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Specialty Lines
Greetings!
I really like March. I find I can easily handle any residual winter weather which shows up in error during March, knowing it won't be around very long.
March also begins our work on the PCoRP renewal, which really started in December when we asked the PCoRP members to compile information and submit renewal applications for June 1. This long process is necessary because we want our reinsurers to have time to examine all the data about the member counties in order to give not only a good price quote, but to make sure they provide the coverage we need. Once we get all the applications returned to us in January (we hope, oh how we hope), we then compile the data and send it to our reinsurers. By the time we meet with them in Pittsburgh the second week of March, they have pretty firm quotes for us to consider. This allows us to present all options and pricing to the PCoRP board in early April, and get all the individual renewal quotes to the members and their producers by the start of May. This gives the members and their local insurance producers time to review the details and make sure everything is ready for the June 1 renewal.
This year the process is even more important, as Discover RE has informed us they can no longer write reinsurance due to a company business decision. So we are now in the process of bidding this coverage (three million dollars of liability limits in excess of two million limits) to approximately 12 different companies. Because Discover RE gave us good advance notice, Willis Pooling was able to research the market and narrow down the bid to companies we are interested in becoming partners with. We have not had to remarket this layer of coverage for 15 years! So we will be meeting with three to five potential reinsurers during our regular meetings in Pittsburgh, in addition to meeting with our current reinsurers. Fun stuff, but only if you really like insurance meetings!
Make sure you contact us when you need help with something,
John Sallade |
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PComp Members Dinner Meeting March 17
By John Sallade
All representatives of PComp members and their local insurance producers are invited to the annual dinner meeting. As in prior years the dinner meeting is being held the Sunday evening of the CCAP Spring Conference. This year the date, b'gosh and begorrah, is March 17. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. at the Harrisburg Hilton. There is no cost to attend, and attendees are invited to bring their spouse or a guest to the dinner meeting. We will try to feature some food and drink appropriate for St. Patrick's Day!
After dinner there will be a short business meeting, with an update on PComp's operations and finances, and presentation of the annual PComp awards.
Preregistration is required for the dinner meeting in order for us to give the hotel an accurate count for the dinner. An email invitation was sent to all PComp members. If we missed you, please contact Tona Faust to register for the dinner.
We hope you can join us! |
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Upcoming Events
COMCARE Board Meeting
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Hilton Harrisburg - Harrisburg
PCoRP Board Meeting
Thursday, April 4, 2013
The Penn Stater Conf. Center Hotel - State College |
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Spring Training Starts This Month
By Linda Rosito, Insurance Training Director
Beginning in March the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania Insurance Programs will be offering you a new workshop season. We hope you will take advantage of these great educational opportunities.
Here is a listing of what we have planned for this spring:
MARCH
14 Controlling Workers Comp Costs, St. College
21 Defensive Driving Course, Lewisburg
APRIL
2 Maintenance Workshop, State College
5 PCoRP Loss Control Workshop, State College
10 KEYS: Diversity in the Workplace - Getting
Along with Your Neighbor, Harrisburg
16 Work/Life Balance: Doing the Right Work and
Finding the Good Life, State College
16 Defensive Driving Course, State College
18 Work/Life Balance: Doing the Right Work and
Finding the Good Life, Scranton
18 KEYS: Internal Investigations, Cranberry Twp.
19 County Risk Managers Council, Harrisburg
23 Work/Life Balance: Doing the Right Work and
Finding the Good Life, Harrisburg
25 KEYS: Internal Investigations, Lewisburg
30 KEYS: HR Boot Camp, Harrisburg
MAY
8 KEYS: Internal Investigations, Scranton
14 KEYS: Diversity in the Workplace - Getting
Along with Your Neighbor, Cranberry Twp.
14 Work/Life Balance: Doing the Right Work and
Finding the Good Life, Lewisburg
22 KEYS: Internal Investigations, Harrisburg
23 Prison Risk Management, Hershey
29-31 County Administration Conference, State
College
You should have received your copy of the spring Glimpse in mid-February. If you did not receive a copy of the Glimpse, but would like to, please contact us.
