Live Insurance News

Connecticut aims to put price optimization to rest among homeowners insurance companies

December 10, 2015December 9, 2015 S.Vagus

Homeowners insurance sector is attracting controversy due to the use of price optimization The Connecticut Department of Insurance has begun warning insurance companies against using a controversial pricing method that relies heavily on consumer buying habits. The insurance industry is meant to use actuarial or risk-based principles to price the coverage being provided, but many insurers have been found to be using price optimization, which could be placing consumers under a great degree of financial stress. Such practices have been found in various sectors of the insurance industry and more…

Nevada residents are slow to embrace state’s health insurance exchange

December 9, 2015December 8, 2015 S.Vagus

HHS data shows that enrollment in insurance exchange is sluggish this year Those living in Nevada have been slow to sign up for coverage through the state’s health insurance exchange. A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services has found that relatively few people have purchased coverage through the state’s exchange, called Nevada Health Link. Enrollment numbers were quite low during the first month of the open enrollment period, which began on November 1. Overall, enrollment throughout the country has been sluggish. Approximately 23,000 consumers have enrolled…

Health insurance and medication is growing more expensive in the US

December 7, 2015December 6, 2015 S.Vagus

Health care costs saw significant growth in 2014 Health care costs saw significant growth in 2014, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The federal agency has noted that health care expenditures are accelerating, with consumers and businesses spending a great deal of money on insurance coverage. As costs continue to grow, consumers are beginning to feel significant financial pressure. Finding a way to reduce health insurance costs is beginning to become a priority for the country, but an effective solution has yet to be found. Centers for…

New Jersey will not stop selling OMNIA health insurance plans

December 4, 2015December 3, 2015 S.Vagus

Acting Insurance Commissioner refuses to stop selling OMNIA plans New Jersey’s acting Insurance Commissioner, Richard Badolato, has refused to halt the sale of OMNIA health insurance plans coming from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Badolato suggests that stopping the sale of these policies would “immediately trigger chaos” in the state’s health insurance market. Earlier this month, 11 hospital systems requested that OMNIA plans no longer be allowed to be sold in the state, but New Jersey officials believe that this would be the wrong move. Consumers are…

Demand for terrorism insurance is on the rise

December 2, 2015December 1, 2015 S.Vagus

Paris attacks highlight the potential value of adequate insurance coverage In the wake of the November 13 attacks in Paris, France, the demand for terrorism insurance may grow. Several businesses have struggled to recover following the attack, which left Paris in a state of emergency, and these businesses may be able to find some solace through the claims they issue to their insurance providers. They may also find some support through a special state-backed fund that was established in France in 2011. Terrorist attacks are becoming a major concern for…

Health insurance companies in Arkansas owe $7.1 million in rebates

November 30, 2015November 28, 2015 S.Vagus

Insurers are finding it difficult to comply with a provision of the Affordable Care Act Arkansas businesses and consumers are owed a great deal of money from the state’s health insurance companies. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, these companies collected too much in premiums last year and are now required by federal law to reimburse consumers and businesses. Per the Affordable Care Act, insurers are required to spend no less than 80% of the money they collect from premiums on medical care, something that some insurers…

Definitions may end up shaping the cyber insurance market

November 27, 2015November 25, 2015 S.Vagus

The way insurers define words could affect the way cyber insurance works for businesses How insurers define certain words may end up shaping cyber insurance as a whole. Winn Schwartau, CEO of The Security Awareness Company, recently spoke at, SC Congress Chicago where he suggested that definitions could play a major role in how cyber insurance works for businesses both large and small. Cyber attacks are classified through various terms, such as attacks, controls, and in extreme circumstances, wars. The way insurers define these terms could be a problem for…