Application deadline extended to December 31

Wilmington – Delawareans whose mortgage loans were active in the foreclosure process in 2009 and 2010 now have extra time to take advantage of an opportunity to have their cases independently reviewed, Attorney General Beau Biden announced today.

To ensure as many eligible people as possible participate in the Independent Foreclosure Review program, the deadline to apply has been extended to December 31, 2012. More than 12,000 foreclosures occurred in Delaware during 2009 and 2010.

In April 2011, federal agencies required 14 mortgage servicing banks to hire independent consultants to comprehensively review foreclosures conducted in 2009 and 2010 in order to identify borrowers who suffered financial harm due to bank errors or misrepresentations, or other problems in the foreclosure process. Individuals who suffered financial harm may be eligible for compensation.

“For our housing market to thrive, everyone must play by the rules,” Biden said. “Borrowers have an opportunity to find out if banks followed the rules when foreclosing. If the rules were broken and borrowers were harmed, the borrowers may have an opportunity through this review to be compensated.”

Biden’s office will also hold two educational events on Thursday, August 30 to provide information to homeowners about the foreclosure process, including possible alternatives to foreclosure and other housing-related issues. The first event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Millsboro at the Georgia House Restaurant (119 Main Street). The second will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the NCALL Research office in Dover (336 Saulsbury Road).  For more information on either event, homeowners should call the Attorney General’s Mortgage Hotline at 800-220-5424.

The Independent Foreclosure Review can help identify financial harm that borrowers may have suffered if their home was in the foreclosure process, such as:  

·         The mortgage balance amount at the time of the foreclosure action was more than was actually owed.

·         The borrower was doing everything the modification agreement required, but the sheriff sale still happened.

·         The foreclosure action occurred while the borrower was protected by bankruptcy.

·         The borrower requested assistance/modification, submitted complete documents on time, and was waiting for a decision when the sheriff sale occurred.

·         The foreclosure action occurred on a mortgage that was obtained before active duty military service began, while on active duty, or within 9 months after the active duty  ended and the servicemember did not waive his/her rights under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

For information on applying for a review, borrowers can visit:

·         www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo/independent-foreclosure-review.htm

·         www.occ.gov/independentforeclosurereview

·         Or call 888-952-9105 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST or from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays)

To be eligible for the review, loans must have been in foreclosure during the 2009-2010 timeframe, and must have been held by one of the participating mortgage servicers. Those servicers are:

·         America’s Servicing Company

·         Aurora Loan Services

·         BAC Home Loans Servicing

·         Bank of America

·         Beneficial

·         Chase

·         Citibank

·         CitiFinancial

·         CitiMortgage

·         Countrywide

·         EMC

·         Everbank/Everhome Mortgage Company

·         Financial Freedom, GMAC Mortgag

·         HFC

·         HSBC

·         IndyMac Mortgage Services

·         MetLife Ban

·         National City Mortgage

·         PNC Mortgage

·         Sovereign Ban

·         SunTrust Mortgage

·         U.S. Bank

·         Wachovia Mortgage

·         Washington Mutual

·         Wells Fargo

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DOVER – In his weekly message, the Governor talks about Delaware’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

“Prescription drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the country. It’s not easy to talk about because it destroys so many lives, so many families and so many communities,” said Governor Markell. “Until now, there has been no formal network in Delaware for doctors to readily share information about the drugs they are prescribing for patients.  Now, with the launch of our state’s new Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP), our state Division of Professional Regulation will be collecting information on controlled substance prescriptions.”

At noon every Friday, the Governor’s office releases a new Weekly Message in video, audio, and transcript form.  The message is available on:

YouTube: http://youtu.be/mBdoi4jz2ZM
Delaware.Gov: http://governor.delaware.gov/information/podcast_video.shtml
By email: Please contact our press team to subscribe to our press list
Facebook: www.facebook.com/governormarkell
Twitter: www.twitter.com/governormarkell

Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Combating Prescription Drug Abuse in Delaware

Not long ago, Delaware launched a program that will help promote a safe and healthy Delaware – and help prevent some of the devastating effects of prescription drug abuse on families.   Back in 2010, I signed the Delaware Prescription Monitoring Act and since then, we have been working diligently to develop and launch a new tool that give doctors, pharmacists and others more information to responsibly treat patients.

Prescription drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the country.   It’s not easy to talk about because it destroys so many lives, so many families and so many communities. Until now, there has been no formal network in Delaware for doctors to readily share information about the drugs they are prescribing for patients.  Now, with the launch of our state’s new Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP), our state Division of Professional Regulation will be collecting information on controlled substance prescriptions.

