Declarations

Middle Strategy

“This truly is a strategic move not a financial move. The data [on independent agents’ market share] is pretty compelling… For years, agents and brokers have sought to place their middle market clients with Liberty Mutual but couldn’t access us because we distributed directly to that segment of the market. Now they can. And we are giving middle market businesses what they want, the opportunity to have Liberty Mutual as their carrier, and still work with their trusted advisor—their agent or broker.”

—J. Paul Condrin, Liberty Mutual’s president of Commercial Markets, telling Insurance Journal why his company decided to drop its direct sales to middle market and go with only independent agents and brokers.

Privacy Fight

“It took about two weeks for my black eyes to go away, and I had my bottom teeth coming through my lip. But the surveillance is an invasion of privacy.”

—Dean Windhorst, who said he was beaten up in two bar fights in the North Dakota town of Center, where authorities have proposed requiring bar owners to install surveillance cameras. Officials say there has been a rash of brawls like those in John Wayne movies.

Class Action

“The threat of lawsuits is very real in the classroom. The students seem to be winning.”

—Morgan County teacher Angela Williams who told The Associated Press she tries to maintain order in her special education classroom but disruptive students often threat to sue her. Indiana is considering legislation that would grant teachers some immunity from lawsuits by unruly students.

Somewhat Adequate

“If you’re required to carry insurance under law, which you are, you should have to have somewhat adequate insurance. I don’t think these limits are excessive at all.”

—North Dakota Rep. Chris Griffin, D-Larimore, in support of legislation that would raise the state’s mandatory minimum auto insurance limits that have not been raised since 1985. State law now requires drivers to have $25,000/$50,000 injury coverage plus at least $25,000 in property damage coverage. The legislation raises the injury limits to $50,000/$100,000 and the property damage limit to $50,000.

Discouraging

“One of the biggest problems in North Dakota is people without insurance. When we analyze this, who are those folks that aren’t carrying any insurance? They were 19-year-olds and young people that are poor. But if we raise the rates, are we going to encourage those people to buy insurance, or are we going to discourage them?’

—North Dakota Rep. Arlo Schmidt, D-Maddock, expressing his concern over raising the state’s minimum auto insurance limits.