HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thanks for your loyal support. Everyone here at Cal Broker looks forward to a 2020 full of information, education and community building!
THINGS WE LOVE
2020 Insurance Predictions
If you’ve read much of Insurance Insider News, you probably know that we’re really big fans of Allison Bell at ThinkAdvisor. Here’s yet one more example of Bell’s brilliance: 7 predictions for 2020, for Agents. She doesn’t make the predictions but she does a superb job compiling the predictions that most impact agents. Enjoy!
The Hartford Announces Position on Coal and Tar Sands
The Hartford is stepping up, folks. The company announced its joining 18 global insurers that have already restricted or eliminated insurance coverage for and investments in coal, including U.S. peers Chubb, AXIS Capital and Liberty Mutual.
The Hartford says it will no longer insure or invest in companies that generate more than 25 percent of their revenues from thermal coal mining or more than 25 percent of their energy production from coal. In addition, the company will also stop insuring and investing in companies that generate more than 25 percent of their revenues directly from the extraction of oil from tar sands.
The Hartford’s policy parameters include:
- No new underwriting of or investments in the construction and operation of new coal-fired plants;
- No new underwriting of or investments in companies that generate more than 25 percent of their revenues from thermal coal mining or more than 25 percent of their energy production from coal;
- No new underwriting of or investments in companies that generate more than 25 percent of their revenues directly from the extraction of oil from tar sands;
- Phase out existing underwriting relationships and divest publicly traded investments which exceed the threshold by 2023; and
- Exceptions for business lines that cover employees, such as disability, life and other voluntary products offered by the company’s group benefits division.
Great to see that the insurance industry is taking steps in the right direction.
Covered Cal’s Lee Makes 100 Most Influential People List
Kudos go out to Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee, who was recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of 2019’s 100 Most Influential People. This is Lee’s third consecutive year on the list. The complete rankings are featured in Modern Healthcare magazine and online.
Registration Now Open for the IICF Women in Insurance Regional Forum June 24 in Los Angeles!
The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) has opened registration for the regional Women in Insurance forums. This year’s theme is Beyond Gender: Inclusion, Leadership and Innovation. The Los Angeles regional forum takes place June 24. Take advantage of early bird pricing now. Info and registration here.
HEALTH
A Year in Review
We know, 2019 is so yesterday. But still you might want to check out this healthcare year in review from The Commonwealth Fund. At the very least, it will remind you of all the fun we’ve had together!
A Reminder: All Californians Now Need to be Covered
The federal individual mandate may be in legal limbo, but here a state law will take effect on Jan. 1 requiring all Californians to have health insurance. California created a new state individual mandate penalty that is similar to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s penalty. It will be administered by the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and collected when people file their 2020 taxes starting in 2021. Make sure your clients understand this!
BCS Financial First to Offer Group Critical Illness Product With Optional Rider for Four Severe Mental Health Crises
In case you haven’t heard about it, BCS Financial Corporation now offers a first-of-its-kind critical illness product with an optional rider to provide coverage for four severe mental health crises, including severe major depressive disorder, severe bipolar I disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. The product — EssentialCare Group Critical Illness– provides fixed payments in the event of a covered diagnosis. The payments, which range from $5,000 to $30,000, depending on the policy, are made directly to the insured to use how they see fit — whether it’s to pay for deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance, inpatient/outpatient treatment, or anything else they may need. In addition to the mental health coverage, EssentialCare Group Critical Illness also provides coverage for 35 physical critical illnesses, eight childhood conditions, and a set of benefits that provide financial assistance for caregiver and support services that fit today’s consumer lifestyle. EssentialCare Critical Illness has been recognized by the insurance industry as a finalist for the 2019 Insurance Nexus “New Product of the Year” and “North American Contribution to Society” awards. And we also thinks it’s pretty cool.
EVENTS
- SDAHU Expo 2020 -January 16 @ 8:00 am – 2:30 pm
Town and Country Resort and Convention Center, San Diego. More info here. - Joint Industry Forum 2020, Insurance Information Institute
January 16, Marriott Marquis, New York City. Theme is “A 21st Century Workforce that Reflects the Communities We Serve.” More info here. - OCAHU 8th Annual Business Development Summit
February 28, DoubleTree by Hilton-Anaheim/Orange County
Contact: Gail James Clarke (714) 441-8951, ext.3,
email: orangecountyahu@yahoo.com
- The 29th Annual IEAHU Symposium, March 10, Riverside Convention Center
Email Inland Empire Association of Health Underwriters for more info: ieahu.administration@gmail.com - SIIA Self-Insured Health Plan Executive Forum
March 16-18, Charleston, SC. More info here. - CAHU Women’s Leadership Conference, March 25-27, JW Marriott Resort&Spa, Las Vegas
More info at www.cahu.org. - LAAHU Annual Symposium- Save the date!
April 22, Skirball Center, Los Angeles. More info soon! - The 16th Annual BenefitsPRO Broker Expo
May 18-20 Hilton Austin in Austin, TX.
