Note: Hotel registration date extended to Tuesday, February 7, 2006 -- the last day for room reservations at the Opryland Hotel at the special Benefits Marketing Association group rate. For reservations, call 1-888-777-6779 and ask for the special rate ($155.00) available to attendees of the Benefits Marketing Association (Code N-BMR6). -- 600 attendees -- 80 exhibitors -- 40+ PresentersAttendees will make a substantial number of contacts for prospective strategic partnering and gain more insight into benefits marketing best practices. Licensed agents register 2 for the price of 1! Don't miss the Nashville Themed Music at Registration sponsored by Transamerica Worksite Marketing, The Grand Ole Opry "Walk The Supplemental Line" Extravaganza at the Grad Ole Opry sponsored by UnumProvident, or the "Fat Tuesday" Mardi Gras party sponsored by AIG Employee Benefit Solutions. For more information, visit www.benefitsmarketing.org, call 888-282-1765, or send an e-mail to wpodgurski@aol.com What Happens At A Benefits Marketing Association Meeting Goes Home With You And Builds Your Business And Improves Your Career And The Service You Provide To Your Clients Daily Quote: ""Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success in life, no matter what may be one's aims." -- John D. Rockefeller, JR., 1874 - 1960
1.
NAR Asks New Fed
Chair To Maintain Separation Of Banking & Commerce Information about NAR is available
at http://www.realtor.org. This and other news releases are posted in
the Web site's "News Media" section in the NAR Media Center. Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 2. American Consumer Institute Survey Finds Americans Split on National Health Plan Support Divisions Exist by Political Affiliation, Income, Race and Uninsured RESTON, Va., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Results of a recent national survey conducted by the American Consumer Institute show that American consumers are split in their support of a nationalized health plan in which doctors and hospitals would be under federal government control. According to the survey, 43% would favor such a plan, compared to 50% who would oppose the plan. Even though many unions publicly support nationalized medical and health insurance, households with union members were only modestly more in favor of a nationalized health plan (47%), compared to households without union members (42%). As expected, there are divisions among party lines, with Democrats more likely than Republican to favor a nationalized plan (54% vs. 27%). Independents mirror the overall numbers (43% favor). African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to favor a nationalized health plan (55%), compared to just 41% of the Caucasians and just 27% of the Asians. The survey also suggests that affluent consumers (31% for households earning over $100,000) are less apt to support a national health plan, compared to lower income consumers (47% for households earning below $25,000). According to Anne Danehy, an expert for the Institute and President of Strategic Opinion Research, "the survey reflects wide differences of opinion among consumers, suggesting that policymakers will struggle to find consensus on how best to deal with these important national issues." The survey also found that 90% of households report having some level of health insurance, while only 9% report having no health insurance. Surprisingly, the survey revealed that only 52% of uninsured households would support a nationalized health plan. "A major public policy issue is how to best provide access to the healthcare system to the uninsured and the underinsured and at the same time control healthcare costs," according to Dr. Fuhr, a public policy expert for the Institute and Professor of Economics at Widener University. The survey was based on a 1,000-person telephone survey with residents across the United States. The margin of error for this survey is +/-3% at the 95% confidence level. Visit http://www.theamericanconsumer.org for detailed results and an explanation of the survey methodology. The Institute is an independent consumer organization committed to providing information, analysis, and policy research to the public for the betterment of American consumers. The Institute is primarily comprised of volunteer public policy experts covering a wide range of issues. Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 3. The Ability to Electronically Capture Patient Health Data and Information Will Be Widely Supported by Insurers to Support Pay-for-Performance Policies Advocated by Medicare DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 2006--Research and Markets has announced the addition of How Electronic Data Capture Will Change Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Marketing to their offering. Today, many businesses routinely capture documents and data for both regulatory and business intelligence purposes. Health care in the clinical setting has resisted this industry-transforming technology for nearly 20 years, citing the lack of user-friendly interfaces for busy health care providers, the lack of workflow understanding on the part of vendors, the expense and complexity of implementation and maintenance solutions, and, simply, the lack of a transparent return on investment for providers. The