Sammis: `I don`t want to regulate broker commissions`

Transcription

Information
gatherers
4
Maryland
District
of Columbia
Generation Y shoppers
dig deeper for insurance
information, J.D.
Power’s Jeremy
Bowler says.
Required reading for successful insurance and financial service professionals
Volume 13, Issue 5 |
ChangeAfoot
New headquarters, the end
of the line for an insurer and a
new policy offering highlight
a busy month.
‘Banner’ move
1
Insurer Banner Life
preparing move to
new office complex in
Urbana.
Page 9
Insurer insolvent
Maryland regulators
order end of new,
renewal policies for
recently liquidated
property-casualty firm.
Page 14
2
Culinary coverage
Food service industry
workers delivered
new care plan
through
UnitedHealthcare. Page 15
3
Sammis: ‘I don’t want to
regulate broker commissions’
Md., Pa. taking action
on agents tampering
with insurance scores
Maryland regulator says pay agreements
between insurers, agents not her concern
‘Shaky economy may be pressuring some
hard-pressed agents,’ fraud expert suggests
By Keith L. Martin
At this time last year, former Maryland Insurance Commissioner Ralph S. Tyler told
Insurance & Financial Advisor
that regulations on broker
compensation were “something we need to look at and Beth Sammis
strongly consider.”
What a difference a year makes.
Beth Sammis, Tyler’s successor in an acting
role since January, recently told a room of agents
and brokers that when it comes to the compen-
sation agreements between them and the carriers
they represent, she does not want to be involved.
“I don’t want to regulate broker commissions,” Sammis told attendees at the annual
Maryland State Expo in Ellicott City, Md. “Let me
be clear that this is not the role of the regulator…it is between the provider and you.”
The topic came up as part of a panel discussion on federal health reform at the event, cosponsored by the Maryland See “Sammis” on p 17
// Regulator’s views on reform
Acting insurance commissioner discusses how
Maryland is preparing for new federal health law
and what it could look like in the state.
Page 13
Annuities :: Page 11
Products, marketing
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July 2010
Survey: Women twice as fearful as men
when it comes to saving for retirement
Working with financial professionals growing
and paying dividends, research indicates
Twice as many women than men indicate their
top financial concern is not being able to save
for retirement, but also note that working with a
financial professional does make a difference, a
new survey indicates.
Exactly 22% of women, as compared to 11%
of men, noted a combination of having no abil-
By Bob Graham
Maryland and Pennsylvania insurance regulators have taken the licenses of
two insurance agents who misrepresented customer’s insurance scores so they would receive better quotes on policies.
As economic pressures
weigh on agencies, so too does
the pressure to commit fraudJames Quiggle
ulent acts to keep customers
and stay in business.
“The jury is still out whether See “Agents” on p 22
Explanation needed
Health insurers should be forced
to justify all premium rate increases
prior to implementation.
ity to save for retirement, never
being able to retire and having
no savings their biggest concern in preparation, according
to the survey, released by AXA
Equitable Life Insurance Co.
Nearly one-third of survey
respondents
(31% of women;
Barbara
Goodstein
26% of men) also cited money
running out and their standard See “Women” on p 15
Yes No
78% 22%
Source: IFAwebnews.com poll, May 3-17, 2010
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The sum is greater than its parts
//AgentSuccess
SALES
Antidote to less revenue could be
more marketing
There’s gloom and uncertainty in the air, and most insurance agencies are making a terrible
mistake right now in their efforts to ride out the tough times.
IFAwebnews.com/link/140
SALES
Why isn’t disability insurance sold more?
MOTIVATION
Overcoming setbacks, redefining personal success
SALES
Making calls to new referral prospects
// Top online stories
“The Office of National Insurance needs to
As insurance trade groups continue to battle for relevancy, they should continue to work
more cooperatively. Earlier this year, the Maryland chapters of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA-MD)
and the National Association of Health Underwriters (MAHU) jointly funded an independent study showing Maryland’s use of
health brokers and brokerages to sell health insurance works better than the Massachusetts
Connector. The results benefit both groups.
In May, the Council of Insurance Agents
and Brokers (CIAB), the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (Big I),
NAIFA and NAHU spoke jointly, saying they
fear that a “narrow” definition of medical
loss ratios (MLRs) would “adversely impact
spending” on health plan activities.
NAIFA-MD and MAHU also joined forces
on the Maryland Expo, and other groups
like the Virginia chapter of NAIFA and the
Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia
flex great muscle each
February with their
joint Day on the Hill.
Industry groups in
Pennsylvania and New
Jersey have cooperBob Graham
Executive Editor
ated as well.
In every case, combined efforts expand the opportunities – for
education, outreach, attendance, perspectives and networking. But joint efforts are
the exception, not the rule. They should become the norm.
Lobbying and strategizing together for
mutual benefit is not an option, but a necessity. Now, more than ever, the insurance
industry must stand as one – strong, loud
and clear – against all the threats its practitioners face.
be reined in. As passed by the Senate, it
|
1 Congress considering COBRA
subsidy extension through 2010
|
2 Report: Insurance will stem financial impact of oil spill for BP
|
3 Anger against Tenn. insurance
agents rises as waters subside
looks a whole lot like a new regulator of
insurance. As I previously noted, it can
preempt state insurance laws and
subpoena information from insurers. That
Had Democrats not hidden the true cost of the
[health care reform] law, we would not be here
today voting on another so-called doc fix…”
sounds like duplicate regulation to me.”
Rep. David Camp
- John Lobert,
blog post discussing federal
insurance reform bill
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Republican - Michigan
explaining his objection to extending COBRA benefits
“To put it into perspective, sales in the
first three months of 2010 are back to
the level measured during the third
quarter of 2003.”
Ashley Durham
Tony Ondrusek
Publisher | [email protected]
Bob Graham
Executive Editor | [email protected]
Keith L. Martin
News Editor | [email protected]
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senior analyst at LIMRA
characterizing the 10% jump in individual life sales
In any situation where there is a disaster of
significant magnitude, the likelihood of people
taking advantage… For some, it is a check
they feel entitled to.”
Steven A. Rosenthal
Director of Insurance Support Services,
for California-based RGL Forensics
addressing how claims from the
Deep Horizon oil spill could increase
|
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July 2010
D.C. regulators
continue review of
CareFirst surplus
Delays hamper determination of whether
GHMSI reserves are ‘unreasonably large’
I can!
By Keith L. Martin
It has been nine months since insurance regulators in Washington, D.C., held
a two-day hearing to determine whether
the reserves of a CareFirst subsidiary were
“unreasonably large,” under its laws. That
determination could be on its way.
At issue is the $687 million in reserves of
Group Hospitalization and Medical Services Inc. (GHMSI), which covers about
150,000 policyholders in the District,
700,000 in Maryland and 300,000 in Northern Virginia as a CareFirst subsidiary.
The hearing was to determine by the
end of 2009 whether that surplus was outside the scope of District law and therefore needed to be returned to policyholders. After delaying the decision, the
D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities
and Banking (DISB) said it would put off
its findings until “a later date” in order
“to appropriately serve the best interests”
of its residents.
‘Best possible decision’
That later date could be coming
soon, according to DISB Commissioner Gennet Purcell.
"DISB continues its in-depth review
of the CareFirst surplus to ensure that
the agency makes the best possible decision that serves the interests of all parties
concerned, most importantly, the residents of the District of Columbia," the
commissioner recently told Insurance &
Financial Advisor.
Part of last year’s delay came with a pair
of actions in Maryland: the departure of
former Maryland Insurance Commissioner Ralph S. Tyler, who left for a job
with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Tyler’s findings that GHMSI’s reserves were “neither unreasonably large
nor excessive,” following an investigation.
The DISB said it wanted to examine
the Maryland findings before making its
own determination. Part of Maryland’s
findings, conducted by the Invotex
Group, advised against apportioning
“attributable” funds among Maryland,
the District and Virginia, calling such a
move “a concept that has no financial
meaning, applicability or relevance and
should be reconsidered.” IFA
Maryland / Washington D.C.
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July 2010
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3
Many sources drive Gen Y auto insurance shoppers’ choices
Younger consumers seeking guidance
online, not by visiting agencies, survey says
By Keith L. Martin
It seems GenerationY shoppers searching
for automobile coverage prefer the advice of
their Facebook friends to that of a trained insurance agent.
This finding was just one in a new study
by J.D. Power & Associates, looking at the
shopping habits of an emerging group of
prospective customers in the insurance
marketplace: customers ages 17 to 33, better
known as Generation Y or millennials.
Jeremy Bowler, a senior director for J.D.
Power and author of the 2010 Insurance
Shopping Study, said “having grown up sur-
rounded with digital technology” and embracing social media habits through Twitter
and Facebook, “the Generation Y shopper
has a much more expansive approach to
gathering information.
“They are much more apt to use multiple
sources to conduct that initial search for
companies they are interested in getting a
quote from,” Bowler said.
The study indicates that Generation Y
shoppers, when compared to baby
boomers, rely in greater numbers on insurance company websites, online quoting
services and friends, co-workers and relatives than they do in more traditional methods like direct mail or even a local insurance agency.
The study also shows that Generation Y
shoppers require information and validation from four sources, on average, versus
the 2.3 sources used by older shoppers.
Redefining the ‘trusted advisor’ role
boomers for nearly a decade, but are new
to Generation Y shoppers.
One similarity among age groups in the
study, however, is that “there is no clear
winner” in terms of satisfaction by distribution model for policies.
