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Colorado
- Pinnacol Assurance ’s board of directors recently approved a 15 percent rate reduction for 2008. Our ability to lower rates is the result of:
- The investment our policyholders are making in loss prevention. Their focus on safety is reducing the severity of injuries, and their proactive efforts in establishing modified-duty programs are expediting the return-to-work of injured workers.
- Our partnership with our agents. Their commitment to serving and educating policyholders about risk management strategies coupled with Pinnacol’s resources and expertise has been a successful formula.
- Colorado’s effective workers’ compensation system. Our laws create a balanced approach that provides equitable benefits for injured workers and incentives for employers. This balance creates a positive climate for businesses, benefiting Colorado’s economy.
- Our continuing financial strength and low combined ratio.
- Pinnacol is now using a refined tiering pricing method – known in the industry as predictive modeling – for new and renewal business with effective dates of January 1, 2008, and after. This methodology evaluates the relationships between the following risk drivers:
- Loss ratio
- NCCI experience rating
- Premium size
- Hazard group
- Pinnacol’s goals in making this change are to more accurately tier individual accounts according to their predictedrisk and to improve overall marketplace competitiveness.
- Pinnacol’s communications team recently received three prestigious awards recognizing excellence in the world of public relations and communications.
- The team received the Gold Pick Award from the Colorado Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The award was given in the category of “Local Media Relations with Budgets of $10,000 to $25,000” and recognized the team’s comprehensive 2007 General Dividend media campaign plan.
- T he Colorado Healthcare Communicators (CHC) honored the team with two awards. The Bronze Leaf Award was in the category of “Annual Reports with Budgets Over $10K” and recognized Pinnacol’s 2006 Annual Report. The Silver Leaf Award was for “Communications Plans: External” and honored the team’s 2007 General Dividend media campaign plan.
 Kentucky
KEMI Reduces Rates for Kentucky Businesses
KEMI announced it is significantly lowering its rates for numerous industries throughout the state. The rate reduction amounts to 7.5% overall and will impact both new and renewal policies effective October 1, 2007.
According to Roger Fries, President & CEO of KEMI, “KEMI’s rates are based on cumulative KEMI data and are reflective of the financial success the organization has experienced over the past several years. We are pleased to be able to transfer that success to our policyholders in the form of rate reductions.”
Louisiana
LWCC Marks Fifteenth Anniversary
 In October 2007, Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC) observed its fifteenth anniversary of providing workers’ compensation insurance to Louisiana employers.
LWCC was established in 1991 by an act of the Louisiana Legislature—later passed by voters as a constitutional amendment—as a private, nonprofit mutual insurance company to help stabilize the market so that employers could obtain reliable, affordable workers’ comp insurance for their employees. On October 1, 1992, LWCC opened for business. LWCC is now the largest workers’ compensation insurance carrier in Louisiana, providing coverage to about 22,000 policyholders in the state. Since 2003, the company has returned $68.8 million in dividends to qualifying policyholders, a total that is unrivaled in the Louisiana workers’ comp market.
LWCC has compensated injured workers by paying over $1.3 billion in medical and wage-replacement benefits since it began operations 15 years ago. Currently, it has more than $550 million in total reserves available for the continued payment of claims of injured workers.
First Recipient of Cavanaugh Scholarship Selected
The Stephen W. Cavanaugh Scholarship Fund, established last year in honor of LWCC’s founding president and CEO, now has its first scholarship recipient. Chance Perry of Vinton, Louisiana, a student at McNeese State University, has been selected as the 2007 scholarship winner.
The fund was created by LWCC to provide scholarships to deserving Louisiana students who are majoring in an insurance-related field at a Louisiana university, college, or community college. Many generous donors have contributed to the fund, which pays tribute to Cavanaugh’s leadership and lasting contributions to the insurance industry in Louisiana. The LWCC board of directors matched donations that were given prior to May 1, 2007.
