Government News

Could Sinkhole Claims Sink Florida Insurers?

A new state report confirms sinkhole insurance claims are rising in Florida, costing insurers millions of dollars in payouts and expenses, cropping up in counties where they have not been a problem in the past, and showing no signs of …

Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Provisions Create Concerns, Coverage Issues

Coverage Gaps Possible With Rise in Whistleblower Claim Among the many innovations introduced in the massive Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act enacted this past July are the new whistleblower provisions, designed to encourage employees and others to …

Sidelining Agents

The MLR does not protect agent and broker compensation. In their zeal to control health care costs, federal policymakers may be pushing health insurance agents and brokers to the sidelines and potentially out of business. If this happens, they will …

Feds Erred in Loss Ratio Decision

Congress May Need to Intervene After months of discussions, the interim final rule on Medical Loss Ratios (MLRs) released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was a huge disappointment. The rule essentially mirrors efforts by the …

It Figures

$42 Million The amount a Kentucky jury awarded to the family of a 92-year old man who died after nine days in a nursing home because the staff neglected him. The nursing home said it plans to appeal. $80 Million …

New Markets

The following markets were selected from the MyNewMarkets database of 25,000 coverages and programs. To find additional markets, or to submit markets, go to www.MyNewMarkets.com. A-Side Directors & Officers Market Detail: Great American Insurance Group’s Executive Liability Division offers A-Side …

State Property Insurance Plans Face Increased Exposure

Florida and Louisiana have reduced the number of policyholders covered by their state-run property insurers of last resort since 2008 but non-coastal property owners remain vulnerable to paying for these same insurers’ potential coastal losses. Florida Citizens Property Insurance Corp. …

Talk About the Weather

Floods, Windstorms, Droughts, Heat Waves and Wildfires There was a time in the not-so-distant past when events such as these would have been considered somewhat unusual in Europe. But these days, extreme weather events are becoming a much more common …

Declarations

Legislate Commissions “After hearing from various interested parties, if HHS does not fix this language before the rule is final, we hope that Congress will step in and revise the MLR formula through the legislative process.” — Charles E. Symington …

Mississippi Court Rejects Bad Faith Katrina Damages

The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld a breach-of-contract verdict in a dispute between an insurance company and a retired Navy admiral over coverage of damages from Hurricane Katrina. However, the high court said Admiral James W. Lisanby and his wife …