The latest estimates of catastrophic losses from August’s Hurricane Irene project total property damage at $4.3 billion, with the worst damage in New Jersey and North Carolina.

A New York investigation into life insurers failing to match life insurance policies against master files of deaths has resulted in more than $52.6 million in payments to 7,934 beneficiaries.

The 2011 Atlantic Hurricane season ended Nov. 30 after producing seven major hurricanes, including three major ones, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The New York Court of Appeals ruled against insurers in six separate cases Nov. 15 by upholding a law requiring private insurers to deposit payments for some workers’ compensation benefits into state trust funds.

A family-run insurance brokerage in Long Island, N.Y. is accused in a civil suit of defrauding hundreds of charities by operating an alleged kickback scheme for 21 years.

Eleven health insurers were ordered by New York regulators to refund $114.5 million to policyholders because they ran afoul of the medical loss ratio requirements in the state.

Lawsuits and legislation about natural gas harvesting in the Marcellus Shale region and nationwide is underway and expected to spread, eventually reaching the insurance industry.

An estate and financial-planning lawyer in Philadelphia, his father and several investment brokers in New Jersey were accused of operating an $8.5 million Ponzi scheme that allegedly defrauded 73 investors.

Marsh & McLennan Agency, a subsidiary of insurance broker Marsh Inc., acquired the employee benefits division of a Marlborough, Mass.-based agency, adding about $600,000 in annual revenue to its middle-market operations.

BenefitMall, a national broker services company based in Dallas, added a new service, company payroll services, to its roster of offerings.