“That mix or blending of channels is
continuing to progress over last couple of
Bowler told Insurance & Financial Advisor that right now, about 41% of Generation Y auto shoppers
are buying direct and
// Courting consumers
the influence of counsel from friends and
The 2010 Insurance Shopping Survey by J.D. Power indicates
family is “very signifivast differences in sources of information used when shopping
cant” in their purchasfor auto insurance among Generation Y and Baby Boomers.
ing behavior.
Insurance company websites
“I think the trusted
58%
advisor role that agents
46%
have served for GeneraFriends/Co-workers/Relatives
tion Y’s parents is still a
44%
need Generation Y is ex31%
hibiting and will continue to exhibit,” he
Advertising
said. “The question is
32%
whether the Generation
22%
Y shopper is going to
Local insurance agency in your community
make the time to visit an
21%
agent. And I don’t think
30%
the traditional agency
Direct mail
service model necessarPercentage of Shoppers
ily is the answer.”
7%
Generation Y
The challenge for
Baby Boomers
11%
agents, Bowler added,
Source: J.D. Power & Associates
is to figure out “how
to deliver that trusted
advice in a fashion” that suits Generation years and what we are seeing is the growY shoppers. The study points to insurers ing proportion of Generation Y shoppers
increasing their presence on social media preferring self-service channels really
sites like Twitter and Facebook. Agents helping to drive that changing mix in the
must follow that course to penetrate what marketplace,” he said. IFA
Bowler calls the “social media-sphere.”
In that realm, he said, the typical conver// RECOGNITION
sation begins with users indicating they are
thinking about a particular brand, with a Erie Ins. claims third straight
thread conversation emerging with input customer satisfaction award
from others, typically relating experiences,
pricing and other factors.
For the third consecutive year, Erie Insurance has finished first in customer satShorter ties mean lower loyalty
isfaction among auto insurance shoppers
“The Generation Y shopper is looking in a study by J.D. Power and Associates.
Erie, which operates in 11 states, into make their own decision, but want all
the information they can gather quickly,” cluding Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virhe said. “For the agent, how do you be- ginia, as well as Washington, D.C., earned
come relevant in that [media-sphere] is the award in the 2010 Insurance Shopping
Study, which evaluates the experience of
the challenge.
Bowler added that Generation Y shop- customers purchasing a new auto insurpers are also more likely to swap carriers, ance policy.
Erie scored 886 in customer satisfaction
showing less loyalty than older shoppers.
Part of the loyalty issue, he said, is “lack on a 1,000-point scale. The industry averof tenure” among agents who’ve served age was 851 out of 1,000 points. The HartGeneration X, ages 24 to 44, and baby ford ranked second overall. IFA
|
IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
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July 2010
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5
Property-casualty unit spurs 45% jump
in first-quarter revenue for ULLICO
D.C. holding company experiences
‘outstanding’ period, executive says
By Bob Graham
ULLICO, a Washington, D.C.-based
multi-line holding company for insurance and financial service products,
was in the black in the first
quarter, an improvement
in its position in the red
one year ago.
The company reported
Edward McElroy
pre-tax operating income
of $3.7 million for the quarter ending March
31, an increase from the loss of $2.5 million
it reported for the same quarter in 2009.
“From both a revenue and earnings
perspective, ULLICO once again had an
outstanding quarter,” said Edward McElroy, ULLICO’s chief executive officer, in a
statement.
ULLICO’s property-casualty business
operations had pre-tax earnings of $3.6
million, an increase from the $1.7 million
reported in the first quarter last year. But
revenue soared, rising 45%, to $29.8 mil-
lion. Company officials said successful expansion of its workers’ compensation,
commercial and surety lines led the increase in both revenue and earnings,
while even its core fiduciary and union liability products had revenue and earnings growth for the quarter.
The company said it generated net income of $2.4 million, compared to a net loss
of $1.7 million for the same period last year.
Its life and health business unit fueled
the improvement, contributing $3.3 million in pre-tax earnings (up from $2.5 million last year). Its earnings benefited from
favorable underwriting results in the medical stop-loss line. Revenue was flat, at
$36.9 million, compared to $36.7 million
for the same period in 2009.
The investment services unit, which includes ULLICO’s Real Estate Investment
Group, contributed pre-tax earnings of
$3.4 million, compared to $600,000 for the
same period last year.
Total premium and fee revenue for the
quarter was $77.3 million, a 12% increase
company officials attributed to the property-casualty operations. IFA
Not Only 30 Insurance Carriers...
NewProducts
For more go to IFAwebnews.com/Products
Privacy, network protection
policies see new enhancements
ACE USA incorporated new
enhancements to its
DigiTech and Privacy Protection policies,
providing privacy, network security and
media liability coverage for all industries.
PropertyCasualty
The policies now include access to ACE’s
Data Breach Team, a pool of independent
third-party professional service providers
who have the capabilities and experience to
help organizations and businesses execute
their data breach response, according to the
Philadelphia-based company.
ACE policyholders now have access and can
be referred to a panel of legal, computer
forensic, notification, call center, public relations, crisis communications, fraud
consultation, credit monitoring and identity
restoration firms through ACE.
Hospitals, clinics see new
coverage options from insurer
Zurich North America Commercial unveiled its new,
Z-Rx Insurance Solutions, offering 27 healthcare coverages, including professional
liability, general liability, security and privacy
and management liability products.
Health
Insurance
The Illinois-based provider of medical malpractice coverages said the offering also
includes access to special product endorsements, including eDiscovery services; the
ability to add travel accident coverage to
primary and umbrella HPL policies; and 30
risk management services for hospitals.
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Insurer expands offerings
to group product market
Aflac announced that a new
acquisition has allowed it to
offer voluntary group benefits to companies
with as few as 100 employees.
Employee
Benefits
The Georgia-based company said the acquisition of group benefits provider Continental
American Insurance Co., now operating
under the Aflac brand, allows it to offer both
individual and group plans to a wider range
of employers at no direct cost – providing
employees with additional choices for their
benefits packages.
The expansion means companies with just
100 employees can now offer the insurer’s
|
IFAwebnews.com
suite of group and individual voluntary plans,
including accident, critical illness, disability
and life insurance policies. Employers can
also offer cafeteria plans, retirement plan
services, innovative enrollment options and
administrative solutions that offer cost and
tax savings for both employers and employees, the company said.
Agents’ group rolls out expanded
laptop protection product
The National Association of
Professional Insurance
Agents (PIA National) announced, through
its partnership with MobileSecure, the
national offering of the company’s Data Protective Services product.
PropertyCasualty
Data Protective Services is an expansion of
the previously released Laptop Protective
Services, to respond to requests from member agencies to provide coverage for both
desktop and laptop computers, according to
the Washington, D.C.-based group.
PIA National said it recognizes that use of
both desktops and laptops in the course of
everyday insurance business is the norm for
most of its members, yet companies have
limited time and resources to dedicate to
data security.
LTC LaunchPad aims at
streamlining applications
American General Life
Cos. introduced LTC
LaunchPad, a tool it calls a streamlined,
automated application process for its longterm care insurance.
Life
Insurance
The web-based tool is designed to help producers complete and submit the proper
forms and shorten producers’ requirements
for field underwriting, according to the
Texas-based company.
LTC LaunchPad consists of a three step
process. First, producers use American General’s eConnections to generate an
illustration with customized proposals. Second, after benefit choices are finalized and a
brief questionnaire is answered, LTC
LaunchPad automatically populates required
forms. Third, once the forms are completed,
a registered nurse contacts the client to
gather information to complete the application and begin the underwriting process,
according to the company.
July 2010
Paid Advertisement
Workplace Wellness
A
lthough workplace wellness
programs have
been offered to employer
groups with 2 or more
employees for several
years, many employers
Subramaniam
have not taken advantage Shekar
Associate Vice President
of them. One reason is CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
that workplace wellness
has not been heavily promoted, especially in
small groups with fewer than 99 employees.
Why should employers consider a Workplace Wellness strategy?
Most employers are desperately looking
sound workplace wellness strategies.
Strategic wellness programs should include
some or all of the following elements:
• Health risk assessments
• Health screenings
• Medical management programs, including
disease management, case management
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• Online or telephonic coaching to
assist in weight loss, smoking
cessation, cholesterol reduction and
lowering of hypertension
• Workplace exercise programs
• Onsite health-related seminars and
screenings
As a means to lowering costs,
workplace wellness programs
are often overlooked.
for new ways to reduce their overall health
care expenses. Some seek to limit their costs
by increasing their employees’ co-pays, coinsurance and deductibles. Others have
switched from more expensive PPO plans
to HMO-based plans. Most recently, a
growing number of employers have opted
for Consumer Driven Health Plans, which
increase cost sharing for their employees.
As a means to lowering costs, workplace
wellness programs are often overlooked.
While wellness programs don’t immediately
produce lower premiums, employers often
fail to consider that over the long term, a
strategic wellness program that’s integrated
with an organization’s culture can stabilize
health care expenses and help limit future
premium increases.
Brokers may be missing an opportunity to
play an instrumental role in developing wellness programs for their clients. By working
together with the health plan and the employer, a broker can be the catalyst for change
that will ultimately make the difference in
making health care more affordable. Like
many health insurers, CareFirst BlueCross
BlueShield (CareFirst) offers wellness programs for most small groups at no additional
cost. In fact, rich information is often available on health plan web sites. CareFirst, for
example, offers monthly webinars developed
specifically to assist employers in developing
W h a t c a n w or k p l a c e w e l l n e ss m e a n t o
e m plo ye e s an d bu s i n e s s e s ?
