In the News
Benchmarks, Analytics Post-COVID
Originally published on Insurance Thought Leadership | April 6, 2021 The insurance industry relies heavily on actuarial models and benchmarks to analyze performance and predict future exposures. One of the core assumptions is that most components of the analysis mirror conditions similar to the past. However, the pandemic introduced several…
COVID-19 is NOT an Occupational Disease
Originally published on WorkCompCentral | March 25, 2021 When workers’ compensation was first conceived over 100 years ago, it was designed to cover traumatic injuries in an industrial setting. As workers’ compensation evolved, that coverage expanded in many ways. It was recognized that there were certain diseases or conditions, like…
Claims Development for COVID (Part 2)
Originally published on Insurance Thought Leadership | March 1, 2021 The latest Out Front Ideas with Kimberly and Mark webinar brought together a panel of industry experts to explore trends being seen in COVID-19 claims, as well as long-term medical complications and what risk managers should monitor in the future….
Claims Development for COVID (Part 1)
Originally published on Insurance Thought Leadership | February 24, 2021 The latest Out Front Ideas With Kimberly and Mark webinar brought together a panel of industry experts to explore current trends being seen in COVID-19 claims, as well as long-term medical complications and what risk managers should be monitoring in…
20 Issues to Watch in 2021
Originally published on Insurance Thought Leadership | January 21, 2021 Out Front Ideas with Kimberly and Mark kicks off every year with our popular 20 Issues to Watch webinar. While there are certainly more than 20 issues to discuss after the unprecedented events of 2020, we focused on the high-impact…
Perils of Pandemic Premium Audits
Originally published on Insurance Thought Leadership | January 7, 2021 Because workers’ compensation premiums are usually driven by employer payroll, carriers audit the payroll figures to ensure that the worker classifications are accurate and that the premiums reflect the covered risks. States and the rating bureaus have stringent rules around…
Medicare Set-Asides: Determining the Best Path
Originally published on The CLM | November 16, 2020 Submission of a Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a recommended but voluntary procedure. CMS states there “are no statutory or regulatory provisions requiring that a Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside (WCMSA) proposal be submitted…
State of the Commercial Insurance Marketplace
Originally published on Insurance Thought Leadership | October 28, 2020 In a survey of frequent Out Front Ideas attendees, one of the biggest concerns raised by risk managers was the rapidly evolving insurance marketplace. These challenges started back in 2018, but COVID-19, civil unrest and other events have accelerated this…
How the US is Making Progress on Climate Change
Originally published on InsuranceERM | October 28, 2020 Bill Wilkins, CRO of US specialty re/insurer Safety National, which is part of the Tokio Marine Group, explains why climate risk cannot be solved by the US alone. In an InsuranceERM editorial comment titled How US insurers can make America green again,…
The State of the P&C Insurance Marketplace
Originally published on PC360 | October 21, 2020 In a survey of frequent Out Front Ideas attendees, one of the biggest concerns raised by risk managers was the rapidly evolving insurance marketplace. These challenges started back in 2018, but COVID-19, civil unrest and other events have accelerated this change. At…
Evolving Health Technology
Originally published on International Risk Management Institute, Inc. | October 2020 Three industry leaders from the Alliance of Women in Workers’ Compensation joined us on our Out Front Ideas with Kimberly and Mark webinar to discuss the evolution of health care and its impact on workers compensation. Artemis Emslie—CEO of…
Mega Workers’ Comp Claims Continue to Grow at Faster Pace
Originally published on Business Insurance | September 2, 2020 The surge in workers compensation “mega claims” of at least $3 million continues as medical treatments and technologies advance, according to research by ratings bureaus around the country. While mega claims comprise a statistically small percentage of all workers comp claims,…
States Rule
Originally published on Leader’s Edge | September 1, 2020 For workers compensation, it’s a world of uncertainty. With months of fewer workers going to offices and factories, the number of standard workers comp claims is expected to decline. But those for work-related illness—COVID-19 in particular—are headed upward and bring with…
We Are Open for Business. Now What?
Originally published on PC360 | June 22, 2020 Established continuity plans are an essential part of a business’ reopening in a post-COVID-19 world. Expectations for success continue to rise as more businesses reopen with safety as a top priority. With a growing list of resources and recommendations, many employers are…
Strategies to Reopen Your Business Safely
Originally published on Insurance Thought Leadership | June 8, 2020 As states reopen, businesses will have to grapple with the challenges of creating a safe environment for both workforce and consumers. Employers have to address a range of issues, like how to mitigate workplace transmission of COVID-19, what workforce challenges…
After COVID-19, P&C Insurance Will Not Be Quite the Same
COVID-19 is changing a lot in the property/casualty industry. In this Actuarial Review article, Mark Walls, Vice President of Communications & Strategic Analysis, discusses the evolving rules of compensable workers’ compensation claims, classifying essential workers and dealing with at-home work exposures. View the full article.
After COVID-19, P&C Insurance Will Not Be Quite the Same
COVID-19 is changing a lot in the property/casualty industry. In this Actuarial Review article, Mark Walls, Vice President of Communications & Strategic Analysis, discusses the evolving rules of compensable workers’ compensation claims, classifying essential workers and dealing with at-home work exposures. View the full article.
Employer Perspectives and Priorities During a Pandemic
Originally published on IRMI.com | June 5, 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic is upending the way employers conduct regular business operations. Most industries now face a wide variety of challenges, including dislocation of their workforce, lost revenues, changing priorities, and employee safety, to name a few. Three industry experts joined us…
Access to Care, Return to Work in a Pandemic
Originally published on Insurance Thought Leadership | May 12, 2020 As businesses around the country prepare to reopen, there is a concerted effort made to prioritize the safety of the workforce. Employers are also preparing to face more leaves of absence than ever as they account for employee childcare needs,…
Ask the Experts: The Impact of COVID-19 on Workers’ Compensation
Originally published on PC360 | May 7, 2020 Since starting the Out Front Ideas COVID-19 Briefing Webinar Series just a couple of weeks ago, we have been receiving questions regarding COVID-19 and how it is changing the landscape of workers’ compensation. With daily changes in regulations occurring across the country,…
Pain Management, Wellbeing in Pandemic
Originally published on Insurance Thought Leadership | May 4, 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has put an enormous strain on the healthcare system, delaying non-emergency medical care, potentially creating a higher risk for pain patients. However, the behavioral health community is adjusting with transitions to telemedicine and other alternatives that allow…
Tech Is Advancing the Biopsychosocial Care Movement. Is Your Workers’ Comp Program Ready?
New technologies promise better treatment plans and faster recovery, but do carriers and brokers think they’re worth the money? Lisa Haug, Managing Director of Medical Management, discussed using data to assess an injured workers’ biopsychosocial factors in her latest interview with Risk & Insurance. View the article
CEO Perspective: Business Continuity During COVID-19
Originally published on PC360 | April 21, 2020 Potential business disruptions are part of a company’s regular continuity plan. Still, few were prepared for the impact of a global pandemic that has shut down businesses around the world. Many companies have faced challenging decisions like laying off or furloughing employees…
Five Tips to Keep your Workforce and Customers Safe When Using Disinfectants
Originally published on WorkersCompensation.com | April 7, 2020 No longer exclusive to healthcare, regularly disinfecting surfaces has become a way of doing business during COVID-19. For essential services, it represents a commitment to both workforce and customers alike. It is important to note that, much like any chemical, disinfectants come…