Publication Date: February 27, 2006Advisen -- Medical MalpracticeSource: San Antonio Express-News (KRT)"Feb. 26--Two years after Texas voters reined in jury awards for medical malpractice, the medical community appears to have gotten everything it wanted: More doctors and fewer lawyers suing them..."
Publication Date: February 27, 2006Advisen -- Medical MalpracticeSource: Ascribe"CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Economic modeling of a medical malpractice reform concept known as "Early Offers" shows that the idea has clear advantages to injured persons, health care providers, and insurance companies, as well as the public..."
Publication Date: February 23, 2006Advisen -- Medical MalpracticeSource: Associated Press Alert"JEFFERSON CITY, Mo._An attorney for parents whose young son died in a Kansas City hospital is challenging the constitutionality of a new Missouri law that limits the amount of money juries can award in wrongful death and medical malpractice cases..."
Publication Date: February 23, 2006Source: Advisen -- Insurance Market"The soft phase of the commercial insurance pricing cycle, which began in earnest in 2004, demonstrated remarkable resiliency in the face of record-shattering catastrophe losses in 2005. Average rate levels for every major line of business trended lower for the full year. While property premiums twitched upwards in the fourth quarter in response to the hurricane losses, the robust capital position of the industry should stamp out a pricing rally and usher in a year of yet lower insurance prices..."
Publication Date: February 22, 2006Advisen -- InsurersSource: Best's Review"A.M. Best Co. considers catastrophic loss, both natural and manmade, to be the No. 1 threat to the financial strength and credit quality of property and casualty insurers due to the significant, rapid and unexpected impact that can occur. Moreover, immediately following a significant event, the company retains its exposure base, and subsequent events can occur prior to the implementation of any risk mitigation strategies..."
Publication Date: February 22, 2006Advisen -- Insurance MarketSource: Lloyds List"REGULATION and catastrophes have been the dominant topics as industry leaders from around the world converged on Bermuda for the bi-annual World Insurance Forum..."
February 22, 2006The Insurance Journal"The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) recently urged Wisconsin legislators and the governor to restore limits on noneconomic damages for medical liability lawsuits in light of the Milwaukee Bar Association's promotion of a seminar designed to teach plaintiffs' lawyers on how to get 'The Million Dollar Verdict.'..."
February 22, 2006The Insurance Journal"According to Lloyd's newly released annual underwriter survey, 'managing the insurance cycle as the most important challenge facing the global industry for the second year running.' The survey also found that 'nearly 90 per cent of underwriters believe that windstorm is likely to be the biggest cause of loss to the industry in 2006.'..."
Publication Date: February 20, 2006Advisen -- Medical MalpracticeSource: Associated Press Alert"OLYMPIA, Wash._Doctors and trial lawyers have agreed to some changes to the state's medical malpractice system, less than four months after pummeling each other with multimillion-dollar initiative campaigns..."
February 21, 2006The Insurance Journal"A.M. Best Co. has taken note of the apparent strengthening of the U.S. reinsurance market following the January renewal period..."
February 17, 2006The Insurance Journal"The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) testified before the Colorado House Business Affairs and Labor Committee on Friday that legislation (HB 1330), which would impose extensive new data reporting requirement on property casualty insurers would not help consumers make more informed decisions..."
February 19, 2006The Insurance Journal"Medical Protective, a Texas admitted medical professional liability insurer, announced today it will reduce rates another 6 percent effective July 1, 2006. This reduction comes on the heels of two other decreases in the last 12 months, reducing malpractice premiums of Texas physicians by an average of 13 percent cumulatively..."
February 21, 2006The Insurance Journal"At the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) Spring Meeting in Florida, Feb. 23 - 26 , state lawmakers from across the country will examine a draft mega-catastrophe program and, among other things, decide on next steps to promote effective reform..."
By Andrew G. Simpson, Jr.February 16, 2006The Insurance Journal"Pricing to cover terrorism risks is unlikely to change in the short term following renewal of the federal reinsurance program, however that could change quickly if there is another terrorist event, according to a n industry expert..."