• Healthier employees are more productive
• Healthier employees are more likely to be on the job rather than absent
from work
• Healthier employees improve overall workplace morale
• Healthier employees are less likely to require costly health care services
• Health conditions can be identified, monitored and managed before they
become more serious
• Healthier employees ultimately result in a healthier employer group that
can help maintain more stable premiums over time. Employees leading
healthy, active lifestyles generally have lower out-of-pocket costs.
• Information and resources on how to
adopt a “culture of health” by addressing
the workplace environment issues and
policies to promote healthy behaviors
One of the easiest and most effective ways to
identify employee health risks is to take advantage of your insurer’s health risk assessment program. The steps to a successful health risk
assessment initiative are simple:
1. Employees complete an online health
risk assessment questionnaire
2. An online report is generated that
outlines all the health risks faced by
that employee
3. Based on the results, the employee may
qualify for personal coaching and
assistance, can be encouraged to work
with his/her physician to initiate a
personal treatment plan, or be directed
to available online resources to help
maintain their good health
For employees with serious health concerns, most health plans offer disease man-
agement programs through which employees
are contacted by care coordinators to assist
them in managing their illness in conjunction
with their physician.
By taking these first steps, employees who
are at high risk are better positioned to effectively manage their condition. Many employees have found these services helpful in taking
positive steps to improve their health, such as
lowering cholesterol or hypertension – which
if left untreated may lead to major health complications. In addition, wellness programs can
help motivate and inform healthy individuals
to maintain their good health and, in the
process, help control health care costs.
A well-planned,integrated workplace wellness
program can be effective in addressing the root
causes of health conditions before they become
more serious.Wellness plans also support individual and organizational behavioral changes that
motivate,inform and educate employees on how
they can lead healthier and more active lifestyles.
This summer, CareFirst will introduce
HealthyBlue, the next generation of health
plans, whereby members are rewarded for improving and maintaining their health. I will
share more about this exciting program in an
upcoming issue.
Shekar Subramaniam is the Associate Vice President for Broker Sales at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.
CareFirst offers wellness programs at no additional cost to employers with fewer than 200 employees. Contact
your broker or CareFirst representative or visit our website at www.carefirst.com/workplacewellness today to
take advantage of wellness plans that are recognized as among the best in the region.
More to feel good about.
SM
An independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
|
IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
|
7
D.C. forms committee
for federal health
reform implementation
notablenews
2010 Maryland State Expo
The Maryland Association of Health Underwriters (MAHU) and
the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors of
Maryland (NAIFA) hosted their 7th annual joint Maryland State
Expo at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City.
The event featured a golf outing, awards dinner, continuing
education seminars, a legislative update featuring Acting
Insurance Commissioner Beth Sammis, networking and a
vendor trade fair.
In the accompanying photo, NAIFA-MD President Tammy
Gladstone presents the IFA-PAC Award to Michael Garrity of
NAIFA-Harford/Cecil.
For more photos, visit the Photo Gallery at IFAwebnews.com.
Send photos of your company events and
happenings: [email protected]
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Experts to provide Mayor Fenty with
interpretation of what law means
Following the lead of several states
across the nation, Washington, D.C., has
assembled a group of
subject experts, including insurance, to help
interpret the impact of
the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act.
D.C. Mayor Adrian
Fenty has established a
Gennet Purcell
Health Reform Implementation Committee, co-chaired by
Gennet Purcell, commissioner for the
District’s Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB), and Julie
Hudman, director of the D.C. Department of Health Care Finance.
The committee will advise Fenty on
implementation of health reform
guidelines and coordinate its execution
in the District, according to a statement
from the DISB.
“This reform has the power to affect
many District families – including our
most vulnerable seniors and low-income
residents – and DISB will work with the
other agencies on the committee to be
diligent, effective and efficient about its
implementation,” said Purcell in a statement. “Our staff has been studying the
law, coordinating with others, and is
ready to work on putting in place the
benefits that will provide greater access
to quality affordable health care for all
District residents.”
Also serving on the committee are District Department of Health Director Pierre
Vigilance and Department of Human
Services Director Clarence Carter. IFA
// EDUCATION
Insurance Society seeking
registrants for fall courses
The Insurance Society of Baltimore is
accepting registration for its fall class
schedule.
Classes planned include the CPCU
program, general insurance and several
designation programs from the American Institute for Chartered Property and
Casualty Underwriters.
For more information, visit the organization’s website at www.isob.org, or call
410-420-6633. IFA
July 2010
// REGULATION
Md. agent working for GEICO
loses license for falsifying
her insurance application
By Bob Graham
A former agent of the Government
Employees Insurance Co. (GEICO) had
her insurance license revoked for providing inaccurate information on her insurance application to obtain more favorable rates, according to the Maryland
Insurance Administration.
Jeanette G. Desruisseaux, of Norfolk,
Va., was terminated from her job with GEICO because she “used fraudulent or dishonest practices and demonstrated untrustworthiness in the conduct of the
business of insurance,” according to an
April 9, 2009, letter to the MIA from GEICO.
GEICO said in the letter that Desruisseaux provided incorrect, misleading and
untrue information on her insurance application for her personal vehicle so she
could obtain more favorable rates not
appropriate for the risk, records show.
In July 2009, Desruisseaux told the MIA
she would surrender her license, but never
followed up with state regulators. As a result, the MIA revoked her license Feb. 8.
She had obtained a non-resident insurance agent’s license in Maryland in
May 2008. IFA
//LOCAL LINE
Banner Life prepping for
its relocation to Urbana
By this time next year, Banner Life Insurance Co. should be moving into its
new office center in Urbana, Md.
The company recently held a reception at the site of their new headquarters. The company plans to spend $33
million to relocate 400 employees from
Rockville, according to the Frederick
News-Post.
Frank T. Gencarelli, vice president of
the insurer, said more than half of the
company’s employees live closer to Urbana than Rockville, and the new location will “give us a better place for our
customers,” in terms of space for education and interaction with staff, according
to the report.
The new office center will be two
roughly 60,000 square-foot buildings
with a center courtyard, designed so it
can be expanded in the future. IFA
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Years ago, Mike Serluco had a national company insuring his growing property
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suggested a local insurer with a stronger commitment to building owners – Millers.
“It’s very, very important for an investor to have an insurance partner, and that’s
what I call Millers,” Mike says. With the few insurance claims
he’s had, “Bing, bam, boom – it’s done and taken care of.”
Adds Kingsbury, “With Millers, they actually listen to what you
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IFAwebnews.com/Career
|
IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
|
9
On the Hill
News From The Nation’s Capitol
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Congressmen praise health
reform’s tax credit for small biz
The heads of the U.S. House Ways and
Means Committee say new federal guidelines for small businesses to provide health
insurance will help expand coverage.
As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, $40 billion in tax credits are
available for small business to help offer
health coverage for employees. More than 4
million firms are eligible, according to the
U.S. Treasury Department.
Starting Jan. 1, the sliding-scale credit was
worth up to 35% of a small business’ premium
costs this year. It will rise to 50% in 2014.
House Ways and Means
Committee Chairman
Sander Levin (D-Mich.)
said the tax credit “is an
important, immediate provision that frees up
resources for future
growth and job creation at
Sander Levin
those small businesses
offering insurance.”
Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), chairman of the
Ways and Means Health Subcommittee,
added that one-third of the nation’s
uninsured works for small businesses.
“These tax credits will expand coverage by
helping small businesses provide health care
for their employees,” Stark said.
PCI tells House panel credit
scores ‘most’ accurate factor
The Property Casualty Insurers Association
of America recently told a House panel that
credit information is “one of the most, if not
the most,” accurate factors in the underwriting and rating of insurance.
Alex Hageli, director of personal lines for
PCI, made the statement to the U.S. House
of Representatives Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Financial
Institutions and Consumer Credit. The panel
recently held a hearing on the use of credit
information beyond lending.
Hageli said using credit information “not
only allows for more accurate pricing, it
saves many consumers money on their
automobile and homeowners’ insurance
|
IFAwebnews.com
policies.” The group, which advocated
against restrictions on the use of credit information, promotes educational efforts for
consumers.
Minorities, women in financial
services addressed in new bill
The under-representation of minorities and
women in the financial services industry will
get greater attention under proposed provisions in Congress’ financial reform
legislation.
Rep. Maxine Waters (DCalif.), along with the other
nine members of the Congressional Black Caucus,
fought for the inclusion of
a provision to establish an
Office of Minority and
Women Inclusion at each Maxine Waters
of the federal banking
agencies and the Consumer Financial Protection Agency in H.R. 4173, the Wall Street
Reform and Consumer Protection Act of
2009. A pair of senators have offered a similar amendment to the Senate’s version of the
House bill, to be reconciled soon.
Waters recently convened a hearing to
establish “a definitive hearing record” on
under-representation in the industry, “the
challenges facing minority- and womenowned businesses in contracting with our
financial services agencies, and the need for
an Office of Minority and Women Inclusion
to effectively address these challenges,”
she said the provision will address.
Small business group joins
states in fighting health reform
A national small business group joined 20
states in challenging the constitutionality of
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act, highlighting measures under federal
health reform it says could “devastate” its
members.
The National Federation of Independent
Business (NFIB), a non-profit group representing small and independent businesses,
joined the effort as part of its mission to
“promote and protect the rights of small
businesses and the self-employed to own,
operate and grow their businesses,” according to a statement by CEO Dan Danner.
