To recap the issues raised during Wednesday’s conference call, here are some of the key media stories, and the messages we’re conveying.
If there is a subject you would like to see addressed on Wednesday, May 9, please email Mike Barry at Michaelb@iii.org.
MONEY MAGAZINE TO MEET WITH THE I.I.I. TO DISCUSS MINNESOTA LAW SCHOOL PROFESSOR’S INSURANCE RESEARCH
Lisa Gibbs, the Florida-based senior editor of Money, will be at the I.I.I. on Monday, May 14, to discuss Professor Daniel Schwarcz’s research for an upcoming article Gibbs is writing on homeowners insurance policy language and coverage issues.
THE WEATHER CHANNEL CONDUCTED A LIVE INTERVIEW ON HAIL DAMAGE AND INSURANCE COVERAGE WITH THE I.I.I.’s BILL DAVIS
The segment aired live on Tuesday, May 1, at 4:10 p.m., ET, and came a day after a Weather Channel crew had its vehicles damaged by a hail storm in Amarillo, Texas.
CONSUMER FEDERATION OF AMERICA, UNUM FIND U.S. WORKERS LACK BASIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GROUP DISABILITY INSURANCE
On Monday, April 30, the Consumer Federation of America and Unum jointly released a survey that found American workers know little about group disability insurance. Opinion Research Corp International (ORC) conducted the poll over three weekends in late March and early April, interviewing 1,191 people.
UNITED POLICYHOLDERS CITES J.D. POWER & ASSOCIATES STUDY ON AUTO INSURANCE CLAIMS SATISFACTION IN FUNDRAISING PITCH
The details can be found at United Policyholders’ website. The UP editorial content links to an article about the J.D. Power & Associates report, rather than the study itself.
PROGRESSIVE FILES SUIT IN A FEDERAL COURT IN OHIO, CLAIMING SOME OF ITS COMPETITORS ARE INFRINGING ON THEIR PATENTS
The patents are related to vehicle monitoring, and the ways the monitoring is used to determine auto insurance rates, according to this Tuesday, May 1, Bloomberg story.
USA TODAY PUBLISHES FRONT PAGE STORY ON POST-TORNADO RECOVERY EFFORTS IN TUSCALOOSA AND JOPLIN
The article appeared in USA Today on Monday, April 30, and focused on “two resilient cities, one year later.”
AFTER A YEAR OF SEVERE TORNADOES, A SAFE HOUSE MANUFACTURER SUDDENLY FINDS ITS CORE PRODUCT IS IN DEMAND
Missouri-based Twister Safe has seen its payroll grow to 20 people, from four employees, in the past year, according to this Saturday, April 29, Associated Press article on the ways Americans are protecting themselves from tornadoes.
I.I.I.’s PRESIDENT IS INTERVIEWED AS PART OF ABC AFFILIATE’S COVERAGE OF ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ALABAMA TORNADOES
The I.I.I.’s Bob Hartwig discussed the insurance repercussions of Alabama’s 2011 tornadoes on Birmingham’s ABC affiliate on Friday afternoon, April 27.
BUFFALO’S CBS AFFILIATE, INSURANCEQUOTES.COM AND CRITTENDEN RESEARCH CONTACTED THE I.I.I. FOR POTENTIAL STORIES
Buffalo TV reporter Al Vaughters is investigating a viewer’s claim that his homeowners insurance policy was non-renewed after filing two claims….Tamara Holmes of InsuranceQuotes.com is preparing a piece on the best way to insure an electric vehicle….Liza Manion of Crittenden Research is readying an article for Medical Insurance magazine on medical professional liability insurance and electronic health records.
FEDERAL NEWS
The CBS affiliate in New Orleans interviewed U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu for a Tuesday, May 1, segment on the future of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and how the NFIP’s potential expiration on May 31, 2012, could adversely impact Louisiana’s real estate market.
STATE NEWS
Louisiana
The Monday, April 30, online edition of the Baton Rouge Advocate reports that Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will not lower rates for its wind-and-hail-only policies, which means about 35,000 policyholders can expect to see rates jump an average of 58 percent statewide, effective June 1.
Florida
Citizens announced on Tuesday, May 1, that its $750 million catastrophe bond may protect Florida taxpayers from future assessments.
Citizens is hosting a ‘depopulation summit’ on Friday, June 1, in Tampa; the I.I.I.’s Lynne McChristian will be in attendance.
The National Weather Service has assigned three emergency response specialists to its Tampa office as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Weather-Ready Nation initiative. One project is “improving the local provision of storm surge warning information,” according to this Tuesday, May 1, news release.
Kentucky
The NBC affiliate in Louisville broadcast on Monday, April 30, an investigative report alleging an auto glass repair company routinely files fraudulent insurance claims.
Missouri
One person was killed and more than a dozen others were injured on Saturday, April 28, according to this Reuters story, when a thunderstorm packing high winds blew down a sports bar’ tent onto fans celebrating after a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. The tent was set up at Kilroy’s Sports Bar, situated about a block from Busch Stadium. Missouri Insurance Director Huff spoke with the NBC affiliate in St. Louis about the insurance repercussions of last weekend’s thunderstorms and high winds on Monday, April 30.
New York
Governor Cuomo and Department of Financial Services (DFS) Superintendent Lawsky announced a broad array of auto insurance fraud fighting initiatives in this Tuesday, May 1, news release.
Lender-placed homeowners insurance will be the subject of a Thursday, May 17, DFS public hearing in lower Manhattan. About 15 organizations have been invited to testify.
Maryland
State legislators recently passed a bill that would require insurers to check the Death Master File, or another comprehensive database, to uncover any life insurance benefit payments due. This legislation will take effect next year, if Governor O’Malley signs the measure into law, according to a story Baltimore Sun columnist Eileen Ambrose filed on Monday, April 30.
Idaho
Effective July 1, Idaho motorists can show police officers proof of auto insurance on a smart phone, or another electronic device. About 66,000 Idaho drivers were issued tickets last year for not having proof of insurance with them after they were pulled over, according to this Tuesday, May 1, story in the Idaho Statesman.
SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT
The I.I.I.’s news release about notifying your insurance company if you plan to remodel your home got some good pick-up from insurance agents on Twitter. It is also appearing on insurance and real estate blogs. People are referencing the information as offering good insights into how insurance works.
Terrorism insurance is a trending topic this week with journalists and bloggers referencing both foreign and domestic terrorism in relation to the anniversary of the death of Osama Bin Laden and May Day demonstrations across the country. Tweets and posts share I.I.I. content, and talk about the difficulties associated with insuring against terrorism.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has tentatively scheduled a news conference for Thursday, May 17, in Los Angeles, to call attention to 2012’s National Dog Bite Prevention Week. The USPS also played a major role in publicizing this issue in May 2011.
MEDIA MATTERS
Zach Tracer (ztracer1@bloomberg.com, 212-617-1673) is now covering insurance for Bloomberg. The New York City-based Tracer had been covering emerging markets.
CNN delivered in April 2012 its lowest-rated “total-day” monthly viewership since August 2001, according to this Wednesday, May 2, New York Times article.
The I.I.I. is cited regularly in the media as an authoritative source of insurance information. To access the current I.I.I. press clips, click here
For an I.I.I. Blog search, click here.
