Delaware Residents May Be Affected by Anthem’s Data Breach

Dover, DE – Health insurer Anthem, Inc. has reported to Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart that as many as 62,051 Delaware residents may have had their personal information compromised due to the recently discovered hacking attack on the company’s computer systems. While Anthem does not currently sell health insurance policies to individuals in Delaware, state residents who receive health insurance through their employer may be covered by an Anthem policy. Additionally, some customers of Highmark BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) who utilized the BlueCard, a national program that enables members of one BCBS plan to obtain healthcare services while traveling or living in another BCBS plan’s service area, may be affected by the data breach. Any consumers who held Anthem policies as far back as 2004 may have had their personal information compromised.
Current and former Anthem policyholders can visit www.AnthemFacts.com to learn more about enrolling in two years of free credit monitoring and identity theft repair services. The AnthemFacts.com website states, “All impacted members, former members and impacted affiliated plan members will receive notice via mail which will advise them of the protections being offered. Impacted members may also sign up via www.AnthemFacts.com.” Customers may access these services before they receive written notification from Anthem.
Anthem reports that they are still investigating exactly which members had personal information compromised in the data breach. Personal information may include names, birth dates, member ID or social security numbers, addresses phone numbers, and employment information. As of now, Anthem says they are not aware of any banking or credit card information that was accessed by the hackers.
“Anthem is not calling members regarding the cyberattack and is not asking for credit card information or Social Security numbers over the phone,” warned Commissioner Stewart. “Policyholders will be contacted only through the U.S. Postal Service. Beware of contact by telephone or through the internet; it is most likely a scam.”
Customers who believe they may be affected are encouraged to visit www.AnthemFacts.com. Anthem also has a toll-free phone number for people to call who do not have internet access: 1-877-263-7995.
A Consumer Alert page has been added to the Delaware Department of Insurance website and will be updated with any new information received from Anthem: http://www.delawareinsurance.gov/departments/consumer/alerts/alerts_anthembreach.shtml

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Delaware Department of Insurance: “Protecting Delawareans through regulation
and education while providing oversight of the insurance industry to best serve the public.”

For Immediate Release | Contact: Jerry Grant | Phone: 302-674-7303

Delaware Reports Another Record Year for Captive Growth

The World’s Sixth Largest, and the Third Largest U.S. Domicile, Continues its Leadership Role

DOVER, DE (February 12, 2015) – Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart announced today that the captive insurance bureau she formed shortly after taking office in 2009 continues to exceed expectations.  “I am very pleased that the captive program continues to grow.  This program provides economic opportunities for my constituents and much needed revenue for the state.”

The Commissioner’s captive bureau reported that in 2014 it licensed 87 captive insurers and 141 series business units.  Since inception, the captive program has licensed 385 captive insurers, 753 series business units, and 13 cells.  Today the program boasts 333 active captive insurers, 688 active series business units, and 12 active cells.

Commissioner Stewart added, “I am gratified by our continued success and I look forward to expanding our program even more in 2015.”

Captive insurance companies are owned by the entities that they insure, and are formed by businesses who wish to better manage the cost and administration of their own risk. Today Delaware is the world’s sixth largest and the country’s third largest captive domicile.  Delaware’s sophisticated corporate laws, financial infrastructure and respected judiciary make it the preeminent jurisdiction for business. These benefits are extended to captive insurance companies through Delaware’s Bureau of Captive and Financial Insurance Products.

To learn more about Delaware’s captive insurance bureau please visit http://captive.delawareinsurance.gov/

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Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart Announces
Substantial Decreases in Workers’ Compensation Rates

Expected Savings for Employers May Reach $20 million

DOVER, DE  – Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart today approved the Delaware Compensation Rating Bureau’s workers’ compensation amended rate filing, resulting in overall average decreases of 9.7% in the residual market rate and 11.5% in the voluntary market loss cost.

