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Article 0 Comments Beginning February 2, 2026, all claimants and lay witnesses testifying in virtual hearings before the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board will be required to appear and testify by video with their faces fully visible on screen, and not just by voice over a device, the board announced today. Attorneys and legal representatives are already required to appear on video for all workers’ compensation board virtual hearings. In explaining the reason for the new rule affecting claimants and lay witnesses, the board noted that while participants have the ability to appear by video using a computer or mobile device, many claimants and lay witnesses continue to appear by telephone, with no video connection. “Having all participants who testify at virtual hearings appear on video is crucially important. It allows everyone involved in the hearing to hear and see the other participants, and observe their demeanor, body language, and facial expressions, greatly aiding communication,” stated the bulletin announcing the expanded rule. The board introduced its state-of-the-art virtual hearings in 2018, allowing participants to attend workers’ compensation proceedings by video from their home or office. The technology enabled the board to continue to adjudicate claims during the COVID-19 pandemic....
Millers Mutual selects Duck Creek OnDemand, Reinsurance, Clarity, Policy and Billing to streamline operations, and enable growth across the multifamily housing sector Boston, MA (Nov. 19, 2024) – Duck Creek Technologies, the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property & casualty (P&C) insurance, is pleased to announce that Millers Mutual Insurance has selected Duck Creek OnDemand’s cloud-native SaaS solutions Reinsurance, Clarity, Policy and Billing to modernize its core systems and lay the technology foundation for profitable growth. Founded in 1890, Millers Mutual exclusively serves the multifamily housing and mixed-use rental property insurance market, delivering specialized solutions powered by skilled underwriters and a deep understanding of its intricacies. With over a century of experience and a vast breadth of insurance solutions, Millers offers the comprehensive, smart coverage that agents – and rental property business owners – deserve. Duck Creek’s solutions will help modernize Millers Mutual’s data architecture, enable analytics for data-driven decisions, and future AI/ML workflows integration, to deliver seamless omnichannel experiences to policyholders, agents, and employees. This enhancement will support Millers Mutual’s strategic growth over the next five years. “Modernizing our core technology is essential to executing on both organic and acquisition-driven growth,” said Samuel Hess, Chief Information Officer, Millers Mutual Insurance....
/ ThinkAdvisor provides financial advisors, registered investment advisors and wealth managers with comprehensive coverage of the products, services and information they need to guide their clients in making critical wealth, health and life decisions.
Article 1 Comment President Donald Trump said on Monday he would sign an executive order this week that he said would create a single national rule for artificial intelligence, which the industry has said is necessary to override disparate laws passed by U.S. states. The move would deliver a win for Big Tech companies that have cultivated close relationships with the White House, and likely draw consternation from both Democratic and Republican state leaders who have said they need the ability to protect state residents. “There must be only One Rulebook if we are going to continue to lead in AI… I will be doing a ONE RULE Executive Order this week. You can’t expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something,” Trump said in a post on his social media site, Truth Social. Trump did not provide details but Reuters reported last month that the U.S. president was considering an executive order that would seek to preempt state laws on AI through lawsuits and by withholding federal funding. ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz have called for national AI standards instead of a 50-state patchwork of...
Hartford, CT (Nov. 26, 2025) – In recognition of International Fraud Awareness Week, Travelers is highlighting strategies to help businesses and consumers protect themselves from insurance fraud. This threat costs Americans $308.6 billion annually, according to estimates from the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud. “Insurance fraud drives up the overall cost for everyone and undermines consumer trust and the integrity of the insurance process,” said Pranay Mittal, Vice President of Travelers Investigative Services. “By raising awareness of the many forms these threats can take, and equipping individuals and businesses with the tools they need to recognize and prevent fraud, we can create a more secure marketplace together.” A recent Travelers survey indicates businesses are primarily concerned about medical provider schemes involving coordinated networks of health care professionals; digital scams affecting business systems and data; and employee fraud occurring within organizations. Separately, consumers were concerned with contractor fraud and pre-planned car accidents that target individuals. “Criminals keep getting smarter and more sophisticated, and the resulting insurance fraud costs the industry and everyday consumers hundreds of billions of dollars each year,” said David J. Glawe, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. “Our partnership with Travelers, along with other insurers,...
Economic pressures have left over 80% of Canadian youth feeling stressed and anxious about their future – yet barriers to accessing mental health support persist New report from GreenShield and Mental Health Research Canada highlights the urgent need for more accessible, inclusive solutions to support youth mental health Waterloo, ON (Nov. 19, 2025) – A new survey from GreenShield, Canada’s only national non-profit health care and insurance organization, conducted in partnership with Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC), reveals that over 80% of Canadian youth feel overwhelmed by stress and anxiety about their future, and economic pressures – including job insecurity and the rising cost of living – are key drivers. The survey paints a stark picture: financial stress is not only intensifying mental health challenges for Canadian youth, but also blocking access to care. The findings reveal how economic instability is shaping young Canadians’ wellbeing and their ability to seek support. “Canada’s youth are navigating a perfect storm of economic instability and emotional strain,” said Zahid Salman, President and CEO of GreenShield. “At GreenShield, we’re committed to breaking down barriers to care, whether financial, cultural, or systemic, by providing a single, easy-to-access platform tailored to their unique needs. Supporting youth...
/ ThinkAdvisor provides financial advisors, registered investment advisors and wealth managers with comprehensive coverage of the products, services and information they need to guide their clients in making critical wealth, health and life decisions.
/ ThinkAdvisor provides financial advisors, registered investment advisors and wealth managers with comprehensive coverage of the products, services and information they need to guide their clients in making critical wealth, health and life decisions.
Article 0 Comments A pipeline owned by California Resources Corporation subsidiary Aera Energy spilled 96 barrels of produced fluid — a mixture of oil and water — early Friday morning at an oil field in Monterey County in California’s Central Coast. The spill came from an eight-inch pipe and was contained to the immediate area, the company said in a report to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services filed just after 7:00 a.m. local time. Flow to the pipe was shut, the release was stopped and the cause of the incident was unknown at the time, California Resources said. No waterways or storm drains were affected, according to the report. The spill, although relatively small, comes as California Gov. Gavin Newsom seeks to boost oil production in the state as declines in domestic production and the knock on effect on the state’s dwindling number of refineries threaten to spike what are already the highest gasoline prices in the nation. “In the past few weeks, we’ve seen numerous examples of how oil production threatens California’s communities and water supplies,” Hollin Kretzmann, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, said in an emailed statement. “As long as...
