Business Insurance articles from September 2003

Business Insurance archives from September 2003

E.U. dragging in efforts to harmonize regulation; Higher solvency levels for reinsurers blasted.(Spotlight: International Reinsurance)(Industry Overview)
September 1, 2003... Byline: CAROLYN ALDRED The European Commission's proposed fast-track regulation of reinsurance companies-which aims to introduce a single, harmonized approach to regulating reinsurers in the European Union-is struggling to stay in the fast...

Some rates leveling off, but prices remain high; Casualty lines generally firmest.(Spotlight: International Reinsurance)(Industry Overview)
September 1, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS With a lack of significant catastrophe activity in the past year and certain areas of the reinsurance market showing signs of softening, there's a calm over the seas of reinsurance, at least on the surface. Beneath...

Products & Services; Devon Health expands service offerings.(News)
September 1, 2003... KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-Devon Health Services Inc. is now offering additional health care services to national clients. The King of Prussia, Pa.-based company, founded as a preferred provider organization, has negotiated discounted rates on...

Non-U.S. reinsurers push for collateral rule change.(Spotlight: International Reinsurance)
September 1, 2003... Byline: MEG FLETCHER Some European reinsurers are doggedly pursuing a reduction in the amount of collateral they must provide to write risks in the United States, but U.S. regulators say that some major barriers still stand in the...

IRS says it may withdraw debit card reporting rule; Regulation seen as blocking widespread use.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-The Internal Revenue Service says it will review and possibly eliminate a proposed rule that threatens to derail employer use of debit cards for flexible spending and health reimbursement accounts. In...

State mulls priority plan for asbestos claimants.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN LANSING, Mich.-Michigan could become the largest jurisdiction to guarantee that claims filed by the most seriously ill asbestos injury claimants receive judicial priority if the state Supreme Court heeds the plea of...

Employers strive to combat costs of 'presenteeism'.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS A jobless economic recovery will help fuel a growing employer movement to tackle "presenteeism'' and other health-related productivity concerns, the president of an employer health care group said. ...

Creating obstacles to passing the bar.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: Paul Winston "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.'' -"King Henry VI,'' William Shakespeare There are no simple answers to the problem of excessive litigation in our society. Some say the reason is a...

Dean touts health cover for all; Presidential hopeful proposes Vermont plan as model for national program.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: ELIZABETH THOMPSON BECKLEY At rallies on his presidential campaign tour, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean has been rousing crowds by questioning why the United States doesn't have universal health care coverage, naming nearly a dozen...

Between the Lines; Forewarned is forearmed.(News)(insurance and risk management news)
September 1, 2003... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik To prevent power tools from costing users-and manufacturers-an arm and a leg, the Limb Preservation Foundation set up a booth at a recent DeWALT Million Dollar Challenge at a Denver-area Home Depot store....

'No-fax' rule draws ire of industry groups.(Agent/Broker Topics)
September 1, 2003... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK The federal government's decision last month to postpone implementation of a "no-fax'' rule doesn't mean that insurance agents and brokers can rest easy, industry sources warn, though some say that reversal of the...

Reinsurers aiding efforts to address climate change.(Spotlight: International Reinsurance)
September 1, 2003... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK Two major European reinsurers are taking the lead in helping the global business community address climate change issues. Initially, much of the effort has focused on evaluating the industry's loss exposure by...

Resolve to bar Canadian meds dwindles; Pending Senate bill would permit importation of prescription drugs.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK PITTSFIELD, Mass.-Another Massachusetts city may try to reduce its prescription drug-related benefits costs by allowing plan participants to buy prescriptions from Canada. The city of Pittsfield is "looking into...

Allianz, AXA dispute total loss of Deutsche Bank's tower near WTC.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD NEW YORK-Two insurers of Deutsche Bank A.G.'s heavily damaged office tower near the World Trade Center site are denying the bank's claim that the building is a total loss, and one insurer has asked a federal judge to...

Customer focus gains elusive customer loyalty.(Agent/Broker Topics)
September 1, 2003... Byline: ALLISON REYNOLDS A new study linking customer loyalty with customer service indicates it may be increasingly important for insurers and brokers to add value to the servicing side of their relationships with clients. The "Walker...