Publication Date: February 15, 2006Advisen -- Medical MalpracticeSource: PR Newswire Europe (inc. UK Disclose)"GREENSBORO, N.C., Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Physicians have found an unlikely ally in fighting the high cost of medical malpractice premiums..."
Publication Date: February 14, 2006Advisen: Medical MalpracticeSource: Associated Press Alert"DES MOINES, Iowa_Republican legislative leaders introduced a bill Tuesday that would slap a $500,000 limit on punitive damages assessed in medical malpractice lawsuits..."
Publication Date: February 14, 2006Advisen -- Medical MalpracticeSource: Comtex Finance"CHICAGO, Feb 14, 2006 (U.S. Newswire via COMTEX) --The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced that Tennessee is the 21st state designated by the AMA as "in crisis" due to a deteriorating medical liability climate that is jeopardizing patients' access to care..."
Publication Date: February 13, 2006Advisen -- Medical MalpracticeSource: Associated Press Alert"ATLANTA_The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday struck down a key portion of a much debated law that lets medical malpractice defendants move a lawsuit to their home county if that's where the alleged offense occurred..."
6 February 2006From Lloyd's News & Features"The following article, by Lloyd's Chairman Lord Levene, appeared in the Wall Street Journal on Monday explaining why Lloyd's supports equal collateralisation rules for foreign and domestic reinsurers..."
Publication Date: February 11, 2006Advisen -- Medical MalpracticeSource: The Star-Ledger"A noted eye surgeon accused of botching a LASIK operation was vindicated yesterday when a federal jury rejected a former patient's medical malpractice claims..."
By Dave KaiserFebruary 10, 2006The Insurance Journal"There is no reason to expect any change in hurricane patterns in the near future, the number of hurricanes have been increasing since 1995 and will continue to do so for the next decade or two, according to Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami..."
February 9, 2006The Insurance Journal"The Indiana General Assembly begins the second half of its 2006 session considering important insurance bills, according to the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies..."
February 9, 2006The Insurance Journal"Those new to property and casualty insurance are reportedly first struck by the cyclical nature of the industry..."
February 8, 2006The Insurance Journal"Past, present and future hurricane issues, how to prepare for the 2006 hurricane season and what to expect will be discussed during the Feb. 8 to 11 Seventh Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference and Exhibit kicking off today at the Hilton Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. The exhibit accompanying the event will feature the latest technology and techniques to predict hurricanes and to prepare for their onslaught..."
Publication Date: February 7, 2006Source: Advisen -- Regulation"(New York) - In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington today, European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, Charlie McCreevy, called on US insurance regulators to do away with reinsurance collateral requirements for foreign reinsurers..."
Publication Date: February 7, 2006Advisen -- InsurersSource: Bestwire Service"WASHINGTON (BestWire) - With the creation of a new lobbying group, risk-retention groups are stepping up efforts to prevent what they fear may be an erosion of their federal regulatory status..."
Publication Date: February 6, 2006Advisen -- RegulationSource: Agence France-Presse English Wire"LONDON, Feb 6, 2006 (AFP) - British motorists made claims last year for everything from a frozen squirrel crashing through a car windshield to a cow jumping on a quad bike, an insurance company said Monday..."
Publication Date: February 6, 2006Advisen -- PropertySource: Bestwire Service"OLDWICK, N.J. (BestWire) - The widespread rebuilding effort along the U.S. Gulf coast in Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama is feeding a variety of criminal activity, including an already burgeoning business in construction theft..."
Publication Date: February 6, 2006Advisen -- Medical MalpracticeSource: Chicago Sun Times (IL)"When Mary Rhodes' first child was born at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, she asked her husband and her mother to videotape the birth..."
Publication Date: February 5, 2006Advisen -- Management LiabilitySource: New York Times Full Feed"IT would be a rare and perhaps foolish person who would serve on a co-op or condo board that wasn't protected by a directors and officers (D & O) insurance policy. But even savvy board members, insurance experts say, may be unaware of significant variations in coverage..."
Publication Date: February 5, 2006Advisen -- Insurance MarketSource: Boston Globe, The (KRT)"Feb. 4--The MBTA renewed its terrorism insurance this week, extending a little-known policy that would reimburse the transit agency for property destroyed in a terrorist attack..."
