Business Insurance articles from November 2004

Business Insurance archives from November 2004

Earthquake, typhoons not wreaking havoc on Japan property rates.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD TOKYO-Japanese property owners, already reeling from a series of typhoons and a deadly earthquake, may be spared a separate blow from insurers. While the natural disasters that have pounded Japan this year are...

N.J. enacts flu vaccine rules.(News)(New Jersey)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Byline: RUPAL PAREKH TRENTON, N.J.-Health care providers in New Jersey that administer influenza vaccinations to low-risk patients could face penalties under legislation enacted last week by Gov. James E. McGreevey. "Given the serious...

Ongoing federal role seen in coverage of terror risks; Experts analyze the insurability of terrorism.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-The federal government likely will continue to have some sort of role in insuring against terrorism for the foreseeable future, according to a panel of experts at a recent symposium on the insurability of...

Attorneys suing for nonpayment court countersuits; Lawyers advised on steps to reduce risk of E&O claims.(Spotlight: D&O/E&O Liability Risks)
November 1, 2004... Byline: MEG FLETCHER Lawyers that sue clients to recover unpaid fees may get more than they bargained for. In some cases, such litigation spurs clients to countersue, alleging professional negligence against the firms. While clients'...

Broker boards weighted toward outside members; Governance concerns have driven the shift away from insider-heavy boards.(News)
November 1, 2004... As the brokerage industry undergoes scrutiny for some of its practices, one focus of attention is the makeup of the companies' boards of directors. Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc., a target of the investigation and a lawsuit by New York...

Exposures not thinning popularity of bariatric surgery.(Spotlight: D&O/E&O Liability Risks)
November 1, 2004... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS As a growing population of obese Americans turns to surgery as a drastic means to shed pounds, hospitals performing these procedures are seeing their liability exposures rise. Hospitals are seeing a surge in...

Quickly admitting mistakes can cut hospital litigation costs; ASHRM 2004 Annual Conference & Exhibition.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS ORLANDO, Fla.-For hospitals that make medical treatment blunders, the truth will set them free-or at least hold down their litigation costs, according to a risk management consultant. Hospitals that promptly admit...

Products & Services; St. Paul Travelers unit enhances museum cover.(News)(NIF Group, Austin & Stanovich Risk Managers L.L.C.)(Disability Management Employer Coalition)
November 1, 2004... HARTFORD, Conn.-The Inland Marine division of St. Paul Travelers Cos. Inc. has enhanced its coverage program for U.S.-based art, history, natural history, sports, aviation, automobile, and science and technology museums, including specialized...

Some insurers growing concerned about health risks of nanotechnology.(International)
November 1, 2004... Byline: CAROLYN ALDRED The growing use of nanotechnology is prompting some concerns about possible health risks to workers, with some observers drawing parallels between some nanotech-engineered materials and asbestos. Nanotechnology...

Wary risk managers taking precautions with brokers.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN As allegations of fraud and self-dealing at the world's largest brokerage continue to reverberate through the insurance industry, risk managers are working to guard against illegal or unethical behavior by their...

Let housecleaning proceed.(Opinions)
November 1, 2004... IF THE EVENTS of the last two weeks have shown anything, it's that the insurance industry's housecleaning has been long overdue, and not just in the executive suite. Consider, for starters, the following. After New York Attorney General...

U.K. forming panel to study vocational rehabilitation; Rising cost of coverage prompts concerns.(International)(united kingdom)
November 1, 2004... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY LONDON-The U.K. government's Department for Work and Pensions is forming a steering group to explore ways to encourage greater use of vocational rehabilitation among U.K. employers. The DWP said the group would be...

U.K. consultant sentenced for fraud.(International)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Byline: Sarah Veysey LONDON-An insurance consultant in London has been convicted of fraudulently collecting premiums and falsely claiming to have placed coverage at Lloyd's of London. Following an investigation by the Serious Fraud...