July 2010
Advisors fight confusion when promoting annuities to their clients
With retirement planning growing,
better avenues of discussion are sought
Drinkwater, associate managing director of
LIMRA Retirement Research.
Financial advisors, seeing an increase in
their retirement income planning business,
want more information about annuities
and how they can help their clients.
The apparent disconnect between financial service professionals and the marketing of guaranteed income products
could be acute, as financial service professionals told LIMRA that the majority of their
retiree and pre-retiree clients do not use
the instruments.
“Most advisors said that retirement income planning is taking a more prominent
role in their practices,” said Matthew
‘Holistic retirement planning’
He said advisors “expressed a desire for
simpler, more transparent products that
they could understand and explain to their
clients.” He added that they “welcomed education and training to learn more about
holistic retirement planning but not for the
expressed purpose of obtaining another
designation.”
Drinkwater said advisors were clear:
They don’t want to be sold to, but are interested in learning more about how certain
products can address the needs of their
clients.
Exactly 56% of advisors surveyed in September 2009 and October 2009 said they
expect retirement income planning to increase within the next year.
are requesting retirement income planning,
according to researchers.
In LIMRA’s focus groups, advisors said
that guaranteed income products are a
Advisors seek ‘simpler, more transparent
products’ they can understand and explain to
customers, according to LIMRA.
In focus group research earlier this year,
advisors said the emphasis on financial
planning is increasing as more of their
clients are nearing or entering retirement. Spurred by the economic downturn,
clients fear they will not have enough
money to last throughout their lifetime and
growing area of focus but are currently only
used for a minority of retiree and pre-retiree
clients. Most clients are seeking “dependability” and “stability” but generally do not
request guarantees. Advisors report the
word “guarantee” generates skepticism and
questions from some clients. IFA
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IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
|
11
// OUTREACH
PeopleNews
Saudi Arabian insurance regulator shadows MIA for five weeks
A Saudi Arabian insurance regulator
spent five weeks at the Maryland Insurance Administration, learning about its
operations and procedures.
The intern, Abdulmoshen Alhammad,
an insurance supervisor from the Saudi
Arabian Monetary Agency, was sent to the
MIA as part of the National Association of
Insurance Commissioner’s (NAIC) International Internship Program. In Saudi Arabia, Alhammad is responsible for the oversight of some 30 insurance companies and
focuses on health insurance.
“It is my hope that Mr. Alhammad will
be able to gain valuable experience while
in Maryland that can help him and his colleagues shape the future of the Saudi Ara-
bian regulatory system,” said Beth Sammis, acting Maryland insurance commissioner, in a statement. “As we in America
see significant shift in the future of health
insurance regulation, I believe Mr. Alhammad will be provided a rare look at the inner workings of our structure.”
Alhammad, whose visit ended May 21,
spent time with specific units within the
MIA, where he was briefed on their functions and procedures. He also explored
how Maryland regulates insurance from
rates and forms to market conduct and
company and producer licensing. He also
toured several domestic insurance companies to view several different structures
operating in the state. IFA
New eyes.
New reach.
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Call 877-IFA-5001
L. John Pearson, chairman of Baltimore
Mutual Life Insurance
Co., is the 2010 recipient
of the American Council
of Life Insurers Forum
500’s Distinguished Service Award, presented to
L. John Pearson
an individual whose work
has greatly contributed to the life insurance
industry, especially to small- and mediumsized life insurance companies, which the
Forum 500 represents.
Clifford Sawyer, an insurance agent with the
Baltimore Life Insurance
Co., recently received the
Entrepreneurial Leadership Award from The
National Organization of
Sierra Leoneans in North
Clifford Sawyer
America (NOSLINA). The
award is the organization’s highest honor for
positive engagement with the community in
ways that have benefited Sierra Leoneans.
Thomas Phelan, president and CEO of
Baltimore-based IWIF
Workers’ Compensation
Insurance, was elected
president of Kids’ Chance
of Maryland, an educational scholarship fund for Thomas Phelan
children of Maryland
workers who are fatally or catastrophically
injured on the job.
Ray Sweet joined regional
firm PSA Insurance and
Financial Services as
chief financial officer, bringing more than 25 years of
domestic international
experience in finance,
operations and business
Ray Sweet
management to PSA.
Nate Evans, president and CEO of Maple
Life Financial in Bethesda, Md., and
Michael Fasano, president of Fasano
Associates in Washington, D.C., joined the
board of the Life Insurance Settlement
Association.
Wayne Silverman joined Dominion Dental
Services as dental director and Scott
Kranzel joined the benefits provider as vice
president of sales.
|
IFAwebnews.com
Brenda Myers, co-owner
of Interstate Financial
Services in Westminster,
Md., was awarded membership into the Million
Dollar Round Table for
2010 as a Qualifying
Member. Myers also
Brenda Myers
serves as a board member and community service chairperson for
the National Association of Insurance &
Financial Advisors - Carroll/Howard.
Daryl S. Brockman, president and CEO of
Signature Financial Partners, with offices in
Baltimore and Bethesda,
Md., was recently recognized by John Hancock
Daryl S.
Financial Network with
Brockman
the Leading in Excellence
Award. The award recognizes outstanding
leadership in building and growing a
successful financial services organization
and other accomplishments.
Tim Schoeffler joined the
Gaithersburg, Md., office
of CIC Wealth Management Group as vice
president of wealth management.
Scott Hewitt was named
vice president of the Balti- Tim Schoeffler
more branch of CNA
Financial.
Send Your News!
The easiest way to submit events is online:
IFAwebnews.com/submit-news/
// LOCAL LINE
O.C. wants no unemployment
benefits for seasonal workers
Ocean City (Md.) Council members are considering asking the state to eliminate unemployment benefits to seasonal workers.
Councilman Joseph Hall told the Daily
Times newspaper that halting unemployment benefits for seasonal workers might
force employers to raise wages for all seasonal workers, according to the report.
But Town Attorney Guy Ayres said Deep
Creek Lake and other resorts may benefit. IFA
July 2010
Maryland preps for ‘first phase’ of federal health care reform
Regional health insurance exchange,
greater coverage penalty rebuffed
By Keith L. Martin
With the guidelines of federal health
reform slowly being unveiled, how the
new law will look in Maryland is beginning to take shape.
Beth Sammis, Maryland’s acting insurance commissioner, said like other states,
Maryland is awaiting federal guidance on
issues ranging from medical loss ratio to
health insurance exchanges, but at the
same time taking the right steps with the
creation of a Health Care Reform Council
and other collaborative efforts.
“A lot of agencies will be touched by
this bill and our government [in Maryland] is right to bring us all together,”
Sammis said. “This is the right direction
for Maryland as a state.”
Sammis’ comments came at the Maryland State Expo, a conference co-sponsored
by the Maryland Association of Health Underwriters (MAHU) and NAIFA-Maryland.
As an insurance regulator, Sammis
also noted her role as part of the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners in working with federal officials to
provide recommendations and guidance
on the insurance industry.
“The truth is, if you look at the banking
bill and the health insurance bill, there is a
new relationship with the federal government and states on insurance,” she said.
“The federal government doesn’t know
about insurance…but it will learn. I do not
think it is right those who run our country
know very, very little of one of the major
sources of investment in this country.”
Getting off on the right foot
Sammis said the question is how both
states and insurance commissioners help
things along in the “first phase” of health
reform.
“This will set the tone on how we go
forward with the federal government…so
we need to get organized on the state
level,” she said. “There is a lot to do.”
Sammis said state regulators need to
find “the floor” established by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on various reform initiatives,
including medical loss ratio for insurers
and how to enforce the individual mandate to secure private insurance by 2014.
On the latter point, Sammis said as a
state, Maryland needs to decide if the
penalty for failure to secure private inMaryland / Washington D.C.
surance by 2014 – $695 per person or a portion of household income – “is efficient or
should we do more.”
Bryson Popham, the
lobbyist for NAIFA-Maryland and MAHU, inquired
whether Sammis would
consider adding additional
penalties on top of the federal definition.
“We could,” Sammis
Bryson Popham
said. “ I don’t know how
feasible it is and it would be a tough sell at
the moment.…Regarding the penalties, you
have those who want to buy [insurance] and
just need a nudge and that’s what the penalty
does. Others will never buy [insurance], so in
terms of the penalty, I’m not sure we need to
go beyond the [federal] level.”
of Health Underwriters, said right now,
there are two such entities “in name only.
Among issues to resolve is whether penalty for
not obtaining coverage is enough for state.
Another area where Maryland could make
adjustments under federal
reform is in the creation of its
health insurance exchange, a
marketplace for individuals
and small businesses to buy
coverage beginning in 2014.
Adam Brackemyre, director of state affairs for Adam
the National Association Brackemyre
“Massachusetts has a brick and mortar
one with a physical building…and Utah has
a virtual one or what we call a ‘Travelocity’
model where you just go online,” he said.
Brackemyre added that states have the
option of setting up their own exchanges or
joining with other jurisdictions for more of
a regional approach.
Sammis did not indicate her preference
on how Maryland’s may be set up. IFA
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July 2010
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13
// REGULATORY ACTION
LEGALBRIEFS
Maryland regulators suspend insolvent Oklahoma insurer
By Keith L. Martin
The Maryland Insurance Administration ordered the end of new and renewal
business for an Oklahoma insurer recently
forced into liquidation.
In a recent order, acting Maryland Insurance Commissioner Beth Sammis suspended Imperial Casualty and Indemnity
Co. after an Oklahoma County District Court
judge turned over control of Imperial Casualty to state insurance regulators. The judge
acted after its controlling stockholders
agreed to the liquidation.
