Business Insurance articles from January 2003

Business Insurance archives from January 2003

2002 Newsmakers: 10 who made insurance-related headlines in 2002.(Spotlight Report)
January 6, 2003... Maybe President George W. Bush should add ``risk manager in chief'' to his titles. Throughout the year, he hammered home the message that the nation needed a federal terrorism insurance backstop program to revive construction in urban...

4: Ergonomic guidelines.(Spotlight Report)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Mark A. Hofmann After Congress rescinded an 11th-hour Clinton administration ergonomics rule in early 2001, risk mangers and insurers wondered what would come next in the debate over federal ergonomics standards. It took more...

2: Terrorism coverage.(Spotlight Report)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Mark A. Hofmann Just when it appeared that legislation creating a federal terrorism insurance backstop would be put off until the next Congress-or perhaps forever-the lame ducks of the 107th Congress put aside their differences and...

3: D&O liability insurance.(Spotlight Report)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Roberto Ceniceros A crisis in the directors and officers liability insurance market dogged risk managers throughout 2002, as corporate accounting misdeeds drove insurers to restrict their coverage offerings and raise prices. ...

Abuse claims seek to bypass med mal caps.(capping medical malpractice awards and elder care abuse cases)(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Recent attempts to circumvent state laws that cap medical malpractice awards hinge on allegations that hospitals engage in elder abuse, say risk managers. The elder abuse allegations made by plaintiffs...

1: A hardening market; Ongoing tight market ranks as top risk management story.(discusses insurance industry by segment)(Spotlight Report)(Industry Overview)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Michael Bradford A hardening insurance market squeezed risk managers a little tighter in 2002. The terrorist attacks of 2001 and corporate accounting scandals helped fuel the market's constriction, pushing up prices for...

Buyers bemoan market constriction.(2002 insurance industry trends)(Spotlight Report)
January 6, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD and DAVE LENCKUS Swollen insurance prices and shrunken availability plagued insurance buyers throughout 2002. The continuing constriction of the marketplace was at the top of many risk managers' lists of the...

5: WTC disputed coverage.(World Trade Center leaseholder Silverstein Properties still in litigation with about 20 insurers over whether one vs two events that destroyed the Twin Towers)(Spotlight Report)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Douglas McLeod More than a year after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, World Trade Center leaseholder Silverstein Properties remains mired in litigation with roughly 20 insurers over its contention that the Twin Towers'...

2002 developments in the field of risk management.(details by month)(Spotlight Report)(Calendar)
January 6, 2003... January Insurance and reinsurance buyers with January renewals confront all the hallmarks of a classic hard market, including higher prices, reduced capacity and more restrictive terms. The hard market continues throughout the year. ...

A/BT Perspective: Agent, broker Web sites good for customer relations.(five features that good insurance Web sites should have)(Agent/Broker Topics)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Shannon Martin In a world in which the average teen-ager is adept at finding information on the Internet and rising insurance premiums have consumers shopping around for competitive rates and value-added service, an agency or...

Zurich system promotes underwriting consistency; New workstations with a 'knowledge center' give access to internal, external info sources.(Agent/Broker Topics)
January 6, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS Using a new Web-enabled system of underwriting workstations, Zurich North America expects to be able to apply consistent underwriting discipline throughout the organization, always based on the company's best current...

Deadline nearing for TPA directory.(third-party administrators)(News)
January 6, 2003... Business Insurance will publish its online Directory of Third-Party Administrators in conjunction with the Feb. 3 issue. The issue will feature a ranking of the 10 largest claims administrators and a Spotlight report on claims management. ...

Few agents have staff dedicated to managing Web sites.(Agent/Broker Topics)
January 6, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD For agencies, having a Web site and an in-house specialist looking after it is a rare combination. ``I would say the typical agency doesn't do its own Web site,'' said Mark Parrish, president of Ajasent Inc. in...

European employers facing pension shortfalls.(details by company)(International)
January 6, 2003... Byline: BENJAMIN SEEDER LONDON-Europe's largest corporate pension plans are suffering from unfunded liabilities totaling 257 billion euros ($269.4 billion), a report from stockbroker Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein estimates. The...

