Business Insurance articles from October 2003

Business Insurance archives from October 2003

U.S. suit not expected to hurt Medco dealings with clients.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL PRINCE PHILADELPHIA-Employers are not expected to move their business away from Medco Health Solutions Inc. in response to the federal lawsuit recently brought against the prescription benefit manager. U.S. Attorney...

Comings & Goings.(News)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Agents/brokers: Henry Loubet has been named senior vp-strategic planning at Keenan & Associates. Before he joined the Torrance, Calif.-based company, Mr. Loubet was vice chairman and chief operating officer for online drugstore...

Trucking firm driven by risk management; Driver recognition program honors safety commitment.(Spotlight: Transportation Risks)
October 6, 2003... Byline: MEG FLETCHER "Aim for the Hall of Fame'' could be the motto of the professional truck drivers who work for D.M. Bowman Inc., a short-haul and regional trucking company that uses a multistep approach of screening, training and...

Contracting for busing does not drive all risks from schools.(Spotlight: Transportation Risks)
October 6, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS Contracting with private bus companies to provide student transportation can provide financial advantages for school districts, reduce administrative burdens and, if done properly, reduce or remove some liability risks...

Market putting the brakes on trucker liability price hikes.(Spotlight: Transportation Risks)
October 6, 2003... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS After a few tumultuous years of premium increases and capacity shortages, the truckers' auto liability marketplace is showing signs of stabilizing. A combination of adequate rate increases over the last few years...

Airline renewals may see 'a gentle erosion of rates'.(Spotlight: Transportation Risks)
October 6, 2003... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS A softer hull and liability insurance market for commercial airlines during the first nine months of 2003, significant market overcapacity and relatively few losses this year do not guarantee that underwriters will...

Reform debate missing patients.(Commentary)
October 6, 2003... Byline: Mark A. Hofmann One of the facts of life in Washington is that issues that command headlines and hot air for months or even years can vanish with hardly any warning at all. They vanish as quickly as a presidential wannabe who...

Short-haul truck firms press case for better comp prices.(Spotlight: Transportation Risks)(workers compensation)
October 6, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD Short-haul trucking companies are having a tough time finding insurers that will deliver affordable workers compensation coverage. In many cases, short-haul-or "less-than-truckload'' carriers, as they are...

Ruling swings in council's favor.(International)(Isle of Wight)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Byline: Carolyn Aldred NEWPORT, Isle of Wight-The Isle of Wight's senior risk and insurance manager hopes that a recent U.K. court ruling will give local authorities new ammunition in their battle against Britain's growing compensation...

Risk management award judges represent profession.(News)
October 6, 2003... Ten independent judges from all sectors of the risk management and insurance profession will select the 2004 Risk Manager of the Year and Risk Management Honor Roll. Nominations for the awards, which will be announced in April, will be...

Risk management award criteria.(News)
October 6, 2003... Ten criteria are used to score the nominations for the annual 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, according to how...

World Updates; Singapore to lower capital requirements.(International)
October 6, 2003... Singapore plans to lower its minimum paid-up capital requirement to attract niche insurers, said Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. In a speech last week, he said the government will lower the threshold to $10 million Singapore ($5.8...

Court rejects punitives award for accident at Miller Park.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS MILWAUKEE-The families of three ironworkers killed in a construction accident at Milwaukee's Miller Park plan to ask Wisconsin's Supreme Court to overturn a state appellate court's Sept. 30 decision to throw out a $94...

Finnish utilities liable for outages.(International)
October 6, 2003... Byline: GERARD O'DWYER HELSINKI, Finland-A new law requires Finland's power utilities and electricity grids to reimburse commercial and residential customers for lengthy power outages. Given frequent outages in the country, including...

Manulife, Hancock form giant; Little overlap seen in group operations.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD TORONTO-The proposed merger of Manulife Financial Corp. and John Hancock Financial Services Inc. will create a new life insurance powerhouse, but for employer customers it will be business as usual. Based on a...

