Business Insurance articles from August 2006

Business Insurance archives from August 2006

What to expect when you're expecting more pregnancy bias claims.(pregnancy discrimination )
August 7, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD The number of pregnancy discrimination complaints filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission declined in fiscal 2005 for a third straight year. Even so, complaints were up 31% vs. 1992 and some EEOC...

Preventing pregnancy bias claims.(Employment discrimination)
August 7, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Awareness of the law, a consistently applied policy, thorough documentation and adequate training can minimize the chances of employers being hit with pregnancy discrimination claims, say observers. "No. 1, they...

Catastrophe bond issuance continuing to set records; A 2005 bond expects to post $190 million loss, but risks so far not scaring off would-be investors.(Spotlight: Alternative Risk Transfer)
August 7, 2006... Byline: RUPAL PAREKH A tight catastrophe reinsurance market is helping to spur record cat bond issuance, industry experts say. Moreover, the cat bond programs launching today aren't simply more of the same; the market is widening to...

Heat waves deadly; risks avoidable.(News)
August 7, 2006... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN Beating the heat can be a matter of life and death during the kind of record-shattering heat wave that crept across most of the country during recent weeks. That's true even though heat-related workplace...

Weather derivatives running hot; Energy sector among first to embrace risk tool.(spotlight: alternative risk transfer)
August 7, 2006... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS With a significant portion of the U.S. economy exposed to weather risks, more commercial entities are turning to derivatives to mitigate the exposure. Weather derivatives generally cover low-risk,...

25 years after law, a top domicile rules.(Vermont leads in captive insurance market)
August 7, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL More than a quarter of a century later, Reg Beane remembers a phone call he received from Burt Carbino, a prominent New York risk manager. At the time of that phone call, Mr. Beane, then director of governmental...

Between the Lines; Employer lawyer nominated for labor post.(News)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik Paul DeCamp, who has spent his career defending employers against allegations of labor and employment violations, may soon be charged with enforcing the nation's wage and hour laws. Just two years ago,...

Pension bill eliminates Roth 401(k) roadblocks.(rules for 401 k plans)
August 7, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-The biggest roadblock to employers adding a Roth 401(k) feature to their traditional 401(k) plans soon will be lifted. Defined contribution plan provisions tucked into the sweeping pension funding reform...

ART options' flexibility appealing; Buyers favor customization.(spotlight: alternative risk transfer)
August 7, 2006... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN ART-like beauty-is in the eye of the beholder. Alternative risk transfer's definition depends on who is viewing a transaction from what angle. For risk managers, ART generally means captive insurers and risk...

U.K. businesses lack supplier backup plans.(Survey)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Sarah Veysey Most United Kingdom-based business continuity managers surveyed said they have not assessed the capability of their suppliers to respond to a major crisis, according to a new study. According to a study of 100 U.K....

RenRe proposes SEC settlement over finite risk; U.S. attorney investigation, class action still pending.(News)(Securities and Exchange Commission)
August 7, 2006... Byline: RUPAL PAREKH PEMBROKE, Bermuda-RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. last week said it offered the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission a $15 million settlement to end probes regarding the company's finite risk-related restatement of...

Casino sues insurers over Katrina claim.(News)(RSUI Indemnity Co.)(Arch Specialty Insurance Co.)(hurricane Katrina)
August 7, 2006... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD LAS VEGAS-Casino owner Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. has sued three of its excess property insurers for allegedly refusing to pay their shares of the company's $346.5 million claim for damage that Hurricane Katrina...

Controversy over WTC captive; Insurer draws criticism for fighting workers' claims.(World Trade Center)
August 7, 2006... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD NEW YORK-Complaints about the handling of Ground Zero workers' health claims by a captive insurer set up to cover New York City and its World Trade Center contractors has led to a testy exchange of letters between...

NCQA revises accreditation standards; Health plans must meet higher bars.(News)(National Committee for Quality Assurance)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK WASHINGTON-In response to the growing health care consumerism movement, health plans will be required to demonstrate that they provide their members with information to help them navigate the health care system under...