Comings & Goings.(appointments and other people news for insurers, brokers and other suppliers detaled by company)(News)
January 6, 2003... Insurers: Jean-Francois Blais has been named president and chief operating officer of AXA Canada. In addition to his new duties, Mr. Blais will continue to act as executive vp-property/casualty operations for AXA in Quebec until a...

Editorial: Crystal ball gazing past and present.(Opinions)(Editorial)
January 6, 2003... AFTER THE TUMULT of the previous year, many people in the insurance industry spent 2002 trying to manage the varied and dramatic changes in their world. Unfortunately for them, 2002 brought even more changes for them to cope with. Not...

Insured natural cat losses flat.(insured losses from natural catastrophes)(International)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY Insured losses from natural catastrophes occurring in 2002 totaled $11.5 billion, the same figure as last year, according to Munich Reinsurance Co. Economic losses rose to $55 billion from $35 billion in 2001,...

Joule gives jolt to exposure information.(standardization project to give risk managers tool in exposure assessment)(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK A group of energy industry risk managers is banking on the use of ACORD data standards in gathering exposure information to make their insurance placements easier and to better manage their companies' risks. The...

Terror cover lacking in China; Survey finds few markets for exposure.(International)
January 6, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD Policyholders in China worried about terrorism and sabotage exposures have few insurance markets to turn to for coverage of those risks, an informal survey reveals. The risk of a terrorist attack in China is...

World Updates.(new additions to aviation insurance pool, SCOR S.A. share offering and funding shortfall for Royal Mail; other briefs included)(International)
January 6, 2003... Arch, Mapfre join French aviation pool La Reunion Aerienne, the Paris-based aviation insurance pool, added two members Jan. 1. Arch Insurance Co., a New York-based unit of Arch Capital Ltd. in Hamilton, Bermuda, and Mapfre Industrial S.A....

MGA officers face fraud charges; Fortress Re underreported pool liabilities, insurer and liquidator allege.(top officers at Fortress Re Inc. and Deloitte & Touche L.L.P. accused of fraud)(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD BURLINGTON, N.C.-The top officers of aviation managing general agent Fortress Re Inc. and auditor Deloitte & Touche L.L.P. are facing fraud charges leveled by a Japanese insurer and the liquidators of a Bermuda-based...

Broker Alexander Forbes Ltd. names new group CEO.(International)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Sarah Veysey LONDON-Rael Gordon has been appointed group chief executive of Alexander Forbes Ltd. in London. Mr. Gordon succeeds Graeme Kerrigan, who will become nonexecutive chairman of the group. Mr. Gordon was named chief...

Employers have stake in upcoming court debates; Oral arguments scheduled on ERISA pre-emption, FMLA.(cases involving Kentucky Association of Health Plans Inc. and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act)(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-How far does the Employee Retirement Income Security Act's pre-emption of state law extend where so-called ``any-willing-provider'' laws are concerned? That's the question before the Supreme Court...

HMO negligence suit pre-empted by ERISA.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD NEW ORLEANS-A diabetic man who lost part of his leg after his managed care firm refused to let his doctor, who was not a participating physician in its plan, treat him cannot sue for negligence, says a federal...

Excess insurers must cover cleanup orders.(case against Powerine Oil Company Inc. over comtamination cleanup)(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS LOS ANGELES-Excess/umbrella policies obligate an insurer to indemnify a policyholder for complying with an administrative agency's orders to clean up contamination, a California appeals court ruled late last...

Big changes at Kemper prompt buyer concerns.(Kemper Insurance Companies must decide whether to continue with mutual insurer or use another; discusses recent financial woes)(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD LONG GROVE, Ill.-Kemper Insurance Cos.' financial difficulties will likely put some of the insurer's policyholders in a quandary. With renewals looming, commercial risks with coverage written by Kemper will...