World Updates; U.K. bill would provide same-sex pension rights.(International)
November 1, 2004... The U.K. government has announced a legislative proposal that would give same-sex couples the same pension rights as married couples. Under the proposal, contained in amendment to the Civil Partnership Bill, a member of an occupational pension...

Regulators 'asleep at the switch': Consumer advocates; NAIC proposes plan to fight fraud, require disclosure.(News)(National Association of Insurance Commissioners)
November 1, 2004... Byline: MEG FLETCHER Regulators should have done more to stamp out bid rigging and funneling policyholders to insurers that pay higher contingent commissions to brokers long before the alleged frauds were laid out last month by New York...

AIG seeking settlement of Brightpoint probe.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Byline: RUPAL PAREKH NEW YORK-American International Group Inc. on Monday said it would pursue a settlement to resolve a federal grand jury's investigation into a 1998 transaction between an AIG unit and telecommunications company...

RIMS survey finds prices decreasing across most lines.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Byline: RUPAL PAREKH Buyers of commercial insurance are benefiting from continued market softening, as policy renewal prices have declined for a third straight quarter, a survey shows. Rate decreases were applied across most major...

U.S. investigation sparks Canadian probe of brokers.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ TORONTO-Canadian insurance regulators have launched reviews of broker compensation arrangements in light of the ongoing investigations in the United States. The Toronto-based Financial Services Commission of...

Election wrap-up Nov. 8.(News)
November 1, 2004... How will the results of the Nov. 2 presidential and congressional elections affect the drive for tort and health care reform, as well as a slew of other risk management and employee benefit issues in the year ahead? Business Insurance, in...

MMC's Greenberg quits; Aon facing lawsuit.(News)(Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc.)
November 1, 2004... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS Although Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc. has taken steps to resolve charges of alleged fraudulent self-dealing in placing clients' business, the legal and regulatory attack on broker compensation continues to widen, and...

AIG, ACE lead Marsh's D&O.(News)(American International Group Inc.,Marsh and McLennan Companies Inc.)
November 1, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS NEW YORK-Primary and excess executive risk coverage for Marsh & McLennan Group Cos. Inc. is led by insurers-American International Group Inc. and ACE Ltd.-that allegedly participated with MMC in bid-rigging activities...

Late News; Aon to lose $50 million of contingent fees.
November 1, 2004... Aon Corp. said that its recent decision to stop collecting contingent commissions from insurers will reduce its revenues by about $50 million this year. Aon said that $117 million, or about 2.3% of its $5.15 billion in brokerage and consulting...

Broking center model led to abuses: Spitzer.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD NEW YORK-Charges of client steering and bid rigging at Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc.'s Global Placement division are reigniting debate over the company's global broking model, which critics contend has long isolated...

Airlines urge governments to cover WMDs.(News)(Weapons of Mass Destruction )
November 1, 2004... Byline: PETA MILLER MONTREAL-Airlines are urging governments to provide coverage for losses stemming from acts of terrorism involving nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, because such risks will be excluded from war and terrorism...

Between the Lines; It's a relationship business, for sure.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer may not be the most popular man in insurance circles at the moment, but despite what some executives may say about him, he's not afraid to bite the hand that feeds....

Over 100 at NRRA conference.(News)(National Risk Retention Association)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... WASHINGTON-More than 100 people attended the National Risk Retention Assn.'s annual conference Oct. 18-19 in Washington. Attendees heard speakers on a wide range of topics, including the failings of state regulation of the insurance industry,...

PCI president promotes need for state regulation overhaul; 2004 NRRA National Conference.(News)(Property Casualty Insurers Association, National Risk Retention Association)
November 1, 2004... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-State regulation of the insurance industry needs to be drastically overhauled, a top industry official and former regulator says. "This is an industry in dire need of change,'' says Ernst Csiszar,...

Review indemnification provisions to strengthen D&O liability coverage.(Spotlight: D&O/E&O Liability Risks)
November 1, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS Efforts by risk managers to strengthen their corporate directors and officers liability insurance programs as the D&O market's hard edge softens could be far less effective than they expect, insurance experts say. ...

