SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Workers compensation insurers in California have reduced their filed rates 37.7% since reforms went into effect in January 2004, state Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi announced Thursday.

NEW YORK—Hurricanes in 2005 helped drive commercial property rates up during the fourth quarter of last year by a median 8% when compared to the same quarter of 2004, according to a study released Monday by the New York-based Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc.

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said he would try to stop legislation establishing a $140 billion asbestos compensation fund from being debated on the floor of the U.S. Senate next week.

"Please be advised that I intend to oppose the motion to proceed to the asbestos legislation," said Sen. Reid in the letter dated Jan. 30. "This bill is simply not ready for consideration by the full Senate." Debate is scheduled to begin Feb. 6.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) is planning to terminate its Preferred Provider Network (PPN) in April and instead use physicians from Blue Cross and Kaiser, reported the Workers' Comp Executive this week. The decision appears to be the result of a lawsuit SCIF lost.

The first, of what's likely to be many, workers' compensation bills was introduced this week. AB 1883, by Assemblyman Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate), addresses the issue of proof of workers' compensation coverage. The bill, sponsored by the State Building & Construction Trades, was introduced as a result of a draft issue paper recently released by the Commission on Health, Safety & Workers' Compensation (CHSWC).