Most Clicked PCI SmartBrief Stories
1. Study: Online auto insurance sales depend on quality of website
PCI SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
A study by J.D. Power and Associates has found that about one-third of consumers prefer to shop for auto insurance online and that shoppers are more likely to buy coverage if the insurer's website provides a satisfactory experience. "Insurers have a fantastic opportunity to gain shoppers, and their referrals, by providing a website that is easy to use, has a professional and engaging appearance, and is a great resource for the shopping process," said Jeremy Bowler of J.D. Power. PropertyCasualty360 (05/25)
2. Expert: "Fracking" is an emerging litigation issue for P/C insurers
PCI SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
Hydraulic fracturing, a process for extracting oil and gas that is also known by the shorthand "fracking," could result in a flurry of liability lawsuits and insurance claims, making it an emerging issue for property/casualty insurers, lawyer Brian Martin writes. "While it may turn out that fracking does not lead to [problems for land owners], it is a subject of current review by environmental and consumer groups that may spur litigation bringing those policies into play. This may become an area of significant coverage litigation," Martin writes. Insurance Journal (05/25)
3. Jewelry tops property insurance claims for 2011, report says
PCI SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
Jewelry items surpassed electronics for the top spot for property insurance claims in terms of volume and value last year, according to Enservio's Contents Claims Index. "[Jewelry is] a high-value, easy-to-claim item depending on an insurance policy. It's also an item that is the most claimed and the least replaced. So this should lead to more scrutiny of these types of claims and the items they contain," Enservio's Keith Pequeno said. Insurance Networking News (05/23)
4. Report: A third of carriers are updating administration systems
PCI SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
A Novarica report says that 33% of insurance carriers are replacing or intend to replace their policy-administration systems. "Property/casualty insurers continue to undertake policy-administration projects at a rapid clip, with personal lines representing a small majority of the projects for the first time in a long while," Novarica's Chad Hersh said. "But with the commercial market quickly hardening and carriers entering the workers' comp market in surprising numbers, personal lines may not remain the focus for long." Insurance Networking News (05/24)
5. Expert: Employers must prepare for hardening insurance market
PCI SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
Employers can limit risk and insurance costs amid a hardening commercial market by taking actions such as planning strategically for handling pre- and post-loss costs, writes risk-management consultant Laura Moore. "The hardening market is here. While not all factors are under a company's control, there is much that can be done to soften the impact. Insurers will reward only the safe and proactive companies with lower-than-average premium hikes," Moore writes. Finance and Commerce (Minneapolis) (05/23)
6. Improve Your Mental Toughness in 2 Minutes
PCI SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
OPEN Forum blogs (05/28)
7. N.Y. lawmaker: Drivers often avoid mandate to use ignition interlocks
PCI SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
More than two-thirds of New York motorists with drunken-driving convictions are the avoiding using mandatory ignition-interlock system on vehicles, Republican state Sen. Charles Fuschillo said, citing a state survey. Fuschillo and state Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, a Democrat, are looking to tighten penalties for drivers who fail to use the device, which detects alcohol. WRGB-TV (Albany, N.Y.) (05/23)
8. 5 storms could grow into hurricanes this year, forecasters say
PCI SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
The Atlantic hurricane season this year could yield eight tropical storms, with five possibly reaching hurricane status, according to forecasters with the Weather Research Center. "We’re forecasting a 60% chance of a tropical storm or hurricane making landfall along the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Key West, Fla., and along the Georgia-to-North Carolina coast during the 2012 hurricane season," center President Jill Hasling said. WIAT-TV (Birmingham, Ala.) (05/22)
9. Free Beer and Massages: The Ultimate Company Perks
PCI SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
OPEN Forum blogs (05/23)
10. Eqecat: Early storm formation in Atlantic, Pacific is "interesting"
PCI SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
Tropical storms have formed in the Atlantic and Pacific basins, but they are unlikely to make landfall in the U.S., according to Eqecat. The storms' "pre-'normal' hurricane season status is interesting,” the company said. "This is the first year on record that a tropical storm has formed in both the Atlantic and eastern Pacific before the official start of their respective seasons." Business Insurance (tiered subscription model) (05/23)
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