Happy Wednesday, it's hard to believe we are already halfway through February. Hopefully, this means warmer weather is on its way! This week we are discussing how feral cats uncovered ambiguous language in a rental dwelling policy, health insurance scams to look out for and how plaintiffs in some states are defying insurer winning steak in COVID lawsuits. 

Feral Cats Uncover Ambiguous Language in Rental Dwelling Policy

The owners of a residential rental property, the Goldbergers, filed a claim for $75,000 worth of coverage after their tenant "allowed" feral cats to "access" the property and cause "accidental damage." The Goldbergers had a rental dwelling policy through State Farm. State Farm denied their claim, citing an exclusion in the policy for damage caused by "domestic animals." The Goldbergers disagreed and sued State Farm, alleging breach of contract and insurance bad faith. According to NU Property Casualty 360, "State Farm argued that the denial was appropriate under the policy exclusion, which provided that accidental losses caused by "birds, vermin, rodents, insects or domestic animals" were not covered and the insurer filed a motion to dismiss. The superior court granted the motion, reasoning that a cat, feral or not, is a domestic animal. "The feral cats were action as if they were domesticated, and a reasonably intelligent insurance consumer would understand the exclusion unambiguously apply to damage caused by feral cats. The Goldbergers filed an appeal." 

NU Property Casualty reported that, "On appeal, the court began by concluding that the term "domestic animals" as it was used in the policy was ambiguous because there were at least two conflicting interpretations that were both reasonable. The court noted that under a species-based definition, the animal's species is dispositive, meaning that its current habitat and whether a human provides care for the animal is irrelevant, but under an individualized definition, the opposite is true. For example, a nontraditional animal such as a snake, monkey or bear in a home as a pet could not be considered a domestic animal under a species-based definition because those are wild animals but a bear could fall under an individualized definition if it was living with and being cared for by a human." Read more about how the court looked into the case here. 

State Sets New Vaccine Record Reports Another Day of Fewer than 1000 New Coronavirus Cases

The latest numbers from Wisconsin DHS show the number of people who have completed the COVID-19 vaccine series within the past 24 hours has broken another daily record. It's expected that Wisconsin could reach 1 million "shots in the arm" of COVID-19 vaccines early next week, including first and second doses. This new record comes as confirmed cases of COVID continue to decrease. The 7-day average fell to 806, which is the lowest 7-day average since September 5th. Read more here. 

OCI Press Release: Insurance Commissioner, DATCP Warn Wisconsinites to Watch for Health Insurance Scams

Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable and Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary-designee Randy Romanski are urging Wisconsin consumers to be wary of robocalls and suspicious sales calls ahead of the new Enrollment Period on Healthcare.gov. 

"No one from the government will call you about health insurance or ask you to verify your Social Security number or financial information," said Secretary-designee Romanski. "If you receive a suspicious call soliciting private information, don't respond and hang up." People can call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-422-7128, email DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov, or visit datcp.wi.gov to file a complaint if you believe that someone is attempting to scam you.

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter  Big I Buzz.  If you aren't subscribed, click  here  to add your email to our emailing list. Don't forget you can stay up-to-date on other industry news and conversation by joining the IIAW's Online Community, exclusively for IIAW members. You can join the Online Community here. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

Happy February! Yesterday, Sun Prairie's Jimmy the Groundhog predicted an early spring, so we'll take his word over six more weeks of winter as predicted by Punxsatawney Phil. In this week's Big I Buzz, we are discussing the new OSHA workplace safety guidelines, the just-released rules for the Tokyo Olympics this summer and the 10 "least reliable" cars on the road in 2021. 

OSHA Issues COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidelines

The new guidance from the OSHA seeks to protect all types of workers, not just the ones who are deemed to be at higher risk of contracting the virus depending on where they work. It also asks employers to shield workers from retaliation if they complain about the conditions and sets up ways for them to voice complaints anonymously. The new OSHA guidance wants employers to give workers a bigger say in developing safety protocols. 

