Articles by Andrew G. Simpson

Simpson is a freelance writer and editor. He retired as Chief Content Officer for Wells Media Group in July, 2022 after 18 years with the company.

Virginia Approves 12% Loss Cost Decrease for Workers’ Compensation

Virginia has approved a 12.0% loss cost decrease in the workers’ compensation voluntary market along with rate decreases in the assigned risk market, effective April 1, 2025. The State Corporation Commission (SCC) approved the proposed voluntary loss costs, along with …

Court Nixes Workers’ Compensation for ‘Light Beer’ Drinking UPS Driver

A United Parcel Service (UPS) driver who was intoxicated when he crashed his semi-trailer delivery truck has been denied workers’ compensation benefits. Delaware Superior Court Judge Kathleen Vavala last week reversed a state Industrial Accident Board (IAB) ruling that Timothy …

New Hampshire High Court Invalidates Geico Underinsured Claim Provision

A claim provision requiring insureds to seek underinsured benefits from their auto insurer within three years of an accident is unenforceable in New Hampshire because it restricts the right of insureds to obtain the same benefits they would have received …

Lawsuit Seeks OSHA Records on Deaths of 3 Amazon Workers

A worker activist has sued the Department of Labor (DOL) to force the release of records surrounding the deaths of three workers at New Jersey Amazon workplaces in 2022. The lawsuit says DOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which …

Maine Joins States Suing Big Oil to Recover Costs of Climate Change ‘Deception’

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has filed suit in state court against Exxon, Shell, Chevron, BP, Sunoco, and the American Petroleum Institute for allegedly “deceiving Mainers for decades about the role of their fossil fuel products in causing climate change.” …

New York High Court Upholds Uber Arbitration Mandate For Previously-Filed Injury Case

In a 5-2 decision, New York State’s high court this week upheld Uber’s “clickwrap” agreement requiring arbitration of all disputes in a case of a passenger who was injured by another vehicle after exiting an Uber car. The woman had …

Blacks and Hispanics Pay More for Auto Insurance. Study Tries to Answer Why.

A new study examining potential unintentional bias in auto insurance finds that while Black and Hispanic drivers pay more than other drivers for coverage, they also have more claims and driving infractions. The study’s authors accept that higher losses and …

Homeowners Insurance Does Not Cover Cryptocurrency Theft, 4th Circuit Affirms

A federal appeals court has affirmed that a homeowners insurance policy does not cover the theft of cryptocurrency because the loss of a digital currency does not involve a “direct physical loss” as required by the policy. The Fourth Circuit …

New Hampshire High Court Invalidates Geico Underinsured Claim Provision

A claim provision requiring insureds to seek underinsured benefits from their auto insurer within three years of an accident is unenforceable in New Hampshire because it restricts the insureds’ right to obtain the same benefits they would have received if …

Maryland Fears Mobile Home Values Will Shrink as Insurance Disappears

Owners of mobile and manufactured homes in Maryland’s coastal communities and their insurance agents are having difficulty finding insurance coverage as carriers pull away from the market. The problem is squeezing owners who want to sell their mobile or manufactured …