Cavanaugh, diagnosed in September 2006 with Stage IV pancreatic cancer, died November 15, 2006, at age 55.
Chance Perry will receive an $8,000 scholarship over a four-year period.
Maine
MEMIC Receives MEMIC Receives IAIABC 2007 Excellence in Safety Award
MEMIC received an award from the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) for its focus on workplace safety, compassionate approach to injured workers, and constant commitment to decreasing occupational injuries. Maine Governor John Baldacci and Paul Dionne, Executive Director of the Maine Workers’ Compensation Board and past president of IAIABC, visited the MEMIC corporate office to present the award.
“We’re very happy with this designation are thrilled by the recognition not only in New England but also, as evidenced by this award, throughout the United States,” said John Leonard, MEMIC CEO and President.
MEMIC To Offer EPLI
MEMIC introduced its plan to offer employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) at the company’s annual policyholder conference, the MEMIC Comp Summit, in November. The coverage will be available for MEMIC customers in 2008 as an endorsement to the workers’ compensation policy. MEMIC earned legislative support to add EPLI coverage as an endorsement in the spring of 2007. The company has filed its program and contracted with insurer Beazley to offer the product.
“The lawsuits and their accompanying legal costs routinely add up to tens of thousands of dollars for employers,” said MEMIC Senior Vice President of Underwriting Donald V. Hale. “By pooling our resources, we can help all employers gain affordable access to this insurance.”
Licenses added for Virginia, North Carolina, and Colorado
MEMIC Indemnity Company, a member of The MEMIC Group, has recently earned authorization to write workers’ compensation insurance in North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado. The MEMIC Group can now offer workers’ compensation coverage to employers in 42 states and has an application pending in California.
MEMIC Safety Expert
Dan Cote, Senior Vice President for Loss Control and Safety, recently co-authored an article for the fall 2007 issue of The Journal of Workers Compensation. The article, Hazards in a Growing Industry: Keeping Home Health Care Workers Safe, identifies the workplace safety risks inherent to the growing trend of healthcare being delivered at a patient’s home. It discusses the fact that demographics will only exacerbate this problem. The Journal of Workers Compensation, published by Standard Publishing Corporation, is distributed nationally. The article is available on MEMIC’s website at www.memic.com.
Maryland
The board of directors for IWIF Workers’ Compensation Insurance has approved a 5% overall reduction in base rates predicated on an annual rate analysis performed by Deloitte and Touche, an independent, consulting actuary. Furthermore, 16 industries, including independent schools, new auto dealer franchises and printing businesses, will receive significant rate cuts. The rate changes are based on IWIF’s historical data and actuarial principles. They will be effective as of January 1, 2008.
The reductions are driven largely by a continued decline in claims frequency that has dropped approximately 10% over the past two years, as well as IWIF’s persistent focus on fostering a safety culture in the workplace. IWIF has successfully introduced safety programs, and policyholders have adopted them and other initiatives that have yielded safer working conditions for employees.
“As the market leader in workers’ compensation insurance in Maryland, I believe these rate changes are appropriate and will benefit our customers as well as strengthen the business economy in the state,” says Tom Phelan, President and CEO. “I am pleased with our rates and with the continued decline in the number of injured workers in Maryland. Our slogan, ‘Safety Saves with IWIF,’ is more than just words; it has real, tangible effects.”
Rial Simons, Chief Actuary, indicated that these pricing initiatives will allow IWIF to continue to generate a reasonable revenue, while at the same time, keep workers’ compensation insurance equitable, available and affordable to all Maryland businesses.
- IWIF recently expanded its safety group program to include the Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association (MSLBA), bringing the total number of target market programs to more than a dozen.
The IWIF/MSLBA Safety Program offers members 10% off IWIF standard premium rates as well as a group safety dividend.
MSLBA is the largest trade association in Maryland representing alcohol beverage licensees. Membership consists of restaurants, package stores, taverns and clubs throughout the state of Maryland.