Online risk tools start to click; Risk managers using Web to help workers.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: ALLISON REYNOLDS Help may be just a click away. In order to make risk managers' jobs more efficient, organizations are relying more on risk management Web sites for employees to file claims, get their questions answered and...

Self-service rewards brave few who try it.(Agent/Broker Topics)
September 1, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL PRINCE It seems that many insurance agents and brokers simply won't take the leap into 21st-century technology. Despite the widespread use of the Internet for customer self-service throughout the financial world,...

China offers big opportunities and big challenges.(Spotlight: International Reinsurance)
September 1, 2003... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS As China's reinsurance market gradually opens to foreign participation, several international reinsurers are lining up for an opportunity to provide capacity and cultivate the growth of risk management in the country....

Principal Financial to offer workplace college savings plan; Program will be available to all Iowa employers.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL DES MOINES, Iowa-Principal Financial Group is planning to offer what it says is the first Section 529 college savings plan developed exclusively for the workplace. The new plan, called Principal College Savings...

Blues plan scraps conversion bid.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: CINDA BECKER NEWARK, N.J.-Taking note of the difficulties suffered by other Blues brethren in recent months in transforming into for-profit companies, Horizon Blue Cross & Blue Shield of New Jersey has scrapped its years-long...

Law firm sets up facilities to provide med mal cover.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL ROMANO For doctors facing sky-high malpractice insurance premiums, lawyers and insurers have reached the top of the "public enemy'' list in recent years. Now, though, a group of lawyers is coming to the aid of doctors,...

LTC facilities form RRG in Montana; Policyholders seek pricing stability.(long-term care facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania have formed a risk retention group in Montana )
September 1, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL HELENA, Mont.-Continuing a recent trend, a group of long-term care facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania have formed a risk retention group in Montana to cover their professional liability risks. Guardian Risk...

Editorial: State reform only a first step.(Opinions)
September 1, 2003... MAKE NO MISTAKE about it-the national asbestos litigation crisis demands a national solution. Such a remedy must provide far greater certainty to potential defendants than would the flawed asbestos litigation reform bill approved by the...

Buyers paying more for less; Marsh finds liability limits down only slightly.(News)(Industry Overview)
September 1, 2003... Byline: RODD ZOLKOS Liability insurance buyers are paying dramatically more for a little less, according to a new study by Marsh Inc. Average limits purchased by U.S. companies are about 9% lower in 2003 compared with 2002, according...

World Updates; Lloyd's raises profit forecast.(International)
September 1, 2003... Lloyd's of London has upped its marketwide profit forecast for 2002, but the market's expected loss for the 2001 year of account also has grown. Lloyd's now predicts that, under its traditional three-year accounting system, the 2002 year will...

GIO investors win record settlement.(International)
September 1, 2003... Byline: NEIL HODGE SYDNEY, Australia-After four years of legal wrangling, 23,000 investors in GIO Holdings Ltd. have won a record settlement of $112 million Australian ($73.1 million) regarding AMP Ltd.'s takeover of the group in 1999. ...

London power outage serves as 'wake-up call'.(International)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Byline: Sarah Veysey LONDON-A power failure that hit south London Thursday evening during rush hour wreaked havoc on the city's transportation system but is unlikely to lead to insurance claims. But even though few losses are expected,...

IRS right to reconsider ruling.(Opinions)
September 1, 2003... THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE deserves credit for reconsidering a rule that could discourage employers from offering a valuable benefit. As we report on page 1, the IRS has announced that it will review and may repeal a rule on the use of...

Hard market helps European reinsurers; Munich Re reports net loss, but Swiss Re, Hannover Re and SCOR see profits rise.(International)
September 1, 2003... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY The first half of 2003 was a period of mixed fortunes for Europe's largest reinsurers, several of which reported their financial results last week. The world's largest reinsurer, Munich Reinsurance Co., reported a...

California panel looks at comp.(News)
September 1, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS SACRAMENTO, Calif.-As a legislative conference committee convened last week to attempt to fix California's workers compensation problems, the Bureau of State Audits issued a report highlighting inadequacies in the...