Some states still levying fees on RRGs, raising costs; 2004 NRRA National Conference.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-State-imposed fees on risk retention groups, which the groups say violate federal law, are driving up RRG costs. While the fees, which include registration, application, examination, annual and renewal...

RRG report will be first federal analysis in 15 years; 2004 NRRA National Conference.(News)(Risk Retention Act, National Risk Retention Association)
November 1, 2004... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-The first comprehensive government analysis in 15 years of how well the federal Risk Retention Act is working should be released early next year. For nearly a year, the Government Accountability Office...

U.S. insurers broadening Side A policies.(Spotlight: D&O/E&O Liability Risks)
November 1, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Although Bermuda has traditionally been seen as the home of the broadest Side A directors and officers liability coverage available, U.S. insurers have grown more competitive in recent years by expanding the scope...

Simple tools can help in managing enterprise risk; ASHRM 2004 Annual Conference & Exhibition.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS Theory of ERM often discourages hospitals from adopting method, consultants contend Moving from the theory of enterprise risk management to its practical implementation is far easier than hospital risk managers may...

London market acknowledges placement pressures.(News)
November 1, 2004... Byline: PETA MILLER and SARAH VEYSEY LONDON-Brokerage firms in the London market do pressure their employees to place risks with insurers that pay the highest contingent commissions, insurance sources agree. But recent moves by several...

News in a flash.(News)
November 1, 2004... To help readers stay on top of breaking developments in the ongoing investigation into broker compensation and related news in the insurance marketplace, Business Insurance is filing breaking news items on these events as they occur at...

Record number attend ASHRM conference.(News)(American Society for Healthcare Risk Management)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... ORLANDO, Fla.-A record 1,900 attendees participated in 49 different educational sessions and visited 153 exhibitions and at the 26th annual American Society for Healthcare Risk Management's annual conference and exhibition in Orlando, Fla.,...

Compensation Crisis updates.(News)
November 1, 2004... To help readers stay on top of breaking developments in the ongoing investigation into broker compensation and related news in the insurance marketplace, Business Insurance is filing news on these subjects as they occur at...

Industry's future in buyers' hands.(insurance industry)
November 8, 2004... Byline: Paul Winston The insurance industry is on the hot seat. Regulators in multiple states are subpoenaing records from brokers and insurers to seek evidence of wrongdoing. New York has filed a lawsuit against Marsh & McLennan Cos....

Tort reform supporters hail election outcome.(Election 2004)
November 8, 2004... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-President Bush's re-election and the exit of several anti-tort reform lawmakers from the Senate could help push civil justice reform closer to reality in the next Congress. Gone are such tort reform...

Alcoa asks to use captive to fund U.S. benefit risks.(News)
November 8, 2004... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-The nation's largest aluminum producer and one of the first to establish a Vermont-based captive insurer is asking the Labor Department for permission to fund U.S. benefit risks through its captive. ...

Risk Manager of the Year nominations due Nov. 22.(insurance industry)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Do you know an outstanding risk manager who deserves recognition? If yes, salute their achievements by nominating them for the Risk Manager of the Year award. Complete nominations for the 2005 Risk Manager of the Year and Risk Management...

Tort reform iron won't get hotter.(Tort reform law)
November 8, 2004... Byline: Mark A. Hofmann The window of opportunity for advocates of federal tort reform opened a little wider, courtesy of last week's elections. They would be well advised to take advantage of that window as quickly as they can, too,...

World Updates; Marsh U.K. employee fired for misconduct.(International)(Julian Taylor fired )
November 8, 2004... Marsh Ltd., the U.K. operation of Marsh Inc., has dismissed an employee for alleged misconduct. Julian Taylor, a senior vp in Marsh's terrorism insurance department, was dismissed for alleged misconduct relating to commission payments, a source...