IRS' final regulations on HSAs OK health assessment incentives.(News)(Internal Revenue Service )
August 7, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Final Internal Revenue Service regulations open the door for employers with health savings accounts that are part of flexible benefit plans to give employees financial incentives to participate in health...

Boston's MTA outlines 'Big Dig' coverages; Tunnel closed since fatal mishap.(News)(Massachusetts Turnpike Authority)
August 7, 2006... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD BOSTON-The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority has told state legislators that it has $550 million in property coverage and $250 million in liability coverage to handle losses arising from the collapse last month of...

Canadian companies share pandemic plans; Only 4% have set up programs.(World)
August 7, 2006... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Microbix Biosystems Inc. was well into its preparations for a possible pandemic when officials at the Toronto-based virology company began asking their suppliers what they were doing to prepare for a potential...

Fewer reinsurers mean harder work for pools; Underwriters now want more detail before taking on risk from public entity pools.(Spotlight: Alternative Risk Transfer)
August 7, 2006... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD A shrinking number of reinsurers interested in writing coverage and a downgrade that sent some insurers looking elsewhere have meant fewer reinsurance choices for public entity insurance pools. Pools are...

St. Paul Travelers settles bid-rigging charges; $77 million payout to end 3 state probes.(News)
August 7, 2006... Byline: RUPAL PAREKH ST. PAUL, Minn.-St. Paul Travelers Cos. Inc. last week became the latest insurance firm to enter a settlement with state regulators on bid-rigging and other charges-a $77 million agreement that is not expected to...

St. Paul Travelers settlement outlines terms of restitution.(News)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Rupal Parekh Under St. Paul Travelers Cos. Inc.'s $77 million settlement over charges of client steering, bid rigging and finite reinsurance abuse, nearly half of the funds will be used to pay certain excess casualty policyholders...

Comings & Goings - Industry.(appointments)(WSIB Insurance Agency L.L.C.)
August 7, 2006... Agents/brokers: Cherry Hill, N.J.-based Commerce Insurance Services Inc. has named Kevin Mullen executive vp to lead the employee benefits practice. Previously, he was employee benefits consultant at The Graham Co. Len Dyer has been...

Pension reforms welcomed.(Editorial)
August 7, 2006... As tempting as it might be, we want to avoid generalizations about what the impact of pension funding reform legislation will be on the nation's retirement plan system. Prior predictions about earlier pension reform measures ultimately...

Weak-spot audit essential to readiness should avian flu hit.(World)
August 7, 2006... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Canadian employers need to take several important risk management steps to protect themselves against a possible pandemic, including a complete audit of their business operations to identify weak spots within their...

Congress approves pension reform bill; Provisions set out funding rules; cash balance plans gain shield.(News)
August 7, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Sweeping pension reform legislation is on its way to President Bush for his signature. In a 93-5 vote last week, the Senate gave its approval to a measure, H.R. 4, that cleared the House late last month....

Late News; CSU hurricane team lowers 2006 forecast.(Colorado State University's tropical storms forecast)(briefs)(XL Capital Ltd. to set up reninsurer in Dublin, Ireland)(Delaware Insurance Department 's appointment)
August 7, 2006... Hurricane forecasters at Colorado State University have cut the number of named Atlantic tropical storms they expect to form this year to 15 from the 17 forecast on May 31. On Thursday, the team also cut the number of hurricanes expected to...

Charting Vermont's captive insurance history.(News)(Chronology)
August 7, 2006... 1981: Vermont Gov. Richard Snelling signs legislation giving employers interested in establishing captives the first highly attractive domestic domicile. Under the new law-the Special Insurer Act of 1981-captive parents do not have to prove, as...

Putting an end to bid rigging.(Editorial)(Editorial)
August 7, 2006... ALLEGATIONS OF BID RIGGING have rightly shocked the insurance industry and its customers and have led to several large insurer settlements this year. Ensuring it never happens again, however, will take more than money. St. Paul Travelers...

Most U.K. brokers predict rates to stay stable or decrease.(World)
August 7, 2006... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY Brokers expect prices for United Kingdom-based buyers of insurance to remain fairly stable over the next 12 months, according to a survey by Lloyd's of London. Lloyd's on Friday released results of a survey of 117...

