More people in the workforce are claiming discrimination over their English-speaking ability or foreign accents, according to federal officials. Workplace discrimination complaints based on national origin — which often involve language ability — rose by 76 percent from 1997 to 2011, when more than 11,800 complaints were lodged with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Read more
In preparation for the holiday shopping season, you may find yourself in need of hiring additional staff. A poor hiring decision can create financial and operational problems as well as expose a business to a variety of risks. The estimated cost of a poor hiring decision varies, but research indicates on average, an organization is likely to lose 2 1/2 times the amount of the person’s annual salary. With this in mind, it is apparent why proper screening and selection procedures are important to avoid financial and operational problems down the road. Selecting skilled, dependable employees is the starting point for an effective risk… Read More »Smart Hiring Practices
Fifteen of 17 booster seats introduced in 2012 earn the top rating of BEST BET from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, evidence that more than ever, manufacturers are designing seats to provide good safety belt fit for booster-age children.
The improvements mean that BEST BET boosters now outnumber seats in any of the three other categories for the first time since the Institute released its inaugural booster ratings in 2008. Boosters are supposed to improve how adult lap and shoulder belts fit children so the belts can properly restrain them in crashes. BEST BET boosters correctly position belts on a typical 4-to-8-year-old child in almost any car, minivan or SUV.
“Booster manufacturers have risen to the Institute’s challenge to improve seat design, giving parents more choices than ever when shopping for a booster that will provide a good, safe fit for their children,” says Anne McCartt, Institute senior vice president for research.Read More »Booster Seats Safety Improved in 2012
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
For P&C, the top 10 criticisms are: Failure to acknowledge, to pay, or deny claims within specified time frames Using unapproved forms, unfiled rates and/or misapplication of rating factors Failure to cancel policies or non-renew policies in accordance with requirements Failure to provide required compliant disclosures in underwriting processes Failure to process total loss claims properly Failure to provide required compliant disclosures in claims processing Improper documentation of underwriting files Failure to adhere to producer appointment, termination and/or licensing requirements and adjuster licensing requirements Failure to pay correct amount under policy Improper documentation of claim files And, for life and… Read More »Study lists top 10 consumer criticisms of insurance companies
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
An estimated 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings are reported to U.S. fire departments each year and cause an estimated $35 million in property losses, according to a new government report. The report by the U.S. Fire Administration said that 84% of clothes dryer fires took place in residential buildings. Also, according to the report: Clothes dryer fire incidence in residential buildings was higher in the fall and winter months, peaking in January at 11 percent. Failure to clean (34 percent) was the leading factor contributing to the ignition of clothes dryer fires in residential buildings. … Read More »Common Cause of Fire – Laundry
Many businesses and other organizations record their phone calls so that they can document business transactions, train their employees, and improve customer service. It is extremely important to seek legal advice from an attorney if you are considering recording telephone calls or oral communication between parties. This article is not meant to serve as legal advice. However, we want to remind that there are federal and state laws regarding this practice. Florida, for example, is a “two-party consent” state, which requires that all parties of a conversation must give consent when one party wants to record a phone conversation. This includes the… Read More »Laws Regarding the Recording of Phone Calls
The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported 2011 is on track for another consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts, but California still dominates the top 10 list for areas highest auto theft rates. Seven of the top 10 areas were in California, mostly in the central and northern portion of the state. The report is a reflection of vehicle thefts on a per capita basis, and the authors of the report note that an area with a much smaller population and a moderate number of thefts can, and often does, have a higher theft rate than an area with a much… Read More »Top 10 States Vehicle Theft List
FL and VA have received good marks in a survey that looks at building codes in hurricane-prone states. The Tampa-based Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety conducted an analysis, evaluation, and comparison of building code and enforcement systems for residential buildings in the 18 states most vulnerable to catastrophic hurricanes in the U.S. Florida and Virginia both scored the highest, with 95 out of 100 possible points. Institute spokesman Joseph King said last week the two states did well due to a combination of strong statewide residential building codes and comprehensive regulatory processes for the building code officials, contractors, and subcontractors.… Read More »Building Codes Study Results 2012