In her order, Sammis notes that Mary-
land insurance law requires Imperial Casualty to maintain capital stock totaling at
least $750,000 and maintain a surplus at
the same amount. Given the liquidation
order and receivership by Oklahoma regulators, Sammis found that Imperial Casualty no longer meets the state requirement
“because it is insolvent and in a condition
that renders further transaction of insurance business hazardous to its policyholders or the public.”
Imperial Casualty issued casualty, marine, workers’ compensation and other coverage in Maryland and 46 other states. IFA
// NEW PRODUCT
‘Green’ endorsement available for commercial properties
The Mutual Service Office has introduced a Green Upgrade Supplemental
Coverage endorsement for its commercial
property program, in response to the trend
toward more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly products.
The Glen Rock, N.J-based company’s
new offering features an additional limit
(available in 5% increments of the Coverage A limit) for the increased costs to repair or replace damaged property with
“green” property that meets the standard
of a “green authority,” according to a MSO
statement.
MSO’s Green Endorsement is currently
available in Pennsylvania and Maryland,
with filings pending in Delaware, New Jersey and New York, where the company
operates.
The endorsement also features a sublimit of 25% of the additional amount of
coverage for green related costs. IFA
News from the federal and state courts.
Texas agent convicted in $3.8 million fraud scheme
A Texas insurance agent could spend up to 20 years in state prison after a
jury recently found him guilty of selling a local hospital two fake and two
altered hurricane insurance policies.
PropertyCasualty
Michael N. Swetnam Jr., 46, of Harlingen, Texas, was convicted on three counts of mail
fraud after selling the policies in return for $3.8 million in payments, according to the U.S.
Attorney’s Office in Texas. He was a licensed insurance agent with Smith-Regan Insurance, a
firm with a long relationship with Valley Baptist Hospital, a South Texas medical provider.
The former agent decided to add a $1 million fee to a Zurich policy with evidence in court indicating that Zurich sent the original policy and he altered it to include the fee, which the hospital
paid twice, generating another $2 million for Swetnam. Swetnam argued he had the ability to
change the Zurich policies as he was a managing general agent, but Zurich had no record of
this agreement.
Officials nab Medicare fraud fugitive in Fla. after two years
A man accused by federal officials of conspiring to submit $10.9 million in
false and fraudulent claims to Medicare recently surrendered to FBI agents
upon his arrival at Miami International Airport.
Health
Insurance
The Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services said Jose Garcia, 55, surrendered himself to agents after evading capture since 2008.
Two years ago, Garcia and co-defendant Nayda Freire were charged with conspiring to submit the phony claims between April and November 2003 for HIV infusion services allegedly
provided at Global Med-Care Corp., a clinic the pair operated, officials said.
Garcia, Freire and their co-conspirators allegedly retained and trained both physicians and
physicians’ assistants as part of the scheme at their clinic to make it seem like legitimate HIV
infusion and medical services were being provided. An indictment alleges that the duo laundered the proceeds of their crimes by sending the money to sham management and
marketing companies owned and controlled by their co-conspirators.
Mass. firms reach settlement over at-fault accident reports
Four more auto insurers have reached a settlement with the Massachusetts
attorney general to correct thousands of driving records as officials now turn
their attention to the use of private databases for rating purposes.
PropertyCasualty
Jim Van Eperen, General Agent, and
The Washington Group Staff are Proud to Announce
Significant Additions to Our Management Team:
Howard Liebowitz,
Phil Cho,
Brokerage Director
Sales Manager
Jim Hegel,
Michelle Hughes,
Brokerage Director
Sales Manager
Kenneth Van Valkenburgh,
Michael Hincewicz,
Sales Manager
Sales Manager
www.financialstrength.com
(301) 581-7200
Contact The Washington Group to learn how our team
can help take your practice to the next level.
The Washington Group is a general agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
with offices located throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. The Washington Group is headquartered at
6500 Rock Spring Drive, Suite 400, Bethesda, MD 20817.
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a deal with Arbella Mutual
Insurance Co., Norfolk & Dedham Mutual Fire Insurance Co., United Services Automobile
Association (USAA) and Electric Insurance Co., related to alleged violations of a state board
of appeal enforcement initiative. Coakley reached similar settlements with six other companies earlier this year.
The insurers were accused of violating the state’s 2009 board of appeal statue by failing to
correct at-fault accident findings reported to private data collection companies after those atfault accident findings were overturned by the board.
Former agent sentenced to prison for defrauding clients
A former Ohio insurance agent, who fled the country after his indictment on
27 felony charges, was sentenced to seven years in state prison after taking
$685,000 in unauthorized loans from his clients, including his own grandmother.
Life
Insurance
Damon Bryan, 41, received his sentence in Medina County Common Pleas Court after
pleading guilty to nine counts of felony theft, which included theft from the elderly, according
to the Ohio Department of Insurance.
In 2007, state regulators found that Bryan took $685,000 from the annuity policies of nine
clients of his Medina firm, deposited the funds into his own account and used the money for
his own purposes. The Medina Gazette said those items included a camper and a boat, tickets to see the Cleveland Cavaliers, electronics and other items. All of Bryan’s victims were
elderly and all but one – his grandmother who lives in Nebraska – were from Northeast Ohio.
For the latest Legal news go to IFAwebnews.com/Record
|
IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
Women: Retirement worries greater
Eighty-one percent of women indicated
they want a product that provides guaranteed income for life regardless of market
performance.
The survey also indicated a rise in the
number of women working with a financial professional. Among the majority of
women surveyed, representing ages 35 to
70, 58% have a primary financial profes-
From page 1
of living declining as top concerns.
Six in 10 women and men also indicated
they found investing in equities important
in reaching their retirement goals, yet 60%
of women noted they were not confident
investing in equities was a good idea and
nearly 50% indicated a lack of confidence
in their ability to invest in equities.
// A Helping Hand
Over a 12-month
period, women were
A new survey finds that women who work with a financial
also less likely than
professional fared better during the economic crisis and are more
men to have made
aware of retirement risk than women working without guidance.
any changes to their
Recovered at
41%
investments in stocks,
least some
with 60% not making
of losses
28%
any changes comReduced
pared to 49% of men.
62%
‘Conflicted’
investors
discretionary
spending
Cancelled
Restaurant workers served new
coverage through UnitedHealthcare
Partnership to provide 13 million in food
service industry with insurance
A new alliance with the National Restaurant Association will allow UnitedHealthcare to provide coverage and services to
nearly 1 million restaurant owners and 13
million of their employees.
The Restaurant Health Care Alliance, a
new initiative between the two partners,
will offer the insurer’s products to workers in restaurants across America, including the 4 million to 6 million in the
food service industry uninsured at any
given time, both groups said. The program launched May 22, beginning with
51%
9%
individually“The results show
purchased
21%
women are conlife insurance
flicted,” said Barbara
Women with
Women without
Goodstein, executive
financial professionals
financial professionals
vice president and
Source: AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co.
chief innovation officer for AXA Equitable, in a statement. “They know they sional, a rise of 17% from a year ago, AXA
need to invest for growth potential so their Equitable said.
savings can last for 20 to 30 years of retireAndrew McMahon, president of Fiment, yet they lack confidence in their nancial Protection and Wealth Manageability to invest so they aren’t doing any- ment for AXA Equitable, said the increase
thing. Not taking any action, however, “demonstrates the value of seeking procould put them at greater risk.”
fessional financial guidance, not only to
Women responding to the survey were navigate through turbulent times, but
very clear what they wanted in a retirement also to develop comprehensive financial
product, with 89% indicating it is “extremely strategies that help individuals prioritize
or very important” to protect the principal their long-term objectives and stay the
of their investments and 85% noting the course, regardless of the ups and downs
importance of protecting their investment. of the market.” IFA
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Md.; and another insurance brokerage the
three men co-owned, East Coast Administrative Services Inc.
The men and business entities are accused of stealing the money from enrolling
employees of the City of Perth Amboy, N.J.,
in the fictitious program. The charges are
the latest turn in a nearly year-long investigation, led by the New Jersey Division of
Justice Corruption Bureau, into a number of
New Jersey municipalities’ insurance contracts and the brokerages that served them.
For a longer article on this case, visit
IFAwebnews.com/link/142. IFA
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Md. brokers, firms allegedly stole $216,000 from N.J. city
Glen Burnie
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(800) 777-0490
// CRIMINAL CASE
Three insurance brokers from Maryland
and their two companies face criminal
charges for allegedly conspiring to steal
$216,495 from a New Jersey city by collecting payments for a non-existent wellness program for city employees.
A Mercer County, N.J., grand jury
named the following individuals in the
five-count indictment: Francis X. Gartland,
69, of Baltimore, Md.; his company, Federal
Hill Risk Management LLC, based in Towson, Md.; his son-in-law, Derek Johnson,
39, of Lutherville, Md.; their business partner, Thomas B. Kelleher, 62, of Parkville,
state restaurant associations in Colorado
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In development for the past two years,
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and eligibility changes beginning this year.
Dawn Sweeney, the National Restaurant
Association’s president and chief executive officer, said in a statement, “UnitedHealthcare’s vast experience and diverse
capabilities make them the right partner”
for the new initiative.” IFA
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IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
|
15
Groups, regulator seek increased
stranger-owned annuity oversight
companynews
STATs likened to STOLI policies, dubbed
‘troublesome’ agents’ organization
By Bob Graham
Washington Group helps area health clinic
The Washington Group of MassMutual of Bethesda, Md., recently made a $500 donation to the Mansfield Kaseman Health Clinic in Rockville, Maryland. Pictured are Jim Van Eperen (right), general agent of
The Washington Group of MassMutual, and the Rev. Mansfield Kaseman, for whom the clinic is named
and 26-year executive director of Community Ministries of Rockville.
