Claims and Costs News

Dissatisfied Claimants Put Carriers at Risk of Losing $170B in Premiums: Accenture

A research report published this month found that one-third of claimants were not fully satisfied with their most recent insurance claims experience, adding that speed of settlement is a clear pain point for policyholders. Translating the level of dissatisfaction into …

Have Insurers Paid Too Much for Asbestos and Other Toxic Torts?

Have insurers and defendants been overpaying for asbestos liability claims? Are there other ongoing toxic torts where that might be true today? The questions arise as a result of a revolution that’s now underway in genomic analysis and its application …

The Art of Creating a Physician Peer Review Panel, Part II: Contracting and Training

This article is the second in a two-part series about best practices for building a physician peer review panel. Click here to read the first article in the series, The Art of Creating a Physician Peer Review Panel, Part I. …

The Power of Technology Integration: 6 Ways to Use Technology to Improve Claim Outcomes

Though the Property & Casualty (P&C) industry has made definitive inroads into technology adoption, there remain vast opportunities for the sector to reap the benefits of technology to achieve better, faster results. Insurers and claim organizations at large still have …

Research Finds Compounded Topical Pain Creams No Better Than Placebos

In an effort to reduce chronic pain, many people look for hope by paying $20 to thousands of dollars for a tube of prescription topical pain cream or gel. Now, results of a rigorous federally funded study mandated by Congress …

NICB Releases First Report on U.S. Snowmobile Thefts Between 2015-2017

While not nearly as pervasive as vehicle thefts, snowmobile can impact public safety and basic transportation in areas of the country where snowfall renders other forms of transportation inoperable, according to the first report on the snowmobiles thefts in the …

California Wildfire Insurance Claims Top $11.4 Billion

Insurance claims from California’s deadly November 2018 wildfires have topped $11.4 billion, making the series of fires some of the most expensive in state history, officials said Monday. The latest tally adds to growing concerns about the future availability of …

Value-Based Care Model Needs More Review Before Implementation in Workers’ Comp

At face value, value-based care (VBC) seems like the answer to some of the woes associated with the fee for service model currently used in workers’ compensation. However, several factors need to be considered to determine whether it can be …

Willis Re: Several Catastrophes Led to Average Insured Losses in 2018

Insured losses from major natural catastrophes in 2018 totaled roughly $71.5 billion, only slightly more than the annual average since 2011 but the third-highest total during the eight-year period, according to the Summary of Natural Catastrophe Events 2018 report, published …

Missouri Study Criticizes High Costs of Air Ambulances

Sick or injured Missouri residents who need air ambulance services face thousands of dollars in bills and sometimes aggressive collection efforts if they cannot pay, according to a state report. The average bill after insurance for people who needed air …