Late News; California passes ban on forced arbitration.
September 1, 2003... California lawmakers on Thursday sent Gov. Gray Davis a bill that would prohibit employers from requiring workers to sign arbitration agreements regarding discrimination and sexual harassment complaints. A.B. 1715, which would not apply to...

Data standard to help ease exchange of information; ACORD, NAPSLO project to standardize surplus lines policy data for London underwriters.(Spotlight: Surplus Lines Market Report)
September 8, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD A new data standard is making it easier for the surplus lines market in the United States to exchange policy information with London underwriters. ACORD-the Assn. for Cooperative Operations Research &...

Premium tax laws create problems; Rules a patchwork.(Spotlight: Surplus Lines Market Report)
September 8, 2003... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS When Ellen Vinck purchases surplus lines insurance for United States Marine Repair Inc., which has shipyards on all three coasts, she and her brokers have to make important premium tax decisions. There are no clear...

Imaging technology embraced; Survey finds document management tools popular.(Spotlight: Surplus Lines Market Report)
September 8, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD A clear technological trend in the surplus lines marketplace is the move by agents, brokers and insurers toward greater use of document imaging systems. A survey by the National Assn. of Professional Surplus...

Where will you be in the next outage?(Commentary)
September 8, 2003... Byline: Douglas McLeod The more blackouts change, the more they stay the same. Thirty-eight years separate the 1965 Northeast Blackout from the sequel of 2003, but the two have a lot more in common than, say, the Beatles and Eminem. ...

NAPSLO details its position on regulatory issues.(Spotlight: Surplus Lines Market Report)
September 8, 2003... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD Surplus lines insurers and brokers may agree on most of the fundamental regulatory issues affecting their business, but until recently they've never had a formal statement of their position on those issues. That...

Errors & omissions.(News)(Correction Notice)
September 8, 2003... * Due to an editing error, a biography of Perspective author Gerald L. Maatman Jr. in the Aug. 11 issue misidentified his law firm. Mr. Maatman is a partner in the Chicago law firm Seyfarth Shaw, specializing in employment law. His previous...

Hard market gives big boost to E&S industry.(Spotlight: Surplus Lines Market Report)
September 8, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Business remains brisk for the excess and surplus lines industry, though premium volume gains this year likely will trail the exceptional increases seen in 2002, wholesalers and insurers say. Accounts flocked...

Retailers looking to wholesale business; Addition, expansion of E&S operations brings revenues, diversification.(Spotlight: Surplus Lines Market Report)
September 8, 2003... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS Whether to take advantage of hard market conditions or to diversify their businesses, retail insurance brokers are bullish on the excess and surplus lines market. Because the E&S market has been thrust into the...

New products slow to surface in hard market; Wholesalers, inundated with submissions, have little time for creativity.(Spotlight: Surplus Lines Market Report)
September 8, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS With wholesalers growing at a dizzying pace-many doubling their premium volume from the year before-there was little time in 2002 to create new products. Surplus lines insurers also say that, in general, they...

Lloyd's market bullish about surplus lines business; Market working to streamline placements for U.S. risks.(Spotlight: Surplus Lines Market Report)
September 8, 2003... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY Lloyd's of London executives and underwriters alike are bullish about the market's surplus lines business and are taking steps to make it easier to place such risks in the Lloyd's market. As are other surplus lines...

Australian insurers questioned about continued high rates; Insurers say pricing in line with risks.(International)
September 8, 2003... Byline: ELIZABETH FRY Canberra, Australia-Given insurers' hefty profits and continued high rates, Australian regulators are beginning to question whether insurers are charging too much, especially in light of tort reforms designed to end...

FIFA taps capital markets to cover cancellation risks for 2006 World Cup event.(International)(Federation Internationale de Football Assn.)
September 8, 2003... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY ZURICH, Switzerland-The Federation Internationale de Football Assn. plans to turn to the capital markets-rather than traditional insurance companies-to cover the risk of cancellation of the 2006 World Cup tournament....

New York getting tough on health care plan scams.(News)
September 8, 2003... Byline: LAURA B. BENKO NEW YORK-New York regulators have become the latest to crack down on bogus health insurers that have proliferated in the past two years to prey on uninsured individuals and small businesses desperate to find...