California comp law likely to lower rates; Employers call for further reforms.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS LOS ANGELES-The workers compensation reforms that California Gov. Gray Davis signed into law last week should help reduce rates in California, but further reforms are needed, employers say. In particular,...

Flood risk management rising; Europeans focusing more on loss control.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY Although Europe suffered record heat and drought conditions this summer, risk managers remain attuned to the risk of flooding, which in recent years has produced billions of dollars in devastating losses in the autumn...

Helping hand is welcome.(Opinions)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... ANYONE WHO'S TOILED in a state capitol knows that enacting medical malpractice reform legislation is never easy. That's even truer at the federal level. Despite passage by the House of Representatives of a reasonable bill earlier this year,...

Editorial: Give RRGs a fair review.(Opinions)
October 6, 2003... Should the federal law that authorizes risk retention groups be amended to allow the groups to fund property risks? That is an issue a panel of state insurance regulators likely will take up in the coming weeks. We hope the National Assn....

Startup facing staff woes; CNA suing former execs who went to Quanta.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD HAMILTON, Bermuda-Quanta Capital Holding Ltd. is hitting a few bumps on the road to staffing its start-up specialty insurance and reinsurance business. Bermuda-based Quanta, which raised $550 million in a private...

New Jersey polluters hope to tap old policies.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS As New Jersey environmental regulators push to recover vast sums of natural resource damages from alleged polluters, those targets might be able to tap insurance thought to be exhausted, policyholder attorneys say. ...

Readers weigh in on glut of lawyers.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: Paul Winston A month ago, I postulated that one reason for the U.S. litigation crisis was a glut of lawyers chasing business. More than any recent column, that one has generated considerable reader feedback, some of which I'd...

Property risks may scout other markets.(International)
October 6, 2003... Byline: NEIL HODGE Commercial buyers in Europe will likely seek property insurance coverage outside of their domestic markets if hard market conditions persist, according to a survey by Aon Corp. Although European policyholders have...

Malpractice proposal mimics workers comp.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-Compensating certain medical malpractice claims through a system similar to workers compensation could help improve the quality of health care, according to Harvard University health care specialist. ...

PBGC solvency takes a hit; Ruling ranks shutdown benefits over agency exposures.(News)(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.)
October 6, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio-The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. will appeal a federal court ruling that could, if affirmed, exacerbate the PBGC's already-precarious financial condition by increasing its exposure to billions of...

Late News; Folksamerica buying CNA treaty business.
October 6, 2003... CNA Financial Corp. is selling the renewal rights for most of its treaty reinsurance business to Folksamerica Reinsurance Co. for an undisclosed amount. At the same time, CNA will withdraw from the assumed reinsurance business and will manage...

Late News; Insurers reject revised asbestos proposal.(Bill Frist's asbestos reform plan)
October 13, 2003... Insurers have rejected an asbestos reform plan that had been proposed by Senate majority leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., as part of an effort to get the legislation moving again. Insurance groups last week sent Sen. Frist a letter outlining their...

World Updates; First U.K. smoking suit opens in Scotland.(International)(case against Imperial Tobacco Group)
October 13, 2003... Britain's first smoking trial, brought against Imperial Tobacco Group P.L.C. of Bristol, England, on behalf of a man who died from lung cancer 10 years ago, opened in Edinburgh, Scotland, Tuesday. The outcome could determine whether other...

Florida reform law addresses workers comp woes.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-Florida employers are applauding the state's new workers compensation reform law, saying the reforms will help reduce costs and fraud, improve injured worker benefits and create a more efficient...

Australia drops indemnity levy on doctors.(International)(new medical indemnity levy on hospitals and doctors)
October 13, 2003... Byline: ELIZABETH FRY CANBERRA, Australia-The Australian government has put on hold its controversial medical indemnity levy on hospitals and doctors in an attempt to avert the threatened widespread closure of hospitals across the nation....