tide is turning, however, and both health care providers and biopharmaceutical companies will likely be swept up in the coming change. In a world where health information can be captured, measured, shared, and compared, patient health outcomes information will become a paramount form of business intelligence. Capture and analysis of heretofore unavailable data will provide outcomes data that will allow constant postmarketing surveillance, not just by the pharmaceuticals but also by insurers, caregivers, and the public. Data capture will identify changing patient treatment populations, bringing new opportunities in R&D and in targeted marketing. Finally, health data capture will feed into the growing consumer-directed health care movement, resulting in greater patient advocacy and awareness. Drugmakers will need to adapt their behavior and strategies to this rapidly developing landscape. The following business implications are discussed in this Decision Resources report: -- The ability to electronically capture patient health data and information will be widely supported by insurers to support pay-for-performance policies advocated by Medicare. -- Through the formation of a national health information network, treatment and outcomes will be measurable on a local, regional, and national level. -- Reimbursement policy and drug, device, and procedure pricing will be determined by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and payers based on health economics driven by measurable outcomes. -- The emerging emphasis on treatment outcomes will result in drug pricing and formulary pressures. -- Pharmaceutical companies and device makers will need to establish new types of marketing practices based on patient compliance and physician training to obtain optimized outcomes. -- Pharmaceutical companies and device makers will need to establish novel relationships with health-data-gathering organizations to obtain post-marketing health data necessary for effective market strategy. Topics covered in this report include: -- Electronic Data Capture: The Adoption Challenge -- EHR: A Brief History and Status Report -- Toward a National Health Information Network -- The Power of Aggregated Data -- Have We Reached the Tipping Point? -- The Advantages of EHR Adoption for Biopharma For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c32246 Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 4. The Doctors Company Acquires Northwest Physicians Mutual Insurance Company NAPA, Calif., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The Doctors Company, the nation's leading physician-owned medical malpractice insurance provider, is pleased to announce that it has acquired Northwest Physicians Mutual Insurance Company (NPM), the top medical liability carrier in Oregon. NPM has been merged into Northwest Physicians Insurance Company (NPIC), a wholly owned subsidiary of TDC. NPIC remains the largest medical liability carrier in Oregon. As a result of the acquisition, The Doctors Company adds 2,300 new insured physicians and further expands its presence in Oregon and the Northwest. The market share of the combined organization has grown to approximately 50 percent in Oregon, making the group the definitive leader in that market. www.thedoctors.com Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 5. SPACEHAB Files Court Complaint for Losses on Space Shuttle Mission HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 2006--SPACEHAB, Incorporated (NASDAQ/NMS:SPAB), a leading provider of commercial space services, announced today that it is filing a civil complaint against NASA with the United States District Court in Houston, Texas for loss and damages suffered during the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy in February 2003. The Company's research double module and related equipment were destroyed, along with the space shuttle and her crew, during reentry at the conclusion of the STS-107 mission. In November 2004 SPACEHAB filed a claim with NASA under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) of $79.7 million for recovery of the losses on the flight. After NASA failed to respond to the claim within a reasonable period of time, the Company was left no choice but to consider the claim as denied and then pursue restitution in the Federal Court system. Under the FTCA, SPACEHAB claims that NASA's actions and omissions led to the space shuttle disaster and the destruction of the Company's flight assets. The complaint identifies the tragedy as a foreseeable consequence of NASA's negligence as documented in the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) report which represents the findings of the post-accident investigation. Columbia's destruction was caused by insulating foam that came loose from the external tank on launch and damaged the orbiter's wing. The CAIB found that NASA was long aware of the danger and frequency of these kinds of foam strikes; a very serious one which occurred just two missions before the STS-107 mission. According to the CAIB, and as alleged in the complaint, NASA ignored its own rules, failed to fix the problem, and improperly allowed Columbia to launch in the face of this unaddressed danger. NASA has stated that the Agency 'accepts the findings of the CAIB' and 'embraced the report and