For The Record.(possible General Electric Co. strike, government to issue hexavalent chromium standard, PXRE to share quotas with Bermuda reinsurer; includes other briefs)(Briefs)
January 6, 2003... GE workers plan strike over benefit cost-shifting General Electric Co. union workers are threatening to strike over the company's plans to raise health care co-payments. The International Union of Electrical-Communications Workers of...

High disability rates may lead teams to balk; Coverage hardens for baseball players.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL PRINCE The hard market has made its way to hardball. Disability insurance coverage for professional athletes has firmed significantly, especially for Major League Baseball players. Over the past several years, rates for...

2002 stocks in review.(results of various indices in 2002)(News)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Corporate scandals, the continued threat of terrorism and the possibility of war with Iraq combined to push the stock markets down in 2002. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Business Insurance Index all...

Bank, insurers settle Enron surety dispute.(J.P. Morgan Chase & Co settles with eleven insurers over $1.09 billion in claims on surety bonds for defaulted oil/gas contracts)(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD NEW YORK-J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and 11 insurers avoided a risky jury verdict with their $654 million settlement last week of the bank's $1.09 billion in claims under surety bonds covering defaulted oil and gas...

Crain's Workforce names new publisher.(new publisher and associate publisher for Workforce magazine)(News)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... COSTA MESA, Calif.-Workforce magazine, a sister publication of Business Insurance, has named a new publisher and associate publisher. Todd Johnson, former corporate facilities director for Crain Communications Inc., is Workforce's new...

Late News.(briefs on protest of high cost of medical malpractice, punitive damages against health insurer to go to charity, Allianz Insurance Co.'s directors and officers liability insurance; lists other insurance industry news)
January 6, 2003... West Virginia doctors protesting med mal rates Surgeons at four West Virginia hospitals walked off the job last week to protest rising medical malpractice insurance premiums. The walkout, which is expected to last up to 30 days, affects...

Property prices stabilize as backstop calms jitters; But insurers grapple with terror cover rates.(Spotlight Report)
January 13, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN and RODD ZOLKOS The shock waves that have rattled the commercial property insurance market since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, are finally beginning to dissipate. Rates are still rising somewhat, but...

D&O, E&O hit with rate hikes, tough terms.(Spotlight Report)
January 13, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS and DAVE LENCKUS Risk managers renewing directors and officers liability policies can expect continuing price increases, difficulty arranging coverage limits and insurers pushing coinsurance provisions. All...

Rising loss costs help spur comp premium increases; Insurers scrutinizing risks closely.(Spotlight Report)
January 13, 2003... Byline: MEG FLETCHER Double-digit price hikes, as well as tighter terms and conditions, mark the year-end renewal market for workers compensation coverage. While many risk managers are trying to counter these trends by taking higher...

Large rate increases continue for liability market; Higher loss costs, potential jury verdicts blamed.(Spotlight Report)
January 13, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD and JOANNE WOJCIK Risk managers in the market for liability insurance are facing another round of rate hikes during the current renewal season. It's a seller's market for both primary and excess liability...

A burdensome law worthy of repeal.(Commentary)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Mark A. Hofmann It wasn't a typical Christmastime conversation. My father-in-law, knowing that I had professional interest in asbestos litigation reform, showed me a clipping from his local newspaper that described the...

Judge faults pension plan payout calculation; Mortality discounts for active workers deemed improper.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: VINEETA ANAND KALAMAZOO, Mich.-A federal district court ruled that Bowater Inc. may not reduce lump-sum payouts from a cash balance plan for workers who quit before hitting retirement age by including in the calculations a...

Pollution ruling gives cleanup funds to nonprofit groups.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: ROBERT ANKENY DETROIT-Two Detroit nonprofit organizations are the latest to benefit from a trend of federal courts ordering companies convicted of polluting to contribute directly to cleanup efforts. U.S. District Judge Gerald...

Property reinsurance prices level, casualty still rising.(Spotlight Report)
January 13, 2003... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD, DOUGLAS McLEOD and SARAH VEYSEY The sharp price hikes that greeted reinsurance buyers a year ago have slowed with this Jan. 1's renewals, though the market remains tough for some casualty business, particularly...

