(Reuters) A federal judge on Monday said Alabama and Louisiana may seek punitive damages from companies including BP P.L.C. for damages arising from last year's Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The decision by U.S. District ... [full story]

Analysis of third-quarter financial data of 46 insurers and reinsurers covered by investment bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods finds worsening underwriting results but also a glimmer of hope for the industry. As expected, industry underwriting results took a hit ... [full story]

Some good news regarding the insurance industry’s reputation: Small-business owners trust independent insurance agents and commercial insurance carriers significantly more than banks, health care companies and stock brokers. As part of a broader effort to stay appraised of the ... [full story]

The need for insurers to offer a compelling user experience is borne out in a global survey of 119 insurers conducted by Accenture.     While 91 percent indicated that future growth depends on providing a special customer experience, the ... [full story]

Insurers are more pessimistic than ever about business conditions, notes a new report issued by audit, tax and advisory firm KPMG LLP. KPMG’s annual survey of insurance executives revealed that insurers remain guarded about their company’s performance and the industry’s ... [full story]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Corn and soybean farmers are pushing for — and Congress is moving to create — a whole new subsidy that could maintain farm incomes at a nearly four-decade high should prices fall or crops be destroyed by ... [full story]

A new generation of predictive modeling tools is rolling out in the workers compensation market, which experts say could make claims adjustment and management more of a science. Modeling has been available in workers comp for years, but insiders ... [full story]

NEW YORK (Reuters)—The U.S. Treasury Department received a $972 million repayment from American International Group Inc., funded by proceeds from the sale of AIG'S American Life Insurance Co. subsidiary last November, Treasury said Tuesday. Treasury said its remaining investment ... [full story]

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Residents across the Northeast woke up to cold, dark homes and one of the earliest snow days in memory Monday after a storm dumped as much as 30 inches of wet, heavy snow that snapped trees ... [full story]

Lawmakers working on the next Farm Bill need to find an effective way to provide aid to farmers affected by natural disasters, increase funding for agricultural research and continue important conservation programs, according to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. ... [full story]