all that is included in it.' "We are disappointed that NASA took no action to resolve this claim, and that we had to resort to the courts in order to achieve a fair and reasonable settlement," stated Michael E. Kearney, SPACEHAB President and Chief Executive Officer. "These valuable assets, developed through private capital investment, have served NASA well on nineteen missions. We believe the private sector's participation in the space program is essential to the maturation of a robust space industry, but this goal is made extremely difficult in the current environment where 'business as usual' is prevalent." SPACEHAB is the only company to successfully conceive, design, develop and operate significant commercial space research and cargo assets for the space shuttle and International Space Station programs. To date, two claims have been filed with NASA. The first claim, the contract claim, which was filed in January 2004 for recovery of the module and associated equipment, totaled $87.7 million and included subrogation of insurance proceeds of $17.7 million received from underwriters. NASA paid $8.0 million plus interest in October 2004 claiming its liability was limited under the contract. In December 2004 SPACEHAB appealed the denial of the contract claim beyond $8.0 million through the Armed Services Contract Board of Appeals. The contract claim is in the discovery phase. The second claim, the tort claim, was filed in November 2004 for $79.7 million ($87.7 million less the partial recovery of $8.0 million). www.spacehab.com Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article
For a fraction of the cost of other mediums, INSURANCE NEWSCAST can help build your brand and generate marketing leads within the entire insurance industry, providing three ways for future clients to contact you; via telephone, via e-mail, and via your website. Your company's products and services can be displayed at the top of this newsletter where it is the first thing seen by over 350,000 subscribers - your potential future clients. To request a media kit, send an e-mail to wpodgurski@aol.com call 888-282-1765 or click here to read the media kit online. 6. Moody's profit rises 22 pct on ratings demand Fri Feb 3, 2006 7:31 AM ET -- NEW YORK (Reuters) - Moody's Corp. (MCO.N:), parent of the namesake credit rating agency, on Friday said quarterly profit rose a larger-than-expected 22 percent, helped by surging demand for structured finance and other ratings. Fourth-quarter net income increased to $150.1 million, or 50 cents per share, from $122.6 million, or 40 cents, a year earlier. Results benefited from a 36 percent increase in revenue from structured finance transactions to $210.1 million. Such transactions include asset-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations, which are packages of securities that get split up into pieces, each of which need ratings. On January 25, McGraw-Hill Cos. (MHP.N:), whose Standard & Poor's unit is Moody's largest rival, said structured finance accounted for 73 percent of the company's increase in quarterly financial services revenue. New York-based Moody's expects 2006 earnings per share to grow by a low double-digit percentage, and revenue to grow by a "high single-digit to double-digit" percentage. Moody's shares closed Thursday at $63.95 on the New York Stock Exchange. The shares have risen 48 percent over the last year. © Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.\ Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 7. New Research from EBRI: Survey of Consumer-Driven Health Plans Prompts Debate WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Four issues dominated the most recent Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) policy forum, which was devoted to the release of a ground-breaking nationwide survey of consumer-driven health plans and a discussion of the results, according to an account of the forum published today. The survey was sponsored by EBRI, a nonpartisan research organization, and the Commonwealth Fund to get a fix on how consumers are reacting to consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs), the latest big idea in health insurance. The forum, which drew about 100 participants, heard 11 speakers offer widely different views while discussing the four issues. Some speakers said CDHPs are working as designed and are in large demand. Others said the plans are flawed and will fade away just as managed care did a decade ago. As described in the February 2006 EBRI Notes, available at www.ebri.org, the four questions were:
