Agent News

As your true risk management partner, we are constantly creating new tools and services to make it easy to do business with us. That’s why we’re excited about our new website, 3CU.com, which features improved functionality and navigation, including:

• Full site search
• Mobile-friendly design that adapts to any mobile device
• Simplified and organized content
• A new “Find an Agent” tool

Because we specialize in complex operations and challenging exposures, our focus is helping our customers reduce accidents, lower direct costs and increase productivity and profits. We’ve created a “Knowledge” section on the new site to demonstrate this expertise, including case studies and videos about various topics related to the business. We’ve also added a searchable Toolbox, which offers a wealth of resources, including marketing materials, safety tools and helpful claims and fraud information for our customers.

While our public website has changed, our password-protected Agent and Policyholder sites remain the same. To access these sites, simply click on “Login” at the top of the homepage.

We hope you enjoy the features and functionality of our new website and welcome your feedback as you explore this great new resource. If you have any issues with the site, please contact our Marketing department.

To make it easier for you to introduce 3CU to customers who are searching for a carrier that will deliver the outcomes they require, we’ve developed a new video, “3CU: Our Promise, Your Success.” This piece provides a comprehensive overview of the segments we serve and our superior claims handling, customer service and loss control services. Throughout the video, members of our executive team share their passion for the 3CU brand and explain how we put customers first.

We encourage you to use this video as an introductory sales tool with customers to help illustrate how our expertise and experience set us apart from the competition. Watch below or to view the video on our new website, please click here and then bookmark the page for use with your clients.

If you’ve visited BusinessInsurance.com orPropertyCasualty360.com during the last few months, you may have noticed ads from someone you know and trust – 3CU! As we continue to build our reputation as a top regional specialty workers’ compensation carrier, we’re working to increase brand awareness, particularly in select Southeastern states and the Gulf region.

To this end, we launched a multi-faceted advertising campaign that utilized Google AdWords, agent-focused publications and media targeted at the select business segments we serve. These publications included:

• Construction Business Owner
• Waste360
• ENR Southeast.com
• RigZone.com

From the online ads alone, we’ve had more than 2.8 million ad views–so our brand is definitely getting noticed. With the launch of our new website this month, we will continue these efforts in a targeted way in 2015 as we prepare to celebrate our fifth anniversary in July. And while these ads work to improve our recognition, remember that we still rely on you, our valued agent partners, to promote us to customers and explain how 3CU can deliver the successful business outcomes they seek.

We are pleased to report that A.M. Best Company has reaffirmed an “A-” (Excellent) rating with a stable outlook for Accident Fund Holdings and its brands, including Third Coast Underwriters, Accident Fund Insurance Company of America, CompWest Insurance and United Heartland.

“Accident Fund Holdings continues to be financially strong and focused on providing superior products and services to our agent partners and policyholders in Michigan and throughout the country,” said Liz Haar, president and CEO of Accident Fund Holdings, Inc. “This announcement reflects A.M. Best’s recognition of our effective business strategies and focus on providing superior products and services to the marketplace. Our success has been made possible through the ongoing commitment to excellence of our employees and agent partners.”

In a statement announcing the reaffirmed financial rating, A.M. Best noted, “… the ratings acknowledge the group’s growing use of sophisticated predictive analytic modeling tools and medical cost containment practices and initiatives.” Among other attributes, A.M. Best credited the “A-“ (Excellent) rating to Accident Fund’s solid risk-adjusted capitalization and expertise within the workers’ compensation marketplace.

Legislative Update is a brief synopsis of legislative activity currently taking place relevant to 3CU and the Accident Fund Holdings (AFHI) enterprise’s work comp interests. For more details or further documentation on any of these legislative activities, contact your underwriter.

Federal

Amendment Suspends Rules Requiring Certain Sleep Periods for Truckers

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins successfully attached a rider to the spending bill signed into law by President Obama on Dec. 16, so truckers will no longer have to get two nights sleep in a row before starting a work week. Suspending year-old federal regulations means truckers will be allowed to work as many as 82 hours over eight days — upending what safety advocates said was a key component of a 15-year effort to reduce deaths caused by drowsy long-haul drivers.

The Collins amendment suspends until Oct. 1, and orders a study of, rules the Transportation Department implemented last year. Under those rules, drivers, after working 70 hours over eight days, were required to rest for 34 hours before beginning another workweek. And that had to include two consecutive nights from 1 to 5 a.m. Even with the Collins suspension, drivers are still limited to 14 hours of work a day, of which only 11 hours can be behind the wheel, and they must take at least one 30-minute rest break. They are still required to be off duty for 34 hours at the end of a workweek, but the 1 to 5 a.m. rest periods over two consecutive days will be lifted.

That means drivers can conceivably work 82 hours a week — something the industry says is highly uncommon.

State

Michigan

Future Use, Cost of Opioids and Compounds Limited with Rule Implementation

A draft rule aimed to improve the oversight of workers’ long-term use of opioids was adopted recently by the legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR). Throughout 2014, a subcommittee of the Workers’ Compensation Health Care Services Advisory Committee (HCSAC), developed the rule which will require increased standards for reimbursement when opioids are prescribed beyond 90 days unless the physician conducts additional review.