Editorial: More to do on pensions.(Opinions)(nation's retirement income system)
October 13, 2003... LEGISLATION APPROVED by the House of Representatives last week, which would give employers temporary and needed pension plan funding relief, is a victory for common sense. As we report on page 3, the House overwhelming approved a stop-gap...

Brokers charged with aiding alleged workers comp fraud; Laborers misreported as low-risk workers: Indictment.(News)(alleged $100 mn municipal contract fraud)
October 13, 2003... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD CHICAGO-An indictment of several Chicago businesspeople in an alleged $100 million municipal contract fraud has swept up two insurance brokers, who are accused of separately helping the other defendants defraud...

400 attend annual GE ERC State of the Art Forum.(News)(sponsored by GE Employers Reinsurance Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... NAPLES, Fla.-After days of heavy rain, sunshine broke through for the second annual State of the Art Forum sponsored by GE Employers Reinsurance Corp. The event was held Oct. 1-3 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel's golf resort in Naples, Fla....

Conditions converge to create current hard insurance market.(News)(3 hard market cycles)
October 13, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD NAPLES, Fla.-Various forces have converged in the current market to wallop buyers and disorient insurers, an industry analyst says. "We are in a unique period,'' said Alain Karaoglan, managing director with...

Industry executives stress need for tort reform.(News)(panel of insurance industry experts want reform)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD NAPLES, Fla.-Despite some states' attempts at reform, the tort system in the United States remains in need of an overhaul, a panel of insurance industry sources contends. "There are many problems in the tort...

Products & Services; Benchmarking tool gets new features.(News)(analytical and benchmarking information)
October 13, 2003... NEW YORK-Advisen Ltd. has released an updated version of its information system that provides analytical and benchmarking information for commercial insurance risks. The new version of the system, which is aimed at insurers, brokers and...

275 attend REBEX event in Chicago.(News)(annual conference Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... CHICAGO-REBEX 2003, the annual conference of the Chicago and Wisconsin chapters of the Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc., drew about 275 attendees to Chicago Sept. 24 and 25. Conference sessions addressed such topics as loss analysis,...

Screening weeds out potential bad hires: Testing can avert costly mistakes; REBEX 2003.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS CHICAGO-Bad hires can turn into enormously expensive mistakes for companies, so many employers are looking to tools such as behavioral screening to identify job applicants who pose significant risks. "What you do on...

Good preloss planning vital to business' well-being; REBEX 2003.(News)(annual conference of Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc.)
October 13, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS CHICAGO-Proper planning before a loss occurs not only can save a company money but, in severe cases, can help ensure the survival of the business. Speaking at REBEX 2003, the annual conference of the Chicago and...

Exposure standards needed for mold liability cover; REBEX 2003.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS CHICAGO-The problem of liabilities related to mold exposure are complicated by a lack of exposure standards and regulations related to mold cleanup, according to one expert. Speaking at REBEX 2003, the annual...

Hard market assists productivity gains.(Agent/Broker Topics: Leaders in Productivity)(double-digit productivity growth)
October 13, 2003... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS Brokerage revenue gains far outpaced staffing increases in 2002, giving rise to double-digit productivity growth among the most productive agents and brokers. Although hard market conditions contributed to many of...

Insurance agencies should link compensation, performance; IIABA Convention and InfoXchange.(Agent/Broker Topics: Leaders in Productivity)
October 13, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Insurance agencies need to link employees' pay to their specific productivity level, a consultant says. "We have to change the method of paying our employees,'' E. Al Diamond, president of Cherry Hill,...

A/BT Perspective: Improvement sought by internal change; Fostering a more open culture.(Agent/Broker Topics: Leaders in Productivity)
October 13, 2003... Byline: Judith A. Gleason and Gary L. Wolford What differentiates an agency's best sales people from the average ones? You probably already know that it isn't just technical skills and know-how. There are those intangible qualities...

