Articles by Don Jergler

Clearcover Launches Generative AI Tool Aimed at Expediting Claims Processing

Clearcover launched a generative AI tool the company said is designed to further digitize statement collection, significantly streamlining the insurance claims process and customer experience. The AI-driven tool uses large language models (LLMs) to guide a conversational experience immediately following …

Early Estimate of Tropical Storm Hilary’s Damage and Economic Loss: $9 Billion

AccuWeather’s preliminary estimate of the total damage and economic loss from Tropical Storm Hilary in the U.S. is $7 billion to $9 billion. Hilary brought widespread flooding through Southern California, washing out roads and bridges, flooding cars and homes, and …

How Pandemic Effects on Supplies, Shipping Compound Wildfire States’ Insurance Woes

A perfect storm appears to brewing for homeowners and property insurers in the drought-plagued, wildfire-riddled U.S. West – and as odd as it may sound, the trouble may have begun with the pandemic. Property insurance rates and availability for homeowners …

California Workers’ Comp Changes Helping System, Division Chief Says

California’s workers’ compensation system has undergone numerous changes since the implementation of the sweeping reforms that started in 2013 with Senate Bill 863. In the last few years medical provider fraud has been addressed by subsequent new laws, a plague …

Hawaii Insurance Commissioner: Homes Destroyed by Kilauea Lava Are Covered

Hawaii’s insurance commissioner has made it clear that homes destroyed or damaged in the recent lava flow into a Hawaii neighborhood are covered for the damage under homeowners insurance policies. Gordon Ito, who has been the state’s insurance commissioner since …

Nationwide Switching to Independent Agency Distribution Model by 2020

Independent agents take note – Nationwide may be on your side. Nationwide on Monday announced its intention to shift to an independent agency distribution model over the next two years. The Columbus, Ohio-based carrier, which provides a range of insurance …

Losses From Southern California Fire Could Reach $2.5B, Expert Says

Losses from the Thomas Fire in Southern California are expected to fall between $1 billion and $2.5 billion, a catastrophe modeling firm said on Tuesday. The Thomas Fire, which raged across Southern California’s Ventura and Santa Barbara counties throughout most …

California Workers’ Compensation Insurers Propose Rate Cut

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau on Tuesday submitted a July 1 Pure Premium Rate Filing to the California Department of Insurance proposing advisory pure premium rates that average $2.02 per $100 of payroll. The move follows a vote by …

60% of Workers’ Spinal Fusion Claims Initially Reported as Strains: Study

A study on the use of spinal fusion surgeries in California workers’ compensation shows that in 60 percent of spinal fusion claims the initial report of injury was for a sprain or strain, a majority of the fusions occurred within …

1.8M Western U.S. Homes at Extreme or High Wildfire Risk

Things haven’t gone as bad as they could have so far in 2016 coming off last year’s record-setting wildfire season in the Western U.S., according to a report out today detailing wildfire risks to properties in the Western U.S. The …