Returning Warriors Face Driving Safety Risks

By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com

April 24, 2012

NU Online News Service, April 24, 3:24 p.m. EDT

Military personnel have an increased risk of at-fault auto accidents within six months of returning from overseas duty, a report from USAA says.  read more..

The Telephone, Untethered from the Office, Drives Modern Productivity

By Frank Sentner
March 29, 2012

The digital revolution has altered our lives in many ways over the last 20 years. Some of the most profound changes have occurred in the workplace, transforming even the meaning of the term “workplace” itself.  read more..

Four Layers of Defense Against Cyber Intrusion

By Bryant G. Tow
April 3, 2012

The insurance industry is continuing to leverage Web technologies to drive business in several ways:

-Reach new markets through social media and price shopping applications

-Enhance customer experiences through Web claims and multifunction mobile applications
-Increase process efficiencies on backend systems allowing customers to input information updates, policy changes and more.  read more..

Password Management: Balancing Security and Ease-of-Business

By Robert Regis Hyle, PropertyCasualty360.com
April 10, 2012

There are two points each of us has to deal with whenever we log on to our computers: security and ease-of-business. The two may seem to be mutually exclusive, but they must work together for any of us to be effective.  read more..

Air Travel...A Calculated Risk?

By Anthony Roman
April 10, 2012

The mysteries that are hidden behind the cockpit door of a commercial airliner or corporate jet are rarely contemplated by most travelers. After boarding, we conduct business, are excited to be on vacation or are concerned about whether they are on-time. We make our last call, send an e-mail or text, and settle down to either a nap or an anxious takeoff.  read more..

Claims Auditing 101: Part 4

Auditing Files in LitigationBy Ken Brownlee, CPCU
March 29, 2012

Claims files end up in litigation for a variety of reasons. Unless the reason for the litigation was intentional on the part of the insurance company or self-funding entity, the litigation may indicate unsatisfactory service by the claims department or an individual adjuster. Litigation is an extra expense on top of the value of the claim, unless the basis for the dispute was legitimate and unavoidable.  read more..

Corporate Identity Theft

Minimize Risk of Reputational, Financial HarmBy Susan Massmann
March 29, 2012

Corporate personhood is the notion that corporations have rights and responsibilities similar to those of an individual person. It follows that if a corporation has the same rights and responsibilities as a person, it can also have an identity and thus be the victim of identity theft.  read more..

Building A Better Mouse Trap

Nabbing Fraudsters With Multi-Agency ApproachBy Christina Bramlet, PropertyCasualty360.com
April 10, 2012

In the recent high-profile busts in New York and Florida—two states known for the most significant and costly proliferation of PIP fraud in the country—investigators successfully dismantled organized rings that siphoned close to $300 million (combined) from insurers.  read more..

Top 10 Impediments to Successful Fraud Mitigation

Insurers Face Host of Challenges in 2012By Anthony Roman
April 10, 2012

To continue to apply force to far-reaching and ever-evolving fraud schemes, insurers will also need to overcome some substantial impediments to investigation. Anthony Roman, head of Roman & Associates, a global security and risk management firm, outlines ten key obstacles that will require careful consideration:  read more..

Update the Claims Playbook for Optimal Outcomes

Continuous Improvements Essential to Remain CompetitiveBy Michael A. Costonis
April 10, 2012

The football playbook has changed dramatically over the years. Teams no longer use the single-wing formation, and it has been a long time since anyone has tried a drop-kick. Since the invention of the forward pass, coaches have continually experimented and adapted to change with new plays and strategies.  read more..

The True Cost of Raising CAFE Standards

By Greg Horn
March 15, 2012

Last July, The Obama administration revealed a proposal to raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard to 54.5 mpg by 2025. Initial government-study figures claimed the move would increase the sticker price of the average new vehicle by around $2,000.  read more..

Top 8 Celebrities Who Got Their Start in Insurance

By Caterina Pontoriero, PropertyCasualty360.com
April 5, 2012

For some, a job in insurance is a career. For others, it's a starting point that can open the doors to other opportunities. And for others still, it's both.  read more..