Association inaugurates first woman president; IIABA Convention and InfoXchange.(Agent/Broker Topics: Leaders in Productivity)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America inaugurated Louise Canter as president during the association's Annual Convention and InfoXchange, held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Ms. Canter, the 99th president of the IIABA, is...

A modest proposal on health plan design.(Perspectives)
October 13, 2003... Byline: William E. Hembree What's next after managed care and consumer-driven health plans? A fundamental rethinking of plan design is needed for the future. While cost-shifting is often credited with helping control employee health...

Legal Briefs: Profit compensation ruled a bonus for LTD cover.(Perspectives)(employment agreement case)
October 13, 2003... The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that profit compensation in an employment agreement constituted a bonus for purposes of calculating long-term disability benefits under an Employee Retirement Income Security Act plan. Mary...

Good communications key to managing fear of change; IIABA Convention and InfoXchange.(Agent/Broker Topics: Leaders in Productivity)
October 13, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Successfully managing change requires good communication and an understanding of employee fears, a leadership coach told the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. "It's human nature to resist...

Being a 'trusted adviser' benefits clients, employees: Ask challenging questions, consultant advises; IIABA Convention and InfoXchange.(Agent/Broker Topics: Leaders in Productivity)(Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America)
October 13, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Insurance producers can excel in their client-focused business world by becoming "trusted advisers,'' a training consultant told the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. Trusted adviser skills...

Swiss government lowers minimum interest rate guarantees to help pension plans catch up.(International)
October 13, 2003... Byline: BENJAMIN SEEDER ZURICH, Switzerland-Swiss pension plans were upbeat in September after the government reduced minimum interest rate guarantees to group life and pension accounts to 2.25%. The new rate is below the present yield...

Midsize firms are next target for D&O lawsuits, panel warns.(News)(shareholder lawsuits)
October 13, 2003... Byline: GAVIN SOUTER NEW YORK-Midsize companies are likely to face a wave of shareholder lawsuits, as suits against larger companies become more protracted, a panel of directors and officers liability experts predicts. Plaintiff...

Industry continues opposition to asbestos proposal.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: Mark A. Hofmann WASHINGTON-The property/casualty insurance industry continues to strongly oppose asbestos liability reform legislation that could be taken up in the Senate in the next few weeks. In an Oct. 7 letter to Senate...

Bill would expand health cover tax credit.(News)(unemployment compensation benefits)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Employees who have lost their jobs and are receiving unemployment compensation benefits would be eligible for a federal subsidy of their health insurance premiums under legislation introduced in the Senate...

Directory deadline approaches.(News)(Directory of Reinsurance Intermediaries)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... Business Insurance will publish its online Directory of Reinsurance Intermediaries in conjunction with the Nov. 10 issue, which will also feature a Spotlight report on trends and issues in the reinsurance industry and a ranking of the largest...

New U.S. docket holds little for risk managers.(News)(risk management cases)
October 13, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-Lackluster rather than blockbuster describes the Supreme Court's current docket in terms of risk management cases. Unlike previous terms that have begun with a docket brimming with high-profile...

Asbestos, environmental risks are underreserved: A.M. Best; Ratings agency finds $45 billion shortfall.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD Despite huge asbestos reserve increases by several insurers in the last two years, the property/casualty industry remains significantly underreserved for these claims and even more underfunded for environmental...

Between the Lines; Self-inflicted death benefits.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik The mother of a man who killed three of his factory co-workers before shooting himself in a workplace rampage last July is seeking workers compensation death benefits from her son's former employer. ...

Farmers group finds U.K. liability cover scarce for GM crops.(International)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... Byline: Neil Hodge Farmers in the United Kingdom seeking to plant genetically modified crops face difficulty obtaining liability coverage, according to a trade group. According to research carried out by Farm, a group representing...

