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Maine Court: You’ve got to be kidding me…

Maine’s supreme court says a workers’ compensation beneficiary isn’t eligible for additional benefits for a car crash that happened with on a way to a mediation meeting. Kurt F., an employee, was injured on the job in 1987, 1997 and again 2007, and he was traveling to a mediation hearing on those injuries when he was involved in a car crash. In a 4-2 ruling, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court found that the employer cannot be made responsible for the injuries en route to the hearing in Lewiston. Justice Ellen G. wrote that injuries occurring during travel to mediation or… Read More »Maine Court: You’ve got to be kidding me…

Hartford Insurance Company Expands Coverage For Healthcare Providers

As the aging population and advances in medical technology fuel the healthcare industry’s rapid expansion, providers face new growth opportunities and specialized protection needs. To help healthcare administrators address these needs, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., has expanded its portfolio of insurance products and services for healthcare providers with tailored coverage designed specifically for healthcare facilities. “Healthcare service providers have a broad range of insurance and risk management needs, from protecting their property, medical equipment and computer records to ensuring patient and staff safety,” said Lisa Morgan, senior vice president of The Hartford’s Middle Market commercial insurance business. The… Read More »Hartford Insurance Company Expands Coverage For Healthcare Providers

California Workers Comp. Insurance Rates Up 3%

California workers compensation insurance rates increased 3% on average during the first six months of 2010 over the same period in 2009, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California said. Written premiums, meanwhile, increased to $5.2 billion during the first six months of the year, a 16% increase over the first six months of 2009, according to the summary of insurer experience released Monday by the WCIRB. The WCIRB’s information is based on data reported by insurers that wrote nearly all of California’s workers comp premiums. While rates climbed 3% during the first six months of 2010, they still… Read More »California Workers Comp. Insurance Rates Up 3%

Florida Workers Comp. Increase Approved

Florida workers’ compensation insurers have been given the green light to raise rates an average 7.8 percent starting Jan. 1, 2011. Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty has told the insurers’ rating organization, the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), that he would approve a rate filing to increase rates by 7.8 percent. NCCI had sought an 8.3 percent increase. It is the first rate hike approved in seven years. The state enacted reforms in 2003 that have been credited with helping to lower rates. “The rate increase that that has been justified would still give Florida the lowest rates in… Read More »Florida Workers Comp. Increase Approved

You’ve Been Served, Brazoria County, TX

The Texas Supreme Court has determined that a lawsuit filed against a “governmental unit” within six months of an incident can be regarded as sufficient notice under the Texas Tort Claims Act. The high court’s ruling reverses the dismissal by the Court of Appeals for the 14th District of Texas of a suit against a Texas county. The case was remanded back to the trial court. In Glenn Colquitt v. Brazoria County, NO. 09-0369, the Texas Supreme Court found that because all of the pertinent details that are required in notice to a governmental unit in Texas when filing a claim… Read More »You’ve Been Served, Brazoria County, TX

Markel Launches Markel Management Liability

Markel Corporation has introduced Markel Management Liability, an integrated suite of coverages including directors’ & officers’ liability, employment practices liability, and fiduciary liability. The coverages are available as a package policy or as stand-alone coverages. Markel Management Liability protects insureds against a wide range of exposures arising from allegations of mismanagement from shareholders, employees, and regulatory bodies. This admitted, claims-made package currently targets small-to-middle market, private organizations with up to $750 million in revenue. Coverage availability will expand to include nonprofit organizations and publicly-traded companies soon. Markel entertains all industry classes for management liability coverage, except financial institutions. Admitted, excess… Read More »Markel Launches Markel Management Liability

Insurance Goes Green

Insurers have new incentives to go green, thanks to a new law signed by California Governor. AB 1011 requires the state Department of Insurance to collect data from insurers on their greenhouse gas reductions and green investments as part of their community development investments. The information will be shared on the DOI Web site. Insurance companies that go green also may be eligible for a tax credit for qualified investments in low- and moderate-income urban and rural communities “It is the intent of the Legislature to provide an incentive in the form of California tax credits to attract much needed additional… Read More »Insurance Goes Green

Do You Oppose Billing Auto Insurance Carriers for Accident Fees

Do you, really? If yes, than you are likely the minority in California. Because Californians disagree with the idea that communities should levy fees on out-of-town motorists who cause accidents that require city-funded emergency response services, according to poll results recently released by a California insurance organization. In its survey fo 800 respondents, Online Auto Insurance  website found that 62% of the total 800 respondents opposed a “crash tax” after being informed that auto insurance carriers typically receive the bills for such fees. Although some do, not all insurers will cover accident response fees. There has been growing discussion in California… Read More »Do You Oppose Billing Auto Insurance Carriers for Accident Fees

Zurich Settles Half a Billion Claim

Zurich Financial Services Ltd. and its Farmers Group Inc. subsidiary are paying $455 million to settle a class-action lawsuit challenging management service fees paid to Farmers, Zurich said Thursday. Law suite details you can read on your own – Google is your friend. We just want to point to your attention that Zurich and Farmers Group “do not accept that there is any basis” for the claims regarding the management fees, but Zurich said it decided to settle “in order to provide certainty to its shareholders and clarity to customers as well as to avoid the risks and significant exposure of… Read More »Zurich Settles Half a Billion Claim

Is Your Insurance Company Double Taxed in California?

Did you pay 3% surplus lines tax and 0.25% filing fee for your policy with a company that is Non-Admitted in California? Well, certainly, you did! Would you like to pay 2.35% section 28 tax? According to a California Court of Appeal decision, surplus line insurers should not be subject to California Constitution Section 28 taxes to the state, since these nonadmitted insurers already pay surplus line premium taxes. The conflict arose when Stephen Silvers and Steven Gold (S&G) filed a complaint, alleging that surplus line insurer Lexington Insurance Co. had failed to pay Section 28 taxes, and sought the court’s… Read More »Is Your Insurance Company Double Taxed in California?