Much of the guidance released on Friday, January 29th are similar to guidelines from the Trump administration. Many workplaces have already adopted the guidelines, like those asking workers to keep at least six feet away from each other and asking workers to wear face masks. Read more of the guidelines here. 

Olympic Officials Unveil Rules on Masks, Singing, Transport for COVID-19 Games

The Tokyo Games are planned for this summer, and Olympic officials have unveiled their new COVID-19 rules. These rules have banned singing and chanting during events, participants are mandated to wear a mask at "all times" unless they are eating, sleeping or outdoors. The new rules have also pushed to barr international federation officials and staff from using public transport without permission, a move that they will hope will ease the Japanese public's concerns about hosting the Olympic games during a pandemic. Read more about the rules and the Summer Olympics here. 

10 Least Reliable Cars on the Road in 2021

Consumer Reports has released its list of newer-model vehicles with the greatest risk of problems. CR surveyed over 300,000 car owners on their vehicle's performance and the study examined 17 different trouble areas from basic nuisances such as squeaky brakes to significant issues like out-of-warranty repairs. Only vehicles with the latest model years of data were considered for this list. Here's what they found: 

1. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 - Consumer Reports gave this car a reliability score of 13. 

2. 2021 Subaru Ascent - CR awarded this vehicle an 18 or reliability. 

3. 2021 Volkswagen Atlas - CR didn't place this one much higher than the Subaru Ascent, sitting at a reliability score of 19. 

4. 2021 Jeep Compass - Slowly moving up on the CR ratings, the Jeep Compass has a reliability score of 21.

5. 2021 Volvo XC90 - CR gave this vehicle a score of 26. 

6. 2021 Chevrolet Colorado - Tied with the Volvo, the Chevy Colorado was given a 26 reliability score. 

7. 2020 Tesla Model S - At a three-way tie, this Tesla also was given a 26.

8. 2021 Jeep Wrangler - Consumer Reports rated this a 27 for reliability. 

9. 2021 Ford EcoSport - 28 reliability score

10. 2021 Volvo XC60 - Tied with the Ford EcoSport, the Volvo XC60 also received a reliability score of 28. 

Read more here: https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2021/02/01/10-least-reliable-cars-on-the-road-in-2021/

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter    Big I Buzz.    If you aren't subscribed, click     here    to add your email to our emailing list. Don't forget you can stay up-to-date on other industry news and conversation by joining the IIAW's Online Community, exclusively for IIAW members. You can join the Online Community here. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

It's hard to believe January is almost over - today marks the last Wednesday of the month! This week we are discussing IIABA's new Agency Guide to Getting Started With Social Media, a new report identifying and ranking the top risks of 2021 by likelihood and how PPP loans could be taxed by state.

The Agency Guide to Getting Started with Social Media

IIABA has released their new guide to help agencies get started with social media, and while we won't give away everything in the report - there are a few key topics that we wanted to break down. 

First, the guide outlines the demographics that mainly use each platform: 

• Facebook - 46% of American users are age 65+, 75% of ages 18 to 45 use Facebook. Usage among those ages 20-30 and 30+ is similar to these stats. 

• Instagram - 75% of Americans ages 18-24, 57% of Americans age 25-29, 47% of Americans age 30-49 and 23% of Americans age 50-60 use Instagram. 

• Twitter - 44% of Americans age 18-24 use Twitter. 80% of people under 50 use Twitter globally and Twitter tends to skew mostly male for its users. 

• LinkedIn - 27% of Americans age 26-35, 34% of Americans age 36-45 and 29% of Americans ages 56+ use LinkedIn. 

This guide also breaks down the main content trends for 2021: 

• Content value will beat production value

• Conversational marketing will change its tone

• Consumers will crave snackable content (content that is very short and memorable)

• Video will continue to take center stage

This is just a glimpse at the great content shared within this guide. If you want to dive deeper, check out the IIAW's Digital Marketing Playbook here. 