Pension reform prospects unclear in next Bush term.(Election 2004)(president George W. Bush)
November 8, 2004... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-While there is broad agreement that the re-election of President George W. Bush will give a favorable push to health savings accounts, there is less certainty about the potential impact on efforts to revamp...

Bush re-election sets stage for expansion of HSA law.(Election 2004)(health savings account)
November 8, 2004... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-President George W. Bush's re-election last week and the widening Republican control of Congress will boost efforts to expand and improve health care savings accounts. Repeatedly over the last few months...

Canadian buyers seek disclosure of contingent deals.(insurance industry)
November 8, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Although contingent commission arrangements are prevalent in Canada, the controversy surrounding these arrangements in the United States is unlikely to have a significant impact on the Canadian insurance market. ...

Reinsurers mum about Spitzer probe.(International)(attorney general Eliot Spitzer)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY BADEN-BADEN, Germany-Attendees at the 2004 Baden-Baden reinsurance meeting were largely tight-lipped about the potential effects on the reinsurance market of legal and regulatory investigations into contingent...

Time to push for changes.(insurance industry tort reforms)
November 8, 2004... SO MUCH TO DO, and at last a chance to do it. The Congress chosen in last week's elections appears to be among the most amenable to tort reform in history. Items that have topped tort reform wish lists for so long-class action reform,...

U.K. court to consider nonfatal asbestos claims.(News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Byline: PETA MILLER MANCHESTER, England-A British court on Monday will begin hearing a test case to determine appropriate compensation for U.K. workers who develop a benign medical condition related to asbestos exposure. The case, to...

Industry executives mull impact of Spitzer probe; PCI Annual Meeting.(News)(property casualty insurers association)
November 8, 2004... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD WASHINGTON-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's investigation of insurance placement arrangements will likely have a profound but as yet undetermined impact on the insurance industry, said attendees at the...

'Play or pay' is not the way.(insurance industry)
November 8, 2004... IN AN IDEAL WORLD, every employer would provide its employees with good health insurance and pay a big share of the premium. Unfortunately, the world of health insurance is anything but ideal. The cost is astronomical-next year, the average...

Rx fee schedules seek to cut comp spending.(regulation for drug prices)
November 8, 2004... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Prescription drug costs continue to be a fast-growing component of rising workers compensation medical expenses, and states are adopting or revamping drug fee schedules to help reduce the burden for payers. ...

Multiyear programs can smooth out cycle for cedents; Baden-Baden.(International)
November 8, 2004... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY BADEN-BADEN, Germany-Reinsurance buyers cannot avoid the pricing cycle that is inherent in the reinsurance market, but they can try to mitigate its impact on their own programs, a panel of experts says. Cedents can...

Errors & omissions.(Corrections)
November 8, 2004... * A Nov. 1 story on public brokerages' directors contained incorrect information on Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.'s board. The company has nine board members, two of whom are insiders-Robert E. Gallagher and J. Patrick Gallagher Jr. After a...

Asbestos claims to soar in U.K., report forecasts.(International)
November 8, 2004... Byline: PETA MILLER U.K. employers and insurers will face up to 200,000 asbestos-related liability claims by 2040, with an economic impact of up to u20 billion ($36.68 billion), a report concludes. Employers and the insurance industry...

Voters repeal California 'play or pay' benefit mandate; Ballot measures elsewhere address medical malpractice and tort reforms.(Election 2004)
November 8, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD and JUDY GREENWALD Voters handed employers and physicians a number of victories on health care, medical malpractice and tort reform initiatives last week. Employers also saw several pro-business judges take...

Benefit software companies shift to outsourcing market; Complexity prompts employers to stop self-administration.(Benefits Management)
November 8, 2004... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK As more employers outsource their benefits administration, the software vendors that had been selling them self-administration software products are shifting their focus away from employers toward third-party...

Time Warner marks $500M for legal costs.(News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Byline: GAVIN SOUTER NEW YORK-Time Warner Inc. has set aside $500 million in legal reserves to settle government investigations into its accounting and disclosure practices. A portion of the reserves may be used for payments associated...