Montana
WorkSafe Montana
Montana State Fund is kicking off its’ WorkSafe Champion safety education program. The purpose of the program is to dramatically change the way Montana workers and employers think about safety, and make it a priority. Selected employers in the state’s six largest cities will spend up to 16 hours over a 12-month period learning the ins and outs of safety education and communication. The enrollment will be limited to 10-12 people per location, offering training that is both personal and intensive.
A New Perspective
MSF’s Perspectives (policyholder/provider) newsletter has a new format, a new look and a new way of looking at workers’ compensation information. The “new” Perspectives is an oversized four-color publication that is distributed tri-annually. The piece is filled with engaging snippets and photos that help readers easily understand the complexity of workers’ compensation issues.
Giving the Gift of Safety
School children in Kalispell, MT gleefully ride their bikes to and from school on a newly constructed bike path. Rural residents in the Lewistown area enjoy peace of mind with a brand new fire truck. A new walk-in cooler/freezer system at Billing’s Family Services provides a safe food source for the communities low income residents. These are just a few of the Montana nonprofit organizations that have used grant monies from our ACE (Assisting Charitable Endeavors) program. These grants are available to Montana nonprofit organizations that contribute to both safety and community well-being throughout the state. In the last year MSF awarded 21 non profits totaling $36,174. Since the program’s inception, 94 projects have shared $185,856. All ACE grants require a dollar-for-dollar match resulting in $371,712 being raised for these charitable endeavors.
New York
- NYSIF hosted a second round of policyholder educational forums in the fall, attended by approximately 350 policyholders in eight NYSIF district offices across the state. “Continuing the outreach we began with our successful spring forums, these sessions focused on loss containment through risk management, and were driven by questions from our policyholders,” NYSIF CEO David P. Wehner said. In total, NYSIF forums in 2007 attracted nearly 1,200 participants.
- NYSIF marked its 1000th arrest for workers’ compensation fraud, dating to 1996, and NYSIF’s anti-fraud program, led by its Division of Confidential Investigations, entered its 10th year among the best in the nation at fighting fraud. Recent sweeps in Queens, Nassau, Bronx and Westchester counties helped propel NYSIF toward another outstanding year for fraud arrests, restitution and estimated future savings. New York’s 2007 workers’ comp. reform spurred a crackdown on uninsured employers and contractors. NYSIF investigations produced several arrests for payroll and certificate fraud. NYSIF issued a reminder that NYSIF eCERTS sm lets anyone with Internet access validate NYSIF certificates.
- NYSIF.com added 17 new titles to its “Safety Matters” construction series for contractors big and small. Developed to bring NYSIF’s workplace safety message to job sites throughout the state, the series focuses on four main causes of serious construction injuries: falls, electrocution, struck by, and excavations. NYSIF has a full range of safety training resources, safety posters and safety checklists available on our web site applicable in virtually any business, as well as topics specific to a variety of industries in New York. With more than 240 safety-related materials and other tools to limit liability all free for downloading by any visitor, nysif.com contains one of the largest libraries of free workplace safety resources made available by any workers’ compensation carrier.
Oklahoma
CompSource Oklahoma held its annual State Charitable Campaign (SCC) during the months of September and October. The SCC is the annual fundraising drive conducted by state employees in their workplace each fall. Every year, state employees raise money through the SCC that benefits local charities.
Once again, CompSource Oklahoma employees showed their generous spirits by raising more than $50,000 for the 2007 campaign. CompSource Oklahoma traditionally raises more money per employee than any other state agency and is expected to reach that goal again this year.
“CompSource employees have a history of giving generously when it comes to community causes,” said Davina Craig-Sealock, SCC Committee Chair. “The money raised with the SCC will make a tremendous difference in communities across Oklahoma.”
