Declarations

Lawsuit reform revisited

“While I am still reviewing [the] ruling, my initial reaction is that of disappointment, because I believe it will lead to an increase in frivolous lawsuits, higher insurance costs, and less access to health care for our citizens. Those are the very things we were attempting to stop with this legislation. This makes it imperative for us to revisit the issue of lawsuit reform during the 2007 legislative session.”

— Oklahoma Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Designate Glenn Coffee. Coffee was commenting on a recent ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in Monica Belinda Zeier v. Zimmer Inc. and Theron S. Nichols M.D. The court struck down a requirement that an affidavit of merit from an expert be filed with medical negligence lawsuits. The court said the statute violated a provision of the Oklahoma Constitution. It also felt that the cost of obtaining such an affidavit created a financial barrier to accessing the court system.

Stuck in the middle

“Everyone needs the middle man. I believe we can turn the term into a positive, as we show North Texas consumers the benefits of the independent agent.”

—Al Boenker, CEO of Al Boenker Insurance Agency in North Texas. According to Boenker, the term middle man has been a negative in American business and he aims to change that perception with a new ad campaign. Boenker’s ads feature examples of bad situations caused by a lack of the middle man: surgery without an anesthesiologist, taxes without a CPA, a trial without one’s lawyer.

Needless hurdles

“Agents and brokers in today’s regulatory environment face imposing licensing burdens, and our members continue to struggle with the needless logistical and bureaucratic hurdles that are in place.”

—Wesley Bissett, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Association senior vice president for government affairs and state relations. The Big “I” wants all jurisdictions to issue and renew producer licenses on a truly reciprocal basis and to implement uniformity in key areas. The association said one of its key objectives is to address the requirements in many states that force an insurance agent to obtain three licenses (an individual license, an entity license, and a corporate registration) before placing business in a particular jurisdiction.

We all need to do more

“Work-related transportation deaths are a major concern. … However, we cannot control other drivers and the condition of the roads and bridges. But we can and do help our employees by providing safety programs, a structured vehicle maintenance program and vehicles that offer the highest levels of occupant protection. But we all need to do more.”

—American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) President Donald S. Jones Sr., on the key issues facing the safety profession in 2007. In a message to members, Jones said the aging workforce, nanotechnology, a possible flu pandemic, disaster preparedness and response, and doctoral programs in safety are among key concerns for ASSE and its members.

Topics Agencies Oklahoma