Claims Magazine March 2009
Cover Story
Spring Break
Spring is a time of growth, renewal, and opportunity, and nowhere is that more true for claim professionals than at the Property Loss Research Bureau/Liability Insurance Research Bureau's (PLRB/LIRB) annual claims conference.
Features
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The Role of Biomechanics
In every personal injury case, it is necessary to establish proof of the cause and effect relationship between an accident and the plaintiff's claimed injuries.
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Explosive Situations
It's been said that people love to hate insurance companies. Claim handlers have become so familiar with customer complaints that many feel they are unavoidable. That's not necessarily true, though.
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Eternal Vigilance
They're not big fraud cases by any means, but that doesn't mean they're not noteworthy.
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Hail Storm Losses
From Jan. 1, 2008 through Dec. 29, 2008, the U.S. National Weather Service received more than 13,700 reports of hail sightings and 15,166 reports of high or excessive winds.
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Fencing in Long-Tail Claims
As all claim executives know, much of the real work comes long after insurance policies are sold and the brokers' celebratory signing lunches have faded from memory.
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It's Not Just Technology
As profitability pressures on property/casualty insurance carriers continue to increase, innovative insurers are turning their focus inward with back-to-basics initiatives to improve efficiency in their core operations.
Columns
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Flying Under the Radar
In late 2008, the trade group formerly known as American Trial Lawyers Association -- now the American Association for Justice (AAJ) -- released its list of the 10 worst insurance companies.
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Coverage Clues
The other week, I was talking with a claim specialist about the freakish weather of recent months and the sure-to-follow influx of claims.
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Mergers and Acquisitions
Property and casualty claims used to be the kind of career that could last a lifetime. Experience was king and loyalty was highly rewarded. Today, however, the business climate has changed.
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Spies Among Us
Back in 1976 while editor of The Claimsman, the monthly newsletter of the South Florida Claims Association, I pitched the idea of a "George Bureau" in one of my editorials.
Departments
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2008 Catastrophes to Cost $25.2 Billion
The property losses sustained this past year from 37 catastrophes -- the highest frequency in a decade -- will likely cost U.S. P&C insurers billions of dollars.
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The Future for Litigation Management
The Council on Litigation Management (CLM) hasn't been around for years, but what it lacks in age it more than makes up for in experience and momentum.
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A Look at Legacy Claim System Replacement
Celent has some advice to share with any insurer seeking a new core claim system: Begin the process by looking inward.
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Speaking Of: Auto Arson
Gas prices and living expenses are rising, and a buck just doesn't go as far as it once did. During this time of financial hardship, some are turning to unscrupulous ways to stretch their dollars.
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Are UFOs Covered?
In recent news, witnesses speculated that a UFO destroyed a wind turbine in the U.K. Naturally this begs the question, "What if a UFO crashed into your house instead?"
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The Tao of Driving Style
New data gathered by Quality Planning Corporation (QPC) dispels the pervasive notion that drivers of high-performance vehicles garner the most tickets for traffic violations.
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Travelers Tees Up Golf Course Claims
You look up and realize in horror that the ball is indeed traveling fast and far ... as it hooks left into the parking lot full of BMWs, Mercedes, and Lincolns.
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Lessons from a Little Guy
A independent survey of 50 New Jersey auto repair facilities ranked Teachers Auto Insurance of New Jersey ahead of companies such as AIG/21st Century, Liberty Mutual, Geico, and Progressive when it came to repairers' satisfaction.
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Insurers, Adjusters Face Scrutiny
Baron & Budd, P.C., a Dallas-based law firm, has established an insurance claim practice intended to aid policyholders affected by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav in negotiating property insurance claims with insurers.
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Winter Weather Worries
PEMCO's claim trends show the year-end snowstorms and rapid snowmelt will end up generating a projected 1,305 claims, totaling around $7 million in losses.
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Sequoia Mitigates Claim Outcomes
Cypress Care released a new version of Sequoia, its proprietary online claim management portal.
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Data Mart Provides Analytics
Full Capture Solutions, Inc. introduced the Semantic 360 Data Mart, which provides a comprehensive platform for insurance business analytics.
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Mitchell Releases Auto Repair Software
Mitchell International, Inc. released ABS 8.2 and ABS Enterprise 8.2.
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Brazen Fraud
There's never quite enough time in the day. So, like the claim professionals for whom we write, I multitask out of necessity.