When Taxes and Cars Collide

Road Fatalities Surge Around April 15By Christina Bramlet, PropertyCasualty360.com
April 11, 2012

Great thinkers have quipped that life offers few certainties other than death and taxes, and for an alarming number of U.S. drivers, these two seem oddly intertwined.  read more..

The Biomechanics of Head Injuries

Assessing Auto-Related Bodily Injury ClaimsBy Alyssa L. DeMarco, John C. Gardiner, PhD, PE, Dennis D. Chimich
February 29, 2012

Did the claimant sustain a head injury in the incident? Would the diagnosed head injury have been prevented if the claimant was using a protective device such as a helmet, seat belt, or airbag? Biomechanical engineers frequently answer injury causation and prevention questions like these in personal injury claims.  read more..

Swept Away à la ‘Mary Poppins’

Duties of a Chimney Sweep and SubrogationBy Peter A. Lynch, Dale Feb  March 27, 2012

A fire breaks out and destroys a single-family home. An investigation reveals that a chimney sweep cleaned the fireplace system 10 months prior. As a claims adjuster, what issues and areas are important to assess? Let’s first look at fireplace systems, and then the duties of a chimney sweep and what areas adjusters should review when it comes to evaluating the potential for subrogation recovery.  read more..

Did the Compression Fitting Fail?

Water Damage Claims and SubrogationBy Charles C. Roberts Jr.  March 27, 2012

Great care should be exercised when installing compression couplings, as installation errors can cause pipe failure resulting in expensive property claims. To process water damage claims accurately while identifying subrogration opportunities, adjusters need to know the basics of why fittings can fail.  read more..

Call for Nominations: Claims Professional of the Year Award

By Staff Writer  March 28, 2012

Do you know a claims rock star, someone who innovates and inspires?

We here at Claims Magazine invite you to nominate a progressive leader for the 2012 Claims Professional of the Year Award.   read more..

How Tebowmania Can Improve Your Business Proposition

By Christopher Tidball  March 27, 2012

Did the Jacksonville Jaguars err by not pushing harder to get Tim Tebow, especially during the window when negotiations seemingly fell apart with the New York Jets? The sports pundits seem evenly split, with some calling Tebow a distraction, while others are openly critical of the Jaguars lost opportunity to fill the stands. Perhaps ESPN’s Pete Prisco summed it up best, “Tebow playing for the New York Jets makes about as much sense as somebody in a Manhattan restaurant ordering shrimp and grits with a nice sweet tea.”  read more..

Supreme Court Justices Mull Healthcare Law, Individual Mandate

By Allison Bell   March 28, 2012

Some Supreme Court justices generally regarded as being likely to reject the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) individual mandate provision were expressing uncertainty today about when and why they should strike down an entire law because they have struck down part of the law.  read more..

What Makes Personal-Lines Buyers Tick?

By Sam J. Friedman  March 28, 2012

Personal-lines insurers are locked in a never-ending battle for market share—which has only intensified over the past few years as auto and homeowners’ carriers struggled for organic growth during a down economy and depressed housing market.  read more..

Clashing Insurance Coverage Doctrines, Part Three

Excess Coverage, Defined
By Terrence J. Madden  March 14, 2012

In the previous installment of this series, we cited the case of Kajima Construction Services, Inc. v. St. Paul fire and Marine insurance Company, 227 Ill.App.3d 102, 879 N.E.2d 305 (2007). You may recall that in resolving the issue, the Illinois Supreme Court concluded that the “horizontal exhaustion” doctrine applied and that the targeted tender doctrine did not apply to excess coverage.  read more..

The Clash of Insurance Coverage Doctrines Continues- Part 2

Part Two: Horizontal Exhaustion Makes An EntranceBy Terrence J. Madden  March 7, 2012

Thus far, we have seen that although the “targeted tender” doctrine permits an insured to avoid or take an end run around the “other insurance” clause of the commercial general liability (CGL) policy, the insured’s right to make a targeted tender is based upon particular policy language rather than upon public policy considerations. The doctrine can therefore be eliminated by appropriately drafted insurance coverage language.  read more..