NHID postpones Frisbie hearing

New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner Roger Sevigny stated he needs more time to decide whether to hold a hearing regarding the small provider network for individuals purchasing health insurance through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Previously, Sevigny agreed to hear a complaint on April 9, 2014, from Margaret McCarthy, a patient at Frisbie Memorial Hospital, which was one of the 10 hospitals excluded from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s new PPACA network. However, on April 4, the commissioner pushed the decision to April 15, then pushed the decision to April 22. Sevigny’s decision to postpone the hearing comes as a response to Anthem, which argued that the patient’s request for a hearing was untimely, and that the New Hampshire Insurance Department mistakenly granted her standing to make her claim.  

N.H. Health Exchange Advisory Board meeting, May 9

The next meeting of the New Hampshire Health Exchange Advisory Board will take place on Friday, May 9, 2014, at 9:15 a.m., at Delta Dental of New Hampshire, Concord. All Advisory Board meetings are open to the public. For directions to Delta Dental, click here.  

N.H. speaker of the house to retire

After 18 years in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, including three terms acting as speaker, Terie Norelli announced Monday that she would retire, and not seek reelection in 2014. Norelli also serves as the immediate past president of National Conference of State Legisatures and present of the NCSL Foundation. In a statement, Gov. Maggie Hassan thanked Norelli for her nine terms of dedicated service and friendship.   

FEMA posts NFIP manual revisions

The revisions to the National Flood Insurance Program Flood Insurance Manual that will become effective on June 1, 2014, have been posted on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website. Included are: revised primary residence definition and new underwriting requirement to verify the eligibility for primary residence; clarification of rules regarding tenant’s coverage and only one policy per building; new maximum limits for Other Residential buildings; revised deductible amounts, deductible factors and changes to the minimum deductible; inclusion of the 2014 edition of the Residential Basement Floodproofing Certificate; new Renewal Notice requirement to include a message on the back of the Renewal Notice; revised Cancellation Reason Code 9; and updates to the Community Rating System Eligible Communities list.  

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FEMA implements Section 3 of HFIAA

In Bulletin W-14014, FEMA provides guidance on implementing Section 3 of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014. No longer will properties that are primary residences and businesses be charged full-risk rates when subject to a Pre-Flood Insurance Rate Map. HFIAA requires FEMA and Write-Your-Own companies to restore Pre-FIRM subsidized rates for the following properties: (a) Pre-FIRM properties that were not insured when Biggert-Waters was enacted; (b) Pre-FIRM properties that were sold after Biggert-Waters was enacted; and (c) policies for Pre-FIRM properties that were rated full-risk under Biggert-Waters due to a lapse in coverage. Effective May 1, 2014, FEMA is requiring the use of appropriate Oct. 1, 2013, Pre-FIRM Rate Tables.  

New hurricane forecast maps to show flood risk

On June 1, 2014, national forecasters plan to roll out new color-coded broadcast maps, in tandem with the opening of the Atlantic hurricane season. The maps, which are the result of experience and polling, will geographically show the potential for flooding as a result of storm surges. Historically, Americans living on vulnerable coastlines have paid more attention to hurricane wind strength, and not flooding, when deciding to evacuate. These maps aim to help residents understand how flooding can potentially affect them. More … America’s PrepareAthon!, a campaign to improve the nation’s resilience will take place Wednesday, April 30, 2014. For more information, click here.  

HUD to consider spending Sandy relief on other disaster areas

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is considering spending more than $1 billion of the remaining $3.6 billion, designated for Sandy relief, in other areas of the country affected by other disasters. More …  

U.S. senators announce TRIA extension legislation

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators announced they have reached an agreement on legislation to reauthorize and extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which is set to expire at the end of 2014. Under the new legislation, the program would be extended for an additional seven years. It will include two changes (regarding co-pays and recoupment) to the current program that will be phased in over five years. More … A RAND Corp. study released April 10 supports TRIA’s reauthorization, and found that an extension would prevent the federal government from spending an estimated additional $1.5 billion to $7.2 billion in the event of a terrorist act on the U.S. More …  

Marsh survey: TRIPRA reauthorization imperative

In the 2014 Terrorism Risk Insurance Report released yesterday, Marsh found that the existence of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act—TRIPRA, or, more commonly known as TRIA—is essential in making terrorism-insurance coverage both available and affordable. According to the report, the amount of companies remained constant since 2009, and pricing stable. However, uncertainty over TRIPRA's pending expiration is negatively impacting the availability and price of coverage. Other findings included that construction companies paid the most for terrorism insurance in 2013, while health-care companies paid the least; education organizations purchased property terrorism insurance at a higher rate than other industries; and that Massachusetts had the highest property terrorism insurance take-up rates. More …  

FIO to look into auto-insurance affordability

The Federal Insurance Office has initiated a study that will look into the affordability of auto insurance. According to a notice posted in the Federal Register, the FIO is seeking comments by June 9, 2014, from state insurance regulators, consumer organizations, representatives of the insurance industry, policyholders, academia and others. Specifically, the FIO seeks comments regarding the definition of "affordability," as well as the metrics and data the FIO should use to monitor access to affordable auto insurance. More … While recognizing the FIO’s authority to monitor underserved communities and consumers, minorities and low- and moderate-income persons’ access to affordable insurance products, PIA opposes FIO preemption of state insurance oversight, whether optional or mandatory, and opposes any expansion of the FIO’s responsibilities or authority. To that end, PIA encourages the FIO to work closely with state insurance departments in the development of this study.  

