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INSURANCE MATTERS
A Newsletter for Members of the CCAP Insurance Programs
Owned by Members, Governed by Members, Service to Members
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| Specialty Lines | |
Hello ,
Sometimes breaking a record is not a good thing. For example, by the end of September the Harrisburg area had already broken the annual record for rain, set 39 years ago. We've had 59.9 inches of rain through the end of September; normal rainfall is 36 inches!
Similar record breaking bad statistics are impacting the CCAP Unemployment Compensation Trust. The Trustees just met and reviewed the actuarial report in order to establish rates for 2012. The numbers tell the story of the economy and its impact on counties. Over the years 2009, 2010 and 2011, the Trust paid $15.4 million in unemployment claims of former employees of 42 counties. In comparison the three years prior to this, the total cost was $6.3 million. The only good news is that the Trust had sufficient assets in place to allow the impact on its members to be mitigated. In 2009, rates were increased 10 percent even though the actuary recommended a 20 percent increase. In 2010, rates were increased 20.8 percent; the actuary recommended a 31.6 percent increase. These lower than recommended rates were possible due to the relatively strong surplus position of the UC Trust at that time. For 2012, the actuary recommended an 11.9 percent increase. With investment income uncertain at this point, and lower surplus due to two years of lower than needed revenue, the Trustees agreed to set rates at the actuary's recommendation. Rates for 2012 will increase 11.9 percent. It is good news to be able to return to rates set at the level recommended by the actuary, we just wish the increase did not have to be so much.
The other good news is that 2011 claims have dropped slightly, and we are hopeful this will be the start of a return to normal claims levels. Also, many members are participating in the UC Trust's Loss Control Incentive program, and are receiving up to five percent reductions on their contributions to the UC Trust.
Make sure you call us when you need help with something,
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| RiskMaster Update and Report | |
By Dave Harman, Claims Manager
Well, we have been up and running now on our new RISKMASTER claims system for three whole months. I wish to personally thank everyone for all your cooperation and patience as we have made this adjustment. I sincerely hope that you have not noticed any difference in the service that you have come to expect and receive from the CCAP claims unit during this time.
We have been hard at work here doing lots of "clean-up" work and getting to know the system and all the great features that it has. We have also been hard at work trying to get loss runs ready to go and out to each of our members. Unfortunately, we have been running into some difficulty in this aspect.
At this time, we have not been able to set the system up to automatically send open claim loss run reports to you. However, we do have them all formatted and ready to go. So, if you would like a loss run, please feel free to contact Tona Faust and she will be happy to assist you in getting a loss run to you as soon as possible.
Rest assured that we will continue our efforts to get this issue resolved. Our goal is to provide the same quarterly loss runs that you were used to getting from us. Once the problems have been fixed, we will let you know and will start getting the loss runs to you right away.
As always, we appreciate your patience as we work through the unexpected wrinkles we keep seeming to find.
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| Fall Workshop Opportunities |
By Linda M. Rosito, Insurance Training Director
November brings the close to the fall workshop season but there are still a few opportunities left for you! Please review the following events and let us know if you are interested in attending.
- Wednesday, November 2 - KEYS: Navigating Through the Act 195 Maze..., CCAP North Office, Harrisburg
- Thursday, November 3 - Annual Producers Meeting, CCAP North Office, Harrisburg
- Friday, November 4 - County Risk Managers Council, CCAP North Office, Harrisburg
- Monday, November 7 - PIMCC Correctional Care Seminar, CCAP North Office, Harrisburg
- Wednesday, November 9 - Prison Personnel Workshop, Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College
- Wednesday, November 16 - County Risk Managers Council, Regional Learning Alliance, Cranberry Twp.
For more information on these workshops, please refer to Glimpse Online.
Spring workshop season planning will be underway shortly. If you have any suggestions for topics please send them to Linda Rosito.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Linda Rosito or
Jenn James at (800) 895-9039.
We hope to see you soon!
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| New PA Workplace Safety Committee Technical Assistance Manual Helps Define Core Elements | |
By Maureen McMahon, CSP, ARM Loss Control Specialist
The Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Health & Safety Division has posted a new Workplace Safety Committee Technical Assistance Manual on their website. This comprehensive safety committee manual includes new template forms such as by-laws, inspection checklists, orientation checklists and a skills test to name a few.
