PIANY calls on members to help pass certificates of insurance reform bill

After meeting with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s staff for the second time in two weeks to advocate for the governor’s favorable consideration of the association’s top-priority certificates of insurance bill (A.9590 Morelle/S.6545-A Seward), PIANY calls on members to contact their New York state representatives in both the Senate and Assembly to ask them to write letters to the governor, supporting his signing of the bill, which passed both houses of the state Legislature. More … Please help us show strong, broad-based support for the bill today.  

Register now: Hudson Valley RAP, Nov. 6

If you live, work or have business on either side of the Tappan Zee Bridge (or anywhere in the Hudson Valley), you won’t want to miss this year’s locally focused, industry-specific Hudson Valley Regional Awareness Program, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014, at the Doubletree Hotel, Tarrytown. Keynote speaker Rockland County Executive Ed Day will discuss how insurance policies are taking a part in the Hudson Valley’s biggest reconstruction project of the century. Meet markets and vendors that will help your business and earn continuing-education credits that will keep you up to date on Labor Law 240/241a and your errors-and-omissions exposures when covering construction projects. For more information or to register, click here.  

Seen: PIANY members take part in Downstate Association bowling tournament

(LEFT TO RIGHT) PIANY Immediate past President Alan Plafker, CPIA; PIANY-YIP Active past President Mike Loguercio PIANY-YIP; PIANY-YIP President-elect Jason Bartow; and Secretary and Treasurer Tim Madden represented your association in a bowling tournament and networking reception hosted by the Downstate Insurance Association's Council this week, Sept. 16., at Bowlmor Lanes, Melville.  

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Rating Board amends the manual

R.C. Bulletin No. 2372 announces that the New York Workers Compensation & Employers Liability Manual has been amended regarding clarifications to the rules associated with the New York Construction Classification Premium Adjustment Program effective Oct. 1, 2014. This amendment provides an update to the language under Manual Rule IX I. 1., which clarifies the requirements for obtaining a credit under the NYCCPAP. The new language specifies that an insured must be experience rated and satisfy the hourly wage requirement to qualify for the program. R.C. Bulletin No. 2371 announces an amendment to the manual regarding clarification of the Expense Constant rule for multistate policies effective Oct. 1, 2014. This change clarifies the treatment of the Expense Constant on multistate policies when states are either added or deleted during the policy term. The clarification specifies that the expense constant that is on the policy, as of its effective date, would apply to the entire policy period and any adjustments for added or deleted states would be made at policy renewal.  

Cuomo announces more than $1.9B in storm resilience funding

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York State expects to receive $1.915 billion in storm resiliency funding from the Federal Transit Administration. The funding will support the governor’s goal of improving the state’s ability to build back in the aftermath of major storms. More …  

LRANY Annual Meeting and Scaffold Law Reform Summit, Nov. 19

The Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York will hold its inaugural Annual Meeting and Scaffold Law Reform Summit on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Holiday Inn Wolf Road, Albany. The organization’s first summit will include morning educational seminars, a luncheon with a film screening, updates on LRANY’s work reducing lawsuit abuse, afternoon panel discussions focused on Scaffold Law reform and an evening network reception. More …  

FEMA extends limited waiver of the Single Adjuster Program

In Bulletin W-14051, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reiterates earlier guidance to WYO Principal Coordinators and the National Flood Insurance Program Direct Servicing Agent with regard to a limited waiver of the Single Adjuster Program, which was given in Bulletin W-12050. During this limited waiver period, FEMA no longer required or authorized one adjuster to concurrently adjust both wind and NFIP flood losses. The original waiver announced in Bulletin W-13040 was in effect for one year, beginning Aug. 13, 2012, and was extended through Dec. 31, 2014. The purpose of this bulletin is to extend this limited waiver for an additional time period beginning on Jan. 1, 2015, and ending on Dec. 31, 2015.  

TRIA renewal may be delayed past November elections

Even though the U.S. Senate has passed its own version of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act renewal, The U.S. House of Representatives has not considered an extension bill (H.R.4871) passed by the House Financial Services Committee in June. Congress is expected to recess on Sept. 19, 2014, through the midterm elections in November. The current version of TRIA will sunset Dec. 31, 2014. More …  

U.S. House passes insurance capital bill

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to amend the 2010 Dodd-Frank law to provide the U.S. Federal Reserve with greater flexibility in setting new capital rules for insurance companies. More … What this means for agents: This change would grant the Federal Reserve flexibility in the treatment of insurance companies under the Dodd-Frank Act. More …  

OSHA: New rules for reporting worker injuries

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced a final rule requiring employers to notify OSHA when an employee is killed on the job or suffers a work-related hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye. The rule, which also updates the list of employers partially exempt from OSHA record-keeping requirements, will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2015, for workplaces under federal OSHA jurisdiction. More …  

Update on Tower

A.M. Best has upgraded the financial strength rating to "B-" (Fair) from "C" (Weak) and the issuer credit ratings to "bb-" from "ccc" of the former members of the Tower US Pool and CastlePoint Reinsurance Co. Ltd. Additionally, A.M. Best has revised the implications on the under-review status for these ratings to positive from developing. Finally, A.M. Best has withdrawn the ICR of "c" of the intermediate holding company, Tower Group Inc. It also has withdrawn the ICR of "c" of the ultimate holding company, Tower Group International Ltd. More …   

Nationwide announces restructuring to one brand

Nationwide has announced it is aligning all of its property/casualty agency businesses of its former Nationwide Insurance and Allied Group operations under one new office—Nationwide P&C Agency Operations. The company also is restructuring its commercial- and personal-lines product organization and sales organization.  

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Getting ready for annual performance appraisals? Think PIA first

Many businesses conduct annual employee performance reviews and update or create job descriptions for their agency employees at this time of year. To help PIA members, PIA’s HR Info Central offers the tools you need, from sample job descriptions right down to performance appraisal tools (e.g., a sample meeting checklist, self-evaluation form to goal-setting forms) to complete the process. Designed specifically for the HR manager in your agency, PIA HR Info Central offers access to a wealth of tools, including: information to assist you in developing your agency personnel manual; an HR administrator’s guide; common forms, information on federal and state labor laws and more. If you are interested in more information, register for the PIANY Webinar: Agency Staffing, Performance and Job Evaluation on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014, from 10-11 a.m. NYCE: N/A.  

Additional upcoming PIANY Webinars

In addition to the Webinar on agency staffing, PIANY will offer the following Webinars in the next few months: E&O Hotspots … 2014 and Beyond^{^FF^UM} (Thursday, Oct. 16, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., NYCE: 3 BR, C3, LB, C1, LSB, LA, PC, PA); Top Ten Personal Lines Endorsements (Tuesday, Oct. 21, from 10-11 a.m., NYCE: 1 BR, C3, PC, PA); and Ethics—Something Worth Pursuing (Tuesday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., NYCE: 3BR, C1, C3, LA, LB, LSB, PA, PC). ^{^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.  

General liability policy required, operations coverage not included

Just because there is no operations exclusion on the Business Auto Policy, do not assume your client has coverage for the operation of equipment attached to mobile equipment, which now requires coverage as an auto. The Industry Resource Center provides an article that discusses the different exclusions when covering mobile equipment. To obtain a copy, access QS31381 in PIA’s QuickSource library.  

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