Business Insurance - Web News http://businessinsurance.com/section/news http://www.businessinsurance.com en-us Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:10:53 EST 10 U.S. regulators see no need for enhanced insurer capital http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS04/130619789 20130618/NEWS04/130619789 (Reuters) — Insurers should not be forced to hold extra capital just because of their size, because the extra cost would simply be passed on to consumers, U.S. regulators said Tuesday. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:30:00 EST SEC charges 2 with operating medical insurance Ponzi scheme http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS07/130619790 20130618/NEWS07/130619790 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged two founders of a medical insurer with operating a Ponzi scheme. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:33:09 EST Employers need to offer health cover to keep best employees: Aflac exec http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS03/130619791 20130618/NEWS03/130619791 CHICAGO — Employers need to educate their employees about health care plan changes required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, said Paul S. Amos II, president of Aflac Inc. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:20:46 EST Group health plan costs seen rising 5.4% this year: Analysis http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS03/130619792 20130618/NEWS03/130619792 Group health care plan costs are expected to increase an average of 5.4% in 2013 and 4.5% in 2014, a slight moderation from prior years as employer actions and health care market developments help hold down those increases. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:11:19 EST Canada to make offshore oil producers pay more for spills http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS07/130619793 20130618/NEWS07/130619793 (Reuters) — The Canadian government said on Tuesday it will raise the liability for oil spill cleanups off the country's east and Arctic coasts to 1 billion Canadian dollars ($981.7 million), a more than 25-fold increase from its prior limit. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST More employers offer contraceptive, same-sex benefits: SHRM study http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS03/130619794 20130618/NEWS03/130619794 The percentage of employers that cover contraceptives in their group health benefit plans has risen more than 16 percentage points in the past five years, according to a report by the Society for Human Resource Management. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:43:15 EST Chrysler relents, will recall 2.7M Jeeps on fuel tank issue http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS06/130619795 20130618/NEWS06/130619795 (Reuters) — Chrysler Group L.L.C. gave in to government pressure and said it would recall 2.7 million older Jeep models, after initially fighting a recall request from U.S. regulators. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST PPACA may cause some midsize, large firms to reduce part-timers' hours http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS05/130619796 20130618/NEWS05/130619796 Nearly one in five midsize and large U.S. employers plans to reduce their part-time staffers' hours in order to minimize exposure to coverage mandates under the health care reform law, according to new research. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:19:40 EST Groups urge more workplace protections for pregnant women http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS07/130619797 20130618/NEWS07/130619797 Women continue to experience significant workplace pregnancy discrimination, concludes a report by two women’s groups that calls for more legislation in this area. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:50:22 EST Social Security disability applications fall, but payments rise: Survey http://businessinsurance.com/article/20130618/NEWS08/130619798 20130618/NEWS08/130619798 While the number of long-term disability claimants fell slightly in 2012, total claim payments among member disability insurers grew for a fifth straight year to $9.4 billion, the Council for Disability Awareness said Tuesday. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:36:25 EST