Shootings likely to prompt more background checks.(News)
September 8, 2003... Byline: BOB TITA CHICAGO-Chicago-area employers likely will be less open to hiring ex-convicts and people with arrest records after a disgruntled former employee killed six at a South Side auto parts business last month. Job-placement...

Cedents log on for online reinsurance; Eight large reinsurance buyers sign up with ri3k for Jan. 1 renewals.(International)
September 8, 2003... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY LONDON-Eight large cedents have signed up to conduct business on ri3k, the London-based online reinsurance exchange, for the upcoming Jan. 1 renewals. The group includes ACE Overseas General, a unit of...

World Updates; New syndicate forms at Lloyd's.(International)(New liability syndicate; notes other news)
September 8, 2003... A new liability syndicate will launch at Lloyd's of London next year. Newly formed managing agency Illium Insurance will manage syndicate 4040, which will have capacity of u100 million ($157.6 million) for 2004. The syndicate's active...

Rising med mal coverage costs not hampering access to care; GAO report rebuts anecdotal evidence.(News)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN Rising medical malpractice liability insurance costs have not significantly reduced access to health care, according to study by the General Accounting Office. The GAO report, "Medical Malpractice: Implications...

GAO advises monitoring of Superfund performance.(News)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-The Environmental Protection Agency should develop specific indicators to measure the Superfund program's performance, the General Accounting Office recommended in a report released last Tuesday. In...

Comings & Goings.(News)(Zurich North America names Donna Galer executive vp, Office of the CEO; notes other news)
September 8, 2003... Insurers: Zurich North America has named Donna Galer executive vp, Office of the CEO. Based in Schaumburg, Ill., she will lead Zurich's corporate responsibility and compliance program, working closely with the internal strategy, finance...

Senate likely to move on class-action reform.(News)
September 8, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-The Senate is likely to vote on class-action reform legislation within the next few weeks, according to one of the bill's chief Democratic backers. In fact, the Class Action Fairness Act-S. 274-will...

Editorial: Maintain class-action reform push.(Opinions)(Editorial)
September 8, 2003... SENATE PASSAGE OF class-action reform legislation may finally be within reach. But reaching that goal may require a little more work by risk managers and others who want to restore some balance to a class-action system that's too often out...

District of Columbia adds risk retention group; Houston doctors to cover medical malpractice risks.(News)(RRG-Health Network Providers Mutual Insurance Co.)
September 8, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-The first risk retention group licensed in the District of Columbia will provide medical malpractice coverage to physicians practicing at a major health care system in Texas. The new RRG-Health Network...

Reinsurers post better results, but reserves, terror risks loom.(News)
September 8, 2003... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Is the reinsurance industry holding a tiger by its tail? The U.S. reinsurance industry is enjoying stellar results this year as a result of the hard market, and these are expected to continue at least into 2004....

Researchers study Tokyo quake risks.(International)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... Byline: Neil Hodge TOKYO-Swiss Reinsurance Co. is sponsoring new research into the earthquake risk in the greater Tokyo area. The Zurich, Switzerland-based reinsurer announced last week that the sponsored study aims to establish the...

RSA overhauls its strategy; Plans to exit U.S., raise funds for reserves, cut more jobs.(News)(Royal & SunAlliance Insurance Group P.L.C.)
September 8, 2003... Byline: NEIL HODGE and RODD ZOLKOS LONDON-U.K. insurer Royal & SunAlliance Insurance Group P.L.C. last week unveiled a sweeping restructuring plan that signals an end to its ambitions to be a true global player. Some market observers...

Bermuda closes down as strong hurricane hits.(News)(Hurrican Fabian causes businesses to close)
September 8, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN HAMILTON, Bermuda-A swift-moving Hurricane Fabian struck Bermuda Friday afternoon, several hours ahead of initial predictions. Fabian, a category 3 storm, packed maximum sustained winds of 120 mph as its eye...

IRS gives FSAs more flexibility; Reimbursement of nonprescription drugs permitted.(News)(flexible spending accounts)
September 8, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Employees can tap their health care flexible spending accounts to pay for nonprescription, over-the-counter drugs, the federal government says. In Revenue Ruling 2003-102, issued last week, the Internal...