Send photos of your company events and happenings: [email protected]
The chairman of a National Association
of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) committee compared stranger-originated annuity transactions (STATs) to cockroaches,
while others suggested the need for tighter
regulation of the growing practice.
Thomas R. Sullivan, chairman of the
NAIC’s life insurance and annuities committee and Connecticut insurance commissioner, offered the statement during a
recent hearing in Washington, D.C., investigating whether STATs are legal or might
need additional consumer protection.
“These scams are like cockroaches. For
every one you see, there are most likely
hundreds in hiding,” Sullivan said. “Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing the full
magnitude of this problem, but regulators
are taking a diligent look at the conditions
surrounding these sales and practices.”
Testimony focused on the “suspect
practice of targeting seniors and termi-
nally ill patients by inducing them to purchase an annuity largely for the benefit of
investors or intermediaries,” according to
an NAIC statement on the meeting.
The National Association of Insurance and
Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and the Insured
Retirement Institute, sought greater regulation.
“It is NAIFA’s belief that STATs are contrary
to established public policy and could potentially
undermine the intended
use of life insurance and
annuity products to the
great detriment of the insurance industry and
American public, which Thomas R.
relies on our products for Sullivan
protection and financial security,” said Gary
Sanders, a NAIFA vice president.
He called STATs “troublesome,” comparing them to stranger-owned life insurance
transactions (STOLI), which 29 states
banned. In both STOLIs and STATs, seniors
or terminally ill people are paid to obtain
policies, for which they are paid a fee, with
investors getting the death benefit. IFA
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|
IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
Sammis: No desire to regulate broker pay
From page 1
chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA)
and the Maryland Association of Health
Underwriters (MAHU).
Sammis addressed ongoing discussions
between federal regulators and the National Association of Insurance Commissioner regarding medical loss ratio, and
whether commissions paid to agents and
brokers should be contained in the “quality of care” category to justify ratios. Under
federal law, beginning next year, 85% of
premiums in large-group market must be
spent on medical care, not administrative
expenses, while in the small-group and individual markets, 80% of premiums must
cover medical expenses.
Defining ‘quality’
Broker commissions are traditionally included in administrative costs, but with insurers asked to justify their ratios to federal
officials – or face rebates for ratios above the
thresholds – they could make the case that
agents add to quality of care, and, therefore, should be tied directly to medical care.
This feeling has been echoed in letters
from Maryland insurance agents to the
Maryland Insurance Administration, Sammis said, but she disagreed.
“To be honest, I don’t see how broker
compensation does improve quality of
care, but I don’t know exactly what you
do,” Sammis said. “If you show me a program…[that proves this], maybe it can be
put in ‘quality of care.’ Commissions are
insurers paying their sales force. You
[agents] are their sales force.”
Jonathan Anders, chairman of the
MAHU/NAIFA Joint Legislative Committee, said the three key issues the industry is
facing post-federal reform are change, collaboration and transparency.
“I believe that people don’t mind paying
for value, but they don’t want to be taken
advantage of,” he said. “As an industry, we
need to stand up and help the commissioner understand what we do.”
He added that while Sammis raised
some good points about linking “quality
of care” to commissions, “we need to articulate our value….and not tie ourselves
to a particular dollar amount.
“Once everything [through reform] is
put in place, what happens will be more behind the scenes,” Anders said. “Our carrier
partners understand that our role is important and not just a transactional sale.”
// FINANCIAL PLANNING
403(b) retirement plans steady after recession, regulatory changes
Survey indicates ‘resilience’ of retirement
system, according to financial group
By Bob Graham
The recession and complex new regulations appear not to have hurt the 403(b)
retirement plan system, according to a
new survey.
The 2010 403(b) Plan Survey from the
Profit Sharing/401k Council of America
(PSCA) indicates nearly 57% of plan sponsors reacted to the new regulations by
making changes, according to the survey,
sponsored by the Principal Financial
Group. Just 41% planned to make changes
in the 2008 survey, researchers said.
The overall participation rate for em-
ployees eligible to enroll in a 403(b) plan –
which includes certain employees of public schools, tax-exempt organizations and
ministers – remained unchanged from the
2008 survey (75.8%).
“This year’s 403(b)
Plan Survey proves the
resilience of the 403(b)
system,” said David Wray,
president of PSCA.
“Pre-crash to postcrash, pre-regs to postregs, 403(b) plan sponDavid Wray
sors and participants
clearly remain committed to this important employee benefit,”
Wray said in a statement. IFA
No rush to follow New York
Tyler’s interest in regulating broker compensation was voiced prior to federal health
reform’s passage, but as New York was considering stricter regulations on disclosing
the pay relationship between agents and
carriers. New York’s regulation, set to take effect next year, requires insurance producers
to disclose how insurers are compensating
them initially and in greater detail if asked
by a client. Two agent groups have filed suit
to halt implementation.
Prior to resigning, Tyler did convene a
meeting with agents’ groups in the state on
the matter, but never offered a regulation
through the MIA.
When asked if she would consider mirroring New York’s efforts, Sammis told Insurance & Financial Advisor she was aware
that New York was taking such steps, but
she had not reviewed the regulation and
“I’m not even familiar with what New York
has done.
“The bottom line is that I don’t want to
regulate broker commissions,” she said. IFA
Simply delightful.
Better, faster tools.
>LKVU»[Q\Z[JYLH[LMHZ[HUKZPTWSLH\[VTH[PVUZVS\[PVUZ
MVYV\YHNLU[Z>LZL[V\[[VKLSPNO[[OLT-YVTV\Y
H^HYK^PUUPUN9LHS;PTLJVTTLYJPHSSPULZIYPKNLMVY
KH[H[YHUZMLY[VV\Y¸^V^¹WLYZVUHSSPULZX\V[PUNZ`Z[LT
^LKLSP]LYZLHTSLZZZPTWSLVUSPUL[VVSZV\YHNLU[Z^HU[
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HZ[OLPYNV[VJHYYPLY>H[JOHZOVY[]PKLVH[
^^^7LUU5H[PVUHS0UZ\YHUJLJVT
*SPJRVU)LJVTPUN(U(NLU[
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_
// CRIMINAL CASE
Maryland police officer gets probation in auto give-up scheme
An officer with the Prince George’s
County Police Department will spend five
years on probation and pay $15,000 in
restitution after pleading guilty to a single
count of insurance claim fraud.
David Wayne Johnson, 43, pleaded
guilty in Montgomery County Circuit
Court, according to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. The judge in the case
imposed a five-year suspended sentence
for the officer and he must also complete
100 hours of community service.
While off duty, Johnson reported his
2006 Toyota Tacoma truck stolen in Oxon
Hill, Md., Sept. 3, 2006. He then filed a
claim with Erie Insurance Group, claiming
the vehicle had been stolen, and a month
later, received $25,019 from the insurer.
On Jan. 24, 2009, the truck was recovered in Cleveland, Ohio, and the man driving the vehicle, Joe Houston, told police
that Johnson gave him $1,000 to get rid of
the truck but he instead kept it.
Johnson confirmed Houston’s account
to the Maryland Insurance Administration’s Insurance Fraud Unit and Maryland
State Police, indicating he filed a false
claim with Erie. IFA
Business • Auto • Home • Surety
|
IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
|
17
// HEALTH INSURANCE
Consumer-directed health plan enrollment jumped 27% last year
New research indicates that more consumers are selecting consumer-directed
health plans, led by small businesses.
In data released by the American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations
(AAPPO), CDHP enrollment grew to an estimated 23 million people last year, up
from 18 million in 2008, a 27% increase.
The findings were reported in an analysis
of Mercer’s National Survey of Employer
Sponsored Health Plans.
CDHP adoption in 2009 was led by
small employers, accounting for most of
the growth among all employers.
“At a time when employers are faced with
the difficult choice of limiting benefits or
raising health care costs to their employees,
they are turning to CDHPs given the cost
savings inherent in these plans,” said Karen
Greenrose, president and CEO of AAPPO, in
a statement. “We also saw
small employers turn to
CDHPs at a much greater
rate, largely due to this
cost savings. CDHPs,
which are predominately
built on PPO networks, offer the affordability, choice
Karen Greenrose
and access that employers
and consumers alike are looking for.”
Employers prefer to offer CDHPs with
health savings accounts (HSAs), but the research shows employees favor CDHPs with
health reimbursement accounts (HRAs). IFA
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Md. doctors wants MIA review of
‘intrusive’ health insurance protocols
Sammis says she will sit down with
physicians to review their concerns
By Bob Graham
ments, step therapy protocols and therapeutic switching policies to ensure ALL
Maryland patients have timely access to
the care they deserve – as directed by their
doctors, not their insurance plans,” Ransom said in the letter.
Sammis said she has read the survey results and plans to site down with MedChi
An association representing Maryland’s doctors has sent Maryland Insurance Commissioner Beth Sammis a letter
asking her to investigate “intrusive” and
“onerous” health insurance
protocols that could be
// IFA_FAST FACTS
compromising care.