The information comes from medical practitioners who prescribe the drugs and pharmacies which dispense the drugs.   What it means is practitioners will be able to access the system to quickly and easily see where and when patients obtained prescriptions for controlled substances; who wrote those prescriptions; and which pharmacies dispensed the drugs.  Patients may also request their own report at any time.

We know many people throughout our state have legitimate needs for controlled substances, and this program is not intended to prevent them from getting their prescriptions.   It is intended to prevent people from abusing prescription drugs.

It will be much more difficult for people to “doctor shop” for medication, whether they intend to abuse the drugs themselves or sell them.  We are exploring ways the system can eventually be integrated into other electronic medical records databases, such as the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN), and linked with similar systems in surrounding states.  We want to reduce the prevalence of prescription drug abuse; provide valuable information to those trying to care for us; and help keep families in Delaware healthy for their futures and our future –  as we work together to keep Delaware moving forward.

Dover, DE – Economic opportunity, triple digit tax revenue growth, and the recognition of Delaware as an insurance industry leader are the ways to describe Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart’s captive insurance program. Today, Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart is proud to announce that under her leadership, The Delaware Department of Insurance has given $250,000 to the City of Wilmington due to the success of the Captive Bureau at the Delaware Department of Insurance.

The Delaware Code Title 18 Chapter 69 provides for the ability of the Commissioner to transfer monies to the General Fund in excess of the funds that would be reasonable to fund the Captive Insurance Program for the upcoming year. If such funds are transferred pursuant to Delaware Code Title 29 Chapter 23 §2311 (2) those funds will be remitted to the City of Wilmington by the Secretary of State. The Commissioner is exercising that authority.

Since forming the captive bureau in 2009, the Department of Insurance has experienced a 800 percent growth rate in the number of licensed captive insurance entities.  “In 2009 when I started the captive bureau, we had 38 captive insurers.  At the end of 2011 there were 338 captive risk bearing entities that generated nearly $1 billion of insurance premium.  I attribute this growth to innovative designs in alternative risk transfer that maximize the power of the Delaware’s corporate and business entity laws,” said Commissioner Stewart.  Delaware is now in the top five of U.S. captive domiciles and one of the top 15 in the world.  Captive insurance is also a new source of revenue for the state.  “In 2008 I campaigned on a platform of building Delaware’s captive insurance industry.  Through the efforts of my capable captive staff, we have developed a new source of revenue for today and the future.” In 2011 the captive bureau generated more than $1.2 million in tax revenue, which is a 100 plus percent increase from the $600,000 generated in the captive bureau’s first year of existence.  Additionally, there are more than 300 captive risk bearing entities regulated by the captive bureau that are also Delaware domiciled business entities, which generates revenue for the Secretary of State. The revenue amount that has been collected for 2012 has exceeded the operating costs for the captive bureau and the excess amount was then transferred to the Secretary of State and directed to the City of Wilmington.

Captive insurance is a form of self-insurance where a business owner forms their own insurance company to insure their own risk.  Since the owner is insuring itself, captive insurance is an incentive to avoid behaviors that lead to insurance losses.  By reducing losses, the business owner can invest dollars formerly used to pay claims back into the business to create jobs.

In terms of jobs and economic opportunity, the captive program has exceeded expectations. “In addition to providing economic growth for many professional service firms in Delaware, the Captive insurance bureau has generated revenue for the state during this very difficult financial time.” Stewart added, “I am proud of my captive team for its hard work.  The growth of the captive insurance industry means jobs, revenue, and wealth for Delaware – and that’s good for Delaware.”

Dover – Twenty one (21) people were arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs during the eighth weekend of the 2012 Checkpoint Strikeforce DUI prevention campaign.  This brings the total DUI arrests made as part of the campaign to 107.  Statewide, there have been over 3,100 DUI arrests made in Delaware this year.

In addition to the checkpoint DUI arrests last weekend, officers issued 1 cell phone citation, apprehended 6 wanted individuals, made 4 drug arrests, issued 6 seat belt citations, and issued 42 citations for various other traffic violations.

Two checkpoints are scheduled to take place the weekend of August 24th.   They are scheduled for:

Friday August 24th –  Newport – (NCCo DUI Task Force)- checkpoint

Saturday August 25th –  Georgetown- (multi-jurisdictional effort)- checkpoint

Checkpoint Strikeforce is a regional sobriety checkpoint campaign aimed at arresting DUI offenders, by using high visibility enforcement to deter those who would otherwise choose to drink and drive.  The campaign, a six month long effort running through New Year’s Eve, involves setting up weekly DUI checkpoints statewide.

For more information on Checkpoint Strikeforce visit www.ohs.delaware.gov, www.DUIRealTime.com and find us here