Author: H. Cutner

Baltimore will purchase $20 million in cyber liability insurance coverage

H. Cutner
Cyber Liability Insurance Coverage - Baltimore

The city is taking preventative action after having already suffered a massive ransomware attack. Baltimore has just committed to purchasing $20 million in cyber liability insurance coverage. That city experienced a massive ransomware attack last spring. The city is still paying off the bills for the contractors who participated in the city’s digital recovery. The costs from the ransomware attack on Baltimore are increasingly coming due. As those expenses loom, city officials are preparing to purchase $20 million in cyber liability insurance coverage to pay for any potential disruptions that…

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Birthday and party clown insurance puts a smile on everyone’s face

H. Cutner
Clown insurance - person dressed up as a clown

These entertainers need a specific type of coverage to protect them against their unique risks. Entertainers who work at birthdays and other types of parties can benefit from purchasing clown insurance coverage. Though most events will go relatively smoothly, it takes only one mishap involving an injury or damaged property during a performance to bring on a lawsuit with substantial financial consequences. Entertainment may sound fun but it is also a business in which liability protection is necessary. While some entertainers purchase general liability insurance, others look for specific clown…

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Blue Cross NC CEO must resign, says state insurance commissioner

H. Cutner
Blue Cross NC CEO to resign - person in handcuffs

The regulator blames the chief exec for waiting three months to notify him of June 22 arrest. North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has called for the Blue Cross NC CEO to resign. Causey cited the failure of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina’s chief executive officer to inform Causey that the CEO had been arrested on June 22. The CEO was allegedly arrested on June 22 for a traffic accident related to alcohol use. Causey also said the Blue Cross NC board was at fault for…

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US voters want to keep private health insurance and expand Medicare

H. Cutner
Private health insurance - Voters

Most Democratic voters are drawn to Medicare for All but may challenge the party in 2020. Private health insurance and other components of healthcare reform have been a central issue among Democratic presidential candidates. Those politicians have been pitching their own versions of Medicare and medical coverage which may make things somewhat more complex for the candidates in 2020 according to a new Wall Street Journal and NBC news poll. Two out of every three voters support opening Medicare coverage up to anyone who wants to buy in. This is…

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Nationwide small commercial insurance satisfaction highest in US, says JD Power

H. Cutner
Commercial Insurance - Customer Satisfaction

The insurer earned the highest ranking for overall customer satisfaction in a recent study. A new J.D. Power study has found that Nationwide provides the best customer satisfaction in small commercial insurance. This, according to the findings from the firm’s 2019 U.S. Small Commercial Insurance Satisfaction Study. This isn’t Nationwide’s first time receiving the title. In fact, the insurer has been the top small commercial insurance company for customer satisfaction two years in a row. The company also took the top spot for the claims and policy offerings categories. “Small…

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California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara Apologizes for Accepting Industry Contributions

H. Cutner
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara - Government Portrait from 2016

Lara released a letter last week that acknowledged that his campaign had solicited those contributions. California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has said he was sorry for having both solicited campaign contributions from the insurance industry and for having accepted them. Last Tuesday, he issued a letter in which he acknowledged the activity as well as his regret for having done so despite a campaign pledge he had made not to accept contributions from insurers. The letter was issued to a number of groups, including Public Advocates, United Policyholders and Health…

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California fire insurance companies decline almost 350,000 policy renewals

H. Cutner
California fire insurance companies - Firefighters fighting wildfire

Insurers are taking big steps back from the industry in the state’s highest risk areas. New data from the state shows that California fire insurance companies have declined the renewal of almost 350,000 home policies since 2015. This was most common in areas with the highest wildfire risk. The data showed that insurers are trying to reduce their risk exposure as wildfires become more costly. The newly released data did indicate that California fire insurance companies have dropped hundreds of thousands of customers. However, it did not point out how…

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