MedChi, The Maryland
Bad medicine
State Medical Society, made
95% of Maryland physicians say insurer protocols had a
the request in conjunction
“somewhat” or “very negative” effect on the doctor’s ability to
with the release of a study
effectively treat patients.
of its membership, which
88.5% identified insurance barriers such as pre-approvals, step
revealed “near universal distherapy, drug switching, and other protocols as “burdensome,”
satisfaction with health in“very burdensome,” or as a “major hassle.”
surer requirements and the
94% say insurers delay or deny prescription medications or
ways in which the requirediagnostic testing for patients.
ments dictate how doctors
Source: MedChi survey, May 2010
treat patients,” according to
representatives to “look back at our law
a statement.
and see if there are any violations.”
Doctors see danger
Speaking at the Maryland State Expo,
“Maryland physicians have increasingly co-sponsored by the National Association
voiced their concerns about the signifi- of Insurance and Financial Advisors of
cant and potentially dangerous ways that Maryland and the Maryland Association
Physicians see health insurers’ actions as
intruding on doctor-patient relationship.
health insurers are intruding in the doctorpatient relationship,” said Gene Ransom,
MedChi CEO, in a statement. “Insurance
practices such as requiring pre-approval for
medical procedures and
prescription medications, step therapy, and
therapeutic substitution
are intended to be cost
control measures, but in
Gene Ransom
reality they deny patients
access to care and are tantamount to practicing medicine without a license.”
The group, which represents about
22,000 licensed physicians in Maryland,
wants Sammis to conduct a comprehensive review of the pre-approval process,
step therapy, therapeutic switching and
other “cost containment” practices “currently interfering with Maryland patients
and their access to affordable, timely
health care.”
“As Maryland moves toward implementing the federal health bill, we ask that
you please review pre-approval requireInsurance & Financial Advisor
|
IFAwebnews.com
of Health Underwriters, she said, “Physicians, like [agents], feel besieged. Things
are changing and when things change, you
don’t feel good and you don’t like it.
“They are looking at serious changes in
the Medicare program...which won’t be
sustainable over time and that will be a
fearful moment.”
Survey reveals ‘pressure’
She said the survey “is partially an indicator of that and pressure from health insurance companies on utilization review
and something they feel is not efficient as
it should be. We hear you need this for
company ‘x’ and this for company ‘y,’ so it
is not easy to figure out and the source of
some issues.”
Health insurer protocols “not only delay
treatment for individual patients, but they
also cut into the time that a doctor has to
spend with his or her patients – every hour
that a doctor spends on administrative
tasks is an hour not spent on patient care,”
said MedChi President Murray Kalish in a
statement. IFA
July 2010
NewProducts
// LIFE INSURANCE
Trade group recognizes growing role of direct-market sales
For more go to IFAwebnews.com/Products
LIFE Foundation announces addition
of LIDMA chief to its board of directors
New identity theft prevention,
resolution services available
Wellness solution aims to curb
costs, empower employees
By Bob Graham
Assist America, a provider of
global emergency services
through employee benefit plans, has
expanded the scope of its program to
include comprehensive identity theft prevention and resolution services.
Nippon Life Benefits has
announced the availability of
a comprehensive new wellness program to
help employees proactively manage their
health and enable employers to better control healthcare costs.
Assist America Identity Protection
recently was launched in conjunction with
one of the New Jersey-based company’s
largest life insurance partners, covering
more than three million people, and is
rolling out to Assist America’s new and
existing health insurance clients. The program is available if a member becomes a
victim of identity theft through a single
toll-free call to a dedicated Fair Credit
Reporting Act (FCRA)-certified
caseworker, according to the company.
The Employer Wellness Solution from Nippon Life Benefits is designed to keep low-risk
employees healthy and motivate higher-risk
workers to take action to better manage their
health, according to the company.
Employee
Benefits
Insurer to aid firms take bite
out of dental benefit costs
MetLife has introduced a
new dual-option dental offering for smaller businesses it says is
designed to make it easier for these firms to
achieve their top benefits objectives of controlling costs and retaining employees.
Dental
Insurance
The New York-based employee benefits firm
is calling their new offering “Back to
BASICs,” featuring low monthly premiums
in a base plan to provide coverage for services needed to maintain oral health, such as
preventative exams, cleanings and X-rays.
The plan also provides lower out-of-pocket
costs through lower deductibles and higher
coinsurance reimbursements and annual
maximums, according to the company.
Employee
Wellness
Available to small and large employers, the
program’s services include worksite biometric screenings, health coaching, wellness
assessments to gauge an employee’s health
and at-home lab tests for employees working remotely.
The program offers employers and members online capabilities that provide content,
tools, forms, resources, and health and nutritional information.
The program is offered in conjunction with
Principal Wellness Co., a member of the
Principal Financial Group.
Company bolsters its claims
technology platform
PMA Companies launched
PMA Claim Center as its
new claims technology platform, fully integrating all of its services as a “major
systems enhancement,” according to the
Pennsylvania-based company.
PropertyCasualty
Philadelphia Insurance Companies recently unveiled a
new product suite for temporary staffing
organizations, with offerings including property, auto, errors & omissions and
employment practices liability.
PMA Claim Center’s rollout to its offices
began in the first quarter, following a successful pilot and extensive testing and
solution customization of Guidewire ClaimCenter to ensure alignment with PMA’s best
practices for claims management, the company said. PMA Claim Center uses
advanced claims management technology
for end-to-end claims processing, according
to the company, and contains dynamic data
fields to capture and store claims information in consistent places.
Eligible classes of business for this product
offering include staffing firms specializing in
temporary and permanent placements in the
clerical, retail, unskilled manufacturing, warehouse, janitorial, sales and hospitality fields,
according to the Pennsylvania-based firm.
This platform provides a central point of control for all PMA claims actions, assisting the
claims professional in coordinating activities
and tracking and managing claims, and provides enhanced claim information and
visibility information to clients, PMA said.
Product suite available for
temporary staffing agencies
PropertyCasualty
A life insurance education organization is paying attention to the growing sale
of life insurance through direct marketing
channels by adding to its board a member
of a group supporting those online and
phone sales efforts.
The LIFE Foundation, a group that provides education about life, health, disability and long-term care products, is adding
to its board of directors the president of the
Life Insurance Direct Marketing Association (LIDMA), a non-profit organization
comprised of businesses and professionals
active in the direct sale of term life insurance products to consumers.
The addition of Patrick Wedeking to the
LIFE Foundation board comes as directmarketing sales of life insurance represent
the fastest growing segment of life insurance sales, LIDMA officials said. Sales
through direct channels represented more
than 20% of the policies, about 5% of premium sold, and 13% of the total face value
in 2008, a joint project conducted by
LIMRA International and LIDMA found.
LIDMA supports businesses and professionals active in direct sales of life insurance products to consumers. The LIFE
Foundation is part of the Life and Health
Insurance Foundation for Education. IFA
|
IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
|
19
For the Record
Calendar of Events
has gone digital.
Maryland Agent & Carrier Actions
The following summaries are based on information obtained from the
Maryland Insurance Administration.
To provide the latest, most accurate
Calendar of Events information, the
calendar is now online at
IFAwebnews.com/calendar. A print
calendar will no longer appear each month.
■
Associations and other groups are encouraged to post
events, seminars and other activities on the calendar
at no charge. It’s quick, easy and always up-to-date.
Synopsis: Tilotta signed a consent order with the MIA
in July 2008 for failing to report a criminal prosecution.
In October 2009, he pleaded guilty in a criminal case in
Harford County and was sentenced to four years in jail
at a hearing Jan. 7. Based on his actions, his license
was revoked.
Jerome Neal
Fort Washington, Md.
Action: License revoked
Synopsis: Neal was terminated from his appointment
with Primerica Life Insurance Co. in November 2009 for
pleading guilty to a “felony weapons charge,” the
insurer told the MIA. Neal did not respond to MIA
requests for information.
Case No. MIA-2010-01-041
■
Case No. MIA-2010-01-011
■
Charles L. Gordon
Windsor Mill, Md.
Synopsis: In August 2009, the MIA learned that
Gordon had left his employment with Monumental Life
Insurance Co. in July 2008. Monumental Life later
discovered that Gordon failed to remit $45.40 in
premium payments for a client. The MIA requested
information, to which he did not respond.
Case No. MIA-2010-01-026
■
Linda K. Kearney
Waldorf, Md.
Synopsis: Kearney was an agent at Walterry Insurance Brokers in Clinton, Md., until she was terminated
for stealing premium payments in November 2009, the
company told the MIA. She did not respond to MIA
requests for information about the situation.
Case No. MIA-2010-01-039
■
William Michael Tilotta Sr.
Churchville, Md.
Michael T. Robinson
Baltimore, Md.
Synopsis: A complaint was filed against Robinson,
whose address was listed on Eastern Avenue and
South Robinson Street in Baltimore City, alleging he
sold an Aviva Life and Annuity Co. policy that was
unsuitable and that the complainant had been misled.
Robinson failed to respond to requests from the MIA
for information; therefore, his license was revoked.
Case No. MIA-2010-03-005
■
Matthew Tang
Ashton, Md.
Action: Paid a $500 fine and restitution of $284
Synopsis: A complainant told the MIA in April 2008
that he purchased homeowners insurance from Juan
Portillo, an agent working for the Tang Agency, and that
the insurance would be written with Joint Insurance
Association. An MIA investigation found that despite
repeated attempts to contact the company, the insurance was never placed. As a result, the complainant’s
policy was placed by the mortgage company, costing
the complainant an additional $284 over the original
premium quote.
