Two leading medical professionals have published a new analysis of the future of health insurance in the latest issue of Annals of Family Medicine. Richard A. Young and Jennifer E. Devoe have taken a look at the Affordable Care Act and how it will affect the health insurance industry from when it is fully enacted in 2014 to the state of the industry in 2037. The study assumes that the federal health care law is successful in its goal of lowering health insurance premiums. Despite this supposed success, the study…
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Towers Watson survey shows prices for commercial insurance continued their rise during Q4 2011
According to the results of the most recent Towers Watson Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS), the prices for commercial insurance increased by a total of 3 percent throughout the final quarter last year, which completed a year in which every quarter saw rising prices for all lines of standard commercial products. Furthermore, according to the report by the global professional services company, earned price increases are starting to compensate for the portions of the reported claim cost inflation levels. Data from CLIPS showed that, yet again, the commercial property…
Read MoreA.M. Best report on Saudi Arabia insurance market shows a promising future for the country
A.M. Best, a global ratings and financial services firm that serves the insurance industry, has released a new report concerning the insurance market in Saudi Arabia. Over the past decade, the Saudi Arabian market has been inundated with its fair share of complications. Political turmoil and international pressures have stressed the market significantly in this time, but the market has shown profound resiliency to such factors. The report shows that the market’s ability to adapt to dramatic change has paved the way to a promising future. The report notes that…
Read MoreHomeowners insurance rates continue to skyrocket
Homeowners face increasing struggles as their home values continue to fall and maintenance costs continue to climb, with a new setback consisting of significantly higher insurance payments. Insurance rates for homes have been increasing steadily over the last few years, and the Insurance Information Institute has indicated that this year is expected to continue in that trend, with a rise of about 5 percent to reach an average of $1,004. This will have been the largest annual increase since the start of the recession, and will mark the first time…
Read MoreNorth Korea establishes its first international investment insurance firm
A surprising development in the global insurance industry: North Korea has established its first investment insurance firm. The firm’s aim is to attract foreign investments to the troubled country. It is expected that the North Korean firm will purchase reinsurance policies from international companies and offer this coverage to companies looking to do business within its borders. The firm is being built to mimic an insurance system in South Korea, which has served as a way to help business owners recover from financial losses due to risky investments. Because of…
Read MoreFlorida PIP reform a point of contention amongst lawmakers, special session may be necessary
Though Florida lawmakers have been working toward making changes to the state’s personal injury protection (PIP) insurance regulations, reform efforts have run into trouble. Legislators have been arguing over House Bill 119, which would have required accidents victims to be treated in emergency rooms rather than clinics. Since the bill gained resounding support earlier in the months, over a dozen amendments had been added one its way to the Senate. The amendments have been a source of chaos, as some legislators have expressed confusion regarding what the bill will actually…
Read MoreSurvey shows that health insurance is growing more expensive but also more restrictive
A new survey released yesterday by Towers Watson, a leading professional service and consulting firm, and the National Business Group on Health, a trade organization, claims that health insurance is getting more expensive, but is also covering much less than it used to. The survey, which targeted several large companies throughout the U.S., shows that employees are paying more for their coverage this year than they have in the past. They are also subject to more restrictions on their insurance and health care options, with many benefits being cut by…
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