|
|
|
Specialty Lines
One of the key reasons CCAP has insurance programs for counties is to provide a necessary solution for counties. Students of public entity insurance will tell you that over the last 40 years the market has been dramatically changed. For example, reinsurance access has become extremely limited. Forty years ago there were more than 200 insurers in North America willing to provide excess coverage for public entities. Ten years ago that number was down to about 50. It is even less now.
This led to less options for counties, and the creation of PCoRP, PComp, PELICAN, and COMCARE PRO. Our programs, big or small, ensure that counties have an option for coverage that, from time to time, was not otherwise available.
Here's an example - property and liability insurance. Can a county get it now from someone other than PCoRP? Yes. Will the coverage be through one program - with claims reporting and risk control services from one source? No. The county will have a mix of insurers, claims reporting to more than one company, and few or little risk control services. Only very large insureds can get that kind of service anymore, and yet every sized county in PCoRP gets those services - and more - including grants and dividends.
In addition to providing our insurance programs to CCAP members as an option, we are also ensuring that counties will not be endangered by the vagaries and whims of the commercial insurance market.
Make sure you contact us when you need help with something,
|
|
PCoRP $1.5 Million Dividend Declared!
PCoRP's Board of Directors met on September 7 and after reviewing the program's finances, declared a $1.5 million dividend. The board approved the dividend based on each member's contributions paid, and claims costs. The funds for the dividend come from policy years 2005 through 2014. The distribution formula is based on how much each entity contributed to the Loss Fund in those years, less their claims experience. Additionally, to qualify each member must have been a member for the full policy year.
Dividend payments will range from a high of $120,115 to a low of $690. Four members will receive dividends of $100,000 or more. Every member will receive a dividend except for the newest PCoRP members: Blair, Crawford and Washington Counties.
This is the eighth straight year for a PCoRP dividend, and will mean a total of $16.5 million has been returned to the members over that time. Added to the $1.8 million being expended for the PCoRP Prison Electronic Documentation, and $4.4 million set aside over seven years for Loss Prevention Grants, PCoRP has now returned $22.7 million to the membership over the last eight years!
Dividend checks will go out to all members in November. PCoRP members will also receive an email noting their county or county related entity's dividend amount, and the 2017-2018 PCoRP Financial Audit will be attached to that email.
If you have any questions about the dividend, please contact
John Sallade
.
|
PComp 2019 Rates in Process - Overall Costs Remain the Same
The PComp Board of Directors met on September 20 and approved the actuary's proposal for renewal rates with no change in the average premium level. Rates for some payroll classifications will change, based on the experience of PComp's members.
Members will see changes in their costs based on their experience modifications, which are driven by their claims costs. Experience mods range from a high of 1.141 to a low of .720 (where 1.000 is average). While member premiums are the same total as last year, changes by member range from a reduction of 49 percent to an increase of 52 percent.
Please note that the 2019 rates are not finalized until approved by the Department of Labor and Industry. In the interim, we will provide members and their producers with estimated 2019 premium amounts, and then confirm the final numbers once we hear from L&I.
|
|
Hot Topics
Non-Pecuniary Claims
What the heck does that mean? Many counties have received a claim denial letter from PCoRP or an insurance company noting that the claim is denied because it is non-pecuniary.
Non-pecuniary means "not consisting of money." In the insurance world, the meaning is usually considered to be damages that can't be calculated accurately in monetary terms. In the PCoRP Coverage Document's definition of damages, there is this exclusion: "Non-pecuniary relief, including the cost of compliance with injunctive or equitable relief.
For insurance to respond and cover a claim, there needs to be a loss. There has to be a way to quantify the cost of that loss. If there is, and the loss is something for which the county has purchased coverage, then the county is in good shape. This of course assumes the county bought enough coverage.
