News
California OKs Bill Protecting Workers Who Use Marijuana at Home
California could soon become the seventh state to make sure people won’t lose their jobs if they smoke marijuana when they’re off the clock. State lawmakers in late August passed a bill to stop companies from punishing workers who fail a certain type of drug test that detects not whether a person is high, but…
Read MoreAuto Loss Costs Not Coming Down; Bigger Rate Hikes Ahead: Allstate CEO
Higher auto loss costs are here to stay, according to the leader of Allstate, who also said that his company will be pushing up auto insurance prices higher, and at a faster pace, for the balance of the year. Speaking at the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference on earlier this month, Allstate President and…
Read MoreBasketball Hall of Fame and Chubb Insurer Hit the Court Over D&O Coverage
The Basketball Hall of fame (BHoF) is suing Chubb Group subsidiary Federal Insurance Co. to have the insurer defend and indemnify it in a case accusing it of attempting to unlawfully secure funds for renovations to its facility. In 2019, the Springfield, Mass. nonprofit purchased a Federal directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance policy with…
Read More3 Iranian Citizens Charged in Broad Hacking Campaign in US
The Justice Department said Wednesday that three Iranian citizens have been charged in the United States with ransomware attacks that targeted power companies, local governments and small businesses and nonprofits, including a domestic violence shelter. The charges accuse the hacking suspects of targeting hundreds of entities in the U.S. and around the world, encrypting and…
Read MoreWhy does a life insurer need an attending physician statement (APS)?
Insurance companies might request an APS from your doctor to get additional medical information as part of the underwriting process. When you apply for life insurance, the insurance company needs to know how healthy you are when you sign the policy. They figure this out through a process called underwriting, during which you take a medical…
Read MoreHealth Insurance Providers Actions Concerning Mental Health
AllWays Health Partners has teamed up with Lyra Health to offer a new solution to expand the availability of mental health support and counseling. Through Lyra, members will be able to seek clinically proven mental health support, find high-quality providers tailored to their individual needs, and book appointments quickly with a therapist or coach by video…
Read MoreMarketplace health plan enrollees may have a refund check on the way. Here’s how to claim your share of $603 million
KEY POINTS: Of the $1 billion in rebates going out, the majority — an estimated $603 million — will generally go to people with a health plan through the public exchange, depending on their insurer. Overall, the refunds are expected to average $141 per participant in plans through the marketplace, $155 for those in…
Read MoreState Farm Invests $1.2B in ADT; Adopts ‘Predict and Prevent’ Mindset
State Farm and ADT, a smart home provider, announced that State Farm will make a $1.2 billion equity investment in ADT, a move that will give the nation’s largest insurer a 15% ownership stake in ADT. The investment also heralds a change in mindset, Paul Smith, State Farm’s chief operating officer, said in media statements.…
Read MoreMedicare Advantage Plans
Medicare Advantage Plans are another way to get your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage. Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called “Part C” or “MA Plans,” are offered by Medicare-approved private companies that must follow rules set by Medicare. Most Medicare Advantage Plans include drug coverage (Part D). In most cases, you’ll need to use…
Read MoreHot Spots for Hot Cars: Colorado Leads U.S. in Vehicle Theft Rate, California in Overall Thefts
Texas, California, Florida, Illinois, and Colorado are all places where your car is most likely to be gone in 60 seconds. Nationwide, 932,329 vehicles were reported stolen to law enforcement in 2021, a 6% increase over 2020, and a 17% increase since 2019. The top five states by volume -Illinois, Florida, Colorado, California and Texas…
Read More