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Stories Posted on Oct. 1, 2003
The California workers' comp quagmire
California presently faces an unprecedented array of economic and political challenges. Among these, the current workers' compensation crisis represents one of our biggest problems.
Alternatives for medical liability insurance
The casualty segment of the property-casualty industry continues to see double-digit price increases, even as the property segment appears to be leveling off. Within the casualty segment, medical liability is possibly the hardest, with many physicians, physician groups and hospitals having to scramble to find good malpractice insurance options.
Major changes in D&O insurance
Three years of dramatic D&O insurance price increases have ended for most San Diego public companies. In fact, many companies are enjoying significant price decreases. In the second quarter of 2003, the following trend was visible: Fortune 500 pricing continues to increase substantially; Fortune 2000 is flat or modestly increasing; mid-cap is decreasing modestly; and small to micro-cap pricing is decreasing significantly. Obviously, this does not apply to distressed situations.
Health care survival -- differentiate or die
A couple years ago, Jack Trout wrote a book entitled "Differentiate or Die," which explored the differentiation strategies of successful organizations. In today's California Workers' Compensation crisis, health care organizations, perhaps more than any other employer, have to distinguish their organization from the average health care risk in order to survive.
Employer health care costs on the rise
Approximately 90 million Americans access health benefits through an employer-sponsored health plan. With health care costs increasing more than 15 percent annually, employers are burdened with shouldering the majority of the inflation in the health care system. The challenge of providing comprehensive coverage to their employees without going bankrupt has driven employers to find a solution to control the claim costs and bring health expenditures back to reasonable and predictable levels.
Construction companies beware: Are you adequately insured?
Are you adequately insured for your property and liability exposure? The recent University Towne Center fire brought to the forefront the importance of insuring to value. This fire was a reminder of how important it is to properly choose and implement the right insurance program.
Executive compensation controversy
Deferred compensation plans, long flying under the radar screen of the Internal Revenue Service, have recently been thrust into the spotlight thanks to the financial difficulties at major airlines, Enron, WorldCom and the like. While these companies pleaded poverty, they were discreetly funding a trust for their Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans, which had until then gone unfunded.
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