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Employers urge Congress to pass pension funding relief legislation BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

Catastrophe bond issues break record in first quarter: Study RISK MANAGEMENT

OFF BEAT: Nudist colony deliveries too up close and personal for letter carriers SPECIALTY RISKS

Average PPO cost per family hits all-time high: Milliman BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

Health care providers settle ADA claims over not treating patients with HIV SPECIALTY RISKS

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Workers compensation audit reviews can reveal costly errors WORKERS COMP

Average PPO cost per family hits all-time high: Milliman BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

Towers Watson to purchase Extend Health, operator of private health insurance exchanges BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

Death benefits awarded to widow of worker who died from hydrocodone overdose WORKERS COMP

Couple retiring in 2012 needs $240,000 to cover medical expenses: Fidelity BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

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OFF BEAT: Woman sues Southwest Airlines over ‘customer of size’ policy SPECIALTY RISKS

VIDEO: RIMS cyber risk coverage

More employers offering wellness initiatives: Study BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

India insurance companies to give $50 million cover for Iran oil buy: Exec BROKERS & INSURERS

N.J. governor vetoes state health insurance exchange legislation BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

Workers compensation audit reviews can reveal costly errors WORKERS COMP

Workers compensation market 'conflicted' despite economy's rebound: NCCI WORKERS COMP

Lloyd's of London unveils long-term strategic initiative BROKERS & INSURERS

Death benefits awarded to widow of worker who died from hydrocodone overdose WORKERS COMP

This week's Top 10 features on BusinessInsurance.com RISK MANAGEMENT

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RISK MANAGEMENT

AP PHOTO

Chicago NATO Summit could mean trouble for local businesses

CHICAGO—As they prepare for the risks associated with next week's NATO Summit in Chicago, a common theme of property owners, risk management experts and others working with downtown Chicago businesses is that the necessary preparation…

Catastrophe bond issues break record in first quarter: Study

The first quarter of 2012 was the most active quarter on record in the catastrophe bond market, according to data compiled by New York-based GC Securities, a division of MMC Securities Corp. and an affiliate of reinsurance brokerage Guy Carpenter …

Internal audit at the crossroads

In this white paper, a group of risk management scholars and leaders suggests internal audit is at a crossroads.

Chicago extends coverage to add protection for NATO summit

CHICAGO—From the city's perspective on the upcoming NATO Summit, considerable time has been spent making sure the proper insurance coverage is in place, said James Raussen, managing deputy comptroller.

SPECIALTY RISKS

FBI launches probe of JPMorgan, shareholders back Dimon

TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters)—The FBI has opened a probe into trading losses at JPMorgan Chase & Co., stepping up the pressure on the bank after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Reserve said they were also looking into…

OFF BEAT: Nudist colony deliveries too up close and personal for letter carriers

Two letter carriers have filed a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission contending that having to deliver mail to a nudist colony creates a hostile work environment.

Health care providers settle ADA claims over not treating patients with HIV

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Justice has reached settlements with two health care providers who allegedly refused to service people with HIV in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The House Cyber Bill

H.R. 3523, which passed the House of Representatives April 26, would help the private sector defend itself from cyber threats, according to its sponsor, but has been threatened with a veto from the Obama Administration.

BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

Employers urge Congress to pass pension funding relief legislation

WASHINGTON—More than 200 employers and trade associations have signed a letter urging federal lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow pension plan sponsors to use higher interest rate assumption in valuing plan liabilities, cutting…

Average PPO cost per family hits all-time high: Milliman

While cost increases for families enrolled in employer-sponsored preferred provider organizations have slowed since 2010, average total costs per family still hit an all-time high, according to a report released Tuesday by Seattle-based Milliman Inc.

Regulators provide guidance on summary of benefits rules

WASHINGTON—Adding additional certainty to previous guidance, federal regulators made clear last week that they will not impose financial penalties on employers that do not fully comply with health care reform law requirements that will…

Towers Watson to purchase Extend Health, operator of private health insurance exchanges

NEW YORK (Reuters)—Towers Watson & Co. said on Sunday it would buy Extend Health Inc., operator of the largest private Medicare exchange in the United States, to boost its health benefits offering for employers.

INSIGHTS & SOLUTIONS

Market Insights 2012: Captive Managers is a valuable resource for captive buyers and captive...
Opioid use and misuse by workers is a major concern for employers. An increasing number of workers...

BROKERS & INSURERS

New Business Insurance newsletter explains how insurers use technology

While the insurance industry is widely perceived as lagging compared with other financial services when it comes to adopting new technologies, that perception belies some innovative uses of leading-edge technologies throughout the insurance…

Specialty insurer Torus names Tim Harris as group CFO

LONDON—Torus Insurance Holdings Ltd. has named Tim Harris as group chief financial officer, the specialty insurer announced Tuesday.

China eases investment restrictions for insurers

SHANGHAI (Reuters)—China's insurance regulator will allow insurers to invest in a wider range of corporate bonds and relax limits on equity and real estate investment, granting them greater freedom to seek higher returns and play a stronger …

Former AIG CEO Greenberg eyes reversing N.Y. fraud case

NEW YORK (Reuters)—Former American International Group Inc. Chief Executive Maurice R. Greenberg said New York's attorney general should be barred from invoking a 91-year-old state law in a fraud case over two suspect reinsurance transactions.

MID-MARKET EXECUTIVE

EEOC to publish discrimination charge statistics online

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Equal Employment Commission said Monday it is making its private sector workplace discrimination charge statistics for each of the 50 states and U.S. territories available online for fiscal years 2009-2011.

Managing workplace violence requires crisis communication

The degree to which a mid-market company effectively manages internal and external communications may greatly affect its ability to recover physically and financially from a violent incident in the workplace, several security and risk management…

Workplace violence mitigated by emergency communications plan

With a well-organized, comprehensive emergency communications plan, mid-market companies can significantly reduce the risk of long-term physical, emotional and financial fallout resulting from a violent incident in the workplace, security and…

Unifirst could be fined $186,000 for 'willful,' 'serious' safety violations at plant

WEST CALDWELL, N.J.—A Massachusetts-based uniform and laundry services company could be forced to pay $186,000 for a number of “serious” and “willful” safety and health violations at one of its facilities, according…

WORKERS COMP

Workers compensation audit reviews can reveal costly errors

With workers compensation rates firming, some employers are pressing for reviews of their workers comp audits with an eye to lowering their premiums.

Cardinal Health reaches agreement with DEA over alleged controlled substance distribution

LAKELAND, Fla.—Cardinal Health Inc. reached an agreement with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency over allegations that its Lakeland, Fla., distribution center failed to ensure that controlled substances were not diverted for illegitimate uses.

Mississippi governor signs workers compensation reform bill

JACKSON, Miss.—Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law Monday a workers compensation reform bill that will require claimants to meet a higher burden of proof that their injuries were work-related.

New Solution Arc: Toughest Workers Comp Claims

With a relatively small percentage of workers comp claims responsible for a large proportion of employers' costs, how can workers comp managers better address those claims to yield big savings?

 

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