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ISO/PCI analyze 2013 p/c insurers’ performance

The Insurance Services Office Inc. and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America published a press release on private U.S. property/casualty insurers’ performance in 2013. P/C insurers’ net income after taxes grew to $63.8 billion in 2013 from $35.1 billion in 2012. The combined ratio—a key measure of losses and other underwriting expenses per dollar of premium—improved to 96.1 percent for 2013 from 102.9 percent for 2012. The swing to net gains on underwriting is attributable to premium growth and a drop in net losses and loss adjustment expenses, but were partially offset by increases in underwriting expenses and dividends to policyholders.  

AAIS identifies five new states with e-policy laws

The American Association of Insurance Services Inc. announced that five states (Indiana, Iowa, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming) recently enacted laws to allow insurers to post policy forms, endorsements and other documents on a website, or transmit them electronically, in lieu of mailing them to insureds. These laws follow a series of similar measures enacted in several states in 2013, and more states are expected to follow suit before the end of this year’s legislative sessions. The laws are not fashioned after a single model law, leading to a great variation from state to state in the phrasing of requirements.  

Indemnity Insurance Corp. RRG in liquidation

An Order of Liquidation for Indemnity Insurance Corp. RRG was entered on April 10, 2014, by the Delaware Chancery Court. Indemnity Insurance Corp. RRG is hereby declared to be in an unsound condition and to continue to transact insurance in this condition is hazardous to its policyholders. The order states all insurance policies will remain in force until the earlier of the following events: Stated expiration of the policies, effective date coverage is replaced with another carrier or all insurance policies cancel on April 18, 2014, or the 30th calendar day from the date of this order, whichever is later. The bar date for any and all claims must be filed with the receiver prior to the close of business on Jan. 16, 2015. Federal law prohibits a guaranty fund from backing risk-retention groups. For a copy of the liquidation order, click here.  

Ask PIA: Employee vs. independent contractor—statutory definition

Q. What are the conditions that must exist before the presumption that a worker is an employee can be overcome? A. There are 12 conditions listed in Section 281-A of the New Hampshire Workers’ Compensation Law (as amended by Chapter 362 of the Laws of 2007; effective Jan. 1, 2008). For an outline of these conditions, as well as a more comprehensive answer to this question, click here. To access our entire Ask PIA library of frequently asked questions and expert answers by PIA’s technical staff, click here.  

PIA’s Custom Class: Education when and where you want it

With the PIA member-exclusive Custom Class program, your employees get tailored, targeted knowledge and continuing-education credit without leaving the office. Get more value out of the time and money your agency or company is investing in CE when you plan a program to suit your needs. With PIA Custom Class, all licensed insurance professionals in your agency or company earn CE credits at the same time, at substantial cost savings. And, they’ll gain important knowledge specific to your business’s operations that they can start implementing immediately. PIA can help you create a winning spirit throughout your business while staying up-to-date with state licensing requirements. More …   

PIA Company Representation Survey

Your response is needed for PIA’s Company Representation Survey. The information obtained from this year’s survey is important to us. It allows PIANH to keep members informed on company activities that have a direct impact on your agency, such as an insurer insolvency, merger or acquisition or the benefit of PIA’s Company Rating Tracking Service. Please take a few minutes now to complete the personalized survey you received in the mail, and return it to PIANH’s Industry Resource Center by emailing it to resourcecenter@pia.org or faxing it to (888) 225-6935. If you do not have a copy of your survey, contact PIANH’s Industry Resource Center at (800) 424-4244.   

Upcoming Webinars

Additional upcoming Webinars include the following: Top Ten Personal Lines Endorsements (Tuesday, May 6, from 10-11 a.m., NHCEU: 1 GEN PRO); Long-Term Care Insurance (Tuesday, May 13, from 10-11 a.m., NHCEU: 1 GEN PRO); Top Ten Commercial Lines Endorsements (Thursday, May 29, from 10-11 a.m., NHCEU: 1 GEN PRO); E&O Hotspots … 2014 and Beyond^{^FF^UM} (Tuesday, June 17, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., NHCEU: 3 GEN PRO); and Agency Staffing, Performance and Job Evaluations (Tuesday, June 24, from 10-11 a.m., NHCEU: N/A). ^{^FF^UM}—This course has been approved for E&O loss-prevention credit by Fireman’s Fund and Utica Mutual. Call the PIA E&O Department for details at (800) 424-4244. For more information or to register, click here.  

Activities that require a license

The NHID follows the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ standards with regard to what activities do and do not require a producer license. To review these specific activities, access QS28055.  

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