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The Danger of Distracted Walking

Okay, we have said enough about the distracted driving. The cell phone use laws being adopted by the U.S. states are describing how and when the mobile phones can be used while driving. But what about pedestrians distracted with their smartphones? Can we blame them for major increase of fatal accidents involving pedestrians? Apparently yes. According to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Transportation, 4,280 pedestrians were killed and an estimated 70,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States in 2010 — a 4% rise from the number reported in 2009. On average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours… Read More »The Danger of Distracted Walking

Protection for Water and Sewer Districts

Serving the public is a serious, round-the-clock responsibility. It’s your job to protect, plan for, and serve the needs of your community as it grows. And it’s our job to protect you with thoughtfully designed, tailored insurance coverages. Our dedicated underwriting, claims and risk control teams work specifically with water and sewer districts and can provide you with one source for your insurance and risk management needs.

WE UNDERSTAND YOUR GENERAL LIABILITY HAZARDS

• Training modules for unique risks such as flagging/traffic control
• Risk control specialists to assist in analyzing digging sites for pipe-laying hazards
• Coverage available for failure-to-supply services and sewer back-up liability
• Utilization of immunities and tort caps where applicable
• Coverage for members of boards, commissions and sewer authorities

WE HAVE AN INDUSTRY-LEADING WORKERS COMPENSATION PROGRAM

• Co-located medical and claims professionals promptly handle, thoroughly investigate and fairly resolve claims, with a focus on return-to-work
• Discounts and savings through carrier’s preferred medical provider network

WE KNOW YOUR MACHINES

• Specialized equipment breakdown  coverage and certified boiler and machinery inspections and consultations through carrier’s Boiler & Machinery

WE PROVIDE SERVICES FOR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES

• Complimentary EPL hotline provides access to EPL attorneys* to answer your questions
• Discounts for employee training to help protect against “failure to train” exposures

WE UNDERSTAND EMOTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SEWER BACKUP

• Our dedicated Sewer Backup Claim Unit  understands the importance of balancing residents’ emotional reactions to water backup events with prompt claim handling
• Specialists work with sewer backup adjusters for valuation of residents’ personal items, antiques, etc.

WE OFFER CYBER LIABILITY PROTECTION

• Coverage to protect against cyber and ID fraud for entities that store data electronically

Read More »Protection for Water and Sewer Districts

Rising Cost of Homeowners Insurance

The cost of homeowners insurance claims has been rising rapidly because of the combined effects of rising claim severity and increases in claim frequency, according to an insurance industry report. A new Insurance Research Council (IRC) study of homeowners insurance claim trends found that from 1997 to 2011, the average claim payment per insured home countrywide rose 173%. In the study, “Trends in Homeowners Insurance Claims,” the IRC examined separately claim trends for claims that were not related to catastrophic events and those that were related to catastrophic events. Trends in average claim severity (the average claim payment per paid… Read More »Rising Cost of Homeowners Insurance

CGL Independent Contractor Exclusion

Many insurance policies include the following standard provision: “This insurance does not apply to bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, advertising injury, or medical payments for operations performed for you by independent contractors or your acts or omissions in connection with your general supervision of such operations” (exclusion). Relying on this exclusion, your insurer may deny coverage for injuries sustained by subcontractors and decline to defend you in the underlying litigation or personal injury suit. A Massachusetts court recently ruled in favor of insurer Lloyd’s in a dispute over a general liability policy excluding coverage for independent contractors. The case is No.… Read More »CGL Independent Contractor Exclusion

Non-Driving Insurance Factors Questioned

Consumers do not think it is fair for auto insurers to use level of education, occupation and lack of previous insurance in setting prices. That’s according to findings from a national survey of more than 1,000 consumers released by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), which opposes insurer use of the these and other factors it says are unrelated to driving and has urged state regulators to restrict their use. CFA said that most major insurers use these types of non-driving factors and said these factors greatly increase premiums for low and moderate income drivers, often by more than 100… Read More »Non-Driving Insurance Factors Questioned

What Every Business Owner Should Know About Credit Card Protections

Protecting Against Consumer Identify Theft The use of credit and debit cards and electronic payments has become a way of  life for public and private businesses and their customers. With this, vulnerabilities to credit card fraud and identity theft have increased. To help improve credit and debit card security, the credit card industry and federal and state governments have set standards and regulations. Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act and Receipt Requirements Congress passed the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA), significantly amending the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Effective Dec. 4, 2006, 15 U.S.C. §1681c amended the act to require any… Read More »What Every Business Owner Should Know About Credit Card Protections

How to Reduce Liability When Selecting Subcontractors

General contractors and/or prime contractors are designated “controlling employers” in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) construction standard. Controlling employers are defined as those contractors who may be held responsible for the actions of subcontractors, including bodily injury and/or property damage caused by subcontractors to the public, other contractor’s employees, or for injuries to the subcontractor’s own employees. These exposures can be broken down into the following areas: Employee injuries (workers’ compensation) Job site physical injury to others or property loss (premises liability) Physical injury or property damage to the public around the site (premises/general liability) A defect arising… Read More »How to Reduce Liability When Selecting Subcontractors

Avoiding Liability on Your Website

The Internet provides a rich environment for creative communication. Used with care, it can assist in increasing product safety. But in their enthusiasm to capitalize on its power, some companies are increasing their liability potential. • A company president was not aware of a product on his company’s website. The marketing department put it there because it was a product they were thinking about developing. • A Vice President of Administration was unaware they even had a website. • Operator instructions normally in the manual provided with the product were posted on the website, but warning labels were left out.… Read More »Avoiding Liability on Your Website

California Signs Electronic Proof Of Insurance Bill

Yes! It happens right now. We witness a great moment of the history! Gov. Jerry Brown made California the seventh state in the nation to allow drivers to show proof of insurance coverage using their smart phone. Brown on Friday signed Assembly Bill 1708, a bill authored by Assemblyman Gatto, which will give drivers the option to show proof of financial responsibility electronically using a mobile electronic device. “Governor Brown just brought proof of coverage into the 21st Century by signing AB 1708,” said Armand Feliciano, with the Association of California Insurance Companies. “California has long been known as ground zero… Read More »California Signs Electronic Proof Of Insurance Bill

Vote for Pet Insurance Claims of the Year

Here are the 12 unusual claims nominated for the 2012 Hambone Award: July 2011 – Ginger the golden retriever (Rocky Hill, Conn.). Sniffing turned snippy when a feisty snapping turtle chomped down on Ginger’s nose, causing quite a scare and lacerations to her muzzle. August 2011 – Havee the Havanese (Pompton Plains, N.J.). A cleaning spree resulted in a trip to the local animal hospital when Havee’s tail was run over by the vacuum after he fell asleep under the dining room table. September 2011 – Kei the shiba inu (Wadswoth, Ill.). An escalator excursion landed Kei in the animal… Read More »Vote for Pet Insurance Claims of the Year