The decreases are the result of cooperation among the DCRB, the Department of Insurance and Delaware’s Ratepayer Advocate, and are expected to save employers approximately $20 million in insurance costs this year.

“After several years of rate increases, I am pleased to announce a decrease in the premium most business owners will pay this year when purchasing workers’ compensation insurance,” said Commissioner Stewart. “As I said when the preliminary numbers were released in the fall, the decrease is the result of all the stakeholders working together to bring down Delaware’s high health care costs, which have been driving rates up over recent years.

“I want to thank the General Assembly for passing House Bill 373 last session, requiring that medical costs be reduced over the next three years.  I particularly want to thank my fellow members of the Governor’s Workers Compensation Oversight Panel, including Chair Rich Heffron, and Attorney General Matt Denn, past Chair of Workers’ Compensation Task Force, for doing the hard work that laid the foundation for HB 373.”

The effective date of the decrease is retroactive to December 1, 2014 for new and renewal business.

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Learn how your business could save up to 19% on workers’ compensation insurance premiums by participating in the Delaware Workplace Safety Program. Learn more about the program by visiting http://delawareinsurance.gov/services/workplacesafetydiscount.shtml, or call 302-674-7377.

Delaware Department of Insurance: “Protecting Delawareans through regulation and
education while providing oversight of the insurance industry to best serve the public.”

Commissioner Schedules Workers’ Compensation Rate Hearing

Decreases in rates supported by independent actuaries

DOVER, DE – Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart announced today that the Department of Insurance has scheduled a public hearing for January 12 and 13, 2015, to receive public comment on proposed rate decreases for Workers’ Compensation insurance for the upcoming year.

Commissioner Stewart has received filings from Milliman, Inc. and INS Consultants, Inc., two independent actuaries engaged by the DOI, and by a third independent actuary, AIS Risk Consultants, working for Delaware’s Ratepayer Advocate. All agree that an overall reduction in both residual market rates and in voluntary market loss costs, as proposed by the Delaware Compensation Rating Bureau under Filing No. 1404, is in order. All documents are available on the DOI website at www.delawareinsurance.gov

Public hearings on the filings are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, January 12 and 13, at 9:30 a.m. in the Carvel State Office Building at 9^th and French Streets in Wilmington. January 12 will be reserved for the receipt of oral comments from members of the public, and January 13 will be reserved for the introduction of evidence by the parties to the proceeding. If all parties agree, introduction of evidence by the parties may begin on the first day.

Public comment may be in writing or may be presented orally at the Hearing. Written comments must be received no later than Monday, January 5, 2015 by 4:30 p.m., and should be addressed to the attention of Nicole Holecek, Paralegal, Delaware Department of Insurance, 841 Silver Lake Boulevard, Dover, DE 19904. Also, those intending to provide oral comments at the hearing must notify Nicole Holecek at 302.674.7316 or Nicole.Holecek@delaware.gov, no later than 4:30 p.m., Monday, January 5, 2015.

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For more info contact Jerry Grant at 302-674-7303

SERFF Filing Access (SFA) Now Available in Delaware

 Public Can View Rate and Form Filings Electronically

DOVER, DE  – Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart today announced that the Department of Insurance now offers members of the public the ability to view insurance rate and form filings electronically via the System for Electronic Rate and Form Filing (SERFF) interface, also commonly referred to as SERFF Filing Access or SFA.

Access to SERFF is free and available to the public by visiting www.delawareinsurance.gov/serff/. SERFF streamlines and accelerates the rate and form filing process and is used primarily by regulators and businesses within the insurance industry.

Developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, SERFF identifies state filing submission requirements and, through the use of checks and balances within the system, ensures greater accuracy and uniformity. Forty-nine states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and over 3,900 insurance companies, third-party filers, rating organizations and other companies make use of SERFF nationwide.

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  Our Mission: “Protecting Delawareans through regulation and education

while providing oversight of the insurance industry to best serve the public.”