Currently the manual is available as a PDF document by clicking on the link http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/hands_system/10390
An active safety committee has the potential to be one of the most effective groups for helping to ensure safety in an organization. The time invested in committee work can bring about positive changes for safety, and proactive safety committees can help keep the safety culture alive.
A strong and active safety committee should be the cornerstone of any organization's health and safety program. However, implementing a safety program alone is not enough. You must routinely evaluate the program's effectiveness, or it will fail. A safety committee is a great fit for that evaluation role.
Unfortunately, committees are frequently perceived as time wasters and sluggish or unproductive in nature. For a safety committee to be effective, several core elements are necessary which include the following: organizational support and leadership, strong commitment and participation, specific goals and mechanisms for improvement.
ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP
Support is in the form of a strong buy-in from your organization's leadership. It is critical that management take a strong stance on safety. If not, safety-related programs will not have the momentum needed to compete with other day-to-day issues. If properly supported, the safety committee should serve as the "safety think tank," ready to make well-informed recommendations for positive change.
STRONG COMMITMENT AND PARTICIPATION
To reduce injury and illness among workers, all levels in the organization-management and employees-must have a strong commitment and be directly involved. Management is charged, often by law, with administering and evaluating the effectiveness of health and safety programs. Management's proactive approach toward safety is imperative. Full participation from all members, regardless of role, is critical to reducing injuries and illnesses. In addition, the committee's structure should represent all areas of the organization, including both management and employees. Participation, input and buy-in from all parties are crucial for success.
SPECIFIC GOALS
The specific goals for a safety committee may take different forms or be driven by varying influences. Committee goals may be stated in the mission statement or committee charter. Driving influences for structured goals may include federal, state or local laws. Past safety history (injuries or illnesses) may have a profound effect on existing or proposed goals. It is also critical that committee goals stem from the fundamental desire to make the workplace as safe as possible.
MECHANISMS FOR IMPROVEMENT
The concept of the safety committee can be linked to the continuous need for improvement in an organization. This improvement may come from spotting trends, keeping historical records, conducting research and overcoming obstacles.
Often, progress is not as sweeping as the safety-conscious would like. Staying committed to improving employee health and safety is a long-term commitment and should be viewed as such. Some changes may take considerable time and effort but are well worth the patience.
For more information e-mail Maureen McMahon, Loss Control Specialist or call (800) 895-9039.
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Coverage Corner
Reminders and Pointers about Insurance Coverage
and Risk Management | Public Defenders Liability
Check your general liability insurance policy for Public Defenders Liability Coverage. Be sure that it includes both employed and contracted Public Defenders while performing duties for you. If Public Defenders are required to use their own coverage, be sure to secure proof of their insurance. Counties which are PCoRP members have this coverage as part of the PCoRP program.
Questions or comments? Contact Karen Cohen, CCAP's Property and Casualty Programs Manager.
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| Quote of the Month | |
"I am curious and interested in just about everything. So, I am always learning and working at the margin of my ignorance."
- Harvey Golub
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CCAP Insurance Programs
PO Box 60769, Harrisburg, PA 17106-0769
Phone (800) 895-9039 - FAX (717) 526-1020
Claims Fax (888) 692-2368
Click here to go the Insurance Section of the CCAP Website.
email: jsallade@pacounties.org
Insurance Matters is published monthly by CCAP's Insurance Programs for the use of members of CCAP's UC Trust, PCoRP, PComp, PIMCC, COMCARE, COMCARE PRO, PELICAN, Health Alliance and other insurance programs, and insurance producers of these members.
Advice contained in this publication is not legal advice and members are encouraged to seek the opinion of their solicitor.
The information provided in this publication is not intended to take the place of professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consult with competent legal, financial, or other appropriate professionals. Statements of facts and opinions expressed in this publication, by authors other than Association staff and officers, are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent an opinion or philosophy of the officers, members and staff of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP). No endorsement of advertised products or services is implied by CCAP unless those products or services are expressly endorsed, or are owned or managed by the Association programs, or our affiliates. This publication may not be reproduced, modified, distributed, or displayed in part or in whole, by any means, without advance written permission of CCAP. Please direct your requests to John Sallade, Managing Director, CCAP Insurance Programs, jsallade@pacounties.org
Note: As part of its copyright agreement the CCAP grants the author the right to place the final version of his/her manuscript on the author's homepage, subject to CCAP's standards, or in a public digital repository, provided there is a link to the CCAP website.
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