Articles by Jim Sams

Sams is editor of ClaimsJournal.com, the online resource and daily newsletter for property/casualty insurance claims professionals. ClaimsJournal is a member of the Wells Media Group. Sams can be reached at jsams@wellsmedia.com

Workers’ Compensation Reserve Redundancy Reaches $14 Billion, Reports NCCI

Workers’ compensation insurers continue to stow away more money than necessary in reserves, even as reported loss ratios continue to climb, according to a report released by the National Council on Compensation Insurance. A.M. Best also released a report concluding …

Judge Clears Kansas City COVID Business Interruption Claim for Trial

A federal judge in Kansas City has cleared a restaurant group’s COVID-related business interruption claim for jury trial, finding that an 8th Circuit Court decision that found no coverage was owed in a separate case does not apply to a …

Ruling Against Dentist’s COVID Business Interruption Could Be Key Win for Insurers

A federal appellate court ruling that dismissed a dental practice’s COVID-19 business interruption claim might be the beginning of the end for policyholder arguments that income lost because of government shutdowns should be recovered through commercial property insurance policies. The …

How Material, Labor Price Hikes Are Affecting Property Insurance

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a sharp increase in the price of materials and labor and driving increases in property claim costs, experts said during a webinar hosted by ATI Restoration last week. “We’ve never seen lumber move this drastically …

5th Circuit: Texas May Not Regulate Air Ambulance Fees

A federal appellate court ruled on Aug. 4 that the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation may not enforce a law that regulates fees charged by air ambulance companies that transport injured workers from accident scenes. The panel …

Ruling Against Dentist’s COVID Business Interruption Could Be Key Win for Insurers

A federal appellate court ruling that dismissed a dental practice’s COVID-19 business interruption claim might be the beginning of the end for policyholder arguments that income lost because of government shutdowns should be recovered through commercial property insurance policies. The …

Workers’ Compensation Research Study Shows No Treatment Delays Due to COVID

COVID-19 did not delay medical treatment for workers’ compensation claimants, but did decrease the amount of emergency care and other services provided to injured workers, a study released by the Workers’ Compensation Institute concludes. Research by WCRI economist Olesya Fomenko …

Court Affirms Miami Condo Tower Hurricane Damage Award That Disappointed Both Sides

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a jury verdict that found an insurer liable for $2.6 million in damages to a Miami condominium tower caused by Hurricane Irma, rejecting arguments made in appeals filed by parties on both sides …

Workers’ Compensation Research Study Shows No Treatment Delays Due to COVID

COVID-19 did not delay medical treatment for workers’ compensation claimants, but did decrease the amount of emergency care and other services provided to injured workers, a study released by the Workers’ Compensation Institute concludes. Research by WCRI economist Olesya Fomenko …

5 Lawsuits Filed in Surfside Condo Collapse; Judge Says $48M Insurance Not Enough

Five lawsuits have been filed against the Champlain Towers South Condominium Association in Surfside, Florida as of Thursday afternoon as plaintiffs move to preserve evidence at the site of the partially collapsed high-rise to stake a claim to a share …