http://www.usnewswire.com/ Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 8. RMS Terrorism Risk Management Tools Assist the Insurance Industry to Respond to A.M. Best Supplemental Rating Questionnaire for the 2005 Statement Year A.M. Best Requests Each Insurance Rating Unit to Provide Specific Terrorism and Exposure Accumulation Benchmarks NEWARK, Calif., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Risk Management Solutions (RMS), the world's leading provider of products and services for the management of catastrophe risk, reaffirmed that its products can assist insurers in responding to the terrorism section of the 2005 Statement Year Supplemental Rating Questionnaire (SRQ) recently issued by rating agency A.M. Best Company. This is the third consecutive year that the SRQ has included multiple questions on terrorism risk. In the questionnaire, A.M. Best Company requests that insurers indicate whether they utilize a terrorism model to measure their risk, report their largest levels of accumulation, and model their losses for a specific terrorism scenario both inside and outside of key cities. Similar to prior years, the SRQ asks for results with and without coverage from the federal Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). In December 2005, TRIA was renewed for 2 years with new terms and limits. In response, RMS has updated the SRQ recommendations to model the new TRIA coverage accurately. www.rms.com Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 9. Agreement AEGON N.V. and Dutch Tax Authorities THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Feb. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AEGON N.V. and the Dutch tax authorities have reached an agreement on a number of items related to AEGON's corporate income tax filings for the years 1996-2005. AEGON regards the resolution of these tax items, and the conclusion of related discussions spanning several years, as a positive development. AEGON expects that this agreement will have a marginally positive effect on net income and shareholders' equity. AEGON will publish its 2005 results on March 9, 2006. eturn to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 10. The Coalition for Asbestos Reform Challenges Supporters of FAIR Act Exaggeration of Support Masks Fatal Flaws in Asbestos Trust Fund Bill WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Asbestos Reform (C.A.R.) today responded to the press conference held by Senators Specter and Leahy, in which they struggled to demonstrate support for S.852 the Asbestos Trust Fund bill. "We were struck more by who wasn't at this rally, than by who was," said Thomas O'Brien, Chairman of C.A.R. "Glaringly absent were the major corporations who helped draft this bill and stand to reap billions of dollars in benefits if it is enacted. Where was USG, a company that just this week revealed that the bill is worth $3 billion to them?" Members of C.A.R., which includes smaller companies and their insurers, is strongly opposed to the legislation in the belief that the measure would allow large corporations to dump their asbestos liability onto smaller and medium-sized companies who have not had the resources to make their voices heard in Washington. "With the very existence of several smaller and medium-sized companies at risk," O'Brien continued, "we urge the Senate to reject this unfair legislation." Contrary to the impression given by this event, the business community is, at best, split over this legislation. Many defendant companies, like the members of C.A.R., believe the legislation would be devastating to them. The insurance industry is virtually united against it. Many labor unions are opposed. Conservative groups like Freedom Works and the National Taxpayers Union are opposed. Public Citizen and most victims groups oppose it, as well. "Before casting their vote, we urge the rest of the U.S. Senate to question the most striking aspect of today's press conference -- who was not in the room?" C.A.R. is a group of smaller and medium sized businesses and their insurance companies committed to educating U.S. businesses and policymakers about the serious flaws in S.852. The coalition mobilized last June to launch a major national campaign to explain the effect of the bill on hundreds of local businesses that face potential asbestos liability, most of whom are unaware of the devastating impact of $140 billion in new taxes S.852 authorizes to finance the trust fund mandated by the bill. Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 11. Builders Support Sensible Flood Insurance Reforms WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) told Congress today it supports efforts to reform the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to ensure that program's long-term financial stability, but cautioned that any legislative proposals should not be an overreaction to unusual circumstances stemming from last year's devastating hurricane season. Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee, NAHB President David Pressly, a home builder from Statesville, N.C., said the "NFIP is not simply about flood insurance premiums and payouts, but is rather a comprehensive program that guides future development and mitigates against future loss. While a financially stable NFIP is in all of our interests, the steps that Congress takes to achieve this aim have the potential to greatly impact housing affordability and the ability of local communities to exercise control over their growth and development." To improve the solvency of the program and its attractiveness to potential policyholders, NAHB supports the following reforms to allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the NFIP to better adapt to changes in the marketplace: * Providing FEMA the authority to allow for slightly higher annual premium increases to allow the agency to reduce its indebtedness to the federal Treasury. * Increasing coverage limits to better reflect today's home values. * Creating more insurance options to allow policyholders greater