Aon, MMC sued over stock drops in benefit plans; Attorneys looking at brokers, insurers for breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA.(News)(Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974)
November 8, 2004... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK The ERISA-related class action lawsuits filed against companies targeted in New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's probe into the insurance brokerage industry are part of a growing litigation trend against...

Late News; U.K. buyers see conflict in contingent fees.(company sales and earnings)
November 8, 2004... Around two-thirds of U.K. risk managers polled believe that the use of contingent commissions "always creates a conflict of interest'' for brokers, according to a survey of members of the Assn. of Insurance & Risk Managers. And nearly...

Online tools promote Rx comparison shopping; Drug price Web sites could bring employer savings, boost consumerism.(Benefits Management)
November 8, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Employers looking to reduce their prescription drug costs have a new tool available to them: independent prescription drug price comparison Web sites. Many employers already encourage their employees to use the...

Behavior management tools foster healthy changes; Made-to-order online interfaces help lower employee medical costs through lifestyle shifts.(Benefits Management)
November 8, 2004... Byline: RUPAL PAREKH Support groups for smokers trying to quit and nutritional pamphlets for individuals struggling with their weight are becoming self-help methods of the past. The new breed of behavior management tools replaces generic,...

Health risk appraisals address employees' individual problems; Programs aim to instill healthy habits.(Benefits Management)
November 8, 2004... Byline: MEG FLETCHER More large employers are expected to ask employees to answer health-related questions as part of an appraisal process that can help gather useful baseline information as well as motivate employees to improve their...

Comings & Goings.(News)(Aspen Insurance U.K. Ltd.)
November 8, 2004... Insurers: Jill E. Paterson has been promoted to executive vp and chief financial officer of Novato, Calif.-based Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. Previously, Ms. Paterson was senior vp and controller. Judith A. Patterson has been named...

Reinsurers predict market will stay firm for renewals; PCI Annual Meeting.(News)
November 8, 2004... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD WASHINGTON-Reinsurance executives say the market generally will remain disciplined for Jan. 1 renewals, though some softening will be apparent compared to a year ago. However, the renewal process make take...

ACE, Marsh fire staff as probes continue.(News)(Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc.)
November 8, 2004... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD Fallout from New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's investigation of broker compensation continues, with two of the companies embroiled in his civil suit firing or suspending employees and several other states...

Serio faults buyers for lack of response.(News)
November 8, 2004... Byline: GAVIN SOUTER NEW YORK-Risk managers' largely muted response to charges that Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc. defrauded commercial policyholders through rigged insurance placements might create the impression that such alleged fraud is a...

Incumbent regulators re-elected in four states.(Election 2004)
November 8, 2004... Byline: MEG FLETCHER Voters last week elected one new insurance commissioner-Matt Denn in Delaware-according to unofficial results, and they returned four incumbents to top regulator posts in Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota and...

Reinsurance rate softening predicted; Reinsurers, brokers expect mostly stable renewals despite cat losses.(International)
November 8, 2004... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY BADEN-BADEN, Germany-European reinsurance rates probably will soften, or at worst hold steady, during the 2004 renewal season, despite increased worldwide catastrophe losses, reinsurers and brokers say. Meeting in...

Startups, unlike older peers, not stepping toward M&A.(Spotlight: Bermuda Market Report)(Mergers and Acquistions)
November 15, 2004... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Don't expect the Bermuda reinsurers and insurers formed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to either merge or be acquired, at least not in the immediate future, say observers. Many say they do not expect...

Bermuda fine-tuning some insurance regulations.(Spotlight: Bermuda Market Report)
November 15, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD Bermuda regulators are tightening their authority a bit in one of the periodic adjustments to the island's law governing the insurance marketplace. Several amendments to the Insurance Act are moving through the...

Products & Services; Lexington expands terrorism risk products.(News)
November 15, 2004... NEW YORK-Lexington Insurance Co., a subsidiary of American International Group Inc., has introduced a suite of insurance products to help protect businesses against terrorism exposures such as losses due to chemical or biological attacks. ...

