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 7, please email Michael Barry at michaelb@iii.org.
INSURERS PUBLIC RELATIONS COUNCIL (IPRC) SEEKING NEW MEMBERS
The IPRC, a group a senior-level industry communicators, meets twice a year, usually in May and November. The IPRC’s president, Katie Slocum of Liberty Mutual, can be reached at kathleen.slocum@libertymutual.com.
SEVEN DIE AS WILDFIRE BURNS ACROSS EASTERN TENNESSEE
The I.I.I.’s Jeanne Salvatore gave a live interview to The Weather Channel on the insurance implications of The Chimney Top Fire (Sevier County). The Associated Press has the latest developments on the fire.
TORNADOES KILL FIVE PEOPLE IN TWO SOUTHEASTERN U.S. STATES
The fatalities occurred earlier this week in Alabama’s Jackson County and Tennessee’s Polk County.
2016 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON CONCLUDES
The I.I.I.’s Claire Wilkinson summarized the season in a blog post while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported 2016 was the busiest year for Atlantic hurricanes since 2012.
The I.I.I. noted in its news release that Hermine and Matthew were the only hurricanes to make landfall this year on the U.S. mainland.
STORIES IN THE WORKS
The I.I.I.’s Loretta Worters spoke with The New York Times’ Ron Lieber about the insurance needs of property owners in flood-prone U.S. communities.
The I.I.I.’s Michael Barry provided insurance tips for consumers aged 50-plus to PBS Next Avenue’s Jack Fehr and life insurance and annuities information to Bloomberg BNA’s Denise Lugo.
The I.I.I.’s James Lynch furnished Auto Insurance Report with a detailed analysis of Washington state’s private-passenger auto insurance market trends.
CAPITOL HILL
Steve Mnuchin will be the next U.S. Treasury Secretary; Treasury houses the Federal Insurance Office.
The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is holding a Financial Services Conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, December 1, and Friday, December 2.
STATES
California
The San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Authority (SFMTA) was the victim of a ransomware attack on Friday, November 25. The cybercrime disrupted the SFMTA’s internal computer systems, including email.
FICO and eDriving are about to introduce a smartphone app that gives users a score after gathering information about their driving behavior, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The 58-story Millennium Tower in downtown San Francisco is sinking at a steady rate, photos from The European Space Agency indicate.
Florida
A 2016 Hurricane Season Roundtable featuring Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier is being held on Friday, December 2, at 10 a.m., at Flagler College, St. Augustine.
Commissioner Altmaier is earning $165,000 annually but state lawmakers must affirm the salary, which is $31,000 higher than that of his immediate predecessor, according to an article in Politico.
The 14.5 percent average rate increase for workers compensation insurance policies is scheduled to take effect on Thursday, December 1, the Office of Insurance Regulation announced.
Matthew-related hurricane repairs could be pricier than necessary for St. John’s County homeowners who either rushed into an agreement with a contractor or failed to explore all of their options.
A Kissimmee (Osceola County) mobile home owner is having trouble recovering from Matthew because he did not have homeowners insurance nor was a federal disaster declared in his county.
Georgia
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports investigators believe arson caused many of the wildfires that have broken out statewide over the past few weeks.
Kansas
Neodesha (Wilson County) was evacuated after an explosion and fire at a chemical plant, with water supplies potentially contaminated last week as a result of water run-off following the firefighting.
Kentucky
Governor Matt Bevin can appoint six administrative law judges to ease a backlog of workers compensation cases following a favorable court ruling.
Representative Steve Riggs of Louisville is the new president of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL).
Mississippi
The National Weather Service says tornadoes touched down this week in six counties—Leake, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Rankin, Scott, and Winston.
New Mexico
State Auditor Tim Keller believes the Insurance Department is unable to determine whether health insurers have been underpaying the premium taxes they owe.
New York
David Axinn was appointed this month as the new chief of the state’s Liquidation Bureau. He was the Bureau’s deputy general counsel and chief compliance officer between 2008 – 2011.
Oklahoma
A 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Medford, about 95 miles north of Oklahoma City on Friday morning, November 25. It caused no injuries or property damage
In an editorial, Insurance Commissioner John Doak said he favors the “adoption of tornado-resistant fortified home construction standards as our new state standard for home construction.”
SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT
Tennessee’s Deadly Wildfire
The Chimney Top Fire in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is getting heavy attention on social media. In addition to causing seven fatalities and 14 injuries, it has destroyed more than 150 homes, displaced more than 14,000 residents, and consumed thousands of acres. To follow the conversation on social use the hashtags #TNfire, #Gatlinburg and #ChimneyTopFire.
2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Ends
NOAA tweeted a media release earlier today (November 30) summarizing the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season. NOAA affirms that this season has been the first above-normal season for the Atlantic, eastern Pacific, and central Pacific regions since 2012, with five U.S. storms making landfall. Two were hurricanes, and three were tropical storms. You can follow @NOAA and hurricane specialist and meteorologist @PhilKlotzbach on Twitter for further updates.
San Francisco Ransomware attack
The ransomware attack on the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (SFMTA) computer systems is receiving moderate attention on social. IT editor of Ars Technica Sean Gallagher tweeted an article on the attack and the SFMTA’s cyber vulnerabilities. You can find the article by following Gallagher at @thepacketrat and @arstechnica on Twitter. You can also follow @sfmta_muni for additional updates.
MEDIA MATTERS
Time Inc., publisher of People and Sports Illustrated, has reportedly rebuffed a takeover offer by Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
CNN acquired video-sharing startup Beme, a social media app launched last year.
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.
