http://www.property-casualty.com/ Sam Friedman en Copyright 2008 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:05:11 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Three finalists have been chosen in the second annual “National Underwriter Award For Excellence In Workers’ Compensation Risk Management”—a program sponsored by the National Council On Compensation Insurance. Cue the drum roll and read on!]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/nu_names_three_wc_rm_award_fin.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/nu_names_three_wc_rm_award_fin.html Sam's Views Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:05:11 -0500 Should all New York insurance intermediaries be denied the opportunity to earn contingent commissions because mega-brokers were forced to give up that lucrative revenue stream as part of settlements of bid-rigging allegations? I don't think so--but on the other hand, perhaps it's time to reconsider the ban hamstringing the big firms as well.]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/its_time_to_revamp_the_conting.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/its_time_to_revamp_the_conting.html Sam's Views Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:28:30 -0500 As someone who recently ran an image of Vice President Dick Cheney's face in the cartoon body of Elmer Fudd to illustrate a story about coverage for wayward hunters, I sympathize with editors at "The New Yorker" who took such a verbal beating this week over the publication's controversial cover satirizing all the fearsome, ignorant misconceptions about Sen. Barack Obama. For those "offended" by the image, or who find it "tasteless," I say, get over it! This country is too sensitive and politically correct for its own good.]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/dont_judge_a_magazine_by_its_c.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/dont_judge_a_magazine_by_its_c.html Sam's Views Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:31:09 -0500 For years, Columbia Journalism Review has called attention to good reporting while skewering what it considers bad journalism in its "Darts & Laurels" column. Unfortunately, I believe the CJR organization deserves a "Dart" for dismissing complaints by me and the Insurance Information Institute about the accuracy and fairness of the "The Insurance Hoax"--the hatchet job in the September 2007 issue of "Bloomberg Markets" about the industry's claims-handling practices.]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/journalism_mag_backs_bloomberg.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/journalism_mag_backs_bloomberg.html Sam's Views Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:19:00 -0500 With the number of people lacking medical insurance likely to keep skyrocketing now that companies are laying off employees by the thousands, I can't help but wonder whether the country's health will deteriorate as many put off seeing a doctor, or try to diagnose and treat themselves. ]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/patient_heal_thyself.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/patient_heal_thyself.html Sam's Views Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:38:38 -0500 The message of a recent cartoon in "The New Yorker" was so self-evident that it didn't even require a caption. It showed a patient sitting on an examining table looking alarmed at his doctor, who was wearing a white coat covered with drug-maker decals. The doctor looked just like one of those race car drivers displaying all their sponsors. In this marketing-driven age of modern medicine, perhaps such attire for MDs is not such a bad idea. ]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/doctors_should_provide_full_di.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/doctors_should_provide_full_di.html Sam's Views Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:48:46 -0500 My friends, I will be hanging up the "Gone Fishing'" sign next week, and will not be filing any new blog entries while I'm off from work. However, making like the Oprah Winfrey of the insurance industry, I thought I would leave you with a few thoughts on some good books to read this summer, and I invite you to post your recommendations as well!]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/sams_summer_reading.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/sams_summer_reading.html Sam's Views Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:00:24 -0500 It's not every day you get a Broadway theater named after you! Thanks to all of my fans in the insurance and risk management communities for making this great honor possible! ]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/broadway_sammy_rose.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/broadway_sammy_rose.html Sam's Views Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:55:10 -0500 The falling dollar is the best thing that could have happened to the U.S. economy, given today's difficult circumstances, former U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow insisted in a speech last week in Manhattan before the insurance industry's best and brightest at a gala dinner hosted by Lloyd's. While I appreciated his point, I begged to differ. ]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/the_money_maze.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/07/the_money_maze.html Sam's Views Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:57:39 -0500 Did you realize that accidental shootings--like the one by Vice President Dick Cheney of a hunting companion back in 2006, which prompted hilarious comparisons to Elmer Fudd--is actually the least of the exposures facing insurers covering the risks of the sport? That was news to me, but it made for some great reading in this week's NU cover story report by Phil Gusman. ]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/was_cheney_covered.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/was_cheney_covered.html Sam's Views Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:45:59 -0500 It is truly amazing to me that after more than three centuries in business, virtually no one in this country outside of the insurance industry understands what Lloyd's of London really is, how it works, and what a critical role it plays in our economy. What can be done to change that? Must Lloyd's go so far as to launch a new reality TV show to educate the American public?]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/how_about_a_lloyds_reality_tv.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/how_about_a_lloyds_reality_tv.html Sam's Views Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:08:20 -0500 New York Gov. David Paterson started a buzz in the market last night by voicing his strong interest in reviving an insurance exchange modeled after Lloyd's of London, which hosted the gala dinner where the governor made his pitch. The question circulating around the room was whether a new exchange could succeed after its predecessor crashed and burned over 20 years ago.]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/paterson_pitches_for_ny_insura.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/paterson_pitches_for_ny_insura.html Sam's Views Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:30:06 -0500 When we posted a news story yesterday reporting that "anti-fraud associations representing both the property-casualty and health insurance sectors will pool their resources to increase detection and prevention of health care fraud," the first question that came to mind was, what took them so long? ]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/pc_health_insurance_fraud_inve.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/pc_health_insurance_fraud_inve.html Sam's Views Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:19:53 -0500 Some of you have taken me to task, while others have agreed with my concerns about mankind's impact on climate change and its consequences for insuers and all those they cover. Today, I steer you to my fellow NU blogger, Ara Trembly, writing about how the senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.com threw down the gauntlet in an open letter to the presidential candidates, calling for an unbiased look at the alleged phenomenon. Check it out and feel free to weigh in on both blogs by clicking here. ]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/a_plea_for_sanity_on_global_wa.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/a_plea_for_sanity_on_global_wa.html Sam's Views Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:51:17 -0500 Talk about sticker shock! When I walked into my local Dunkin Donuts, staring me in the face, in huge type, were the obscene calorie counts for all my favorites--including 340 calories for a chocolate-glaze donut, and 660 for a chocolate chip muffin! Thanks to New York Mayor Felix Unger (I mean, Michael Bloomberg), all fast-food eateries must now prominently warn its customers just what they are getting into when they stuff their faces with junk food. I suppose this is good risk management...Or is it merely obnoxious?]]> http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/this_blog_entry_xxx_words.html http://www.property-casualty.com/2008/06/this_blog_entry_xxx_words.html Sam's Views Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:35:23 -0500