LETTERS: Seeing business through an ERM lens.(Letters)
August 7, 2006... To the editor: Last spring I registered in the MBA program at St. Peter's College, my alma mater, understanding that the cost of tuition is balanced by the value of the education. I decided to take a course in enterprise risk management. Taught...

At BusinessInsurance.com.(News)
August 7, 2006... Check out the following online: Emerging Risk Strategies Columnist John J. Hampton interviews longtime brokerage executive Roger Egan, CEO of Integro Ltd., on the evolving role of risk managers. To read interviews and previous columns...

IBM ruling gives boost to cash balance plans; Allays fears over bias suits.(News)(Kathi Cooper vs. International Business Machines)(age discrimination case)
August 14, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD CHICAGO-A federal appellate court`s ruling last week that IBM Corp.'s cash balance pension plan does not discriminate against older employees will, along with recently approved pension reform legislation, encourage...

What D&O insurers want to know about risks.(directors' and officers' liability insurance)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Sally Roberts As the risks associated with global warming become more of a concern to directors and officers liability underwriters, Lou Ann Layton, national D&O practice leader for Marsh Inc. in New York, has some practical advice...

Why benefits work.(News)(employee benefits)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Paul Winston Note: Paul Winston is traveling. This column first appeared in 1999. It's a fact that most employees today fail to appreciate the benefit plans that their companies make available to them. They take them for...

Lloyd's decides against seeking fully admitted U.S. status.(World)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY LONDON-Lloyd's of London will not seek to become an admitted insurer throughout the United States, the market's chief executive has said in an update to the market. The announcement comes eight months after Lloyd's...

Brokers duel over employees; Willis claims ABD 'raided' 12 from Oregon office.(Willis of Oregon Inc., ABD Insurance and Financial Services Inc.)
August 14, 2006... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS EUGENE, Ore.-Despite a legal setback last week, Willis of Oregon Inc. will continue to fight the alleged "raiding'' of its Eugene office by rival brokerage ABD Insurance & Financial Services Inc., Willis said. An...

RiskMeter fire maps now report nationwide.(CDS Business Mapping L.L.C enhanced RiskMeter Online)(Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.'s services)(ACE American Insurance Co. launching mini med plan)
August 14, 2006... BOSTON-CDS Business Mapping L.L.C., a Boston-based provider of online property risk mapping, has enhanced its Internet application RiskMeter Online, taking its Distance to Fire Station report nationwide. Users of the online utility now will...

Drug benefit plans allowing HSA users access to discounts on prescriptions.(health saving accounts)
August 14, 2006... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Insurers and prescription benefit managers are developing pharmacy benefit plans designed to help members of consumer-driven health care plans better manage their prescription drug costs. CDHP members are being...

Michigan high court bans bundling of asbestos personal injury cases.(News)
August 14, 2006... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN LANSING, Mich.-The Michigan Supreme Court has issued an administrative order prohibiting the "bundling'' of asbestos-related personal injury cases. Bundling occurs when personal injury cases-in this case...

Health care prices take a journey toward greater cost transparency.(Benefits Management)
August 14, 2006... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK Spurred by the growing popularity of consumer-driven health plans that encourage members to be more conscientious consumers, insurers, consultants and health information technology vendors have embarked on so-called...

'Stand your ground' laws raise red flags.(using firearms in parking lots for safety)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Douglas McLeod If I were an employer, the National Rifle Assn. would be getting on my nerves. Over the past few years, the NRA has campaigned not only to force employers to let workers keep guns in their cars in company parking...

Returns on a captive investment; Earnings can be volatile but do help offset overall cost of risk.(Perspectives)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Don Riggin Group captives for midsize companies have existed since the mid-1980s. There are many inventive definitions of what constitutes a group captive, but its fundamental characteristic is this: The policyholders and...

Court's ruling is a victory for defined benefit system.(Opinion)
August 14, 2006... THE FEDERAL APPEALS court ruling last week that IBM Corp.'s cash balance plan does not discriminate against older employees is a victory for IBM and, more importantly, the nation's defined benefit pension plan system. The decision by the...

