E&S/Specialty

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., has introduced an amendment to financial services regulatory legislation now pending in the Senate that would drastically reduce the authority of the Office of National Insurance it would create.

Joseph Peloso, a veteran of the program business segment, remembers a time when unsolicited program proposals flooded the desks of property and casualty underwriters, offering more business than they could possibly handle.

Practicing what they preach in terms of personal risk management, more than 96 percent of independent agents and brokers responding to a recent online survey said they carried errors and omissions insurance.

W. R. Berkley Corp. has formed Verus Underwriting Managers, LLC, and named industry veteran Dale Pilkington to head up the new unit.

A federal judge in Louisiana has awarded $164,049.64 to a family whose home was affected by Chinese drywall.

A House panel has reported out flood insurance legislation and two other bills dealing with natural catastrophes, but only the flood program extension has unanimous industry backing.