A View from the Press Box

To say that the U.S. economy is caught between a rock and a hard place would be putting it mildly, meaning commercial insurers will have to fight for every premium dollar while battling to keep their loss ratios as low as possible. (more…)

To combat workers’ comp fraud, why not make it standard operating procedure to send claimants an Explanation of Benefits, as health insurers routinely do now to catch crooked medical care providers in the act? (more…)

In the spirit of risk management, the Washington Community Action Network made quite a scene giving out “lobbyist pandemic kits” during last week’s meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, while President Barack Obama made news by unwisely skipping his planned speech on implementation of his health care reform legislation, even though he was already in town to raise funds for the Democrats. (more…)

New York’s former insurance superintendent, Eric Dinallo, got a big boost in his campaign for state attorney general this past weekend in the form of a major newspaper endorsement, but the consumer press take on this race has not been unanimous, leaving the election very much up in the air. (more…)

This week, National Underwriter profiles the three winners from our fourth annual “Awards For Excellence in Workers’ Comp Risk Management” program, sponsored by NCCI.  Their efforts to maintain a high profile in risk management at a time when so many companies are focused on cutting short-term costs at the expense of long-term gains make the trio role models for their peers. Their efforts will hopefully spur others to follow in their footsteps. (more…)

Anyone who thought the debate over health reform ended when President Barack Obama signed landmark legislation into law was badly mistaken. Indeed, it appears opponents of the law have only begun to fight—both in court and at the ballot box. (more…)

Last night, I received the Bronze Award for Editorial Excellence for my weekly NU magazine column, “A View From The Press Box,” given out by the American Society of Business Publication Editors. Links to the two winning entries–about Hank Greenberg and Eliot Spitzer–are posted below for your reading pleasure! (more…)

Talk about playing right into your competitor’s hands! Last week Aon announced plans to start taking contingent commissions once again, right after one of its biggest rivals—Willis Group—blasted the controversial practice and reiterated it would never again accept volume- or profitability-based bonuses. (more…)

Joe Plumeri, head of Willis Group Holdings, launched a broadside at the independent agent community in last week’s National Underwriter, not only citing the potential conflicts for any intermediary accepting contingency fees, but also urging buyers to remember who “independent” agents actually work for. (more…)

I just got back from a vacation in Las Vegas, and even though I am not a big gambler, it’s hard to forget the sights and sounds of the casinos. Maybe that’s why I heard slot machine bells gleefully chiming as the insurance industry hit the proverbial jackpot with the final version of financial services regulatory reform legislation.

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