flexibility and provide additional home owner benefits while aiding program solvency. * Raising the minimum deductible for paid claims in order to provide a strong incentive for owners to protect their homes, and thereby reduce potential future losses to the NFIP. * Updating and modernizing the Flood Insurance Rate maps to eliminate large discrepancies between what was mapped as the 100-year floodplain decades ago and what the 100-year floodplain is today. The term "100-year floodplain" refers to an area that has a one percent chance of suffering a catastrophic flood in a given year. Pressly said that NAHB would oppose any effort to statutorily change the current 100-year floodplain standard to a 500-year floodplain standard as a way to require more home owners to participate in the NFIP and buttress the program against greater losses. "Before considering any proposal to expand the 100-year floodplain standard, NAHB believes that FEMA should conduct a study of the feasibility and implications of such a change in the NFIP's mandatory purchase requirements prior to enacting any modifications," said Pressly, who noted that a shift to a 500-year floodplain standard would greatly expand the program's reach by forcing millions of additional property owners to purchase flood insurance. Flood insurance claims for the 2005 hurricane season are expected to top $23 billion as a result of the unprecedented damages caused last year by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, far exceeding the total amount paid out over the NFIP's 37-year existence. Congress approved legislation last November to raise the borrowing authority of FEMA to $18.5 billion annually from the Treasury, and the NFIP will need at least $5 billion more to meet its obligation to claim holders. Established in 1968, the NFIP offers affordable flood insurance to home owners and businesses in flood plains and other low-lying areas that otherwise might not be able to obtain such coverage. More than 20,000 communities nationwide participate in the NFIP and the program currently covers approximately 4.8 million policyholders. Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 12. NAELA Says New Medicaid Restrictions Spell Disaster for Seniors and People With Disabilities; Elder Law Attorneys Are Prepared to Help Individuals and Their Families Navigate Critical Elder Care Decisions in Light of the Upcoming Medicaid Changes TUCSON, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 2, 2006--Members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) are deeply concerned over yesterday's U.S. House of Representatives decision to pass the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (S.1932) by a vote of 216 to 214. The Senate has already passed the bill by a vote of 51 to 50, with the Vice President breaking the tie. The bill is now being sent to the President for signature. The passage of this ill-conceived bill will have a damaging impact upon vulnerable seniors and individuals with disabilities who will be denied necessary health care due to an inability to pay. "As elder law attorneys, we counsel many of our nation's middle class seniors and people with disabilities who are facing long-term care crises as they contend with skyrocketing health care costs," said Lawrence Davidow, NAELA President. "We have tried to advise members of Congress about better solutions to curb Medicaid spending that would be less harmful to older adults and individuals with disabilities. NAELA stood together with over 40 aging advocacy organizations, including AARP and the Alzheimer's Association to oppose these harmful Medicaid changes. Unfortunately, our government representatives did not listen and now there will be a health care crisis of unprecedented magnitude for our most vulnerable citizens. NAELA Members stand ready to help advise seniors and people with disabilities about how to contend with these changes and how to prepare for long-term care. We strongly encourage all Americans to become better educated about their future long-term care needs before they find themselves or their family members in crisis." The new Medicaid changes will deny long-term care to seniors who innocently gave money to churches and family members needing assistance. While there are Medicaid hardship waivers, individuals will have to endure a difficult process to prove their innocence. They will have to provide evidence that asset transfers were not done in order to qualify for Medicaid. In a country where the law of the land assumes innocence until guilt is proven for citizens charged with a crime, this is an unfair change that will cause additional stress for older adults, people with disabilities and their families. The new law will change the start of the penalty period for someone who has transferred assets from the date of when the transfer was made to the date when one applies for Medicaid. The changes also punish seniors (many with Alzheimer's disease or dementia) for everyday family transactions or poor record keeping by increasing the lookback period from three years to five years. According to the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate released on January 27, 2006, the asset transfer provisions will mean that 120,000 or 15% of new Medicaid applicants will be delayed eligibility each