Business Insurance promotes four staff members.(News)
January 13, 2003... Business Insurance has promoted several staff members to new positions. Robert L. Niesse is now director of business development, while Michael Bradford and Sally Roberts are senior editors, and Sarah Veysey has been appointed London...

Judges examine program aspects in determining top risk managers.(News)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Ten criteria are used to score the nominations for the annual Business Insurance Risk Manager of the Year Award and Risk Management Honor Roll. The panel of 10 independent judges will score each nominated candidate on a scale of one to 10,...

Products & Services; Ernst & Young providing financial planning help.(Briefs)
January 13, 2003... NEW YORK-Ernst & Young L.L.P. has launched eAdvisorPlus, which provides employees with Web- and telephone-based financial planning services. An employee can use the service to develop a personalized financial plan and then talk to a...

Directory deadline approaching.(News)
January 13, 2003... Business Insurance will publish its online Directory of Risk Management Consultants in conjunction with the Feb. 17 issue. The issue will include a ranking of the top consultants and a Spotlight report on enterprise risk management. The...

Nine will choose risk management award recipients.(News)
January 13, 2003... Nine independent judges from all sectors of the risk management and insurance profession will select the 2003 Risk Manager of the Year and Risk Management Honor Roll. Nominations for the awards, which will be announced in April, were...

IRS clarifies COBRA issue; Spousal coverage must be offered on date of divorce.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Employers must offer COBRA health care continuation coverage to an employee's spouse on the date of the employee's divorce, even if the employee previously dropped spousal coverage in anticipation of the...

WellPoint offers generics discount.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL PRINCE THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.-WellPoint Health Networks Inc.'s announcement last week that it would provide its members discounts to purchase generic drugs could be a harbinger of similar moves from other health plans. ...

Aviation losses.
January 13, 2003... Insured aviation losses fell to $1.1 billion in 2002, from $6.1 billion in 2001, aviation consultant Airclaims Ltd. said. The 2002 hull and liability losses-in addition to being markedly lower than 2001, which included the Sept. 11 attacks-were...

Editorial: Opportunity for reform.(Opinions)
January 13, 2003... THE CONVENING OF the new Congress presents advocates of asbestos litigation reform an opportunity they have never had before-and may never have again. On paper, at least, the 108th Congress must rank as one of the most pro-tort reform...

California deficit may create leverage for comp reforms.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS SACRAMENTO, Calif.-In return for workers compensation reforms, California employers might be more accepting-albeit reluctantly-of proposed business tax increases aimed at shrinking the state's massive budget...

Marine market sees losses swell in 2002; Rates surging but not enough to boost profits, some say.(International)
January 13, 2003... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY LONDON-The final months of 2002 saw headline-grabbing losses for marine hull and cargo underwriters, with estimates of industrywide fourth-quarter losses of between $800 million and $850 million. Buyers saw those...

Windstorm follows path of costly predecessor.(International)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY Windstorm Calvann, which struck areas of northern France and southwestern Germany on Jan. 2, could result in insured losses totaling about 900 million euros ($937.5 million), according to catastrophe modeling...

China's easing rules on foreign insurers pleasing to buyers.(International)
January 13, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD SHANGHAI, China-China's insurance market is slowly catching up with much of the rest of the world as the country fulfills its commitment for joining the World Trade Organization and revises its insurance...

Editorial: Fix Medicare + Choice.(Opinions)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... HOW MANY MORE retirees will lose valuable health care coverage before Congress acts to restore the fiscal well-being of the Medicare + Choice program? As we report on page 3, enrollment in the program, in which retirees can opt out of the...

For The Record.(Briefs)
January 13, 2003... Average property/casualty rates increased by double digits in every month of 2002, according to a survey of business placed through Internet portal MarketScout.com. The December 2002 average rate increase of 30% indicates the market is...