Case No. MIA-2010-04-019
// REGULATION
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Group
G
roup Insurance
Insurance Administrators,
Administrators, B
Brokers
rokers & C
Consultants
onsultants S
Specializing
pecializing iin
nH
Healthcare.
ealthcare.
|
410.527.3400
4
10.527.3400 8
800.972.7227
00.972.7227
KTBSPayroll is a Division of Kelly & Associates Financial
Fin
nancial Services, Inc., an Affiliate of Kelly & Associates Insurance
Insurrance Group, Inc.
New York sets new licensing fees for life settlement providers
Following industry reaction, regulators cut
provider fee 50% from original proposal
By Keith L. Martin
A new regulation mandating life settlement providers operating in New York
to pay a $10,000 licensing fee has one industry trade association lauding regulators for not imposing a higher charge.
New York Insurance
Superintendent James J.
Wrynn issued an emergency regulation following public feedback regarding licensing fees for
life settlement providers,
brokers and intermediaries.
James Wrynn
The regulation, which
took effect May 18, mandates the $10,000
fee for providers and requires them to post
a surety bond of at least $250,000. The biennial renewal fee is $5,000.
Life settlement intermediaries must
pay an initial licensing fee of $7,500 with
|
IFAwebnews.com
a biennial renewal fee of $2,500. The rule
also sets an annual license fee of $40 for
life settlement brokers.
In 2009, New York enacted rules requiring the licensure of life settlement companies and brokers by the New York State
Insurance Department.
Doug Head, executive director of the
Life Insurance Settlement Association
(LISA), told Insurance & Financial Advisor,
that the final regulation is “much better”
than the original draft. The original draft,
unveiled earlier this year, proposed a
$20,000 licensing fee.
Head added that it was his understanding that close to 40 providers are prepared to apply, generating $400,000 to
New York, “a sign that the industry is well
and that other fees need not be charged.”
The NYSID said trade associations’
comments on the potential negative impacts of a larger fee was the reason to drop
the provider fee to $10,000 and the intermediary fee from $10,000, as originally
proposed, to $7,500. IFA
July 2010
Does your workplace
measure up for safety?
SERIOUS ABOUT FRAUD
At IWIF Workers’ Compensation Insurance, our focus is on protecting your employees. In fact, we’ve been
HELPING YOU CONTROL LOSS > working with Maryland employers since 1914 to decrease the risks of workplace injuries. Our safety experts
WE KNOW MARYLAND
work with employers large and small, helping them reduce claims, avoid lost work days, and save money on
workers’ compensation coverage. When injuries do occur, employers and employees count on our claims team
for service that is prompt, friendly and professional. Job safety. Great service. It’s the perfect mix. To learn
more, contact your agent, call 800.264.IWIF or visit iwif.com.
|
IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
|
21
INSURANCE MARKETPLACE
Agents: States act
on score doctoring
From page 1
We are prepared for you
and your clients.
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clients.
phone contact list:
Claims & Senior Personnel cell
c
¸
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New
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Markets
arkets
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12%
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H
800-368-2095 x1701
Claims Contact: Lindsey Harris:
Provenzo
Sr.
Greg Pro
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8
Nick Smith - P
ersonal Lin
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Personal
Lines:
Dave
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ve Adcock - Commerci
Commercial
al Lines: 804-398-0998
Questions?
Q
uestions?
u
B
Barry
arrry Scott
[email protected]
800-396-6226 ext 108
Atlantic
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Specialty
pecial
lty Lines
800-368-2095
800-368-209
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Attention:
Insurance Brokers
Is Health Insurance Reform getting you nervous?
Are you concerned that your business as you know
it will drastically change?
Call us today to discuss some viable options
and where the opportunities will be available to
you with Health care Reform.
Call Jack Cohen today at:
301-330-5300 ext 120
240-597-7168 Fax
H|P|K
Hodes, Pessin & Katz, P.A.
Attorneys At Law
Patricia McHugh Lambert, Esq.
410.339.6759 | hpklegal.com
[email protected]
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|
IFAwebnews.com
falsifying credit scores is a full-on new
agent trend,” said James Quiggle, director
of communications for the Coalition
Against Insurance Fraud, a Washington,
D.C.-based nonprofit organization that
tracks and educates about insurance fraud.
“But the shaky economy may be pressuring some hard-pressed agents to protect accounts by artificially lowering client
premiums,” Quiggle said. “It could be client
service taken to a dishonest extreme.”
In Maryland, Malcolm Dewitt Catlett
surrendered his insurance license after
state regulators learned he had inflated
credit scores to help his customers, according to Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) records.
In Pennsylvania, Bryan S. Willey had
his insurance license revoked for replacing the bad credit scores of six customers
with the good credit scores of six other
customers while employed by Mid-Atlantic Insurance Co., Pennsylvania Insurance Department records show.
Pennsylvania’s action against Willey
followed the MIA’s revocation of Willey’s
non-resident producer’s license in November 2009 for similar illegal activity,
Pennsylvania insurance records show.
In the other case, Catlett, who had
been a licensed non-resident personal
lines agent in Maryland from October
2004 to his death in March, was terminated for cause by his employer, AAA
Mid-Atlantic Insurance Group.
The company said its investigation
found that Catlett had “misrepresented
the insurance score of customers by intentionally using incorrect information
to quote a better rate than may have
otherwise applied,” according to a May
12, 2009, letter from AAA to the MIA.
Catlett acknowledged the AAA’s information was accurate in a written statement to the MIA, records indicate.
In September 2009, Catlett acknowledged in a consent order issued in
Delaware that he made false or fraudulent statements on applications and renewal premium quotes to raise the credit
scores and lower rates for customers, according to the MIA records.
Catlett signed the agreement to surrender his Maryland license Jan. 9 and
Beth Sammis, acting Maryland insurance commissioner, signed the order on
Feb. 7. IFA
July 2010
CareFirst plans to reward
healthy choices through
its new ‘HealthyBlue’
Goal to ‘induce’ use of primary care
physician, but not require it, exec says
By Keith L. Martin
Regional health insurer CareFirst
wants its customers to stay healthy and is
prepared to reward them for doing so.
In the third quarter, the company,
which operates in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., plans to roll
out HealthyBlue, a product it says is an
a family and we may also give premium reductions, as that is something we continue
to look into,” he said.
If patients need to address some health
issues, they are encouraged through
HealthyBlue to rely on their PCP to coordinate care. Doing so, Burrell said, means
lower deductibles for those who maximize
care within their network. HealthyBlue
users in the Blue Choice HMO will pay no
co-pay on generic drugs to help with a
New product is designed to ‘induce behaviors
to keep people well’ and coordinate sick care.
evolution of the traditional HMO. It will
offer financial incentives to patients who
work with their primary care physicians
(PCP) to manage their well-being over time
and utilize their doctor to coordinate care.
Chet Burrell, president
and chief executive officer of the Owings Mills,
Md.-based insurer, said
the company has been
working on HealthyBlue
for more than a year, with
the basic concept of deChet Burrell
signing something “to induce behaviors to keep
people well and when they are sick, coordinate their care.
chronic disease.
The plan “takes a page out of the high-deductible health plan book,” Burrell said, by
reducing deductibles on specialty and hospitalization services coordinated by the PCP.
The product also compliments CareFirst’s planned launch of more patient-centered medical homes, where PCPs coordinate client care. The insurer is nearing
completion of a two-year pilot program, as
a new law in Maryland is leading officials to
explore the use of this health model to help
provide more affordable care to residents.
“The goal is to move to value-based
benefits,” he said. “If you have a care
plan set up and you comply with it, we’ll
waive the deductible in part or the whole
thing if you do.” IFA
THE
INSURANCE AGENCIES
BECOMES
Carrots more than sticks
“The intent is to induce, but not require
the selection of a primary care physician
and induce, not require, using one,” he
told Insurance & Financial Advisor.
Burrell said the company is promoting
annual health risk appraisals, both to obtain
a full picture of a client’s health at a point in
time and to establish a “longitudinal record”
of his or her well-being. To have that assessment, he added, a PCP is needed, so the
program encourages clients to have a doctor
with whom they can build a relationship.
If the appraisal, which is entered into an
electronic health record, shows all is well,
Burrell said CareFirst will reward customers
with $300 either in the form of a contribution to a Health Savings Account or a debit
card to use for qualified medical expenses.
“The reward can go as high as $700 for
MIGHT OF MANY
THE POWER OF ONE.
In Memoriam
■
■
Herbert William Dahlman, 88, of Annapolis,
Md.; former manager with Nationwide
Insurance.
Potomac Insurance Network
2360 Boston Street, Baltimore, MD 21224
(443) 692-4000
Thomas Nicholas Exarhakis, 87, of Berlin,
Md.; retired vice president for GEICO.
■
Nadine I. Griffie, 94, of Annapolis, Md., former
employee with Nationwide Insurance.
■
Richmond Max Keeney, 79, of Montgomery
Village, Md.; retired insurance director for the Air
Force Association of 40 years, remained
consultant after retirement.
■
Elizabeth Margaret Mundock, 89, of
Sharpsburg, Md.; former employee of
Metropolitan Insurance Co. in New York City.
WHY I JOINED PIN
www.pinsiaa.com
[email protected]
“My agency has gained access to companies that were not
available to us prior to joining PIN. As a member, our collective
strength with carriers has helped us grow our agency. We have
access to marketing opportunities and programs not available
to the average agency. Being part of PIN has increased
our customer base, revenues and agency value. What
more could an agency owner want?”
– Richard Gottlieb
Owner of Woodhome Insurance Group
Baltimore, Maryland
|
IFAwebnews.com
July 2010
|
23
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