Ontario
There really are no accidents: Raising the bar
With new workplace fatalities being reported almost weekly in Ontario,
the WSIB has taken the gloves off with a bold new series of “There
really are no accidents” public awareness ads. In one spot, a construction
worker in a broken harness is blown off the side of a building when a
welding tank explodes. In another, a young chef is horribly burned when
she slips on grease while carrying a pot of boiling water.
“These ads will strike an emotional chord,” says WSIB Chair
Steve Mahoney. “They’re graphic and shocking and they are
exactly what we need to drive our message home to the people of Ontario.”
The campaign also includes radio, print, transit, internet advertising,
and the newly redesigned www.prevent-it.ca Web site. While the WSIB has
had complaints about the television ads, Mahoney believes that they will
make a difference. “Whether you agree with
our approach or not, these ads will make you stop and think. That’s
half the battle when it comes to injury and illness prevention.”
Employer voluntary registration
In Ontario, employers who fail to meet their legislative obligation to
register with the WSIB are subject to financial and legal penalties. Under
a new program, however, the WSIB is offering a full amnesty to employers
who voluntarily register between October 29, 2007 and March 31, 2008.
During the full amnesty period, the WSIB will waive retroactive premiums,
reconciliation interest, penalties, and charges under the Provincial Offences
Act. After the full amnesty period, employers who voluntarily register
will avoid penalties, but be required to pay some retroactive premiums.
The Voluntary
Registration policy is another initiative the WSIB is undertaking
to ensure the financial sustainability of the workplace safety and insurance
system, and to level
the playing field for businesses in Ontario.
Oregon
SAIF Corporation declares dividend
On November 9, SAIF Corporation's board of directors declared a $60 million dividend for more than 41,000 policyholders. It is the first time since October 2000 that SAIF has declared a dividend.
SAIF is able to pay a dividend this year because of favorable investment performance and better-than-expected loss experience. Dividend amounts will range from 12.61 percent to 14.93 percent of standard premium.
Oregon workers’ comp rates to decline in 2008
Oregon officials have announced that the workers' compensation pure premium rate for 2008 will drop by 2.3 percent for most employers.
2008 will be the second year in a row of a reduction in the pure premium rate, and the eighteenth consecutive year without an increase, which is a national record.
The rate decline highlights the importance of workplace safety and low rates to the state's economic competitiveness:
SAIF hosts AASCIF communications conference
SAIF would like to extend its thanks to everyone who attended the 2007 AASCIF communications conference in Portland, Oregon. You helped make it a great success.
Called “Strength in numbers: three days, two groups, one vision,” the event combined the themes of loss control and communications for the first time, acknowledging the importance of internal as well as external communications in improving workplace safety.
Pennsylvania
PA SWIF recently completed Phase II of its comprehensive Computer Modernization Project. One of the most successful components of the project to date has been the migration from a paper based, labor intensive processing system to a state of the art electronic document management system (EDMS).
The system utilizing the Hyland Onbase Software Solution, is accessible to over 300 users within SWIF including the 8 district offices. User rights and group security are used to project unauthorized access to documents. Immediate access to a single consolidated file has eliminated time spent searching for documents, allowing employees to be more productive while improving costumer service.
A major key to success of the EDMS, has been the development of SWIF’s Record Management Unit (RMU). With tight and efficient controls, the RMU boasts scan accuracy rates of 99.9% while processing over 91,000 documents and 400,000 images per month.
Given the successful implementation of the EDMS system, SWIF is now taking advantage of the efficiencies available through the implementation of automated document workflow. Through tight integration with SWIF’s Business Application the Fund has implemented seventy-four document workflows to streamline their business processes. These documents, once received, are scanned immediately and electronically routed to the appropriate recipient who can take action on the document. Additional workflow will be implemented in the coming year.