No place for protectionism.(Opinions)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... PROTECTIONISM IS AN ECONOMIC philosophy that outlived it usefulness decades ago. Nevertheless, a form of protectionism remained alive and well in Florida until just a few days ago in the form of the Sunshine State's countersignature law....

U.K. companies say D&O rate increases don't reflect risks.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: NEIL HODGE LONDON-A large group of British companies is exploring alternatives to buying directors and officers liability coverage in response to what they see as unwarranted and exorbitant rate hikes. The 70 companies, most of...

Health cost inflation to ease in '04; Hewitt study projects a 12.6% average increase, down from recent years.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL Health care cost increases finally may be moderating. Next year, group health care costs are projected to rise by 12.6% on average, to $7,009 per employee, according to an analysis by benefit consultant Hewitt...

Ruling to reduce brokerage red tape; Countersignature law overturned in Florida.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-Risk managers and brokers are hailing a federal judge's rejection of Florida's countersignature law, saying the decision should promote efficiency in insurance transactions. And the Council of...

Health benefits stay intact as UAW OKs other cost cuts.(News)(health benefit cost-shifting)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK DETROIT-While the United Auto Workers may have won the battle with employers over health benefit cost-shifting in its latest contract talks, the automakers and union representatives are quietly working behind the...

California employers hopeful Schwarzenegger will reform comp system.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS SACRAMENTO, Calif.-Employers in California are optimistic that Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger will have more success in reforming the state's troubled workers compensation system than did Gray Davis, whom Mr....

House passes proposal to reform pension funding; New interest rate index would cut plan contributions.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Congress is one big step closer to passing legislation that would allow employers to reduce contributions to their pension plans by billions of dollars in each of the next two years. In a rare bipartisan...

Broker develops pooling program for California schools.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS TORRANCE, Calif.-While it's too early to determine whether Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger will come through on his pledge to reform California's workers compensation system, one insurance broker is helping a number...

Ease into fitness through cycling.(Commentary)
October 20, 2003... Byline: Dave Lenckus The summer vacation in Holland went as planned. What I took away from it wasn't. I recommend the trip to every employee benefits manager, who, I think, could quickly and inexpensively turn their experience into...

U.S. insurers have weathered a tough time; 17th International Reinsurance Congress.(News)
October 20, 2003... Byline: MIICHAEL BRADFORD HAMILTON, Bermuda-Insurers have weathered years of economic storms in good shape, but some dark clouds still loom, a U.S. insurance regulator says. Speaking at the 17th International Reinsurance Congress in...

HealthSouth woes continue as insurer seeks D&O recision.(News)
October 20, 2003... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-As congressional hearings into the alleged $2.5 billion accounting fraud at HealthSouth Corp. got under way last week, a Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. unit became the latest of several...

Genetic bias legislation not needed, some say; Profiling not a problem: Employers.(News)
October 20, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-A Senate-passed bill designed to prevent discrimination against individuals based on predictive genetic information is targeting a problem that does not exist, employment experts say. While not...

California's comp woes illustrate risk that reforms can backfire.(Spotlight: Workers Compensation)
October 20, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Some of the problems now plaguing California's workers compensation system can be traced, in part, to a little-understood provision embedded in reform legislation signed into law a decade ago. Recently enacted...

Chiropractic care of workers blamed for higher comp costs; But if closely managed, chiropractors can be effective.(Spotlight: Workers Compensation)
October 20, 2003... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK While many injured workers may swear by chiropractors, most employers are more likely to swear at them when they see one listed as a treating physician on a workers compensation claim. Unchecked chiropractic care...

Safety software lowers worker exposure; Contractor's award-winning tool available free to other employers.(Spotlight: Workers Compensation)(Fluor Hanford Inc.)
October 20, 2003... Byline: MEG FLETCHER A software program that recently won a national innovation award was developed by Fluor Hanford Inc. and its workers at the world's largest environmental cleanup site to help them-and other companies that are adapting...