Credit enhancement market shrinking; Insurers withdraw from business in favor of more traditional risks.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS Faced with a growing list of corporate bankruptcies and perceiving better uses for their capital in traditional lines of business, many of the insurers and reinsurers that flocked to the credit enhancement business in...

Medicare HMOs launch drive to boost funding of program.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-As enrollment in the Medicare + Choice program continues to fall, health maintenance organizations are turning to retirees to drum up support in Congress to salvage the program. Enrollment in Medicare +...

Vaccine raises claim issues; Smallpox order spurs public, private coverage debate.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: MEG FLETCHER Risk managers for health care facilities and public entities face unprecedented questions about whether the national smallpox vaccination plan could increase their employers' medical malpractice and workers...

Pay more premium, earn fabulous prizes.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Paul Winston While flying between Chicago and New York last week, I had an idea for insurance companies: Develop a frequent buyer program that rewards policyholders for the money they spend on insurance. Instead of buyers...

Single-hull tanker phaseout studied; U.S., Europe both consider moving up deadline to mandate double-hull use.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-Accelerating the replacement of single-hulled oil tankers with double-hulled vessels alone isn't enough to prevent oil spills, according to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Instead, Sen. McCain-the new...

Week brings global string of commercial aviation incidents; Millions of dollars in claims likely from fatal crashes.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS Commercial airline insurers face millions of dollars of claims following a string of accidents last week that collectively claimed at least 96 lives. Seventy-five of 80 passengers and crew aboard a Turkish Airlines...

Cigna workforce cuts.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... CIGNA Corp. plans to cut its workforce by 3,250 and report a $98 million aftertax charge for last year's fourth quarter. The charge includes severance and facilities expenses related to staffing reductions and other consolidation activities,...

World Updates.(International; various news items)
January 13, 2003... ***** Correction: Due to a reporting error, a Jan. 13 World Updates brief misidentified the managing director of Aon Ltd.'s new U.K. business development unit in London. Alun Evans, who previously was a senior vp at Cap Gemini Ernst &...

Project at Lloyd's aims to awaken risk data exchange.(Insurer Topics: Web Strategies)
January 20, 2003... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY Project Blue Mountain, a Lloyd's of London-backed electronic information exchange designed to increase efficiency and reduce costs for insurance buyers, brokers and underwriters, will be launched during the first...

Zurich system promotes underwriting consistency.(Insurer Topics: Web Strategies)
January 20, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS Using a new Web-enabled system of underwriting workstations, Zurich North America expects to be able to apply consistent underwriting discipline throughout the organization, always based on the company's best current...

Address health costs where they really lie.(Perspectives)(Column)
January 20, 2003... Byline: Robert E. Patricelli The hottest topic in employee benefits-consumer-directed health plans-is heating up even more thanks to Treasury Department guidelines affirming the tax-favored carryover feature of these plans. To see the...

Errors & Omissions.(Corrections)(Correction Notice)
January 20, 2003... * Due to a reporting error, a Jan. 13 World Updates brief misidentified the managing director of Aon Ltd.'s new U.K. business development unit in London. Alun Evans, who previously was a senior vp at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, is the head of the...

Internet activities must mesh with overall insurer aims.(Insurer Topics: Web Strategies)
January 20, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS For insurers and related companies, an Internet presence is considered a given, but if Web efforts are to be truly effective, they must be developed in line with a broader company strategy. ``There's definitely an...

Book review: Alternative risk book is praiseworthy in a big way.(Perspectives)(Book Review)
January 20, 2003... Byline: Mark A. Hofmann ``Alternative Risk Strategies,'' edited by Morton Lane. Published by Risk Books, Haymarket House, 28-29 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4RX, United Kingdom 44-207-484-9700 www.riskbooks.com $133. Don't...

IT briefs.(Insurer Topics: Web Strategies)
January 20, 2003... AIA appoints federal affairs vp WASHINGTON-The American Insurance Assn. has appointed Moses Mercado, former deputy chief of staff to former House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt, as vp of federal affairs. Mr. Mercado becomes a key...

