Massachusetts certifies its first two cooperative insurance purchasing groups

More than a year after Massachusetts passed a law allowing for the state’s first cooperative insurance groups to operate in the state, two organizations have been certified as purchasing cooperatives. The Retailers Association of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Association of Chamber of Commerce will now be able to negotiate with health insurance companies in the hopes of producing more affordable insurance products. The groups hope to attract thousands of new consumers with these products and alleviate some of the financial burdens that have been damaging the state’s economy. Small businesses…

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Captive Insurance Companies: New Money Saving Trends for Businesses

Officials from Helena, Montana, are reporting that an increasing number of businesses and organizations are forming their own insurance companies in an effort to manage costs. These impromptu coalitions are being called “captive” insurance companies. The specific objective of these companies is to finance or insure the risk of their parent groups. Steve Matthews of the State Auditor’s Office says that the trend is to keep insurance premium taxes from leaving the state. In 2010, Montana licensed 26 captive insurance companies, bringing the total number of such companies in the…

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