Panel debates extent of harm from commissions scandal; 2004 PLUS International Conference.(News)(Professional Liability Underwriting Society )
November 15, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS SAN DIEGO-At least one regulator does not view the contingent commission scandal as a wholesale indictment of the entire insurance industry. But attorneys at a session during the recent Professional Liability...

Hurricanes' frequency mitigated severity on reinsurers; Separate storms spread impact.(Spotlight: Bermuda Market Report)
November 15, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD Bermuda reinsurers, despite seeing the size of their profits sheared by a handful of hurricanes this season, are happier to have faced four storms instead of just one. If a single major storm had generated the...

Insurers paid $19.6 billion on 9/11 losses, study says.(News)
November 15, 2004... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN There is no guarantee that the "unique combination of benefits'' that emerged to compensate victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks would be available to victims of a similar future attack, according to a...

HIPAA violations covered under liability policies; 2004 PLUS International Conference.(News)(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)(Professional Liability Underwriting Society)
November 15, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS SAN DIEGO-Business can tap a variety of professional liability insurance policies to cover claims that arise from violations of a federal health information privacy law, a panel of experts says. Specially tailored...

Maryland considers med mal captives to end doctor flight.(News)(medical malpractice)
November 15, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD BALTIMORE-Maryland insurance regulators are hoping to bring some relief to the state's medical liability problems by making it easier for hospitals and other health care providers to form captive insurance...

Meeting draws big numbers; 2004 PLUS International Conference.(News)(Professional Liability Underwriting Society )(Brief Article)
November 15, 2004... The Professional Liability Underwriting Society attracted a near-record 2,038 attendees to its 17th annual international conference, held Nov. 3-5 in San Diego. The attendance figure fell slightly below the record of 2,100, which was set last...

Many insurers unready for U.K. capital rules.(International)
November 15, 2004... Byline: PETA MILLER LONDON-Many U.K. insurance companies will fail to meet new risk-based minimum capital adequacy requirements coming into effect at the end of this year, according to a member of the firm that helped develop the rules....

Property rate decreases foster moves to casualty market.(Spotlight: Bermuda Market Report)
November 15, 2004... Byline: CAROLYN ALDRED Lower property insurance and reinsurance rates are increasing casualty capacity in Bermuda as underwriters on the island seek to take advantage of the still buoyant casualty insurance market. While several of the...

Cyber risks not well understood; 2004 PLUS International Conference.(News)( Professional Liability Underwriting Society)
November 15, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS SAN DIEGO-The cyber risk insurance market's slower-than-anticipated growth during an environment of mounting risk stems in part from friction between risk managers and information technology security officers and from...

Between the Lines; Jockeys mount coverage challenge.(News)
November 15, 2004... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik About a dozen jockeys, stomping mad at racetrack owners for not providing adequate accident insurance, have been barred from participating in this year's Churchill Downs Fall Meet in Louisville, Ky. ...

Calif. workers comp market to add insurers, ease rates.(News)(California)(compensation)(CompWest Insurance Co.)
November 15, 2004... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS LOS ANGELES-California employers will have more workers compensation insurers to chose from as capital flows into the state, albeit cautiously, speakers told a business group last week. Workers comp rates will...

Two AIG units acquiring RSA's business in Japan.(International)
November 15, 2004... Byline: Michael Bradford and Sarah Veysey TOKYO-Two units of American International Group Inc. have agreed to buy Royal & SunAlliance Insurance Group P.L.C.'s Japanese business. American Home Assurance Co. and AIU Insurance Co. are...

Beijing requires facilities to buy med mal coverage.(International)(medical malpractice)( Beijing Municipal Health Bureau )
November 15, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD BEIJING-A Chinese city government agency, tired of waiting for health care providers to purchase medical malpractice liability insurance, is forcing public facilities to buy the coverage. The Beijing Municipal...