year. www.naela.org Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 13. Philadelphia Insurance Companies Announces Affiliation with Cypress Point for Premier Workers' Compensation Solutions BALA CYNWYD, Pa., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Philadelphia Insurance Companies (Nasdaq: PHLY) is pleased to announce an affiliation with Cypress Point - Arrowhead General Insurance Agency, Inc. ("CPA"). CPA offers a host of premier workers' compensation solutions that your agency can use in conjunction with our other insurance products to meet the comprehensive needs of your clients (California only). www.phly.com Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 14. Knowing the Rules: Consumers Must Understand Health Plan Rules to Ensure Uninterrupted Access to Needed Medications Advice to Help Consumers Get What They Need From Their Prescription Drug Benefit WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The new plan year often brings a change to health insurance plans and the rules that go along with them. For consumers becoming familiar with new plans and seniors starting to use their Medicare prescription drug benefit, this may mean trouble when filling prescriptions for the first time. But even those who are continuing on with the same plan as last year may experience some of the same frustrations. Rules can vary from health insurance plan to health insurance plan and even from one pharmacy visit to the next because plans are allowed to make changes throughout the year. And consumers may not be aware of issues that may impact copayments and lists of preferred medicines, thus causing problems when trying to fill a prescription. In an effort to help consumers to become educated and prepared, eleven groups representing consumers, pharmacies, physicians, patients and pharmaceutical companies have teamed up to provide free tips and resources to help consumers understand how prescription drug benefits work and find out what to do if coverage for their medicine is denied. The program offers guidance for navigating drug coverage, tips for troubleshooting problems, and a sample appeal letter and a glossary of important terms, available at http://www.YourPharmacyBenefit.org. Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 15. Conseco Insurance Group Licenses NaviSys Front Office(TM) for Application, Underwriting, Case Management and New Business Workflow; Implementation Expected to Improve Case Management and Service to Independent Producers EDISON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 2, 2006--NaviSys, Inc., the market leader in front-to back-office solutions for life insurers, announced today that Conseco Insurance Group has licensed NaviSys Front Office(TM) for application entry, underwriting, case management and new business workflow. The initial implementation will enable Conseco to capture, manage and issue new business for Specified Disease products and support task management for Medicare Supplemental products. Conseco also has the option to use the solution for life insurance and annuities. www.navisys.com Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 16. NATIONAL EQUIPMENT REGISTER RELEASES 2005 EQUIPMENT THEFT REPORT NEW YORK, Feb. 1 – Nearly 40 percent of all construction and agricultural equipment theft occurs in just five states, according to a report released today by the National Equipment Register (NER), a database company established to reduce heavy-equipment theft rates and increase recoveries of stolen equipment. Based on more than 5,000 theft reports submitted to NER in 2005, Texas leads all other states in the number of heavy-equipment thefts, followed by California, Florida, Missouri and South Carolina. NER’s study also found that most equipment is stolen from nonowner premises or work-site locations, which are likely to have lower security than owner premises. In 2005, more than 70 percent of stolen equipment was taken from work sites. Less than 30 percent was stolen from insureds’ premises, which are typically more secure, fenced storage facilities. NER based this third annual report of construction and agricultural equipment theft in the U.S. on its database of over 77,000 theft reports and ISO data. The report is the most detailed analysis of construction and farm equipment theft ever published. www.NERusa.com www.iso.com Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 17. Advanced Insurance Direct Marketing Workshop 2006: "Confronting the Issues - Breaking Down Barriers to Growth!" March 6-8, 2005 - Tysons Corner, Virginia (Washington, DC) - Middletown, DE - It's time for insurance direct marketers to confront the issues and to break down the barriers to growth. In March 2006, approximately three dozen insurance direct marketing executives will gather for a no-holds barred, real-world exploration of exactly how to grow their businesses. This is the objective of the 20th edition of the Executive Workshops - a unique series of limited-attendance meetings focused on direct and database marketing exclusively for the insurance industry. Advanced Insurance Direct Marketing Workshop 2006 is scheduled for March 6-8, 2006 at The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Tysons Corner, VA (outside Washington, D.C.). The workshop consists of both interactive and case study focused presentations covering every sector of insurance - life, health, auto, and more. Delegates benefit from powerful case-study presentations. To register, or for additional information, call 1-866-450-7005. The complete conference program can be found at www.jcg-ltd.com; click on Executive Workshops. Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 18. AMERICAN INSURANCE ASSOCIATION FULLY SUPPORTS FREE TRADE AGREEMENT TALKS WITH KOREA Washington, D.C., Feb. 2, 2006– The American Insurance Association (AIA) today commended the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) launch of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with the Republic of Korea, a major U.S. trading partner. “A successful conclusion to FTA talks will promote further market liberalization, and the full market access we are seeking, which will enhance our country’s ability to bring services like insurance to Korea,” said David Snyder, AIA vice president and assistant general counsel. “Korea is in need of increased regulatory transparency that is consistent with international norms, and the country would benefit from a stronger insurance system,” Snyder continued. AIA is part of the U.S.-Korea FTA Business Coalition, which noted in a letter to the USTR that this trade agreement will also strengthen the critical political relationship between the U.S. and Korea. “We are working with the USTR toward a fruitful outcome to these FTA talks –an outcome that benefits both countries,” Snyder stated. “It is in the interest of both countries that Korea solidify its position as a major international trading nation.” www.aiadc.org Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 19. PIACT's 2006 Annual Convention is on the horizon More than 500 insurance professionals are expected to take advantage of CE, networking, etc. HARTFORD, Conn.The Professional Insurance Agents of Connecticut Inc.'s Annual Convention will be held March 13-14, 2006, at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, Conn. The two-day event will offer participants access to education programs and other opportunities, which will benefit their businesses and their clients. This is the largest gathering of insurance professionals in the state of Connecticutlast year more than 500 insurance professionals attended the event, said Joseph A. Bishop III, CPIA, president of PIACT. Each year hundreds of people associated with the insurance industry gather in Mashantucket to earn CE credits, explore the latest insurance services and products and establish new business contacts. www.piaonline.org Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 20. INSURANCE NEWSCAST "Pictures Of The Day"
21. ReMark and The Covenant Group Announce 2006 Conference: Unlocking the Profits in the Middle-Market April Conference in New Orleans Focuses On Developing Effective Middle-Market Strategies Through Innovative Multi-Channel Distribution ATLANTA, February 1, 2006 – ReMark and The Covenant Group have partnered to offer the insurance industry a new conference focused on managing distribution in the middle-market. Unlocking the Profits in the Middle-Market will feature presentations and case studies from top industry experts and companies. The conference will be held April 18 - 19, 2006 at The Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. “One of the next great growth opportunities for the insurance industry is the middle-market,” says Michael Levison, CEO of ReMark Americas. “The key to success will be the ability to intelligently deploy multiple distribution channels in pursuit of this market.” www.remarkna.com www.covenantgroup.com Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 22. Trade Summit: IP in the Balance -- The State of American Intellectual Property Policy News Advisory: Washington, DC-based USA For Innovation and TechNET will host an expert panel discussion on the importance of intellectual property rights, trade and innovation Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 9 a.m. at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC. The event is free and open to all interested. WHO: Justin McCarthy, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison, Evandro de Sampaio Didonet, Deputy Chief of Mission - Embassy of Brazil, Robert Shapiro former U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs for President Clinton, Paula Stern, former Chairwoman of the U.S. International Trade Commission, Nancie Marzulla founder and President of Defenders of Property Rights, Ken Adelman executive director of USA for Innovation, TechNet. (Invited: Chris Israel U.S. Coordinator for International Intellectual Property Enforcement, Raminder Singh Jassal, Deputy Chief of Mission - Embassy of India, Victoria Espinel - Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intellectual Property, Rep. Mary Bono (R-CA), Oxfam). WHAT: USA For Innovation and TechNET Host: IP in the Balance -- The State of American Intellectual Property Policy WHERE: J.W. Marriot Hotel 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20004 WHEN: Wednesday, February 8, 2006, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Breakfast to be served. WHY: America derives its tremendous wealth and economic comparative advantage from innovation. The U.S. appeal to foreign innovators and have spawned much of the world's leading technology because America boasts basic, essential intellectual property laws to protect these inventions. Emerging trends including international piracy and patent theft threaten to undermine this environment of growth. This summit will examine these realities from several perspectives and explore what can be done to continue to promote economic development both in the U.S. and abroad. TO REGISTER: Please e-mail: dan@usaforinnovation.org to register. For additional information or to register on-line visit: http://www.usaforinnovation.org/summit/ http://www.usnewswire.com/ Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 23. Humana shares drop after analyst downgrade
