Some interesting responses by Ezra Klein, Peter Suderman, Veronique de Rugy, and David French on Romneycare and my recent study of Massachusetts premium growth since 2006. Some more thoughts from me will be forthcomi...
Energy Secretary: Lower Gas Prices not an Administration Goal
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economy,
Energy
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At least the White House is honest about it:High gasoline prices will make research into such [energy] alternatives more urgent, [Energy Secretary] Chu said.“But is the overall goal to get our price” of gasoline down, asked [Rep.] Nunnelee.“No, the overall goal is to decrease our dependency on oil, to build and strengthen our economy,” Chu replied. “We think that if you consider all these energy policies, including energy efficiency,...
Romney Wins in MI, AZ
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2012,
Mitt Romney
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Some reactions from around the web.Gabriel Malor, looking at the exit polls:In short, in Michigan, Romney carried conservatives, Republicans, Catholics, those who believe working in business is better prep for the presidency than working in government, and those who are most dedicated to voting against President Obama. Erick Erickson, continuing his crusade against Romney:When you have a candidate few people really like,...
This is a fascinating behind the scenes story of a quality control manager forced into being a whistleblower.
Hunt wasn’t alone in her worries. According to the government’s suit, Michael Watts, the director of quality control, complained repeatedly to company officials charged with controlling risk. He warned that employees had “marching orders” to fight quality control decisions.At one large staff meeting, managers praised loan processors for “beating back” the quality control team and getting t...
Testing the Testing
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Education,
technocratic tendencies
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As a consequence of its teacher "accountability" initiatives, New York City has released performance reports on each teacher in the system.However, as The Call has pointed out, these reports are not exactly the most exacting:The Teacher Data Reports were compiled for three school years between 2007 and 2010, and were never meant to be made public, although the DOE used them as a tool to make tenure decisions. The data are supposed...
Narrative of MA Premium Trends
Here's my write-up at the Huffington Post about my recent examination of the effects of Romneycare on Massachusetts premium tren...
Is it unethical to collect premiums and not issue the insurance?
Hi...Saw your blog online, as I was searching for information.What happens if the closing attorney, who is also a title agent, never files the title insurance policy with the title company, and therefore never pays the title company for the policy that a client has purchased? Is it unethical to do this, and is there an amount of time that the attorney has to file? I'm referring to cases in which...
Superior Court rules that insurer was not required to continue relationship with agent begun under CAR
In Calianos v. Commerce Ins. Co., 2012 WL 414464 (Mass. Super.), Judge Fabricant of the Massachusetts Superior Court held than an auto insurer was not liable to an agent when it terminated high risk policies assigned to it under the Commonwealth Automobile Reinsurers (CAR) program, when CAR was replaced by Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Plan (MAIP).Under the old CAR program, all insurers who wrote auto insurance policies in...
BOA moving on from FNMA
At the heart of the decision is recent changes in mortgage insurance policies. The filing notes Fannie Mae policy where MI rescission must be resolved in a timely fashion. As of Dec. 31, 2011, 74% of the MI rescission notices received had not been resolved, and Fannie began exercising repurchases with Bank of America.Read more in ...
Federal Data: Health Insurance Premium Growth Has Slowed After Romneycare
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health-care,
insurance,
Mitt Romney
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In 2010, John F. Cogan, R. Glenn Hubbard, and Daniel P. Kessler published in Forum for Health Economics & Policy a report (“The Effect of Massachusetts’ Health Reform on Employer-Sponsored Insurance Premiums”) on the effects of Governor Mitt Romney's 2006 health-care reform in Massachusetts. This report suggested that, up until 2008, these reforms (hereafter referred to as "Romneycare") led to a relative increase...
The folks at CAARE would like you to sign their petition concerning RESPA statute of limitations.
The Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act (RESPA) is the enforcement tool of the new Consumer Finance and Protection Bureau (CFPB). RESPA is a consumer disclosure and anti-kickback law. However, with a one year statute of limitations, the prospect for meaningful enforcement or fines to act as a deterrent is non-existent. For a business intent on paying illegal kickbacks it is only...
Joe sold too much land by accident.
Title ins. co. or bank put wrong survey on the deed The new owners refuse to sign corrected deed The title co. is going to have me sign a affidavit saying my intention was to sell 3 acres not 11 that was mistakenly noted on deed What will this do for me? They are going to register this along with the deed. Is there anything else i can do to get back my 8 acres? Thank you for your time Jo...
