Latest Tennessee Headlines

All the headlines from our Tennessee Topic Page, ordered by recency.

States Reach $120 Million Claims Agreement with UnumProvident

Dec 6 2004 // A multi-state settlement with UnumProvident Corp. over its disputed handling of disability claims would cost the firm more than $120 million to comply and require it to review more than seven years of claims. It also calls...

Tenn. Authorities Plan to Implement “Bait-Car” Program

Nov 30 2004 // Morristown, Tenn. authorities have announced a plan to use “bait-cars” to catch car thieves red-handed and to reduce the local car theft rate – insurance companies, noting such programs have cut the theft...

Multi-State, $120M Agreement with UnumProvident Requires Reassessing Claims Back to 1997

Nov 18 2004 // A multi-state settlement with UnumProvident Corp. over its disputed handling of disability claims would cost the firm more than $120 million to comply and require it to review more than seven years of claims. It also calls...

NAIC Conference Call Places State Insurance Investigations on Hold

Nov 8 2004 // State insurance commissioners in the southeast and across the United States consulted in a conference call the week after New York Attorney Gen-eral Eliot Spitzer made allegations of rigged bids and price-fixing among...

NAIC Conference Call Places State Insurance Investigations On Hold

Oct 21 2004 // State insurance commissioners in the southeast and across the U.S. consulted with each other during a conference call and will soon form a steering committee to coordinate a multi-state effort to investigate whether or not...

People & Places

Oct 11 2004 // Nancy Baily Kevin Mangan InVEST, an education program that develops a diverse pool of insurance professionals and informed consumers by educating high school and community college students on insurance, financial services...

Federal Disaster Funds Ordered for Tenn. to Aid in State, Local Government Storm Recovery

Oct 8 2004 // The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster funds have been made available for Tennessee to help state and local governments...

AIA Backs Medicare-Based Fee Schedule for Tenn. Workers’ Comp Medical Services

Aug 20 2004 // In testimony Friday before the Tennessee Department of Labor’s Medical Care and Cost Containment Committee, the American Insurance Association (AIA) endorsed a Medicare-based, objective fee schedule for provider...

Tenn. Reverses Stand on Punitive Damage Exclusions

Aug 10 2004 // A Tennessee regulation that disallowed exclusions for punitive damages in most property casualty insurance policy forms has been reversed after 15 years on the books. The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America...

Kaplan Professional Adds Insurance Systems of Tenn.

Aug 2 2004 // Kaplan Professional, a division of Kaplan, Inc., has acquired Insurance Systems of Tennessee Inc. As the state’s largest insurance education provider, Insurance Systems offers insurance pre-licensing classes,...

Tenn. Commissioner Orders Workers’ Comp Savings

Jul 28 2004 // Gov. Phil Bredesen’s reform of Tennessee’s workers’ compensation insurance system is reportedly already paying off for Tennessee employers, who stand to save an estimated $69.4 million in premiums...

Tenn. Legislature Backs Workers’ Comp Reform Bill; Industry-Related Bills Also See Attention

Jul 7 2004 // The 2004 Tennessee General Assembly passed a number of insurance-related bills this year, including several on the use of credit scoring, workers’ compensation and tort reform measures. “We’re especially...

Is Market Conduct Reform Finally on the Horizon’

Jul 5 2004 // As baseball immortal Yogi Berra is often fond of saying, “It ain’t over until it’s over.” This particular “Yogi-ism” somehow seems apropos when one considers recent discussions among the...

PCI: Tenn. Auto Parts Regulation Would Make Consumers ‘Double Losers’

Jun 22 2004 // According to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), a Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance proposal requiring written permission from auto policyholders or third-party claimants to use...

Reform Flourishes in Two States

Jun 21 2004 // When we chatted by phone recently, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) had an air of excitement in his voice. No, I don’t necessarily think it was because he was talking with me, but more the fact that help was on the...

Tennessee Governor Has Sights Set on Workers’ Comp Reform Bill

Jun 21 2004 // Looking to move Tennessee down on a list it doesn’t necessarily want to be number two on, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) has been championing the need to reform workers’ compensation in the Volunteer...

Tenn. Workers’ Comp Reform Bill Goes to Governor

Jun 7 2004 // The Tennessee General Assembly recently gave final approval to workers’ compensation legislation that seeks to address rising costs. SB 3424, introduced at the request of Gov. Phil Bredesen (D), reportedly represents...

Tenn. Senators Work to Alleviate Storm Damage

Jun 3 2004 // U.S. Senators Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) this week made the following statements in response to strong thunderstorms and tornadoes that moved through the Midwest and Tennessee last...

Tenn. Workers’ Comp Reform Bill Goes to Governor

May 21 2004 // The Tennessee General Assembly on Thursday gave final approval to workers’ compensation legislation that seeks to address rising costs in the state’s workers’ comp system. SB 3424, introduced at the...

Tenn. Senators Announce $10.9 Million in HUD Disaster Assistance on Tornado Anniversary

May 6 2004 // U.S. Senators Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) this week announced that the City of Jackson will receive $10.9 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help rebuild public housing...