Policy & Regulation
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P/C Insurers Eye Healthcare Reform Spillover Effects
The ongoing debate over health care reform in Congress is not just a concern to health insurers. Property/casualty insurers, too, are watching for any spillover effects from provisions that have been considered, according to Dr. Robert Hartwig, president and economist at the Insurance Information Institute.
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States, Insurers Grapple with Subsidized Property Insurance Markets
The exposure of various states’ residual markets for property insurance has grown from $55 billion to nearly $700 billion in the last two decades. Dr. Robert Hartwig, president and economist of the Insurance Information Institute, discusses how this has become a serious problem, particularly in Florida, for both public officials and private industry.
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Another Tort Crisis Is Coming, Warns P/C Insurance Economist
When Democrats took control of Congress, an era of tort reforms ended, according to Dr. Robert Hartwig, president and economist at the Insurance Information Institute. In this interview with Insurance Journal’s Andrew Simpson, Hartwig warns that as a result of current politics favoring trial attorneys, another tort crisis is on the horizon.
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Insurance Opportunities In the New Decade
The recession has taken its toll on many traditional businesses. But the good news is that, as these businesses recover along with the economy, there will also be opportunity for insurers to address the needs of some new growth industries over the next decade, according to Dr. Robert Hartwig, economist with the Insurance Information Institute. [...]
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Insurers Can’t Count on Investments, Advises III’s Hartwig
Property/casualty insurers’ investment income has been down and it isn’t going up any time soon, according to Dr. Robert Hartwig, president and economist for the Insurance Information Institute in this interview with Insurance Journal’s Andrew Simpson. How will insurers perform and price products in this environment and will regulators take note? Hartwig also discusses the [...]
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Insurance Regulators Take On Climate Change
Climate change is in the news and the insurance industry and those who regulate it are very much in the middle of the debate, as evidenced by the activity at the recent meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in San Francisco. Insurance Journal asked Commissioners Joel Ario of Pennsylvania and Mike Kreidler of [...]
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Media, Tech Markets Converge: Dodell On Keeping Up
The world is changing, with virtually every business now facing both media and technology exposures. Insurance needs to keep up, says Leib Dodell , former president and CEO of Media Professional Insurance, who is now part of the team launching a new specialty E&O facility based in Kansas City called ThinkRisk Underwriting Agency. In this [...]
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Economic Recovery Is Real But Uneven: Insurance Economist
Dr. Robert Hartwig, president and economist at the Insurance Information Institute, is the “go-to guy” when it comes to understanding economic and policy trends that affect the property and casualty insurance industry. He’s had a busy year explaining trends to insurance groups around the country. In this interview with Insurance Journal’s Andy Simpson, Dr. [...]
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The Politics of Young Independent Agents
Imagine a world in which every independent agent is under age 40. How might agencies run differently? How might industry politics change? Young agent Joey O’Connor, vice president with Daniels & Eustis Agency in Louisiana, and the chairman of Big I’s Young Agent Committee, describes this brave young world in this interview with Insurance Journal’s [...]
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Washington Reforms Depend on Agents, State Regulators
Health care reform and a financial services regulation overhaul are on the fast track in Congress and with the Obama Administration. The nature of the reforms will depend not only whether independent agents can get their message across to lawmakers but also on the credibility of state regulators, according to Charles Symington, senior VP for government [...]
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How Main Street Agents Get Heard in Washington
It’s a new political climate in Washington. Charles Symington, senior VP for government affairs for the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big I), discusses how independent agents are working with Congress and the Obama Administration amid the AIG and Wall Street scandals. This is part of an interview with Insurance Journal’s Andrew Simpson [...]
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Smart Growth in the P/C World
Being too big to fail is not really an issue in most of the property/casualty business, says Bob Restrepo, CEO of State Auto Insurance, a super regional carrier that is looking to grow and balance its personal and commercial book. Restrepo discusses growth and the pricing, acquisition and competitive environment in these excerpts from a [...]
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Republican Woes and Insurance Agents in Washington
Republicans have limited power to influence the agenda in Washington these days on health care reform, the future of insurance regulation and other issues of concern to independent agents, notes Bob Rusbuldt, CEO and president of the Independent Insurance Agents of America (Big “I”).
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Health Care Reform at Top of P/C Agents’ Agenda
Congress and the Obama Administration are serious about healthcare reform and the Big “I” and its CEO Bob Rusbuldt are as well. Rusbuldt explains why P/C agents have a stake in the politics of health care reform.
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Demotech on Florida Property Insurance and Domestic Insurers
Insurance Journal’s Andrew Simpson interviews Joseph Petrelli of the actuarial firm Demotech, Inc. on the Florida property insurance market, the state hurricane fund and the contingency plans of the domestic property insurers.
Featured
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Young Agent, Young Owner
Amy Bryan, owner of Bryan Insurance Agency in New Windsor, N.Y. opened her own independent insurance agency at the age of 22. She had no carrier appointments and no customers when she launched her agency in 2004, ut it didn’t take long for Amy to attract quality carriers and customers. Now, at just 28 [...]
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Creating Online Connections
To the 77 percent of independent insurance agencies that don’t have a social media presence, creating a profile and trying to form “friendships” via a computer can be daunting. Once you get online, however, tools such as blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn and RSS feeds actually can help an agency build more thoughtful relationships with other agents [...]
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London Calling
London Based specialty insurer Hiscox, which launched a significantly expanded US presence in 2006, saw its gross profits reach record levels of 481 million dollars last year. Recently, the company’s chief underwriting 0fficer, Rob Childs, sat down to discuss the profitability for the company and what he sees as the outlook and obstacles for [...]
Popular
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Insurance Risks at Gatorland Theme Park
Opened in 1949, Gatorland is central Florida’s oldest theme park. The 110-acre attraction is home to a multitude of animals, including the powerful alpha predators that are the park’s namesake.
With over 100 employee roles, ranging from custodial and food handling to gator wrestling, the potential for injury is great; however, the incident of harm at [...] -
From Vine to Wine
Don Reha is the winemaker for Orfila Vineyards and Winery in Escondido, California where he oversees the winemaking process from vine to bottle. In this episode of Watching the Risks, Reha talks about insuring and protecting the product and business income through its various stages.
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Fast Food Chain Battles Fraudulent Claims
Based in San Diego, Jack in the Box Inc. was founded in 1951 and is the first major fast-food chain that started as a drive-thru. Today, it has approximately 43,000 employees with more than 2,200 quick-serve restaurants in 18 states. In this episode, Jack in the Box deputy general counsel of 12 years, [...]
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CEO Motamed Says Changes Underway at CNA
Thomas Motamed joined CNA Financial as Chairman and CEO in January, 2009 after 30 years at Chubb Corp. In this interview, he talks about the changes he has in store at CNA.
Random
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How Brokers Manage D&O Expectations
Carpenter Moore Senior Managing Director Norman Allen discusses a recent Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) survey on the role of brokers in the claims process for Directors & Officers Liability and where tensions may exist. Also, how a broker helps define expectations not only of the client but also of the carrier.
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Trusted Choice Opens on Broadway
Trusted Choice is a hit in Broadway! The Big “I” Trusted Choice campaign lights up Times
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Get More for Less
A woman is flying in first class for the price of coach. (State Farm commercial)
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Arkansas – Julie Benafield Bowman: Just One Faulty Market
Arkansas Commissioner Julie Benafield Bowman says insurance markets, including property, medical
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