Legals: Fall is compensable despite pre-existing condition.(Perspectives; court decisions)
January 20, 2003... An employer is liable if a workers compensation claimant's injury was due to a fall, even though the fall was caused by a pre-existing idiopathic condition, the Court of Appeals of Georgia ruled. Martha Johnson, a supermarket cashier, was...

Between the Lines; The price of misbehavior.(News)
January 20, 2003... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik The hard insurance market may finally oust Tracy Baker, a county clerk from Colorado who has refused to resign over county board allegations that he misspent public money and used his position to benefit a...

Comings & Goings: Industry.(News; various personnel appointments)
January 20, 2003... Insurers: Cincinnati-based Great American Insurance Co. has promoted Vito C. Peraino to senior vp. Mr. Peraino is responsible for overall claims strategy and oversight for Great American's specialty commercial operations. Mr. Peraino...

Efficacy of tort reform debated; ATRA's Schwartz, ATLA's Baron face off.(News)(American Tort Reform Association general counsel Victor Schwartz debates Frederick Baron, of Association of Trial Lawyers of America)
January 20, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-Don't expect the new Congress to approve sweeping tort reforms, a leading civil justice reform advocate says. ``There's not going to be a bailout liability bill in Congress-there has to be a very real...

Pennsylvania Blues plans oppose bid to tax reserves.(News)
January 20, 2003... Byline: LAURA B. BENKO A Blue Cross & Blue Shield Assn. mandate designed to ensure the solvency of its member plans ironically could put Pennsylvania's four Blues insurers at a financial disadvantage if the state adopts a measure designed...

Cutter & Buck fights to keep D&O coverage; Rescission suits spreading.(News)
January 20, 2003... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD SEATTLE-Sportswear wholesaler Cutter & Buck Inc. has filed a lawsuit to block its directors and officers liability insurers from rescinding coverage following the company's restatement of earnings last year. ...

Insurers boosting discipline, but other factors check returns; Insurance Information Institute's Property/Casualty Insurance Joint Industry Forum.(News)
January 20, 2003... Byline: PAUL WINSTON NEW YORK-Despite improved underwriting discipline in 2002, property/casualty insurers face other hurdles to achieving the returns they desire, a panel of analysts says. In the current low-interest-rate environment,...

Mental health cuts could bring quick savings, long-term regrets.(News)
January 20, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL PRINCE Employers may be tempted to rein in rising health care costs by trimming mental health benefits, but experts warn that cuts that save money in the short term could cost employers much more in the future. Benefit...

Reading Between the Lines.(News)
January 20, 2003... A new column in Business Insurance is making its debut in this issue on page 12. Between the Lines, compiled by Senior Editor Joanne Wojcik, seeks to inform and entertain readers by offering observations and insights on people and events...

PBGC woes spur talk of reforms; Falling surplus gives impetus to stabilization efforts.(News)(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.)
January 20, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Alarmed by the rapid erosion of the once hefty surplus in the government's pension insurance program and the near certainty of mounting deficits, federal pension officials now are considering broad reforms...

Editorial: Time to mull PBGC changes.(Opinions)(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.)
January 20, 2003... Is this the time to make changes to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.'s insurance program? While we don't have the answer to that, we do know that, given the rapid deterioration in the agency's financial condition, it is time for the...

Terror rate analysis drawing criticism.(News)
January 20, 2003... Byline: MEG FLETCHER Regulators in the District of Columbia and New York are blasting a terrorism risk analysis that advises commercial insurers to charge policyholders in a handful of jurisdictions more for terrorism coverage than...

A med mal cure tops symptomatic relief.(News; medical malpractice)
January 20, 2003... Byline: Paul Winston State and federal lawmakers are engaging in legislative triage to try and limit the threat of a medical crisis brought on by malpractice insurance costs. A handful of states have already passed med mal reforms to...

Fishjackings in Italy net a coverage ban.(International)
January 20, 2003... Byline: GERARD O'DWYER OSLO, Norway-Two Norwegian insurance companies have informed the country's fish products and trucking industries that they will no longer provide commercial coverage on trucks carrying fish products to southern...