NHID updates list of health-care providers

The New Hampshire Insurance Department has updated its listing of health-care provider networks available through 2015 insurance plans sold on the federally facilitated New Hampshire Health Insurance Marketplace. The updated network list includes information on the service area of each network, the participating hospitals and a list of Essential Community Providers in each network. More …  

NHID approves NCCI loss costs as filed

The NHID issued its final rate order on the National Council on Compensation Insurance workers’ compensation loss cost and assigned risk rate filing. The overall voluntary loss-cost level change of -5.9 percent was approved as filed. An overall premium level change for the assigned risk rate-change of -7.1 percent was approved in lieu of the filed -5.5 percent. These loss costs and rates are effective Jan. 1, 2015, for new and renewal policies. More …  

Public hearing on N.H. Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association, Dec. 4

The NHID will host a public hearing on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014, in Room A at the Public Utilities Commission in the Walker Building, Concord, at 10 a.m. The hearing is being conducted at the recommendation of the Commission to Study the New Hampshire Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association, and will discuss if medical malpractice is "readily available" in the commercial market, and, if it is not readily available, how it may become available on a guaranteed-issue basis. More …  

Network Adequacy Working Group meeting, Dec. 9

The NHID will reconvene its Network Adequacy Working Group on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014, in Room 100 of the Walker Building, Concord, from 2-4 p.m. The group was designed to revise the current state rules that set out minimum standards for healthcare providers’ networks associated with health insurance plans, including those offered through New Hampshire’s federally operated marketplace. More …  

Sevigny: NAIC narrowing choices to examine corporate governance

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has begun to narrow its choice of an independent vendor to examine NAIC’s corporate governance practices. According to New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner Roger Sevigny, a final selection is possible in early December. More …  

NHDOL and USDOL coordinate to prevent employee misclassification

Officials from the U.S. Department of Labor and the New Hampshire Department of Labor have signed a memorandum of understanding with the goal of protecting the rights of employees by preventing their misclassification as something other than employees, such as independent contractors or other nonemployee statuses. Under this agreement, both agencies will share information and coordinate law enforcement. The memorandum of understanding represents a new effort on the part of the agencies to work together to protect the rights of employees and level the playing field for responsible employers by reducing the practice of misclassification. The New Hampshire Department of Labor is the latest state agency to partner with the Labor Department. More …  

NAIC, NHID advise consumers (re)enrolling in state health exchanges

NAIC released a consumer alert to help consumers who bought insurance through the Health Exchange last year, or are considering buying from the exchange this year. The alert outlines the basics; information about last year’s enrollment; what’s new to the exchange; multistate plans; coverage options; and more. The NHID also has supplied information regarding the state’s 2015 health insurance marketplace. More …  

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U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments on PPACA subsidies

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments on the part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that concerns tax subsidies and whether they are illegal in three dozen states. Currently, these subsidies help some people afford health insurance under the law. Without the subsidies, most people would be exempt from penalties and only states that have built their own exchanges would have an enforceable mandate. The case is likely to be argued in February or March, with a decision to follow in June. More …  

Senator calls for investigation of Sandy insurance claims

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to take immediate action to address potential widespread manipulation of flood insurance claims of Sandy victims last week. A federal judge in New York recently found that flood insurance providers have engaged in a pervasive practice of tasking firms to issue "baseless report[s]" in order to reduce the amount of money provided to policyholders. In his ruling, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Brown found a Write-Your-Own insurance company engaged in "reprehensible gamesmanship" against disaster victims and "that these unprincipled practices may be widespread." More …  

Congress talks TRIA extension

With the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act set to expire at the end of this year, Congress is making reauthorization a priority during this lame-duck session. It appears that both a short-term and long-term extension of the program are being considered by Congress. Recently U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., joined House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in supporting a short-term extension of TRIA for six to 12 months. While Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Johnson, D-S.D., has asked U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to speak with U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chair Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, to find a compromise between the Senate and House on a long-term TRIA extension. Congress is set to adjourn Dec. 12, 2014.  

