The Top 5 Misconceptions Juries Have About Insurers

September 29, 2011   By Marissa Alkhazov

Do you ever think about managing a case to trial while preparing to take the initial recorded statement of an insured? Most claims professionals do not, and once litigation is initiated and the ‘powers that be’ decide to move forward with trial, all of a sudden the judge is not the most important person in the courtroom to influence...it is the jury. read more..

“Moneyball” and Winning An Unfair Game

Applying Sabermetrics to Claims
September 28, 2011    By Christopher Tidball

In the new movie Moneyball, the art of sabermetrics takes center stage, as this real-life saga of Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s unfolds. Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, especially baseball statistics that measure in-game activity rather than industry activity, such as attendance. By focusing on actual contribution to a team, use of this formula theoretically enables teams to hire undervalued players, in turn bringing salaries in line with affordability.   read more..

Educational Article Series: Program Business—From Submission to Finish Line

Part 2: Taking the Completed Submission to Market
September 29, 2011   By Phillip J. Gajewski

Dedicated insurance programs are an excellent way for independent agents and agencies to set themselves apart from their competitors and help grow a specialized, renewable and, potentially, profitable book of business.  read more..

The Dollars and Sense of Workers’ Compensation

Return-to-Work Plans, Proposed New Mods Impact Pricing
Florida Underwriter October 2011 By Bob O’Halloran

No matter how safe an employer tries to make the worksite, accidents can still happen. The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that a disabling injury occurs every 1.3 seconds in the U.S. (more than 63,000 every day), and the Social Security Administration predicts that 3 out of 10 workers entering the workforce today will acquire some type of disability before they retire.  read more..

Workers Comp Lost-Time Claims Increase By 3%

September 26, 2011   By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com

NU Online News Service, Sept. 26, 1:38 p.m. EDT

Workers’ compensation lost-time claims increased 3 percent last year, the first increase in such claims since 1997, the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. reports today.
The Boca Raton, Fla.-based association released its 2011 Workers Compensation Claim Frequency report saying the Great Recession of 2007-2009 may have had an impact on workers’ compensation claims frequency.  read more..

Comparative Negligence

Facing Auto Liability Claims Head On

Claims Magazine September 2011     By Mark Fay

A variety of factors contribute to fatal auto accidents—many of which are from the deadly everyday maneuvers that drivers perform, like turning a corner or changing lanes. In the cases that involve more than one vehicle, it may seem easy to point fingers and blame one driver for the entire accident.  read more..

Before and After

September 23, 2011   By Christine G. Barlow

In August the East Coast experienced an earthquake and a hurricane—and more hurricanes are developing. While billions of dollars in damage has been done and lives have been lost, there are some things the average person can do to mitigate their own exposure in the event of a disaster.  read more..