Please keep in mind that most of our training sessions are free (if sponsored by an insurance program in which your employer is a member) AND for PCoRP, PComp and UC Trust members you can SAVE MONEY off your insurance costs by attending training sessions.
The Academy for Excellence in County Government has again agreed to co-sponsor some of our workshops for required credits. This gives those of you who are Academy participants an additional opportunity to earn that credit towards graduation.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Linda Rosito at (800) 895-9039.
We hope to see you this spring!
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High School Seniors Can Win $2,000 for College
Article Provided by the National Association of Counties (NACo)
This spring, four high school seniors will each earn $2,000 for college from the NACo/Nationwide Scholarship. Winning applicants will have written a short essay describing why it's important for a public sector employee to start saving early for retirement.
This is the eighth year in a row that Nationwide and the National Association of Counties have teamed up to encourage high-school seniors to think about retirement.
Why spur high school students, many of whom haven't even started full-time work, to think about retirement? Three reasons - by applying for the scholarship the students:
- May consider the financial impact of their decisions about college and their career and realize it is never too soon to start thinking about saving for retirement.
- Begin to recognize the advantage of having a plan and implementing it sooner rather than later.
- Identify specific actions that help prepare for a financially successful future.
To be eligible, applicants must be graduating high school seniors who are legal U.S. residents and their parent or grandparent must be enrolled in and contributing to a NACo 457 Deferred Compensation Program plan. In addition, the student must enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study no later than the fall term of the 2013-2014 school year at an accredited two- or four-year college. Application and entry must be submitted on line no later than March 3, 2013.
The NACo/Nationwide Scholarship is just one of the services arising out of a 33-year relationship between Nationwide and NACo. As provider of the NACo Deferred Compensation Program, Nationwide regularly reports to the NACo Deferred Compensation Advisory Committee on industry trends, updates statistics on the program and provides ongoing education on retirement issues. Together NACo and Nationwide look for ways to help county employees better prepare for their retirement.
Please spread the word so that more county employees' high school seniors have an opportunity to win one of the $2,000 NACo/Nationwide Scholarships.
For more information about the scholarship
All of the information about eligibility, judging criteria and notification process are on the NACo and Nationwide Web sites. For more information, go to www.naco.org/retirementscholarship
or www.nrsforu.com/scholarship.
Nationwide Retirement Solutions (Nationwide) makes payments to the National Association of Counties (NACo), NACo RMA LLC and the NACo Financial Services Center Partnership (FSC) for services and endorsements that NACo provides for all its members generally related to Nationwide's products and services sold exclusively in public sector retirement markets. More detail about these payments is available at www.nrsforu.com.
NACo RMA and NACo RMA LLC are each a Registered Municipal Advisor and do not recommend the purchase or sale of securities and do not hold or maintain funds or securities. NACo RMA and NACo RMA LLC act as third party marketers/solicitors. NACo RMA receives fees from NRS for such services. Thirty-seven state associations of counties are members of NACo RMA LLC and as such receive quarterly distributions from it.
NACo RMA and NACo RMA LLC are NOT affiliates of Nationwide Investment Services Corp. or Nationwide Retirement Solutions.
Retirement Specialists are registered representatives of Nationwide Investment Services Corporation: Member FINRA. In MI only, Nationwide Investment Svcs. Corporation.
© 2012 Nationwide Retirement Solutions. Nationwide, the Nationwide framemark, Nationwide ProAccount, and On Your Side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. NRM-4186AO.6 1/13) |
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Take Time to Visit Your Insurance Members Only Site
By Christie Ward, Captive Programs Manager
In addition to being an extraordinary source of information to counties as well as the public in general, the CCAP website offers our insurance program members an additional benefit. Five of our programs maintain member's only websites that house the current coverage document as well as claim reporting forms, detailed coverages and services of the program, loss prevention information and much more.
Follow these links to the insurance programs your county belongs to. A login is required.
If you are unsure of your member login or have questions on the materials, contact the program manager.