Through the implementation of the EDMS, the efficiency of the scan center, and the productivity gains from document workflow, SWIF has positioned itself nicely to deal with future challenges …. and paper will not be one of them.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan WCB Achieves Two Workplace Designations
The Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board has earned two prestigious designations as a Saskatchewan employer. Both reflect the WCB’s program to attract and keep talented employees.
Top 10 Saskatchewan Employer
Being a Top 10 Saskatchewan Employer means that the WCB is a leader in its industry when it comes to its employment programs.
The WCB met a significant qualification to earn the Top 10 status – it offers good job prospects from a job seeker’s point of view. Its employment programs include a supportive work/life balance, offer an employee education program that includes leading and best practices, can support alternative work arrangements when our employees need to tend to exceptional family or personal commitments, and an employment equity program to achieve a diverse workforce.
“Achieving the Top 10 designation is particularly meaningful because many of our programs were developed with our employees,” says WCB CEO Peter Federko. “It is truly our employees’ achievement.”
The editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers organize the annual Top 10 Employer competition. The competition looks at eight criteria, from health, financial and family benefits, to performance management, employee communications, and training and skills development.
Youth Friendly Workplace
The WCB also has learned that it has been designated a Youth Friendly Workplace. The designation is part of a program launched in September 2006 to connect young job seekers with Saskatchewan workplaces. The program is a partnership between the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and Saskatchewan Industry and Resources.
The Youth Friendly Workplace designation tells young job seekers that the WCB has employment programs and benefits that they will find attractive. It also identifies the WCB as an employer who identifies and removes barriers that prevent young people from entering and developing in the workforce.
Donna Kane, the WCB’s Vice President of Human Resources and Team Support says the two designations reflect the organization’s strategic objective to be considered an employer of choice.
“We are committed to developing programs and strategies that make us attractive to people who want to build careers that focus on helping others. Earning these designations tells us we’re on the right track.”
Texas
First-year policyholders earn dividends
In November, Texas Mutual Insurance Company paid more than $2 million in dividends to approximately 2,600 first-year policyholders. The payout was the final component of our company-record $125 million 2007 dividend distribution.
Oil and gas safety roundtable publishes educational materials
The oil and gas safety roundtable hosted by Texas Mutual Insurance Company has published its first two safety training resources. The roundtable includes representatives from OSHA; the Texas Department of Insurance, Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Division; the Texas Oil and Gas Association and industry employers. Its goal is to reduce oil and gas fatalities in Texas and Louisiana, which are among the highest in the nation. Click here for examples of these safety materials.
Electronic billing set to go live
Texas Mutual Insurance Company is preparing to launch its electronic billing system for health care providers. State law requires most health care providers to begin submitting bills electronically to workers’ comp carriers by January 1, 2008.
Texas Mutual expands network service areas
Texas Mutual Insurance Company has expanded the service areas of its workers’ comp health care network. The network is now available to approximately 97 percent of policyholders. The company created the network to help injured workers get well and back on the job. Most eligible policyholders who choose to participate get a 12 percent annual premium discount.
West Virginia
 Charleston, West Virginia based BrickStreet Insurance completed moving all 450 Charleston-area employees into a new corporate headquarters in downtown Charleston on Oct. 22.
The new headquarters is located in the building previously occupied by Montgomery Ward, a former anchor department store for the Charleston Town Center Mall. Groundbreaking occurred in January 2007 and construction and renovations were complete in early October.
The new facility, located at 400 Quarrier St. in Charleston, consolidates BrickStreet's business functions into a 95,000 square foot workspace on two floors, promoting efficiency, reducing costs and enhancing customer service. The consolidation is expected to save BrickStreet more than $3 million in rent over the next 15 years by eliminating the multiple lease payments that had been required before the move and also improves convenience and accessibility for policyholders, agents and employees.
Community business leaders have saluted the move as another positive economic impact on downtown Charleston.
Moving to the new building helped BrickStreet align its business structure around multifunctional teams that focus specific expertise on the unique needs of major market segments.
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