Monthly Archives: <span>September 2017</span>

Iowa Workers’ Comp Rate Reduction Revives Debate

Iowa’s governor and the organization that sets workers’ compensation rates are disputing whether a new law influenced a recent rate reduction in premiums for employers. The National Council on Compensation Insurance announced an 8.7 average premium reduction for Iowa employers …

Category 4 Hurricane Maria Hits Puerto Rico Hard

Hurricane Maria slammed into southeastern Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm with the potential to inflict $30 billion in damages just two weeks after Irma ravaged the cash-strapped island. Top winds reached 155 miles (249 kilometers) per hour as …

Oregon Supreme Court Decides the Meaning of ‘Recovery’ for Claims Under ORS §742.061

Under ORS §742.061, insurance companies are required to pay their insured’s attorney’s fees in Oregon if, in the insured’s lawsuit brought against the insurer, the insured obtains a “recovery” that exceeds the amount of any tender made by the insurance …

NCCI Examines Employee, Legislator and Regulator Concerns About Marijuana

Two more articles released by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) examine the many questions employees, legislators and regulators have regarding marijuana use in the workplace. “The Marijuana Conversation: Questions Employees Are Asking” article is the third in a …

Fraud News: Fake Property Claim, Staged Crashes and Workers’ Comp Fraud

Mississippi Woman Arrested for Insurance Fraud A woman has been arrested for allegedly trying to defraud an insurance company by claiming her property was destroyed in a fire at her home in Mississippi. Attorney General Jim Hood, in a news …

Former Worker Says Tesla’s Firing Denied Him Lucrative Shares

A former Tesla Inc. factory worker filed a lawsuit alleging the automaker fired him a day before his one-year anniversary, denying him hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock options that he claims should have vested. Stephen Platt – …

Technology Gains Over the Years Improved Catastrophe Claims Response

Claims handling has come a long way in 30 years. Just ask Randall Beal, manager of the field technical unit for American Modern Insurance Group. He began working in claims in the early 1980s, when his toolkit consisted of a …

After Irma’s $1B Damage Puerto Rico Braces for Maria

Two weeks ago, Puerto Rico was spared a devastating hit when Hurricane Irma ripped up the Caribbean. This time, it may not be so lucky. The bankrupt island, already contending with the aftermath of a storm that left as much …

Study Finds Small Drones Unlikely to Cause Major Head Injuries

The small, popular drones flooding the commercial market are unlikely to cause severe head injuries if they fall out of the sky and strike people, a new study has concluded. The results are similar to findings earlier this year by …

State Budgets Strained by Natural Disaster Costs

A summer of natural catastrophes, from epic hurricanes to scorching wildfires, has exposed another peril in disaster-prone states: How to pay for the rescues, repairs and rebuilding. The combined tab from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma is expected to hit $200 …