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South Dakota

Expired insurance = no coverage

An insurance company does not have to cover a Rapid City woman for a crash because her policy expired 12 hours before she hit four boys on their bicycles, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled.

Tamara Bradford pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular battery for the September 2007 crash and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Authorities said her blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit for driving when she hit and injured the boys, who were riding their bicycles or standing along the road.

After a lawsuit was filed on behalf of the boys, Alpha Property and Casualty Insurance Co. declined to cover Bradford for the crash. The Supreme Court said Bradford’s insurance policy had expired just after midnight on Sept. 23, 2007, about 12 hours before the crash, because she had failed to pay a premium due the day before the accident.

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Insurance for Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centers

Alcohol & Drug Rehabilitation facilities provide medical assistance and behavioral and nutritional counseling to individuals who are in need of substance abuse services. Eligible risks may include Outpatient Alcohol & Drug Counseling, Rehabilitation Centers, Halfway Houses Inpatient, Methadone, Early Release Prisoner Programs (Alcohol & Drug related offenses only) and Outpatient Detox. Clinics may also be included as an eligible class when the clinic is only a part of the facility’s overall services. Our program includes a Package, General & Professional Liability, Property, Umbrella, Auto (some restrictions may apply) and Abuse & Molestation. Our pro- gram also offers Coverage Endorsements &… Read More »Insurance for Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centers

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

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Increases for Liability Insurance for Construction Firms

The commercial general liability market for the U.S. construction industry continues to firm with underwriters seeking rate increases of up to 15 percent, according to a report published by Marsh. Construction firms with poor loss histories are experiencing even larger liability rate increases and in some cases receiving non-renewal notices from their underwriters. After nearly a decade of rate declines, insurers also are typically seeking to raise rates on umbrella and excess liability insurance of between 8 and 10 percent, according to Marsh’s August 2012 Construction Market Update. According to the report, rates for project-specific general liability, general liability wraps,… Read More »Increases for Liability Insurance for Construction Firms

Contractor Fraud Bills Passed in IN, NE, and SD

The Indiana and Nebraska legislatures recently passed much needed legislation that could help protect homeowners from contractor fraud and abuse, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI). Additionally, the South Dakota legislature sent a similar bill to its governor in late February. Contractor fraud legislation also has been introduced in five other states — Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky and Tennessee, PCI said. The bills passed in Indiana (HB 1237), Nebraska (LB 963) and South Dakota (SB 145) provide for notices and contract termination rights and prohibit rebating or other compensation to induce consumers to enter into contracts.… Read More »Contractor Fraud Bills Passed in IN, NE, and SD

New Enhancements to Real Estate E&O Program

We are proud to announce that we’re now offering an exclusive Real Estate Errors and Omissions Liability protection. Easy Way to Quote and Bind Online We offer an advanced and intuitive online application that allows to facilitate the quotation, binding and policy issuance process for our customers. For qualified applicants, a quote and policy may be processed in minutes. Coverage Features We’re confident that our program will bring you superior underwriting and service. That said, the policy’s coverage will remain packed with coveted features and include 2 free hours of access to a toll-free, confidential risk management hotline and, for qualifying risks, new coverage… Read More »New Enhancements to Real Estate E&O Program

U.S. Lowest Auto Insurance Premium

Auto insurance premiums in the North and South Dakotas are the lowest in the nation, according to ND insurance commissioner Adam Hamm. A new report issued by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows that the average auto insurance premium in ND was, in 2008, $644, whereas the national average was $903. The most expensive state was Louisiana, where the average auto insurance premium was $1,275.