Blame messenger, among others.(News)(journalism and the rise of lawsuits)(Editorial)
September 8, 2003... Byline: Paul Winston "Next thing we'll do, let's kill all the editors.'' -Anonymous After I wrote last week that I believed one problem accounting for all the litigiousness in our society was a glut of lawyers looking for...

Overtime dispute could create risks for D&O policies; California case closely watched.(News)(directors and officers liability exposures)
September 8, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS SAN FRANCISCO-A class-action lawsuit before the California Supreme Court brought by employees seeking overtime pay could result in new directors and officers liability exposures for companies and their insurers....

Common sense prevails in FSA rule.(Opinions)(flexible spending accounts)(Column)
September 8, 2003... WE'RE PLEASED THAT THE Internal Revenue Service finally recognizes how illogical its policy toward reimbursement of certain over-the-counter medicines has been. But the change in policy on how flexible spending accounts treat reimbursement...

House legislator seeks to bolster PBGC's finances.(News)(John Boehner investigates Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp)
September 8, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Amid the rapid deterioration of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.'s financial condition, the head of a key congressional committee is pledging legislative action to shore up the federal agency. To...

CIGNA settlement offer gets preliminary approval; Deal would resolve docs' class action.(News)(Cigna Corp. and physicians in class-action lawsuit)
September 8, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL PRINCE MIAMI-A federal judge has given preliminary approval to a settlement reached last Wednesday between CIGNA Corp. and physicians to end the class-action litigation against the managed care company. Judge Federico...

Late News; Verizon, unions reach agreement.(California considering health cover mandate)(Caremark Rx deal would create big PBM)(401(k) matching little changed: Hewitt)(Aon restructures reinsurance operations)(Judge declines seconds on McDonald's lawsuit)(Credit Lyonnais to settle ELIC probe)
September 8, 2003... New York-based Verizon Communications Inc. estimates it will save $500 million over five years after reaching an agreement late Thursday with its two largest unions, ending a clash that centered largely on health care costs. The five-year pact,...

Over-the-counter drug ruling should boost FSA participation.(News)(flexible spending account ruling)
September 15, 2003... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-New federal tax guidance that nonprescription drugs can be reimbursed through flexible spending accounts is likely to boost employee participation in such programs. Any increase in administration fees...

Bermuda tallies storm damage; Wide range in loss estimates.(News)(Hurrican Fabian losses)
September 15, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD HAMILTON, Bermuda-Bermudan insurers facing claims from Hurricane Fabian expect their losses to be far less than had originally been feared. The deadly storm that pounded Bermuda on Sept. 5 is expected to...

Editorial: Wake up to pension bill dangers.(Opinions)(Editorial)
September 15, 2003... CONGRESS MUST REALIZE that if it makes cash balance plans undesirable-as a recent House vote is sure to help do-there is no guarantee that employers will embrace other defined benefit pension plans as a replacement. The defined benefit...

Products & Services; Screening for mold without harming property.(News)
September 15, 2003... MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.-Prism Analytical Technologies Inc. has developed technology that it says allows for the testing of mold growth without harming property. The company's MoldScan technology screens the air for microbial compounds that...

HMOs leaving Medicare will affect fewer lives.(News)
September 15, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL PRINCE WASHINGTON-Next year will see a marked decrease in the number of people affected by the withdrawal of health maintenance organizations from the Medicare program, but plans are continuing to cut benefits and hike...

IT Perspective: Looming asbestos liabilities raise coverage questions; Nonproduct liability issues adding to uncertainty for insurers.(Insurer Topics: Customer Service)
September 15, 2003... Byline: Lloyd Gura and Barry Bassis In the movie "Jurassic Park,'' there is a scene where someone in an open field is suddenly covered by a shadow, whereupon he looks up to discover that he is facing a tyrannosaurus. The insurance industry...

Interest in online self-service tools growing.(Insurer Topics: Customer Service)
September 15, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL PRINCE and RODD ZOLKOS For many in the insurance industry, the Internet is seen as an ideal vehicle for improving customer service. Many insurers are using Web-based platforms as a way to give buyers direct access to...

