Claims Magazine August 2009
Cover Story
Aftermarket Parting Sorrows
Nearly four years ago, the Illinois Supreme Court dealt what many perceived to be a fatal blow to a wave of putative class actions concerning automobile insurers' specification of non-original equipment manufacturer parts. That may be changing.
Features
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Nature and Nurture
Today's workforce spans four generations, each with its own characteristics, work styles, and motivators. So if you are treating a 50-year-old claim manager the same as his 23-year-old employees, your work environment could be a loss waiting to happen.
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Coming Out in the Wash
As the textile restoration niche has gained recognition as a viable component of the prop-erty claim process, the procedures for handling specific types of losses have become more refined and standardized.
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Just in Time
One of the new technology buzzwords in the industry is performance support, an ad-vanced knowledge-management approach that addresses major training and knowledge-management concerns of claim departments globally.
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Hospitality 101
With the downward shift in our economy, economists are telling business owners that the best thing they can do to increase business is to improve the level of customer service provided. That includes temp housing.
Columns
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Managing e-Discovery Costs
In litigation, the discovery process has always been expensive. With computers and digital technology, though, there are added layers of complexity and cost. Discovery no longer involves just reviewing boxes and boxes of papers.
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Hitting the ESC Button
The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) has mandated the inclusion of electronic stability control (ESC) on all vehicles less than 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight sold in the U.S. by the 2012 model year.
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The Depth of Suffering
"I've never been in so much pain in my life." When the claim adjuster hears these famous words but the trauma that led to the claim was minor, believability becomes the issue.
Departments
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Messing with Mother Nature
Has the economy finally affected everybody -- and everything? Did Mother Nature take a mandated furlough in June and July, content to work on her tan while sipping mojitos on the beaches of Miami?
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P&C Industry to Congress: No Oversight Needed
The property/casualty insurance industry does not pose a systemic risk and should not be subject to any new federal systemic authority, according to recent testimony from two major insurance industry associations.
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Calif. Plan to Downgrade Crimes Opposed
A proposal by Governor Schwarzenegger to downgrade various crimes from felony to misdemeanor status is drawing heavy scrutiny.
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Nationwide Settles Class Action
Thousands of policyholders may be eligible for payments as a result of a class-action settlement between Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and several other affiliated companies.
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Speaking Of: Technology Implementation
Karen Pauli authored a recent research note that provides an illuminating overview of the five technologies most sustainable for insurance carriers' business operations in 2009 and into 2010.
