A.M. Best Lowers Ratings of Employers Direct Insurance Company By Lonce LaMon - July 3, 2009 A.M. Best Company has downgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) of Employers Direct Insurance Company (EDIC), based in Agoura Hills, California, to B++ (Good) from A- (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) to “bbb+” from “a-”. The outlook for EDIC's ICR is negative, and the outlook for the FSR has been revised to stable from negative. These changes in rating follow EDIC’s announcement last Tuesday that it has decided to stop soliciting business in California until market conditions improve, and to discontinue its direct operations in the third quarter of 2009. The rating actions also reflect the continued adverse reserve development on workers’ compensation liabilities from prior accident years, and the challenges associated with the competitive market conditions in the California workers’ compensation marketplace, which are magnified by the shortcomings in the company’s direct distribution business model. Read More

York Insurance Services Group Has Purchased Claims Management, Inc. (CMI) By Lonce LaMon - June 30, 2009 Claims Management, Inc., also known by the three letters casually as CMI, is now York Insuran... Read More

HEAT On Health Insurance Fraud By Barry Zalma - June 26, 2009 I was pleased to hear that Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secre... Read More

The Travelers To Close Work Comp Claims Department In Orange, California By Lonce LaMon - June 23, 2009 Travelers Insurance Company has announced that their workers' compensation claims department in Orange, C... Read More

The Right To Subrogation And Salvage By Barry Zalma - March 9, 2006 Insurers, dealing with claims, seldom consult the policy wording a... Read More

SB 899 (Poochigian) Summary By California Workers' Compensation Institute - June 30, 2004 Read More