But if the alleged loss cannot be quantified, it is non-pecuniary, and will not be covered. Here are some examples: a lawsuit from a county prison inmate who wants his arrest voided and to be released, a citizen who sues the county because there is no handicap ramp at a county building, a county official who wants to be defended from an allegation made to the Ethics Commission or, an inmate might sue to have the prison policies changed. None of these is a financial loss. The coverage denial letter will no doubt reference the coverage wording about non-pecuniary claims. Sometimes legitimate claims will be combined with non-pecuniary ones, and PCoRP or the county's insurer will note that some things are covered and the non-pecuniary ones are not.
(Please note this is not legal advice, just an attempt to explain an insurance process!)
For more information, contact
John Sallade
at CCAP.
|
|
Flu Season Begins October 1
During the 2017 - 2018 flu season, the PA Department of Health reported 121,088 cases of influenza positively identified. Nationwide, there were 100 million working days lost, 32million school days lost, $6.8 billion in lost wages, and $10 billion in costs to employers due to this highly contagious, respiratory illness.
As an employer, you can play a significant role in helping to prevent seasonal influenza:
Promote influenza vaccination. Getting a flu shot is the single best way to prevent against influenza and its potentially serious complications. The CDC recommends everyone six months of age and older get a flu vaccine every year. Employers can work with health insurance providers or local pharmacies to set up flu shot clinics in the workplace, free of charge.
Encourage frequent, correct hand hygiene. Most pathogenic organisms are spread from point A to point B on our hands. Therefore, correct hand hygiene is a must in fighting influenza. Post hand washing instructions in public areas including bathrooms, kitchens, and break areas to serve as a constant reminder to WASH YOUR HANDS. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Encourage respiratory hygiene. Cover your cough. Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands, but rather, use the inside of your arm or a tissue. Dispose of tissues immediately.
Clean work surfaces. Keep products that kill influenza virus available for staff to clean and disinfect their desk area, phones, and other frequent touch surfaces.
Educate employees on influenza signs and symptoms. Flu hits hard and fast. Signs and symptoms include rapid onset of illness, high fever usually greater than 100.4, severe fatigue and body aches, severe cough and chest pain. Knowing the symptoms encourages employees to contact their physician, early, for prescription antiviral medications that decrease symptoms and severity of the illness.
Encourage employees to stay home when ill. Influenza is highly contagious. Employees should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone without the use of fever reducing medication.
Free information about influenza prevention, posters, flyers, printable educational material, and current influenza activity is available on the CDC website, CDC.gov or PAflu.gov. For assistance or guidance setting up a flu shot clinic at the workplace, contact your health insurance provider, local pharmacy, or PComp Risk Control Wellness Nurse, [email protected].
Pennsylvania had one of the worst influenza seasons last year, including the highest number of flu-related deaths in the United States. Don't let history repeat itself. Utilize the free information and begin planning now for the 2018 - 2019 season.
|
|
Fall Risk Management Workshops!
Although the workshop season has been going strong through September there are still excellent educational opportunities left for the fall workshop season! Please see the listing below for all the sessions we have planned.
October
As a reminder, most of the workshops are FREE to attend if your county is a member of the sponsoring Insurance Programs. Please refer to the GLIMPSE Online section the CCAP website for all the information on topic descriptions, dates, times, locations and membership!
The CCAP Insurance Programs continues to collaborate with the Academy for Excellence in County Government. Please refer to our website for additional information on co-sponsored events. These workshops are FREE to current Academy participants.
If interested in attending a training, please register here! As always, if you have any questions please feel free to contact Linda Rosito at (800) 895-9039 x 3328 or (717) 736-4728.
I look forward to seeing you this fall!
|
|
Upcoming Events
October 12, 2018
UC Trust Board Meeting
CCAP Office, Harrisburg
October 19, 2018
PIMCC Board Meeting
CCAP Office, Harrisburg
October 26, 2018
Health Alliance Board Meeting
CCAP Office, Harrisburg
|
|
Quote of the Month
"Information can bring you choices and choices bring power - educate yourself about your options and choices. Never remain in the dark of ignorance."
-Joy Page
|
|
| |
|
