Details of an extensive look at the first comprehensive insurance consumer research study completed in West Virginia in decades will be presented by RMS Strategies Inc. during the opening Feb. 27 and 28 Insurance Day program sponsored by the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of West Virginia Insurance Day program in Charleston. Today is the final day to register for this event.
RMS Strategies conducted two sets of focus groups and then polled 551 West Virginians by telephone. The results carry a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.
Some of the key findings: 66 percent of West Virginians said too many lawsuits are brought against insurance companies in the state; 40 percent said jury awards given to those suing insurance companies are too high; 26 percent said awards are “just right;” 87 percent said they strongly or somewhat agree it is unfair to allow people to sue for an amount that exceeds the cost of the injury; 88 percent said it is important for the Legislature to address the cost of health insurance; 78 percent believe lawsuit abuse should be addressed; 78 percent said the same about homeowners and auto insurance costs; and 66 percent want business insurance costs to be addressed.
In addition, 69 percent said insurance fraud occurs frequently in West Virginia, and 63 percent said fraud contributes to the cost of insurance; and 81 percent said it is extremely or very important for the Legislature to change insurance laws to make West Virginia more business friendly.
Governor Joe Manchin III will be the featured speaker at the breakfast meeting, and the keynote speaker at the general session will be Insurance Commissioner Jane Cline. Cline will speak on matters of interest regarding the office of the Insurance Commissioner.
Jim Pitrolo, the governor’s legislative director, will address the group at 7:30 a.m. during the morning breakfast session. He will discuss the governor’s proposed insurance and civil justice reform package.
Manchin unveiled his entire legislative agenda during a PowerPoint presentation at the Capitol yesterday. Gray Marion, PIIAWV executive vice president said he hopes the governor has taken the results of the RMS poll to heart when constructing insurance-related bills. Having the governor at this event will give PIIAWV members a good chance to voice their concerns about upcoming legislation with the governor.
Monday morning’s general session will be broadcast to hundreds of thousands of West Virginians as Hoppy Kercheval, the voice of the MetroNews Network brings his well-known “Talkline” radio program to I-Day. Kercheval will host a live, two-hour program from the ballroom of the Charleston Mariott beginning at 10 a.m. The program will consist of four segments, each of which will be of significant interest to the insurance industry and to West Virginians. Each segment will run for 25 minutes and will feature conversations between the moderator and experts with opposing points of view.
Topics discussed during the radio broadcasts will include: Third Party Bad Faith, with Ancil G. Ramey and Michael J. Romano; Joint/Several Liability Collateral Source, with Marc E. Williams and Allan N. Karlin; Personal Lines, Timothy W. Dyer and Thomas G. Dyer; and Judicial Selection Process, with John F. McCuskey and Harvey D. Peyton.
West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Elliott “Spike” Maynard will be the keynote speaker at the I-Day luncheon.
A bus will leave at 1:45 p.m. to take participants to the state Capitol where they will be able to talk to their legislators and discuss the need for improvement in West Virginia’s insurance climate.
More details are available at www.piiawv.org or phone PIIAWV at (304) 342-2440.
Topics Virginia West Virginia
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