From hurricanes to terrorists, make contingency plans now.(Brief article)(Column)
August 14, 2006... THE GOOD NEWS is that this year's U.S. hurricane season isn't likely to be as active as last year's. The bad news is that it's still likely to be much more active than average. The predictions offered first by the meteorological forecasters...

More states may ban discretionary clauses in disability policies.(News)
August 14, 2006... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Efforts are under way in New York and Michigan to make the states the latest to bar group disability and health insurers from using so-called discretionary clauses in their policies, a move that critics say will...

Plan for WTC site fuels claims fight.(World Trade Center)
August 14, 2006... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD NEW YORK-A key World Trade Center property insurer is standing by its contention that modified rebuilding plans for the WTC site limit its obligation to pay claims for the complex's Sept. 11, 2001, destruction. ...

Strait of Malacca off high-risk list; Ship premiums likely to decline.(World)
August 14, 2006... Byline: JONATHAN GARDNER Premiums are likely to drop for ships using the Malacca Strait between Malaysia and Singapore now that a top-level industry committee has dropped the body of water from its list of areas at high risk for losses...

Climate change concerns raise questions on D&O; Shareholders wary of financial risks.(Directors' and officers' liability insurance)
August 14, 2006... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS Shareholders increasingly are insisting that companies, ranging from energy giants to automakers, disclose the financial risks posed by global warming and what strategies they have in place if the government cracks...

AIG, Starr feud over employee defections; Rivals allege illegal tactics in expansion bids.(American International Group Inc., C.V. Starr & Company Inc.)
August 14, 2006... Byline: RUPAL PAREKH NEW YORK-As many as 100 American International Group Inc. employees have conspired to "systematically destroy'' former affiliate C.V. Starr & Co. Inc.'s business by poaching employees and stealing the Starr agencies'...

California court says 'at will' employment contract unambiguous.(News)(Brook Dore vs. Arnold Worldwide Inc)(breach of contract case)
August 14, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD SAN FRANCISCO-A California Supreme Court decision, which reaffirms companies' right to fire "at will'' employees without providing a reason, is particularly welcome because it resolves conflicting state appellate...

Few employers offering CDHPs as sole plan option Trend currently is small but accelerating.(Benefits Management)(Consumer-Directed Health Plan )
August 14, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD A small but growing number of employers are using consumer-driven health plans as their sole coverage option. And many believe their numbers will increase, although they disagree as to whether full replacement...

Work-related fatalities fall in 2005.(News)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Byline: MEG FLETCHER Fatal job-related injuries claimed the lives of 5,702 U.S. workers in 2005, down from the revised total of 5,764 in 2004, according to a new government report. "Fatal highway incidents remained the most frequent...

Court rejects policyholders' suit against Lloyd's.(World)(Equitas Reinsurance Ltd.)
August 14, 2006... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD WASHINGTON-A federal appeals court has dismissed efforts by two American Lloyd's of London names to avoid judgments totaling nearly $700,000 for nonpayment of reinsurance premiums to Equitas Reinsurance Ltd. A...

Errors & Omissions.(Corrections)(Correction notice)
August 14, 2006... * A photo caption in the Aug. 7 issue misidentified a casino damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The casino pictured was the Grand Casino in Biloxi, Miss., which is owned by Harrah's Entertainment Inc. * Due to inaccurate information supplied to...

Late News.(Russell P. Fradin joins Hewitt Associates Inc)(IPC Holdings Ltd to be sold)(Mike Foley joins Zurich North America Commercial)
August 14, 2006... UnitedHealth, HCC delay earnings reports UnitedHealth Group Inc. and HCC Insurance Holdings Inc. separately announced last week that they would delay filing quarterly earnings reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission due to...

Many advise gradual approach to introducing CDHPs; Some employers believe it's better to jump right in.(consumer-driven health care plans)
August 14, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Employers are divided over how to introduce consumer-driven health care plans. Some believe strongly that the best course of action for employer and employee alike is to make the decision to change to a...

