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Organizations that haven’t yet applied to participate in a government program that will provide partial reimbursement of claims incurred by enrollees in their early retiree health care plans will have to use a new application form starting next week, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday. Organizations whose applications are postmarked after Nov. 9 must use the new form, HHS said. Those that have not started to complete the prior Aug. 9 application form, and whose application is postmarked Nov. 9 or earlier, also must use the Nov. 2 application. However, organizations that started to complete the Aug.… Read More »Early Retiree Health Reimbursement Requires New Form

In 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will fully implement its new program, Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010). Travelers is helping its trucking industry customers prepare for the coming changes by introducing a new coverage form for the on-board equipment used to capture data that may help improve safety performance in accordance with CSA 2010. “CSA 2010 and the new measures under Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) look at the end result of safety management practices,” said Joe Tracy, president, Travelers Inland Marine. “In addition to the new coverage form, Travelers is helping its customers implement… Read More »Carrier Safety Administration New Trucking Form

Navigators Management Co., Inc., has introduced an online platform offering pollution liability insurance for small general service and trade contractors. Agents and brokers can obtain real-time bindable quotes for contractors with up to $5 million in annual revenues at premiums starting at $300 (plus applicable fees and taxes). Navigators recognizes that today’s contractors face many exposures, including USEPA laws mandating lead-safe construction practices, and a growing trend of States that define and regulate silt escaping from a jobsite as a “pollutant.” Contractual requirements for pollution insurance are also more prevalent than ever. The small business Contractors Pollution Liability program is… Read More »Pollution Liability Coverage for Small Contractors

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

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

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

In what’s being called “a major victory for insurance agents and brokers,” the California Department of Insurance has notified the California Office of Administrative Law of its intention to repeal certain portions of its privacy regulations. The CDI notified OAL of its decision to repeal California Code of Regulations Section 2689.8(c)(3). That provision requires agents and brokers to annually mail privacy policies to all customers, and to provide an “opt out” form that, if returned by the customer, prevents broker-agents from shopping on renewal to find better policies from other insurance companies, explained Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West,… Read More »Modified Privacy Regulations Make Insurance Shopping Easier in California