The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently issued its opinion in Trustmark Ins. Co. v. John Hancock Life Ins. Co., a case that both the reinsurance and general arbitration communities have been following closely.  In a unanimous opinion, the Seventh Circuit reversed the District Court’s decision to hold that a party-appointed arbitrator’s prior involvement in an earlier arbitration between the parties did not disqualify him or render him incapable of serving in a subsequent arbitration involving related issues. …
Read More Seventh Circuit Unanimously Lifts Injunction Issued in Arbitration, Holding that Arbitrator’s Service in Prior Arbitration Between the Parties Involving Overlapping Issues Did Not Disqualify Him from Serving in Subsequent Arbitration

The U.S. Re Under 40s Group’s next event will take place in the City of Brotherly Love on February 17.  You can read more about the event here, including information on how the benefit will raise money for The St. Baldrick’s Foundation. …
Read More Join the Re Under 40s Group in Philadelphia

Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy announced today his appointment of Thomas Leonardi as the new Insurance Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Insurance.  Leonardi currently serves as the Chairman and CEO of Northington Partners, Inc., an insurance specialty venture capital and investment banking firm, where he has worked with insurance companies on strategic, investment, capital raising and financial advisory matters. …
Read More New Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Announced Today

According to a recent Reuters article, Cyclone Yasi is expected to cost insurers approximately AUS $3.5 billion in insured damage, according to Forecasting Service Tropical Storm Risk (“TSR”).  Cyclone Yasi, a maximum strength category five storm about the size of Italy, has drawn much comparison with Hurricane Katrina, which caused massive damage to New Orleans and surrounding states in 2005.  (Some estimate that the insured losses alone caused by Hurricane Katrina reached US $66 billion.) …
Read More Australian Cyclone Yasi Causes Major Damage, Exposes Potentially Significant Insurance Losses

In a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the American Hospital Association has asked that the final medical loss ratio (MLR) rules under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be changed.  The AHA would like all capitated payments to be classified as medical claims, including the entire cost of providing delivery plus the associated administrative overhead. …
Read More AHA Letter Calls for Medical Loss Ratio Rule Changes

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP continues its live blogging from the PLUS D&O Symposium.  There were several interesting points discussed during the fourth panel discussion today. …
Read More Live Blog: D&O Symposium Thursday Panel IV – Brokers in the Spotlight

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP continues its live blogging from the PLUS D&O Symposium.  There were several interesting points discussed during the third panel discussion today. …
Read More Live Blog: D&O Symposium Thursday Panel III – The Claims Check is in the Mail

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP continues its live blogging from the PLUS D&O Symposium.  There were several interesting points discussed during the second panel discussion this morning. …
Read More Live Blog: D&O Symposium Thursday Panel II – The Regulators

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP continues its live blogging from the PLUS D&O Symposium. There were several interesting points discussed during the first panel discussion this morning. …
Read More Live Blog: D&O Symposium Thursday Panel I – Regulatory Change Simplified: A Review of Key D&O Regulatory Issues