Replacement plans face hurdles; Employees grapple with move to consumer-driven plans.(Benefits Management)
August 14, 2006... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Employers that have changed to consumer-driven health care plans say, although it may have been a challenge initially, they have generally been successful in winning employees' acceptance and have put them on the...

Cover may hinge on status of carbon dioxide as pollutant.(News)
August 14, 2006... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS It's unclear whether directors and officers liability insurance would cover corporate officers sued over global warming issues. Most D&O policies contain broad pollution exclusions, which several experts say...

Deadline approaches to nominate industry leaders for BI's 'Women to Watch'.(Perspectives)
August 14, 2006... Business Insurance will publish a special report on "Women to Watch'' in the Oct. 9 issue of the magazine and invites readers to nominate outstanding women working in insurance, risk management and employee benefits worldwide. While the...

Join a discussion of issues in Business Insurance's online Community Forums.(Perspectives)
August 14, 2006... Readers are invited to take advantage of a new online feature that allows risk and benefits management professionals to connect and exchange information at www.BusinessInsurance.com. The Community Forums is an easy-to-use discussion board...

Readers decide; Top industry companies selected for BI's Readers Choice Awards.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)(Business Insurance)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Business Insurance's annual Readers Choice Awards, now in their second year, began with a simple question: Which companies are the best in the commercial insurance industry? In this report, the magazine profiles companies that BI's readers...

Integrated worldwide team is key resource at Aon Re Aon Re Global.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Sally Roberts Aon Center 200 E. Randolph St. Chicago, Ill. 60601 312-381-5300; fax: 312-381-0160 www.aon.com/reinsurance Parent: Aon Corp. With a broad distribution of offices around the world with a No....

Benefit managers see Web as key information source; Online tools crucial for everyday tasks.
August 21, 2006... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK Surfing the Internet is part of benefit managers' daily routine these days as the breadth of information available on health and retirement plans continues to grow. Based on an informal survey of a handful of...

RMI takes risk management to the next level for clients.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)(RMI Consulting Inc.)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Dave Lenckus RMI Consulting Inc. 20 Soundview Market Place Port Washington, N.Y. 11050 516-767-7373; fax: 516-767-7486 www.rmiconsulting.com Since its founding in the mid-1970s, risk management consultant RMI...

Innovation seen as core quality at Lexington; Surplus lines insurer offers responsiveness and product diversity.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Douglas McLeod Lexington Insurance Co. 100 Summer St. Boston, Mass. 02110 617-330-1100; fax: 617-951-0067 Lexington Insurance Co., the largest U.S. surplus lines insurer, is no lumbering giant. Innovation and...

Comings & Goings - Industry.(ACE Group Holdings Inc.)(Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group )
August 21, 2006... Insurers: Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group in Warren, N.J., has named Gary R. Garcia president and chief operating officer. Previously, he was executive vp, business and personal insurance at Royal & SunAlliance Insurance Group P.L.C. ...

Client focus remains sharp at Swett & Crawford; Wholesaler 'didn't miss a beat' despite great change.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Roberto Ceniceros Swett & Crawford Group 3715 Northside Parkway Atlanta, Ga. 30327 404-240-5200; fax: 404-240-5393 www.swett.com Swett & Crawford Group has gone through a lot of changes during the past couple...

UnitedHealth uses technology to offer quality service.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Regis Coccia UnitedHealth Group Inc. UnitedHealth Group Center 9900 Bren Road East Minnetonka, Minn. 55343 800-328-5979 www.unitedhealthgroup.com A focus on technology and assisting members navigate the...

Risk managers turn to the Web for news, views; Internet offers easy access to wealth of detail.
August 21, 2006... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS Risk managers typically value Web sites for the breaking risk-related news they deliver on specific industries, and news outlets, industry associations and insurers are a main source of that information. ...

TPA offers consistent service as acquisitions fuel expansion.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Rupal Parekh Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. 1100 Ridgeway Loop Road Memphis, Tenn. 38120 901-415-7400; fax: 901-415-7406 www.sedgwickcms.com Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. may be busy...

How the 2006 award winners were chosen.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Winners of the 2006 Business Insurance Readers Choice Awards were selected through confidential balloting by subscribers of the magazine. From May through July this year, BI invited readers to cast their votes electronically or by...