'First call' system saves workers comp dollars; Nurse case managers get workers back on the job faster.(Perspectives)
September 15, 2003... Byline: Karen L. Andalman Workers compensation-it's a term that alarms many employers. And it's no wonder. Consider these statistics: On an average day in the United States, 17,000 workers are injured, with work-related injuries...

California comp reforms would trim billions in costs.(News)
September 15, 2003... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS SACRAMENTO, Calif.-California Gov. Gray Davis is expected to sign into law a package of workers compensation reform measures once it clears the state's Legislature. A conference committee of California...

Survey finds privacy rules not disrupting comp systems.(News)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... Byline: MEG FLETCHER The privacy rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act are not causing ser- ious problems for state workers compensation agencies, a survey has found. None of the 15 agencies responding to the...

D&O market troubles not likely to end soon.(Perspectives)(directors and officers liability insurance)
September 15, 2003... Byline: Megan G. Colwell Despite faint glimmers of relief on the horizon, the troubles plaguing the directors and officers liability insurance market will linger for a while. Solutions are emerging, but customer satisfaction with those...

Directors depend more on risk managers; Potentially crippling D&O lawsuits mandate extra attention to risk management.(Perspectives)
September 15, 2003... Byline: Roger Kenny Both the best and the worst things that happen to a company begin with its board of directors. Because of recent events, corporate risk managers are beginning to examine carefully the scope of the risk associated...

Legal briefs: Injury at ballpark not covered under workers comp.(Perspectives)(ERISA determines beneficiary)(Exception to dishonesty exclusion)
September 15, 2003... The Court of Appeals of North Carolina ruled that an employee on a business trip for his employer deviated from that trip when he was injured while exiting a ballpark where he attended a ballgame. Sara Lee Corp. employed Tim Jacobs as a...

Market conditions still ripe for insurer profitability; Buyers to see rate hikes ease.(News)
September 15, 2003... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Although insurance buyers can expect to see some moderation in rate increases, U.S. property/casualty insurers continue to post strong results on the back of existing rates, continued pricing discipline and an...

Between the Lines; Injured worker seeks publicity to pay the bills.(News)(post-September 11th mental health claims lower)(poll says Americans most afraid of losing health insurance)(Wired magazine ranks employee privacy)
September 15, 2003... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik An uninsured electrician who accidentally drove a drill bit through his head has hired a public relations firm and is appearing on TV talk shows with his X-ray, trying to scare up funds to pay his medical...

Employers attempt to keep health care costs under control.(News)
September 15, 2003... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN The cost of employer-provided health care benefits continues to rise at a double-digit rate, and employers are making changes in their plans to keep these costs in check, a new study finds. The survey, conducted...

Highly hazardous industries focus of new OSHA program; Hundreds of hazard-alert letters issued.(News)(Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
September 15, 2003... Byline: MEG FLETCHER CHICAGO-The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is focusing its efforts on a handful of high-hazard industries. John Henshaw, who heads OSHA as assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor,...

California regulator cuts SCPIE med mal rate hike; Investigation prompts commissioner's denial of 15.6% proposed increase.(News)(SCPIE Indemnity Co.)
September 15, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL ROMANO SANTA MONICA, Calif.-A California consumer group has successfully mounted a challenge to a malpractice insurance rate increase, reinforcing its assertion that tough oversight by state regulators-not caps on...

Two Pennsylvania insurers face lawsuits over practices.(News)(Cigna Corp., Aetna Inc., and Independence Blue Cross in cases)
September 15, 2003... Byline: LAURA B. BENKO Even as one Pennsylvania-based health insurer settles its legal woes, two others may be heading to court to defend themselves against allegations of illegally hoarding money-one from consumers, the other from...

IT briefs; NAMIC salary survey now on Internet.(Insurer Topics: Customer Service)(National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies)(AIG opens facility for data recovery)(Chubb, LoJack sign marketing pact)(CIMS reaches deal with eBenefitManager)(AIA expands partner program)
September 15, 2003... INDIANAPOLIS-The National Assn. of Mutual Insurance Cos. has put its survey of property/casualty industry salary information online. Covering more than 50 positions, the NAMIC Online Salary Survey offers participants the ability to retrieve...