Association inaugurates first woman president; IIABA Convention and InfoXchange.(Insurer Topics: Reinsurance Strategies)(Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America )(Brief Article)
October 20, 2003... The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America inaugurated Louise Canter as president during the association's Annual Convention and InfoXchange, held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Ms. Canter, the 99th president of the IIABA, is...

Producers should seek status as clients' 'trusted advisers'; IIABA Convention and InfoXchange.(Insurer Topics: Reinsurance Strategies)
October 20, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Insurance producers can excel in their client-focused business world by becoming "trusted advisers,'' a training consultant told the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. Trusted adviser skills...

Errors & omissions.(News)
October 20, 2003... Due to an editing error, the surname of Wayne McOwen was misspelled in an Oct. 6 letter to the editor. Mr. McOwen is senior vp of government and industry relations for Guard Financial Group in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and chairman of the Workers...

Prescription management seen lacking as costs keep rising.(Spotlight: Workers Compensation)
October 20, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL PRINCE Rising prescription drug spending is forcing employers and workers comp insurers to find ways to keep costs in check. While some strategies are showing signs of success, many others that are successful for group...

Careful integration, management of disabilities helps hospital trim millions from its comp costs.(Spotlight: Workers Compensation)
October 20, 2003... Byline: MEG FLETCHER Baystate Health System Inc. has saved millions of dollars in workers compensation costs during the past decade as it implemented programs to integrate its handling of disability management. Attaining those rewards...

IT briefs: XL names three to executive posts.(Insurer Topics: Reinsurance Strategies)
October 20, 2003... HAMILTON, Bermuda-XL Capital Ltd. has appointed Don Baker, Hans Gmuender and Dennis Nishikawa to new executive broker and client relations positions in the company's insurance operations. The new positions are intended to increase the focus of...

Perspective: Reinsurance security rules need scrutiny; Cedents concerned about recovering funds from reinsurers may find state security statutes lead to complications.(Insurer Topics: Reinsurance Strategies)
October 20, 2003... Byline: David A. Attisani and Jennifer Aresco Brennan In the current economy, cedents litigating with their reinsurers are showing increasing concern that their adversaries may not possess adequate assets to satisfy a future award. To...

Insurance industry executives expecting more M&A; Competition, regulation among top concerns, survey finds.(Insurer Topics: Reinsurance Strategies)(mergers and acquisitions)
October 20, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS The insurance industry will see an increase in merger and acquisition activity over the next year, according to a majority of insurance companies responding to a recent survey. Of those surveyed at KPMG L.L.P.'s...

Comings & Goings.(News)(insurance industry appointments)
October 20, 2003... Insurers John Cavoores has been named to the additional post of chief executive officer of OneBeacon Insurance Group Ltd., a Boston-based subsidiary of White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd. Mr. Cavoores will continue as president of...

Bermuda meeting draws 215 to island; 17th International Reinsurance Congress.(News)(Brief Article)
October 20, 2003... HAMILTON, Bermuda-Bermuda welcomed its first insurance industry conference since Hurricane Fabian stormed the island last month. About 215 registrants signed up for 17th International Reinsurance Congress, sponsored by London-based...

Brokers, foreign insurers hail tax exemption guidelines.(Insurer Topics: Reinsurance Strategies)(exemption from federal excise tax on insurance policies)
October 20, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS WASHINGTON-U.S. brokers and U.K. insurers and reinsurers are welcoming streamlined procedures from the U.S. Treasury Department aimed at foreign insurers and reinsurers looking to establish their exemption from the...

Officers, board of directors named at 108th convention.(Insurer Topics: Reinsurance Strategies)(new chairman of National Assn. of Mutual Insurance Cos.)
October 20, 2003... NEW ORLEANS-F. Timothy Hegarty Jr. was elected 2003/04 chairman of the National Assn. of Mutual Insurance Cos. at the organization's 108th Annual Convention last month in New Orleans. Mr. Hegarty is president and chief executive officer of...