SACRAMENTO: A husband and wife who were charged with insurance fraud by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in 1985 were arrested earlier this month after being fugitives for almost 16 years.

Imelda and Eduardo Rodriguez were arrested in Makati City, Philippines on

September 4th and September 6th respectively by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation.

According to investigators from the California Department of Insurance (CDI), the Rodriguez' secured life insurance for Imelda's mother. Investigators say they later presented a fake death certificate in order to collect on the claim. CDI Fraud Division Investigators located the mother alive in the fall of 1985, living in Northridge, California.

Later, Eduardo Rodriguez secured a life insurance policy for his wife and subsequently claimed she had been killed in a car accident in the Philippines. CDI Fraud Division Investigators arrested Imelda in November of 1985. Mrs. Rodriguez was able to post bail and immediately fled to the Philippines to join her husband who was later elected governor of the Quezon province.

Extradition efforts are now underway to bring the couple back to the United States.

Source: State of California

Topic: United Capitol Insurance Company Ordered Into Conservation

Chicago, IL--Illinois Insurance Director Nat Shapo announced today that he obtained an Order of Conservation against United Capitol Insurance Company on September 12, 2001, following the Department of Insurance's determination that the company was insolvent by more than $1 million. The order was originally confidential pursuant to statute; however, the confidentiality order was lifted on September 17, 2001.

United Capitol is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Capitol Holding Company Incorporated, a Delaware insurance holding corporation, which is in turn wholly owned by Frontier Insurance Company of Rock Hill, New York. Frontier was placed into rehabilitation by the New York Department of Insurance on August 27, 2001. Both companies are members of the Frontier Insurance Group.

Topic: Liberty Mutual Insurance Company/Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company Applications for Approval of Plans of Reorganization

A special meeting of members (the "Special Meeting")of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company ("LMIC"),will be held on November 9,2001 at 10:00 a.m.Eastern Time,at LMIC's office at 175 Berkeley Street,Boston,Massachusetts 02117.

At the Special Meeting,Eligible Members will be asked to consider and vote upon a proposal to approve LMIC's Plan of Reorganization and the transactions contemplated thereby,including the amendment and restatement of the articles of organization and the bylaws of LMIC.

The Plan of Reorganization contemplates the formation of a parent mutual holding company and the conversion of LMIC to a stock insurance company. The Plan of Reorganization will not go into effect unless approved by the requisite

number of votes from Eligible Members voting at the Special Meeting.

Source: State of Massachusetts

Area of Interest: Streamlined Life Insurance Life Insurance Claim Process

Governor George E. Pataki today announced that uniform affidavits will be accepted in lieu of death certificates on claims arising out of the World Trade Center disaster of September 11, 2001, easing the burden on families of victims and expediting payments.

"Many of this nation's families have undergone immense personal losses due to the World Trade Center, Pentagon and Pennsylvania disasters," Governor Pataki said. "As families of victims begin to go through the painful process of filing life insurance claims, we will continue to do everything we can to prevent additional hardships on those who have lost loved ones."

Insurers licensed to do business in New York will accept affidavits from next of kin of victims of the World Trade Center, Pentagon and Pennsylvania disasters when a death certificate is not available.

"New York's life insurance industry has demonstrated a tremendous amount of cooperation and understanding in this time of need," said Superintendent of Insurance Gregory V. Serio. "The Department is committed to assisting families with the filing of life insurance claims and ensuring that the payments of all claims to affected New Yorkers are made in a timely fashion."

Source: State of New York

Area of Interest: Insurance Director Revokes Agent's License for Misappropriating $52,000 in Premiums

COLUMBUS - Ohio Department of Insurance Director Lee Covington Wednesday signed a consent order revoking the license of insurance agent Deborah L. Frazier, Sandusky County, for improperly withholding, misappropriating, and converting to her own use monies belonging to policyholders, insurers or beneficiaries received in the course of insurance business.

Between Feb. 1, 1994 and Feb. 1, 2000, Frazier collected premium payments from the Toledo-based Parker Steel International totaling $52,420, but failed to submit the premiums to Cincinnati Insurance Companies or return the premiums to Parker Steel International.

In February 1994, Frazier solicited and sold two insurance polices purportedly issued by Cincinnati Insurance Companies to Parker Steel. These policies were renewals of a commercial general liability policy and a commercial umbrella liability policy previously issued to Parker. Frazier, however, failed to renew these policies with Cincinnati Insurance Companies, violating Ohio insurance regulations by "using fraudulent, coercive, or dishonest practices in the conduct of that person's affairs under a license."

In addition, Frazier issued a bogus claim check, altered two insurance policies to reflect coverage, and issued several Certificates of Insurance on behalf of Parker Steel International showing coverage when, in fact, they did not have coverage.

"We have been and will continue to be vigilant in our efforts to identify and hold accountable those who are not abiding by the insurance regulations of this state," said Covington. "Fraud and theft by insurance agents are gross violations of Ohio citizens' trust, and violating that trust will result in forfeiting the privilege of selling insurance products in our state."

Source: State of Ohio

Area of Interest: New Agent Licensing Laws

One of the significant changes of SB 414 allows non-resident corporate or partnership agencies to obtain a license and solicit business directly within the state of Texas. Another major change was the consolidation of agent licenses into fewer license types. Further, the requirement that all officers, directors, and shareholders of a corporate agency or partners of a partnership reside in Texas and hold an agent's license has been eliminated.

