Free Republic

On Wednesday morning, the parent company said it will sell some small-group business lines to National General Holdings Corp. but exit the individual-health lines that are based in Milwaukee at 501 W. Michigan St. The first phase of job reductions at Assurant Health will occur this summer and impact an estimated 300 employees of approximately 1,700 positions in Milwaukee and other locations, Assurant Inc. said. Assurant Inc. said it will exit the health-insurance market over the next 18 months. ... Assurant Health has been losing money the past two years, and Assurant Inc. executives cited the challenges of running Assurant’s...

The parent company of Assurant Health said Tuesday that it will sell or shut down the Milwaukee health insurer — which employs 1,200 people in the area — by the end of next year. Assurant Health has struggled to adjust to changes in the health insurance market imposed by the Affordable Care Act and is expected to report an operating loss of $80 million to $90 million in its first quarter. That comes after it lost $64 million last year. The company, whose headquarters is in downtown Milwaukee, specializes in health insurance for small employers and individuals, the two market...