ACE Tempest Re stands out for willingness to take risks.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)(ACE Tempest Reinsurance Ltd.)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Regis Coccia ACE Tempest Reinsurance Ltd. 30 Woodbourne Ave. Hamilton HM 08, Bermuda 441-292-2603 fax: 441-292-2395 www.acelimited.com From its beginnings in 1993 as a focused property catastrophe...

CIGNA's focus on employees improves quality of EAP offering.(Spotlight Report: 2006 Reader's Choice Awards)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Judy Greenwald CIGNA Behavioral Health Inc. 11095 Viking Drive, Suite 350, Eden Prairie, Minn. 55344 952-996-2000; fax: 952-996-2659 www.cignabehavioral.com It is the people that work for CIGNA Behavioral...

Health care cards help guard HSA funds.(health savings account)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Dennis Triplett If your company has not already made the move to a consumer-directed health plan, odds are good you're looking into it. Benefit managers are trading their employer-sponsored health plans for those that are...

Insurer wins Katrina coverage dispute; Homeowners policy clearly excluded flood cover: Judge.(News)
August 21, 2006... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN GULFPORT, Miss.-An insurer's victory in the first major federal ruling on the issue of whether Hurricane Katrina's storm surge is covered under a homeowners policy could have some ramifications for commercial...

IRS limits tax break for HRA transfers; Only immediate family eligible.(Internal Revenue Service)(Health Reimbursement Arrangement )
August 21, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Employees with health reimbursement arrangements will lose HRA tax breaks if their employers allow enrollees to transfer unused balances to anyone other than a spouse or dependent, the Internal Revenue...

Health care rate hikes not expected to jump despite mixed results.(News)
August 21, 2006... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Despite flat to reduced profits from some of the major managed care companies during the first half of 2006, commercial health care cost and premium increases have settled primarily in a 6% to 8% range, with some...

Most P/C rates flat or down in 2nd quarter, survey finds.(property/casualty)(Survey)
August 21, 2006... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS Even as catastrophe property insurance rates soared, the overall cost of property/casualty coverage was flat to slightly lower during the second quarter this year compared with the same period a year ago, a survey...

Stress of firing not covered by workers comp.(World)
August 21, 2006... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ HALIFAX, Nova Scotia-A worker who experienced stress due to an unexpected firing cannot claim workers compensation benefits, a Nova Scotia court has ruled. In Joanne Logan vs. Nova Scotia (Workers' Compensation...

Despite 10-year-old legislation, reforms have yet to be enacted.(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Roberto Ceniceros RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil-Although Brazil's National Congress in 1996 passed a law to end the IRB-Brasil Resseguros S.A.'s monopoly over all reinsurance transactions in the country, the liberalization has yet to...

Brazil opens door for international D&O reinsurers; More capacity, better coverage expected.(directors and officers)
August 21, 2006... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS RIO de Janeiro, Brazil-Brazil's monopoly reinsurer has freed up insurers in the country to purchase most of their directors and officers liability reinsurance coverage in international markets. The move by the...

Webinar to discuss TRIA solutions; BI hosts live online panel.(Terrorism Risk and Insurance Act)(Business Insurance)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... The Terrorism Risk & Insurance Act won a last-minute reprieve from Congress in 2005, but only after persistent lobbying by insurers, risk managers and others. Is the industry prepared to repeat this struggle all over again when the TRIA...

Securing property coverage becomes a challenge.
August 21, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL BURLINGTON, Vt.-The tough conditions in the property insurance market led Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to self-fund its wind and rain storm damage risks. Given the significant property losses incurred as a result of...

Between the Lines.
August 21, 2006... Byline: Joanne Wojcik Granny can't find cover War protesters in one northwest Indiana county must show proof of insurance if they want to exercise their First Amendment rights. Porter County officials last week informed Valparaiso...

Vermont captive industry sees steady growth in 2006.
August 21, 2006... Byline: JERRY GEISEL BURLINGTON, Vt.-Vermont is adding to its lead as the nation's largest captive insurance company domicile. Through early August, Vermont licensed 18 new captives in 2006, putting it on track to equal last year's...