Archive for February, 2011

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Workers’ Comp In Illinois: No Lawyer Required

February 17th, 2011 by Iris | Comments Off | Filed in workers compensation insurance

Want to hear something scary? Workers in Illinois have received thousands of tax-free dollars in workers’ compensation with what amounts to a doctor’s note.

According to a report in the Belleville News-Democrat, cases that have involved wrist or elbow issues with municipal and private workers have been resolved without the affected worker needing surgery, treatment, or even legal representation.

Information from the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission database reveals that 95% of 3,500 private and public workers outside the city of Chicago who chose not to hire lawyers received settlements in 2010 without any of the usual administration process – a process which takes weeks or months everywhere else in the country.

The database did not list awards by any of the fifteen arbitrators based in Chicago.

According to the commissions chairperson, going forward uncontested claims will not be approved until after they’ve been assigned a case number, logged into the database, and subjected to public review.

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Spring Fire Season Begins in Virginia

February 16th, 2011 by Iris | Comments Off | Filed in fire insurance

On Tuesday the State of Virginia enacted a ban on the outdoor burning of brush, officially marking the beginning of the spring fire season, which runs through April.

According to state law, burning anything withing 300 feet of woodlands, fields, or any other possible fuel source is also prohibited.

Violators face a fine of up to $500. Anyone allowing a fire to escape is liable for the cost of fighting to fire, as well as any damage to others’ property.

According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, last year’s fire season saw 897 separate fires which burned roughly 8,500 acres.

Whether or not you live in Virginia, or plan to burn brush, it’s a good idea to mark the beginning of fire season by evaluating your fire insurance coverage.

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In Brief: Oregon Helmet Law Modifications?

February 15th, 2011 by Iris | 1 Comment | Filed in auto insurance, insurance news

The state of Oregon currently requires all motorcycle riders to wear helmets, regardless of age or type of bike.

Twenty members of the Oregon legislature want to change that. Specifically, they believe only bikers under the age of 21 should be required to wear helmets.

State Representative Andy Olson (R) sponsored a bill to relax motorcycle helmet law in just that way, House Bill 2141, because he feels that without helmets riders will be able to better see and hear what is around them on the road.

The measure is headed to the House Transportation and Economic Development Committee.

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California Fault Lines go Online

February 14th, 2011 by Iris | Comments Off | Filed in earthquake insurance

If you’re thinking about moving to (or within) California, and are curious about where your prospective dwelling is, in relation to fault lines, there’s good news for you. As long as you have Internet access you now have the ability to find out whether or not the place you want to live is on a fault.

The California Geological Survey has announced the posting of its fault zone maps to the ‘net for the first time. Until now the 547 maps were only available in paper or disc formats.

California state geologist John Parish explained that his agency uses Google Maps’ address-matching capabilities to link users to the right map for a specific property.

It’s already required by state law that home buyers be informed of whether or not the home they wish to purchase lies in an earthquake fault zone.

It should be noted that having this information on the net does not affect the need for earthquake insurance.

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Friday Filmstrips: Swimming Pool Liability

February 11th, 2011 by Iris | Comments Off | Filed in homeowners insurance

When you’re a homeowner with a swimming pool, having adequate liability insurance as part of your homeowners coverage is crucial, even in winter. Why? Just watch this video.

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CNA SPLASHes Into Texas

February 10th, 2011 by Iris | Comments Off | Filed in insurance news, insurance specialists

Most of us in Texas have ice in our pools this week, which makes this information more timely than you might think. SPLASH – the Spa & Pool Contractors Program from CNA – has been expanded into the Texas middle market.

The SPLASH program offers insurance coverage for a variety of customers including pool plasters, installers and builders of swimming pools, spas and hot tubs, and for service, maintenance and repair work (like cleaning, resurfacing, winterizing, etc.) done exlcusively for the swimming pool and hot tub industry. Both wholesale and retail operations that meet the requirements are eligible under the new Middle Market program.

Recently, the Northeast Spa and Pool Association (NESPA), an organization with more than fifty years’ history of safety education for its members, endorsed CNA. The insurer is working with NESPA to create specialized risk control programs that specifically address the needs of the swimming pool and hot tub industry.

CNA has also been providing support – including educational programs and employee training – to organizations such as the NESPA Foundation, the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP) and the Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA).

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Oregon Has Lowest Workers’ Comp Year Ever, Still Above National Average

February 9th, 2011 by Iris | Comments Off | Filed in insurance news, workers compensation insurance

Great news for workers’ compensation administrators in Oregon: private sector work-related injuries and illnesses there were only 4.4 per 100 full-time employees during the 2009 calendar year, making it the lowest recorded total ever.

Oregonians files 48,304 work related injury cases in 2009, 52.6 percent of which resulted in lost work time (including days away from work, restricted hours/duties, or transfers), according to the 2010 Report on the Oregon Workers’ Compensation System.

The report, which is published annually by the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) , found that the DART rate (days away from work, restriction, or job transfer) was 2.3 for private sector cases in 2009, as compared to a rate of 1.9 for state government and 2.8 for local government workers. Overall, the public sector DART rate was 2.5. The highest DART rate among specific industry divisions was recorded by transportation and warehousing, with a rare of 4.8, while finance and insurance came in with the lowest rate of 0.1.

Because the state of Oregon has a higher-than-average proportion of its workforce in industries considered “hazardous” – at least according to the DCBS – Oregon’s total incidence rate of workers’ compensation cases exceeds the national rate by 22.2 percent, and the state’s DART rate is 27.8 percent above the national average. The number of illnesses and injuries reported in any given year are influenced by a variety of factors, including working conditions, worker experience and training, the state of the economy and the number of hours worked.

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