UC Trust
PCoRP
PComp
PELICAN
COMCARE PRO
For more information on any of the eleven insurance, bond and member service programs offered by the CCAP insurance programs, please contact John Sallade, Managing Director by email or phone (800) 895-9039. |
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What To Do in the Event of an Inmate Suicide
By Cassandra Westhafer, Claims Representative II
Fortunately inmate suicides are not a frequent occurrence. When they do happen, they can be a high profile matter, and can become a large liability exposure for the county. It is essential they are properly handled. In order to effectively protect the county's interests, it is important to notify your insurance company about the event immediately (whether or not you feel there is any liability). This allows your insurer to immediately start working with you to gather all pertinent information, and determine if there are any liability concerns. Plaintiffs have up to two years to file a lawsuit in regards to any matter so early collection of important materials can insure that they are not lost, recorded over, or disposed of in the event those materials are needed due to a lawsuit. It is better to be prepared and not receive a lawsuit than to not be prepared and receive a lawsuit.
In order to sustain a section 1983 claim involving a suicide, a plaintiff must establish two elements:
(1) Prison officials/employees knew or should have known of the inmates suicidal tendencies, and
(2) Despite this knowledge, they were nevertheless "deliberately indifferent" or failed to take reasonable measures to prevent the suicide.
These are important elements for prison officials to keep in mind.
The following is a reminder for PCoRP members on the proper handling of the unfortunate circumstance of an inmate suicide (If you are not a member of the PCoRP program please contact your prison board solicitor for any additional information):
- As soon as possible, report the inmate suicide to PCoRP. If you are not in a position to report the claim on the online system, notify the appropriate person in the county and provide notification of the loss. Upon notification, PCoRP will assign defense counsel (even if all of the details are not yet available) to protect the interests of your facility.
- Direct any and all communications from the press, inmate's families, etc. directly to PCoRP's defense counsel. Do not release any reports or information to the press, inmate's families, etc. without discussing with defense counsel first.
- Secure and maintain a copy of any video surveillance so it may be viewed at a later time by defense counsel.
- Forward a copy of the incident report, even if it's simply a preliminary report, to PCoRP. Make sure that the report contains an accurate list of all personnel involved. Secure copies/printouts of any AED machine use or other attempts to resuscitate the inmate (if applicable) and forward to PCoRP.
In addition to all this, once PCoRP has assigned defense counsel, the assigned counsel will be reaching out to the facility in order to conduct an on-site investigation. This will include reviewing any videotape evidence, reviewing facility policies, interviewing any staff who responded to the situation and reviewing any reports provided by those involved. Counsel will then be able to provide both the facility/county and PCoRP with an initial report and liability evaluation. |
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Office Safety: Hazards in the Office
When you compare the hazards of working in an office to those of working in heavy industry, they don't seem like much. The fact is people do get seriously injured and even die in office accidents. If your job is in the office setting, take pride in your role and take care for your safety. For office workers, these are some common safety and health worries: poor lighting, poor ventilation and quality air controls, ergonomic problems, slips, trips and falls, electrical hazards, personal security and collision concerns.
Poor lighting in office areas can lead to eye strain, poor posture and musculoskeletal or ergonomic injuries. Make sure the lighting is adequate for the work you are doing. Don't trade lighting for bad office desk setup. You need both to stay healthy!
Indoor air quality problems in office settings are quite common. They may include poor ventilation or odors. Some workers will be adversely affected by poor ventilation systems almost immediately. For others it may take some time to feel the effects and still other workers may never be affected. If ventilation systems are poorly maintained or are not operating correctly speak with a supervisor and report the problems that you are having. These systems should be routinely checked to ensure filters are changed and simple maintenance tasks are carried out so that these problems can be eliminated.
Adjust your workstation so you may work comfortably and avoid strain to your neck, back, shoulders, wrists and other body parts vulnerable to injury from repetitive work and static posture. Place frequently used materials and equipment within reach. Position your computer, keyboard and mouse so you can work with comfort and good posture.
Perhaps the most dangerous part of office work, believe it or not, is the possibility of slips, trips and falls. Keep the office free from clutter. Boxes should be out of the way of traffic. Trash and spills should be cleaned up off the floor immediately. Re-route electrical cords away from high traffic areas and eliminate if possible. Make sure office furniture is in good repair; especially chairs. Defective chairs should be removed from service. Close file drawers so nobody will trip over or run into them. Lastly, do not use makeshift climbing equipment, such as boxes stacked on chairs or chairs on top of desks, to reach items. Use stepladders and stepstools appropriately.
