NU Online News Service, Jan. 22, 3:20 p.m.EST

Relief efforts by the insurance industry to help victims of thecatastrophic 7.0 earthquake in Haiti continue to grow, withannouncements of donations by The Travelers, CPCU Society, Crawford& Company and the Risk and Insurance Management Society.

The Travelers Foundation said it is sending $50,000 to theAmerican Red Cross to assist relief efforts. It also has created aspecial disaster relief matching program to match employeedonations up to $50,000. Travelers employees may contribute between$25 and $500 to the Haitian earthquake relief efforts through theAmerican Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, International RescueCommittee, Save the Children, UNICEF or the Clinton Bush Haiti Fundand have their contributions matched, the company said.

"Our hearts go out to the Haitian people as they face theaftermath of this natural disaster," said Marlene Ibsen, chiefexecutive officer and president of the Travelers Foundation.

The CPCU Society said it has established a special fund to aidvictims of the Haiti earthquake. By a unanimous resolution of itsboard of directors, the Society also committed itself to match thecontributions of its members and chapters up to $25,000. The fundswill be donated to the Clinton/Bush Haiti Fund of former PresidentsBill Clinton and George W. Bush.

"The Society's members hold a vast array of positions in theproperty and casualty insurance industry, including as agents,brokers, underwriters, risk managers, adjusters, accountants andattorneys," explained Society CEO James R. Marks. "As such they arekeenly sensitive to tragic events, and deeply sympathetic with thesuffering of the Haitian people."

The CPCU Society noted it is reprising a similar program itcarried out in 2005, when it raised $60,000 for the American RedCross to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Society members and chapters have been asked to submit theircontributions by Feb. 19.

Crawford & Company said it has contributed $10,000 toDoctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) to aid thegroup's medical relief efforts in Haiti.

"Due to the nature of our business, we have witnessed first-handthe ongoing crisis in Haiti caused by last week's earthquake," saidJeffrey T. Bowman, Crawford's president and CEO. "Because of thecritical need for medical care, we believe that a contribution toDoctors Without Borders will be the most effective one we can makeat this time."

According to the MSF Web site (www.doctorswithoutborders.com),the organization is currently operating in a number of locations inand around the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. More than 1,500patients have received treatment at a hospital in Martissant, andMSF also recently began working in Port-au-Prince's GeneralHospital. After delays, the construction of an inflatable hospitalalso has begun.

"This is a disaster of unimaginable proportions for the peopleof Haiti, and indeed, for a number of our employees who havesuffered the loss of loved ones in this terrible tragedy. Weencourage our employees who are able to do so to considercontributing to this relief organization or others of their choiceto support the efforts being made in Haiti," Mr. Bowman said.

RIMS also announced it has made a donation of $10,000 to the RedCross to support emergency relief and recovery efforts for thoseaffected by the earthquake in Haiti.

RIMS encouraged others to donate to this important cause andrecommended that potential donors review tips for safe andefficient donations by the New York Times: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/tips-for-safe-and-efficient-giving-to-help-haiti/.