AAIS files data-breach liability exclusions

The American Association of Insurance Services Inc. is initiating a multistate filing of "Data Breach Liability" exclusions under its commercial liability programs. Upon approval, insurers using the AAIS Artisans, Commercial Liability, and Commercial Umbrella programs will have the option to exclude liability coverage for losses arising from an insured’s legal liability for unauthorized disclosure of or access to private or confidential information of any person or organization. There are essentially two types of exclusions being filed: 1.) A mandatory endorsement excludes coverage for bodily injury, property damage and personal and advertising injury arising from an insured’s legal liability for unauthorized disclosure of or access to private or confidential information of any person or organization. 2.) An optional alternative endorsement excludes coverage only for personal and advertising injury, considered to be the largest loss exposures following a data breach. For more, go here.  

Ride sharing: Fatal crash to test Lyft’s $1M insurance policy

A fatal accident that took place on Halloween night outside Sacramento, Calif., will test Lyft’s $1 million liability policy. This is the first time a Lyft passenger has died in an accident. The fault of the accident has yet to be determined. More … Meanwhile other states, such as Florida, seemed to have welcomed ride sharing. More …  

NCCI publishes workers’ compensation financials update

The National Council on Compensation Insurance issued its The State of the Line—a comprehensive report of financial results for the workers’ compensation line of business. View the complete report here.  

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Ask PIA: Settlement of auto total loss

Q. A client was involved in an automobile accident and his vehicle was determined to be a total loss. The carrier gave the client an estimate that he thinks is too low. All attempts to contact the carrier to discuss this issue have been met with silence. Is there anything my client can do? A. Yes. For 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.  

Looking to value your agency?

PIA’s Circle of Consultants Program offers access to several consultants dealing in agency valuations and many offer association members a free phone consultation or discount on their hourly rate. The program also offers access to numerous other consultants specializing in areas including, but not limited to, agency planning, automation, ethics, environmental assessment, financial planning, legal, marketing, personnel management, jewelry/fine arts appraisals, risk management, risk retention and sales management.  

PIA’s Custom Class: CE 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 current with state licensing requirements. More …  

Upcoming PIANH Webinars

PIANH will offer the following Webinars in the next few months: Exploring the Personal Umbrella/Excess Policy (Friday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., NHCEU: 3 GEN PRO); Ethics—Something Worth Pursuing (Tuesday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., NHCEU: 3 ETHICS PRO); The National Flood Insurance Program Revised and Updated (Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m.-noon, NHCEU: 1 GEN PRO); Top Ten Commercial Lines Endorsements (Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 10-11 a.m., NHCEU: 1 GEN PRO); Coverage Abbreviations: OCP, K&R, COP/MOP, OCIP/CCIP, KMI (Tuesday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., NHCEU: 3 GEN PRO); Key E&O Issues that Every Agent Should be Thinking About^{^FF^UM} (Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., NHCEU: 3 GEN PRO); Cyber Liability—Why the Need? (Friday, Jan. 30, from 10-11 a.m., NHCEU: 1 GEN INS PRIN); and Key E&O Issues that Every Agent Should be Thinking About^{^FF^UM}(Tuesday, April 28, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., NHCEU: 3 GEN PRO). ^{^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.  

PIA-member webinar on social-media strategies and bottom-line business results

PIA National will host a free webinar called Developing Social Media Strategies for Your Agency for Bottom-Line Business Results. This webinar, which is available only to PIA members, will be held Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, starting at 2 p.m. Taught by Ted Janusz and PIA, this webinar will explain how participants can learn to use social media in their agency to form relationships with their clients and prospects and increase sales. For more information, or to register, click here.  

Customer bankruptcy concerns

What can you do when a client files bankruptcy? When you receive notification of the bankruptcy, you also should receive a proof of claim form. Take the time to complete it and return it to the bankruptcy court by certified mail. Filing this form ensures that if there is money to distribute to your class of creditors, you may be eligible for a portion of your money. To learn more on how to handle a client bankruptcy, access QS90159 in PIA’s QuickSource library.  

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