Articles by Richard Rambeck

Mutual Holding Company: A Shell Game Without the Pea

I visited Liberty Mutual’s website recently and read information about the company’s plans to form a mutual holding company. It sounds like a great deal for policyholders: a more efficiently organized, flexible, stronger and more competitive company. Funny, the website …

Mutual Holding Company: A Shell Game

I visited Liberty Mutual’s website recently and read information about the company’s plans to form a mutual holding company. It sounds like a great deal for policyholders: a more efficiently organized,flexible, stronger and more competitive company. Funny, the website didn’t …

First Nevada’s Hopes End in Liquidation

Reno-based First Nevada Insurance Co. sold its first insurance policy in December 1995. The company sold its last policy a little more than five years later. Last month, Nevada 2nd Judicial District Court Judge Janet Berry, finding the company insolvent …

Oregon Hopes ‘Fleming Fix’ Will Clear the Clutter

To the nearly endless list of issues over which trial lawyers and insurance companies have waged legal battles, we can now add… Point sizes and capitalization? Fortunately for the insurance industry, Oregon’s nearly two-year experiment with printing etiquette in insurance …

It’s All in the Execution for Doomed OSHA Regulations

To the relief of employers and insurers, Congress overturned the ergonomic regulations adopted by OSHA last year. Despite all the caterwauling about the ergonomic regulations adopted by OSHA in November 2000, I think they would have worked fineβ€”if Bill Clinton …

It’s All in the Execution for Doomed OSHA Regulations

To the relief of employers and insurers, Congress overturned the ergonomic regulations adopted by OSHA last year. Despite all the caterwauling about the ergonomic regulations adopted by OSHA in November 2000, I think they would have worked fine-if Bill Clinton …

Seattle Earthquak Wracks Up Insured Losses

The most telling number about the earthquake that hit Western Washington on Feb. 28 was neither its 6.8 magnitude nor the fact that it was the largest temblor in the state in more than half a century; it was its …

Crusader, Wash. OIC Settle Policy Fee Dispute

Less than a week before they were scheduled to be in court for the beginning of what could have been a long and bitter legal fight, the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) and Woodland Hills, Calif.-based Crusader …

Agent Commission on Insanity is Nuts

“How’s business?” “Don’t ask.” “What’s wrong?” “You’ve heard of underwriting?” “I’m familiar with the concept.” “Well, it’s back. I’m working my rear end off trying to get business renewed. I have no time to even look for new business, not …

Kreidler Tells IIABW He Will Create Responsive Regulatory Body

Washington’s new Insurance Commissioner gave the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Washington something to hope for at the IIABW Legislative Day in Olympia on Jan. 31. Bill Stauffacher, IIABW lobbyist, introduced Kreidler as “a breath of fresh air,” and …