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Noncompliance with OSHA Citations

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration in late December arrested two St. Louis, Mo., employers for failing to comply with court sanctions enforcing OSHA citations. Brian A., former owner of Andre Tuckpointing and Brickwork, and Regina S., owner of Andre Stone & Mason Work Inc., the successor company to Andre Tuckpointing and Brickwork, were arrested after repeatedly failing to comply with OSHA final orders. OSHA said A. and S.  failed to comply with sanctions ordered by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, following the court’s initial ruling of contempt against them in January 2010. OSHA issued… Read More »Noncompliance with OSHA Citations

Fatality Rate Lowest in New York

Have you been to NY? I’ve been to New York many times. And it’s no surprise that new statistics find that New York City’s traffic fatality rate amongst the lowest in the nation.  New York’s traffic jams are so bad, there is no way one die out of a collision at 3 miles per hour speed rate, even if one is  a pedestrian. According to The New York Times, during last two years New York City had the lowest numbers of traffic deaths since the local authorities began keeping records about a century ago. The city recorded 269 traffic deaths… Read More »Fatality Rate Lowest in New York

You Would Have to Be High Not to Buy This Coverage

Medical cannabis dispensaries, collectives, cooperatives, cultivators and caregivers  operating within state guidelines have a new option to protect themselves. Coverage for medical marijuana operations is now available. In addition to working with one of the largest, A+ rated, international insurance carriers to develop the raid coverage program, the programs specifically designed to meet the evolving insurance needs of the medical cannabis community to protect legally operating medical cannabis businesses. The coverage provides relief to cannabis operations raided by state or local law enforcement agencies provided the operations have adhered to all specified state and local cannabis-related guidelines and are found innocent… Read More »You Would Have to Be High Not to Buy This Coverage

How to Manage Risks Associated with Delivery

Delivery accidents, whether those are pizza or sushi sedan delivery, or large track furniture delivery, can result from, but are not limited to: Rear-ending the car ahead because the delivery driver is following too closely, speeding excessively or driving while distracted; Turning-related accidents while making U-turns, failing to observe other vehicles and conditions, failing to yield and turning left through intersections; and Backing accidents when not looking behind or to the side of the vehicle when backing up, and rolling back at traffic control devices. To reduce accidents and loss, we suggest drivers: Check to make sure their vehicles are… Read More »How to Manage Risks Associated with Delivery

New: Zurich Fleet Intelligence

Global driver risk management company has partnered with Zurich on its new, integrated fleet risk management system called Zurich Fleet Intelligence (ZFI), offering its telematics services to Zurich’s insurance customers seeking ways to minimize their fleet’s operating costs and reduce crashes, all while keeping their vehicles up-and-running and drivers safe. ZFI works by combining the data from telematics services or data from other leading vehicle telematic providers with Zurich’s extensive analytical tools to turn the data into insights that can help fleet managers reduce their fleet operating costs, as well as: Optimize vehicle journey planning and deployment; Reduce vehicle running… Read More »New: Zurich Fleet Intelligence

Motor Vehicle Service Agreements in Florida

What is a Motor Vehicle Service Contract? Talk to any auto dealer. Most auto dealers will explain the merits of, and offer you the opportunity to buy, a service contract at the same time you purchase your vehicle or within a limited time following that purchase. Many of these contracts are provided by the manufacturer of the vehicle you have purchased. Most service contract companies offer a wide range of options available within each of their contracts. As an example, some of the contracts offer a choice as to the number of miles covered by the agreement. Contracts may protect… Read More »Motor Vehicle Service Agreements in Florida

How to Reduce Drunk Driving

Presently, Texas State law does require that interlock devices be installed in the vehicles of drivers convicted of two or more DUIs, or those that have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 or more —  nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08. New Bill, introduced recently, require that all persons convicted of driving while intoxicated have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle. Studies have shown that requiring the use of ignition interlock devices can reduce repeat drunk driving offenses by 64%. Currently 8 states mandate the use of ignition interlock devices for all drivers convicted of driving while… Read More »How to Reduce Drunk Driving

Pinnacol Tax Heaven is not Over

Colorado law makers are thinking to take away some tax exemptions for Pinnacol Assurance. The Budget Committee decided last week to draft the legislation. The decision follows the release of documents showing that the state-chartered workers’ compensation insurance company spent more than $300K on a trip to Pebble Beach, Calif.. Hey, why not, if Pinnacol pays no state or federal taxes. It operates largely like a private insurer but it must provide insurance to any company that can’t get coverage elsewhere. Some of the proposals are to continue to exempt Pinnacol from taxes on those last-resort polices but Pinnacol would have to start… Read More »Pinnacol Tax Heaven is not Over

Nevada Workers’ Compensation Rate Decrease

Nevada has approved a filing for an average decrease of 3.9% for Nevada workers’ compensation voluntary insurance loss costs and an average decrease of 2.2 % for workers’ compensation insurance assigned risk rates. Loss costs are the expected costs of medical and wage loss benefits including the costs to administer the benefits by employment classification. Insurers convert the loss costs to full rates by factoring in the insurer-specific loss cost multiplier which contemplates the insurers’ administrative expenses and profit. Workers’ comp claims costs have been decreasing over the past decade, which is largely the reason for the proposed decreases. Fewer… Read More »Nevada Workers’ Compensation Rate Decrease