Massachusetts News

Mass. Panel Seeks More Low Cost Health Plan Options

The panel assigned with turning Massachusetts’ groundbreaking health care law into a reality sent insurers back to the drawing board this week, saying they need to do a better job at coming up with low cost health care plans. The …

Ohio Nationwide Insurance Members’ Data Taken in Theft from Vendor

Computer records containing medical claim information, health data and Social Security numbers of 28,279 Nationwide insurance customers were stolen from the office of a vendor in Massachusetts, the company said. A lockbox that contained computer backup tapes was taken during …

Mass. Ski Area Closes After Losing Insurance Coverage

The Blue Hills Ski Area in suburban Boston has shut down indefinitely while the private operator of the state-owned facility scrambles to find new liability insurance coverage. The ski area hopes to have coverage in a matter of days, but …

Producer School Returns to Sacramento in March

The Ultimate Producer School presented by Agency Management Resource Group, starts in March in Sacramento, Calif. The school is especially designed for the recently licensed producer or those transitioning into commercial sales to provide sales training with commercial coverage information. …

Mass. Auto Insurer Tops in Spending on Beacon Hill Lobbyists

Lobbyists trying to influence Massachusetts legislation on Beacon Hill raked in a record $64.3 million in 2006, as they plied their trade on issues ranging from education and insurance to tobacco and cable television, according to state Secretary William Galvin. …

Mass. Gov. Patrick Derails Romney’s High Risk Pool Changes

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said he will comprehensively review the state auto insurance system after the acting insurance commissioner on Friday suspended rules changes made in the system during the final weeks of the Romney administration. On Dec. 13, then …

Pres. Bush to Propose Health Insurance Tax Break

President Bush will propose a tax deduction of $7,500 for individuals and $15,000 for families regardless of whether they buy their own health insurance or receive medical coverage at work. The proposal, to be announced Tuesday in his State of …

Mich. Becomes 29th State to Join Interstate Compact

Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has signed legislation permiting Michigan to join the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact Commission, making Michigan the 29th state to join the Commission. Created through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the Commission provides participating …

WCRI Report Examines Nevada Workers’ Comp System

“The Nevada workers’ compensation system has undergone dramatic change since 1993” becoming more competitive and allowing private insurers to enter the market, according to the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., WCRI recently completed its study of Nevada’s …

Biggest U.S. Property Cat Losses in 2006 Were Away From Coasts

Property casualty insurers increasingly steered clear of the water out of fear of catastrophe losses during the past year. But while they were keeping a wary eye on the coasts in 2006, and escaped relatively unscathed in those areas thanks …