Those numbers are from the Alabama Department of Insurance, and include amounts that state-regulated insurance companies have paid for damage to businesses, cars, homes, and other property, but does not include any claims that were paid by insurers such as Lloyd’s of London that have policies in Alabama but are not subject to state regulation.

State authorities say that if every claim was resolved and tallied, the total would probably be near $3 billion, which, according to State Insurance Commissioner Jim Riding, falls within estimates his department has seen.

As a measure of protection, Allstate Insurance Company is offering its customers in California coverage to help mitigate the expense of identity theft, and reduce the time spent recovering their identities, as well.

The program, which is referred to as “identity theft expenses coverage” went into affect in late August, and is available to new and renewing Allstate auto insurance policyholders in California. With a starting premium of $30/year, the coverage will give customers access to “professional identity restoration assistance.”

It also provides a maximum of $25,000 in reimbursement coverage for attorney fees, loan reapplication fees, credit fees, police report fees, lost wages, and any other reasonable expenses associated with the restoration of identity.

Supporters of the bill, SB105, say raising awareness and requiring helmets could prevent head and brain injuries which are potentially life-ending in children as well as being expensive to treat, in turn making health insurance rates soar ever higher. Those caught on the slopes without protective head gear could be fined $25.

The bill was approved by the California Senate in April, but will vote on any amendments made by the Assembly before it goes to the governor for signature or veto.

There are four other states which have such laws on their books, and two others are considering them.

Some of these employees, the insurer has said, will become mobile employees who work from home, while others will be offered transfers to other field offices in the same states (there are two in each of the three states named). Either way, says the Bloomington-based insurance company, it is hoped that all affected employees will be retained.

While the to-be-closed offices in Indiana and Michigan have not yet been identified, the sites closing in Illinois include facilities in Arlington Heights, Champaign, Collinsville, Elmhurst, Marion, Moline, Peoria, Rockford, Springfield, and Tinley Park.

Last week, Prudential Financial, Inc. announced that it had reached an agreement with Jefferies Group, Inc, for the sale of its (Prudential’s) global commodities business. The purchase price is $430 million, and is roughly equal to the book value of the company, as of the end of 2010.

The transaction, which must go through regulatory approval before it’s expected closing this summer, will include FCM, Prudential Bache Commodities, LLC, Prudential Bache Securities, LLC, and the UK and Hong Kong-based Bache Commodities Limited, and Bache Commodities, Ltd.

To help with that, the MetLife Mature Market Institute has partnered with WISER (Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement) to offer a comprehensive free publication called What Today’s Woman Needs to Know and Do: the New Retirement Journey. It’s available for download from the Mature Market Institute.

The publication speaks to the different challenges that women face as they mature and offers assistance with financial planning issues, with such tools as a Retirement Savings and Planning Checklist for every decade of a woman’s life, with guidelines for women from age 20 through their 70s. There’s also a glossary to define common financial terms, as well as other resources.

According to data from a MetLife Mature Market Institute study, financial planning is a major issue for the modern woman, especially since women still earn less than men, with 62% of career women expressing concern that they may never have enough money to retire.

Explains Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D., the director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute, “While women today have more economic opportunity than ever before, they also have a great deal more financial responsibility. Compared to previous generations of women who likely had a pension [theirs or their husband’s) and a deed to their mortgage-free home, many of today’s women are less prepared. They may now have a 401(k), 403(b) and/or IRA savings, a Social Security benefit and Medicare benefits, but they may not have pensions and private health care coverage. Many are likely to have a mortgage or other debt. New approaches are, therefore, required.”

No matter how old you are, this publication is worth checking out.

According to spokespeople for AIG, $6.6 billion of the latest repayment came from selling its shares in the insurance company MetLife – shares that were initially acquired when it sold its international unit Alico to MetLife last year. Another $300 million was leftover from expenses related to the Alico transaction.

After this most recent payment, the U.S. Treasure still retains about $11.3 billion in preferred interests in AIG, as well as roughly 92% of the insurance group’s common stock. If that stock were to be sold at today’s closing price, it would generate almost $14.22 billion.

Spokespeople for the Treasure Department expect that every dollar of AIG’s bailout – which was $182 billion at its highest point – will eventually be recovered.

As of this evening, about 70% of the still-outstanding TARP funds are from AIG, Ally Financial, and General Motors.

Unsurprisingly, the two measures under consideration failed on party-line votes, with 25 Democrats opposing the GOP proposals, and 14 Republicans supporting them. The proposals were meant to amend a bill changing the driver’s license requirements for teenagers in New Mexico.

Governor Susana Martinez, a Republican, has often encouraged lawmakers to vote up-or-down to scrap a 2003 law permitting the issuance of driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.

Republicans in the New Mexico Senate believe that the licensing system in their state constitutes a security risk. They have even suggested that terrorists could get state driver’s licenses.

Senator Eric Griego (D-Albuquerque) said that the legislation was driven by a fear of primarily-Mexican immigrants.

State Republicans maintain that they will push for a ban on licenses for illegal immigrants in the House.

To become certified under the program, 21st Century Insurance had to pass a detailed audit of more than 100 elements comprising the call center’s customer satisfaction measurement, including recruiting, analysis, employee incentives and quality assurance. As well, J.D. Power and Associates conducted a random survey of the insurer’s customers who recently used the call centers.

Mark Miller, senior director of the global contact center practice at J.D. Power and Associates, spoke on behalf of his company, saying, “In achieving certification for a fifth consecutive year, 21st Century Insurance has demonstrated its commitment to provide customers with an outstanding customer experience.” He added, “Call center representatives receive notable high ratings for their courtesy and knowledge.”

Speaking for 21st Century Insurance, Karen Alejnikov, senior vice president of operations, said, “On a daily basis, our service team exemplifies what it means to deliver an outstanding customer service experience. This fifth consecutive certification from J.D. Power and Associates demonstrates our commitment to provide each and every customer individualized attention and assistance.”

The Call Center Certification Program was launched by J.D. Power and Associates in 2004.