Fri Feb 3, 2006 3:51 PM ET Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 24. Michael R. Panter & Associates: Trial on Damages Alone Results in USD 5.3 Million Jury Verdict; Discovery Sanction Results in Default against 17 Corporations; Three Additional Plaintiffs Settle for over USD 3 million CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 2006--Michael R. Panter & Associates announced that a jury last Thursday awarded damages totaling USD 5.3 million to the family of a 28-year-old construction worker who was killed in a crane collapse on May 9, 2000. The four-day trial involved damages only. The Court credited Defendants USD 200,000.00 from a prior settlement and entered judgment against these Defendants in the amount of USD 5.1 million: Morse Diesel, Inc., Morse Diesel International, Inc., AMEC Construction Management, Inc., AMEC, AMEC Technologies, Inc., AMEC Holdings, Inc., AMEC Foundations, Inc., AMEC E&C Services, AMEC Earth & Environmental of Ohio, AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc., AMEC, Inc., AMEC Infrastructure, Inc., AMEC Kamtech, Inc., AMEC Plant Services, AMEC Systems, AMEC PLC and AGRA, Inc. According to Mr. Panter, "Defendants were cited for discovery violations resulting in a default judgment against all the above corporations. The Court told the Defendants, '... we've had nearly five years, five years of unmitigated, unmitigated defiance, obstruction, obfuscation, delays. It's an obscenity ...' Appeal by writ of mandamus was rejected by the Illinois Supreme Court. The default was enforced by the trial judge." "Decedent Patrick Bauer was a service technician for Morrow Construction Company. On May 9, 2000, at the River East LLC construction site by Navy Pier (then the largest construction project in the city), Morse Diesel, Inc./AMEC was the project manager. Morse/AMEC made the decision to proceed with "raising" or "jumping" the crane under adverse conditions, with an unsupervised, inexperienced, understaffed and under-equipped crew. The crane collapsed, huge balancing blocks came crashing into the decking, and a yellow beam about six feet long came crashing down on Pat Bauer's head, knocking him to the ground 30 feet below and killing him," according to Mr. Panter. "Three ironworkers were injured at the same time and filed a separate lawsuit. They settled at trial for over USD 3 million. Another crane injury on the same jobsite just several months earlier was previously tried to a jury verdict. A third lawsuit for a worker whose arm was amputated by a crane just a few months after the Bauer occurrence awaits trial. In addition to workers compensation claims, other litigation involving this jobsite was filed in state chancery and federal courts," according to Mr. Panter. "The River East jobsite was beset with difficulties. After the Bauer occurrence, key building permits were found to be lacking and the job was shut down for a time. Morse/AMEC had difficulty with their safety directors, one of whom filed a claim with OSHA alleging he was fired for attempting to enforce safety. Defendants settled that claim. Safety personnel said the project was pervaded with 'lies and subterfuge ... threats and intimidation ...' The owner-controlled insurance program was cancelled because the accident rate was allegedly 'four times the national average' and the cancellation was called 'an embarrassment to all of us associated with the project.' Safety audits showed 'willful violations that put everyone in a life-threatening position,'" according to Mr. Panter. Return to Headlines - - Print Article / Read Entire Article / E-Mail Article 25. INSURANCE NEWSCAST "Book Of The Day" - Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner (Hardcover) by Dean Karnazes List Price: $19.95 - Price: $13.57 -- For more information or to order, click here! 58 used & new available from
$5.50 Despite his considerable athleticism, "Karno" argues that the first half of any race is run with one's body, and the second half with the mind. Without delving into excessively touchy-feely territory, he explores "the possibilities of self" as he completes an ultra-marathon in 120-degree heat in Death Valley, and later the first-ever marathon at the South Pole. It's an odd combination: a California surfer dude contemplating how, as Socrates said, "Suffering leads to wisdom." But Karnazes's self-motivation is utterly intriguing, and it's impossible to read this memoir without wanting to go out and run a marathon yourself.--Erica Jorgensen The e-mail address subscribed to INSURANCE NEWSCAST is insurancenewscast-2027-log@pipe.insuranceletter.com. |
