and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI)

Two U.S. Representatives from Florida, Patrick E. Murphy and Carlos Curbelo, introduced a bill that would allow states to approve private insurers to compete with the government-dominated flood insurance market.  They believe competition will result in better policies and pricing. In addition, they feel innovations involved in that process will ultimately ensure all flood insurance programs are better, including the National Flood Insurance Program

The American Institute of Architect (AIA) has selected Alyssa Tope, Assoc. AIA, and Edward Palka, Assoc. AIA, to receive the 2015 David W. Lakamp a/e ProNet Scholarship. The program, initiated by ProNet, a national association of insurance brokers who are committed to providing liability insurance and loss prevention to architects, is awarded to architecture students who demonstrate a particular interest in the principles of management in architecture practice. Tope and Palka will both receive $5,000 to use towards their tuition

We are now entering the hot summer months where pop-up thunderstorms and lightning are very common, especially in the southeast. However, in many homes and businesses across the country there is a little known risk of fire that can by triggered by lightning strikes.

The Sacramento Promise Zone and Downtown Housing Forum

The Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s Development Finance Institution, approved financing and insurance commitments to support eight private sector-led development projects in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.