She shredded the files.
I've been trying to write a post about a title agent who sold her agency to an attorney. She used to run a few affiliated agencies out of one office - one was owned by a large regional real estate broker. I wasn't really paying any attention to this matter, infact, I had no idea that the agencies had closed or the lead agency sold. I just happened to have an unsatisfied mortgage related to...
Here's a state-by-state guide to claim-handling requirements
Property-Casualty 360 has published this state-by-state guide to claim handling requiremen...
title company wants to pay Realtors commissions for business
I am a Realtor and I have a minority ownership in a title company. The title company wants to formalize a plan to pay me a 'commission' on any deals that I send to them. I would disclose to my clients that I am a part owner of the title company. Is this legal or is this a RESPA violation? The title company is planning to go to dozens of Realtors and offer them a partial ownership deal whereby...
Separating Self-Insurance Facts From Fiction
Note: The following commentary appears in the February 20, 2012 edition of Business Insurance Magazine as part of its special spotlight report on self-insurance for the middle market.Small and midsize companies are looking at self-insurance as a cost-effective health care benefits solution as Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act deadlines approach. Michael W. Ferguson serves as chief operating officer for the Self-Insurance...
In huge victory for insureds, SJC holds that measure of multiple damages in 93A claim is underlying judgment
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93A damages
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On Friday, in a case which has been closely watched by those on both sides of the insurer/insured divide (and by those of us who straddle the divide), the SJC has overturned in no uncertain terms a ruling by the Massachusetts Appeals Court regarding calculation of multiple damages in a 93A claim against an insurer for unfair settlement practices. The Appeals Court had held that the multiple damages in a 93A claim where the underlying...
Should the seller pay for revised tax prorations based on a new assessment after closing?
Hi Diane,we sold our home on July 28th, 2011, and i just recieved a letter (Feb 7, 2012) from the buyers of our home that i owe them a check for 231.00 for the price difference in the amount that thier property taxes have now gone up due to the home has gone up in assesed/appraised value. At closing, we paid for property taxes from 1/1/2011-7/28/2011 per the HUD based on the previous years...
new Facebook page
Hey, if you like Facebook, visit our new Facebook page and LIKE us! ...
Fantastic resource on professional liability insurance
The Washington, D.C. firm of Jackson & Campbell has posted a 50-state review of professional liability insurance coverage. Click here for the li...
Pennsylvania Treasury holding FREE escheat webinar.
The Pennsylvania Treasury is holding a free unclaimed property webinar on Thursday, February 23, 2012, from 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Register NowAll companies and organizations doing business in Pennsylvania are subject to the Unclaimed Property Law, and April 15th is the deadline to file an annual report with Treasury. This webinar will focus on the reporting process, and discuss how ...
Why You Must Have A Car Insurance
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Car Insurance
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Car insurance it is something that is required by law and it protects you and your car. Car insurance is a very important instrument which can help you avoid large unforeseen collision costs is automobile insurance. When you experience a road incident and vehicles or property is destroyed, your automobile insurance can help you pay another...
Why You Must Have A Car Insurance
Labels:
Car Insurance
0
comments
Car insurance it is something that is required by law and it protects you and your car. Car insurance is a very important instrument which can help you avoid large unforeseen collision costs is automobile insurance. When you experience a road incident and vehicles or property is destroyed, your automobile insurance can help you pay another...
First Circuit holds no coverage for breach of contract damages
In Lopez & Medina Corp. v. Marsh USA, Inc., __ F.3d __, 2012 WL 229856 (1st. Cir.), the First Circuit Court of Appeals held that coverage under a liability policy does not extend to breach of contract damages. The insured argued that the policy covered breach of contract damages because in it the insurer agreed to pay "all sums which the insured shall become legally obligated to pay as damages." The court, which was deciding...
thanks to Housing Wire for the link to this NYT link on Fannie Mae
WOWMr. Nye LaValle is a RADICAL HER...
Appeals Court holds insurer not liable for misrepresentations of attorney representing it in subrogation action
During a delivery of heating oil to the residence of Elaine Sandman a delivery line burst, causing her basement to flood with oil. Sandman's insurer, Quincy Mutual, agreed to cover the cost of cleaning the spill, but the policy excluded coverage for damage to Sandman's personal property. Quincy Mutual hired an attorney to bring a subrogation action against the oil delivery company. According to Sandman's complaint, over the course...
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