Electrical problems in offices can include extension cords that create not only a trip and fall hazard, but may also contribute to the overloading of circuits. Overloading can lead to shorts, outages and even fires. Check regularly for electrical hazards, such as worn insulation and connections or patched cords and plugs. If you ever receive an electric shock, report it immediately so the equipment can be removed from service.
Become familiar with your work place policies. Personal security can be abated completely with knowledge of such policies. Observe rules about lockup, escorts to parking areas, visitor badges, silent alarms and other security procedures. Learn what to do in a fire or other emergency. Learn who is trained in first aid and CPR, and the location of first aid supplies. Lastly, apply and practice these policies so they become second nature while at the office.
Collisions in the workplace can cause serious pain and injury. Load filing cabinets safely. Fill from bottom to top. A filing cabinet filled at the top and empty on the bottom can tip over and crush someone. Take your time walking through the building. Many hallways have blind corners where someone could be walking in the opposite direction. When possible walk on the right side of the hallway. If collisions keep occurring in specific areas have blind spot mirrors installed.
Office safety is serious business. Hazardous conditions in the office have resulted in disabling injuries and even death. Require quarterly inspections throughout the year and address issues immediately. Remember, your primary loss control specialist would be happy to assist in conducting a building inspection. Give us a call or send an email to our attention. Know safety, no accidents!
For more information, contact the CCAP Loss Control Department at (800) 895-9039; or email us at:
Gary Nicholson, Loss Control Services Manager
Maureen McMahon, Loss Control Specialist
Andrew Smith, Lost Control Specialist
Bob Lauzonis, Lost Control Specialist |
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Coverage Corner
Reminders and Pointers about Insurance Coverage and Risk Management
Review Your Insurance Policy Portfolio - Avoid Duplicate Coverage!
From time to time upon reviewing a county's portfolio of insurance policies we have come across policies that provide duplicate coverage and add no additional insurance protection. These policies are actually unnecessary and may have been in place for many years. A producer or insurance consultant may be able to identify this problem, however, in some cases the policy stays on the books, renewing without question every year. Besides costing a county unnecessary premium dollars, having two policies covering the same risk can cause problems with loss adjustment should a claim arise involving the duplicate policies.
Some examples we have encountered include various separate Errors & Omissions (E&O) policies covering different departments within a county. Most often these policies duplicate the coverage offered under a county's own coverage. PCoRP's policy provides E&O coverage for all county affiliated departments. As an example we came across a separate E&O policy for Emergency Management Dispatchers. These dispatchers are automatically covered for E&O under the county's policy. A separate policy for them was not needed.
We also see a myriad of separate fidelity bonds for various county employees. These too duplicate coverage provided in the PCoRP policy under the crime coverage. Another example of duplicate coverage that we find quite often includes separate legal malpractice policies for public defenders. Liability for public defenders, including contracted lawyers, is covered under the PCoRP policy and there is no need for a separate policy. Separate builders risk policies may not be needed for some projects. PCoRP's policy extends coverage for renovations, remodeling or additions to existing buildings and provides up to $250,000 of coverage for new construction. Purchasing separate Special Events coverage may or may not be needed and depends on the particulars of the event. Usually a county sponsored event would be covered under your PCoRP policy, but for these types of situations a call to your insurance producer or PCoRP can verify whether coverage can be extended.
The examples above of duplicate coverage reference the coverages provided in the PCoRP Coverage Document. Other insurance policies should be checked to validate that there is duplicate coverage. PCoRP would be available to review your policy portfolio with you to help identify possible duplicate policies. Just give us a call for an insurance policy "spring cleaning"!
Questions or comments? Contact Karen Cohen, CCAP's Property and Casualty Programs Manager |
| Quote of the Month
Some Irish Quotes in honor of St. Patrick's Day:
"Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary
periods of joy." William Butler Yeats
"We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English." Winston Churchill
"May misfortune follow you the rest of your life,
but never catch up." Irish saying
"Here's to you and yours and to mine and ours.
And if mine and ours ever come across to you
and yours, I hope you and yours will do as much
for mine and ours as mine and ours have done
for you and yours!" Irish toast |
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