Additionally, the rule will limit industry cost and physician use of compound creams/lotions by capping the price of topical compounds at the Average Wholesale Price (AWP) minus 10% and require the original manufacturer’s National Drug Code for each component of the compound as published by Red Book or Medi-Span. Providers would be limited to dispensing a 30-day supply per prescription for compounded drugs. Total reimbursements would be limited to $600.

This rule was drafted by a multi-partisan group from the Health Care Services Committee and was unanimously approved by the Committee consisting of providers, employees, attorney and carriers. The provider requirements in the rule are nationally recognized standards for long-term use of narcotics, for improved pain and functional outcomes and reduced risk of addiction and death.

South Carolina

Farmer Will Continue To Head South Carolina’s Department of Insurance

Raymond Farmer is staying on to lead South Carolina’s Department of Insurance. Farmer communicated he was honored to be asked by Gov. Nikki Haley to stay on in the position he’s held since 2012. Farmer took over nearly a year after the agency’s last director, David Black, resigned abruptly. Haley said it took so long to fill the role because she wanted to hire someone from the private sector, but found it difficult to attract the right candidate who was willing to take a government salary.

Farmer retired as Southeast vice president at the American Insurance Association. Haley said that Farmer was committed to making the insurance agency as consumer-friendly as possible while keeping South Carolina friendly to businesses.

Information in this report was sourced from – Florida Insurance Council – NAMIC – WorkCompCentral – NCCI

Disclaimer of Liability

This document is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. This information is subject to change. Every effort is made to provide accurate and complete information in AFHI’s Legislative Update. However, AFHI makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Update and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this newsletter.

All content within the Legislative Update is the property of AFHI unless otherwise stated. All rights are reserved. No part of the Update may be reproduced, transmitted or copied in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of AFHI.

• Scrap Metal Recycling/Dealers: $196,400 – $1,273,700

How Can 3CU Deliver Successful Outcomes for Your Customers?

At Third Coast Underwriters (3CU), our customers are our top priority. Because we specialize in addressing complex operations and challenging exposures, we know the importance of developing unique workers’ compensation solutions. Let us help you today. For more information, visit 3CU.com, email info@3CU.com or call 866-641-2328.

• Boat Building and Repair: $456,700 – $520,300
• Drilling: $272,600
• Electric Light or Power Line Construction: $219,300 – $674,400
• Oil or Gas Lease Work – Contractors & Drivers: $168,900
• Oil or Gas Pipeline – Construction & Drivers: $394,800 – $812,000
• Oil or Gas Pipeline – Operation & Drivers: $229,700
• Oil or Gas Well: Cementing & Drivers: $488,800
• Oil or Gas Well: Instrument Logging or Survey Work: $502,200

How Can 3CU Deliver Successful Outcomes for Your Customers?

At Third Coast Underwriters (3CU), our customers are our top priority. Because we specialize in addressing complex operations and challenging exposures, we know the importance of developing unique workers’ compensation solutions. Let us help you today. For more information, visit 3CU.com, email info@3CU.com or call 866-641-2328.

• Security Operations: $212,800

How Can 3CU Deliver Successful Outcomes for Your Customers?

At Third Coast Underwriters (3CU), our customers are our top priority. Because we specialize in addressing complex operations and challenging exposures, we know the importance of developing unique workers’ compensation solutions. Let us help you today. For more information, visit 3CU.com, email info@3CU.com or call 866-641-2328.

• Boilermaking: $718,900
• Painting: Shop Only: $751,200
• Restaurant: $343,200
• Rubber Goods Manufacturing: $474,900
• Store – Wholesale: $304,700 – $1,516,900

How Can 3CU Deliver Successful Outcomes for Your Customers?

At Third Coast Underwriters (3CU), our customers are our top priority. Because we specialize in addressing complex operations and challenging exposures, we know the importance of developing unique workers’ compensation solutions. Let us help you today. For more information, visit 3CU.com, email info@3CU.com or call 866-641-2328.

• Ambulance Services and EMS: $268,600 – $825,500
• Automobile, Bus, Truck or Trailer Body Manufacturing: $150,800
• Automobile Service or Repair Center: $256,900
• Automobile Towing Company: $248,200 – $801,100
• Bakery & Drivers, Route Supervisors: $384,200
• Beer or Ale Dealer – Wholesale & Drivers: $214,200 – $675,400
• Bus Company: $337,400
• Freight Handling: $335,100
• Garbage Collection and Drivers: $195,300 – $445,400
• Garbage Works: $298,500
• Lumberyard – New Materials Only: $278,500 – $563,600
• Oxygen or Hydrogen Manufacturing and Drivers: $171,700
• Storage Warehouse: $186,700 – $312,700
• Storage Warehouse – Furniture: $186,900
• Street Cleaning: $160,100 – $706,400
• Trucking – All Employees and Drivers: $219,700 – $1,398,000
• Trucking – Long Distance Hauling: $549,300
• Trucking – Mail Parcel or Package Delivery: $648,600
• Trucking – Oil Field Equipment: $230,300 – $271,700
• Vending or Coin-Operated Machines: $509,900

How Can 3CU Deliver Successful Outcomes for Your Customers?

At Third Coast Underwriters (3CU), our customers are our top priority. Because we specialize in addressing complex operations and challenging exposures, we know the importance of developing unique workers’ compensation solutions. Let us help you today. For more information, visit 3CU.com, email info@3CU.com or call 866-641-2328.