To recap the issues raised during this week’s conference call, here are the key media stories we discussed, and the messages we’re conveying.
If there is a subject you would like to see addressed on Wednesday, December 10, please email me at michaelb@iii.org.
GORDON STEWART, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE I.I.I., DIES AT THE AGE OF 75
The I.I.I. issued a news release following Mr. Stewart’s death. Bob Hartwig, the I.I.I.’s current president, offered this tribute to his predecessor. A memorial service for Gordon Stewart will be held on Sunday, December 14, at 1 p.m., at St. Mary’s in the Highlands Episcopal Church, Cold Spring, NY.
I.I.I. DISCUSSES INSURANCE AFTERMATH OF FERGUSON, MISSOURI, RIOTS WITH MULTIPLE MEDIA OUTLETS
The I.I.I. spoke with The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Arise TV, among others.
RELATIVELY QUIET 2014 HURRICANE SEASON CONCLUDES
Eight named storms developed this year, according to the federal government. Six of those eight became hurricanes, and two of the hurricanes were major ones (Category 3, or higher).
DRIVERS AGED 65 AND OLDER FAVOR IN-PERSON DRIVERS LICENSE RENEWAL, MEDICAL SCREENING
The findings emerged in an AAA Foundation survey, which generated stories on the CBS Evening News and in The New Orleans Times-Picayune.
I.I.I.’s OFFICE MOVES TO 18TH FROM 24TH FLOOR AT 110 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK CITY
The move took effect on Monday, December 1.
STORIES IN THE WORKS
The New York Times’ Ron Lieber (coverage for properties rented through Airbnb) and Ann Carrns (winter weather) are readying insurance-related stories.
The Boston Globe’s Deirdre Fernandes is exploring what the insurance industry is doing to recruit younger talent.
The St. Paul, Minnesota, Pioneer Press’ Anne Millerbernd is hearing auto thefts in that city are on the rise.
The New Jersey Star-Ledger’s Karin Price Mueller wants to know why an auto insurer insisted a soon-to-be former policyholder was asked to surrender their license plates after leaving the insurer.
Kiplinger’s Cameron Huddleston is converting this 2013 column on insurance coverage for holiday mishaps into a December 2014 online slide show.
InsuranceQuote.com’s Chris Kissell is preparing an article pegged to a survey the website did on consumer awareness of Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) reports.
A.M. Best’s Meg Green is coming to the I.I.I.’s Manhattan office on Monday, December 8, to tape segments for Best Day News with the I.I.I.’s Bob Hartwig (property/casualty trends) and Steve Weisbart (life/retirement issues).
CAPITOL HILL
More than 40 U.S. House Republicans signed a letter to the U.S. House’s leadership, seeking a vote this month on a long-term extension to the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), The Hill reports.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation to determine whether Graco Children’s Products delayed reporting a safety defect that led to the largest U.S. recall of children’s safety seats.
Mark Rosekind, the president’s nominee for the top job at NHTSA, was asked this week about the Takata air bag recall controversy during a U.S. Senate hearing.
The U.S. Senate contest in Louisiana will conclude on Saturday, December 6, with a run-off election between U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu and U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy.
STATES
Arizona
The state’s Geological Survey issued a news release after a 4.7 magnitude earthquake occurred at 10:57 p.m. on Sunday, November 30, about seven miles north of Sedona.
California
Mudslides closed a nearly 10-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Sunday, November 30, after the state’s heaviest rainfall in months.
Florida
The I.I.I.’s Lynne McChristian told Miami’s 610AM, an all-news station, this week that the hurricane risk remains, even though the state has not had a storm make landfall since 2005.
The Personal Insurance Federation of Florida’s executive director wrote in a Lakeland Ledger editorial that 11 of the 29 companies which took policies out of Citizens between 2003 and 2009 developed financial woes.
Georgia
State Representative Rahn Mayo is pushing for the passage of House Bill 10. If enacted, motorists would only be permitted to talk on their cellphones while driving if they used a hands-free device.
Kansas
A 4.8 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday, November 12, was strongly felt in Wichita, and has policymakers wondering why there have been a record-setting 132 earthquakes so far this year.
The EF2 tornado which hit Baxter Springs (Cherokee County) on Monday, April 28, 2014, injured 34 people and damaged more than 100 homes. A new study says the disaster was part of a growing trend: days in which multiple tornadoes develop simultaneously.
Massachusetts
Insurance Commissioner Joseph Murphy is leaving his post to become chief operating officer at Boston-based Coverys, a provider of liability insurance for the medical profession.
New York
U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer want the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to audit the National Flood Insurance Program's Sandy-related legal bills.
Wyoming
Hurricane-force winds struck Cody and Casper on Friday, November 28, causing power outages, blowing out windows and knocking down trees, the Weather Channel reports.
Insurance Commissioner Tom Hirsig is leaving the Mead administration to become president and chief executive officer of Cheyenne Frontier Days, effective January 1, 2015.
SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT
The Ferguson riots damaged numerous businesses just before Thanksgiving Day and a few of them have taken to social media to ask for help with rebuilding. SOLO Insurance and STL Mobile, for instance, two small businesses in Ferguson, have started pages on gofundme.com. Other companies and concerned citizens are posting questions online about whether homeowners insurance policies cover riot damage.
Sony is scrambling to restore some of their systems after having its computer systems hacked, according to Reuters.
Uber is launching uberPOOL, a service that will allow New Yorkers to share a cab with someone and save about 20 percent on their fare, compared to what they would normally pay.
On social, this service is getting positive reviews because people are hoping it will get more cars off the road.
MEDIA MATTERS
ABC had more viewers aged 25-54 watch its weekday evening news program in November than either CBS or NBC, the first time in 18 years ABC won first place in that demographic.
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