Source: State of Texas

Topic: Big Brokerage Houses Change to Help Meet Client Needs

Since the insurance industry has begun to “tighten its belt”, loss control representatives at the larger insurance brokerage firms have found themselves working more to help risk managers decrease insurance premiums by eliminating exposures. Many companies are streamlining their purchasing programs to obtain better pricing on supplies. Loss control representatives are helping clients to establish contingency plans if their primary suppliers are unable to deliver. Although many processes can be implemented to assist clients meet their needs, the client must be willing to change in order for the loss control process to be effective.

Source: National Underwriter

Independent loss control and safety consulting firms are assisting their clients by helping them lower premiums and decrease liability exposure. Many insurance firms have become dependent on these consultants because they do not have the internal resources to meet their client's needs. Since companies have downsized in recent years, they are now turning to their brokers for risk management services that they once handled themselves.

Source: National Underwriter

The events of September 11, 2001 had a devastating effect on all Americans. However, the insurance industry is strong and is in good position to deal with the events that took place. It is possible that insurance losses could exceed $30 Billion with $25 Billion occurring in the liability and business interruption claims and an additional $5 Billion in property loss and life insurance claims. Although there are some Act of War exclusions in policies insurance companies are not expected to invoke this option and most insurers are expected to meet their obligations without litigation.

Although the losses are expected to be high, up to 50% of the losses are expected to be absorbed by overseas insurers as a result of the complex insurance and reinsurance markets. It is expected that the disaster will affect over 100 insurers worldwide. There are concerns regarding the impact of this event on Lloyd's of London.

To get a sense of which primary carriers may have potentially large exposure levels, we have included the top commercial insurers in 2000 in New York State by line of business.

Company	Market Share
Top 5 Commercial Multi-Peril Liability Insurance
Travelers	14.7%
CGU Group	8.6%
CNA	6.6%
Chubb	4.3%
Hartford	3.8%
Top 5 Non-Liability Commercial Multi-Peril Liability Insurance
Travelers	9.7%
CGU Group	8.2%
Chubb	6.2%
Hartford	5.7%
CNA	4.0%
Top 5 Worker's Compensation Insurers
AIG	13.6%
Liberty Mutual	9.8%
Travelers	8.%
CNA	8.2%
Kemper/Lumbermen's	7.0%

Topic: OSHA, EPA, Update Asbestos Data. - Continue to reassure public of contamination fears

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced that the majority of air and dust samples monitored in New York's financial district do not indicate levels of concern for asbestos. The new samples confirm previous reports that ambient air quality meets OSHA standards and consequently is not a case for public concern. New OSHA data also indicates that indoor air quality in downtown buildings will meet standards.

EPA has found variable asbestos levels in bulk debris and dust on the ground, but EPA continues to believe that there is no significant health risk to the general public in the coming days. Appropriate steps are being taken to clean up this dust and debris.

"Our tests show that it is safe for New Yorkers to go back to work in New York's Financial District" said John L. Henshaw, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. "Keeping the streets clean and being careful not to track dust into buildings will help protect workers from remaining debris."

OSHA staff walked through New York's Financial District on September 13th wearing personal air monitors and collected data on potential asbestos exposure levels. All but two samples contained no asbestos. Two samples contained very low levels of unknown fiber, which is still being analyzed.

Air samples taken on September 13th inside buildings in New York's financial district were negative for asbestos. Debris samples collected outside buildings on cars and other surfaces contained small percentages of asbestos, ranging from 2.1 to 3.3 -- slightly above the 1 per cent trigger for defining asbestos material.

"EPA will be deploying sixteen vacuum trucks this weekend in an effort to remove as much of the dust and debris as possible from the site where the samples were obtained" said EPA Administrator, Christine Whitman. "In addition, we will be moving six continuous air monitoring stations into the area. We will put five near ground zero and one on Canal Street. The good news continues to be that the air samples have all been at levels that cause us no concern.

Source: Federal OSHA

Topic: Shiftwork and Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Shift work has long been a subject of study and criticism. Many studies have shown that physiological responses follow what is known as a circadian rhythm. Body temperature is just one aspect that can be predicted by the time of day. While some believe that these rhythms are genetically programmed and activated by social cues, most studies agree that shift work may alter a person's normal physiological functions.

There is also evidence supporting theories that certain task performance varies over the course of the day. For instance, truck drivers and train drivers are shown to have more accidents at times of day or night that are usually designated for sleep

In recently published material, Dr. van Amelsvoort investigated whether an increased risk of cardiovascular disease might be caused by increased arrhythmogeneity and by unfavorable changes in autonomic cardiac control.

Source: Ergoweb.com

Sears Craftsman(R) tools and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), co-sponsors of the 2001 Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program, have announced that $70,000 worth of U.S. savings bonds will be presented to grade-school children to honor their efforts creating a new tool or re-thinking an existing one.

One of two top, or National, Winners was 5th grader Phillip Mitchell. Phillip, who attends J. B. Stephens School in Bangs, Texas, used ergonomics when designing the "Easy Trim". According to Phillip, the "Easy Trim" is an adjustable tool, based on ergonomics, that makes it easier to groom goats and lambs for livestock shows.

Source: Ergoweb.com