Top 5 Risks of 2021, Ranked By Likelihood

The results for the Global Risks Perception Survey from Zurich have been released. The 2021 Global Risks Report includes an analysis of the growing social, economic and industrial divisions in the U.S. and abroad, their interconnections, and their implications on society's ability to resolve major global risks. According to NU Property Casualty 360, "Researchers believe the factors of job losses, a widening digital divide, disrupted social interactions and and abrupt shifts in markets could lead to 'dire consequences and lost opportunities' for large parts of the global population."

According to the report, "Short term threats (0-2 years) show concern with the immediate impact of the crisis on lives and livelihoods - among them are infectious diseases, livelihood crises, digital inequality and youth disillusionment. 

In the medium-term (3-5 years), respondents believe the world will be threatened by knock-on economic and technological risks that may take some years to crystalize, such as asset bubble bursts, IT infrastructure breakdown, price instability and debt crises. Existential risk - weapons of mass destruction, state collapse, biodiversity loss and adverse technological advances - dominate long-term concerns (5-10 years)." Read more here. 

PPP Loans Could Be Taxed by State, Central Wisconsin Business Weighs In

Businesses who received PPP loans will have to pay Wisconsin state taxes on them. According to WAOW, "The federal government is allowing businesses to make deductions on those loans, but the Wisconsin Department of Revenue website says: 

'A taxpayer that received a covered loan guaranteed under the PPP and paid or incurred certain otherwise deductable expenses listed in section 1106 (b) of the CARES Act may not deduct those expenses in the taxable year in which the expenses were paid or incurred if, at the end of such taxable year, the taxpayer reasonably expects to receive forgiveness of the covered loan on the basis of the expenses it paid or accrued during the covered period, even if the taxpayer has not submitted an application for forgiveness of the covered loan by the end of such taxable year.'

Co-owner of  Wausau's Bull Falls Brewery, Michael Zamzow, hopes that something changes before Tax Day, as he the loan would be more impactful if the funds weren't taxed. Read more here. 

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter  Big I Buzz.  If you aren't subscribed, click   here  to add your email to our emailing list. Don't forget you can stay up-to-date on other industry news and conversation by joining the IIAW's Online Community, exclusively for IIAW members. You can join the Online Community here. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

Happy Wednesday! This week we are discussing the new start to tax filing season, how COVID's effect on workers' comp claims has varied by state and the newest update to Wisconsin's mask mandate. 

IRS Delays Start of Tax Filing Season to Feb. 12

Typically, tax filing season starts in late January for those who want to get a head start on their taxes and receive their refunds a little earlier. This year, the tax filing season doesn't start until February 12th. Because of the COVID Relief Act that took effect in late December, the IRS will need more time to prepare for tax season. However, the filing deadline is still April 15th. 

How COVID Effect on Workers' Compensation Claims Has Varied by State, Industry

According to new research and Insurance Journal, "The percentage of COVID-19 claims among all workers compensation paid claims has varied greatly among states and occupations, as has the decrease in non-COVID claims.

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) has found that there has been a substantial concentration of COVID-19 claims among workers employed in service industries (85 percent in 2020 second quarter), particularly in assisted living facilities, hospitals, and the offices of physicians and dentists."

Read more about the study here. 

Gov. Evers Officially Extends Wisconsin Mask Mandate to March 20

On Tuesday January 19th, Gov. Tony Evers extended the statewide mask mandate requiring face coverings through March 20th. Alongside the extended mask mandate, he proclaimed a new public health emergency, designating the Wisconsin Department of Health Services as the lead agency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and authorizing the Adjutant General to activate the Wisconsin National Guard if needed. Read more about Executive Order #104 and Emergency Order #1 here. 

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter Big I Buzz. If you aren't subscribed, click here to add your email to our emailing list. Don't forget you can stay up-to-date on other industry news and conversation by joining the IIAW's Online Community, exclusively for IIAW members. You can join the Online Community here. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

Happy Wednesday! In this week's Big I Buzz, we are discussing a new update to the Dane County COVID-19 restrictions, how social media ghosts can cause a risk management nightmare and how you can stay up-to-date on what's happening in politics and government.

Dane County Issues New Public Health Order, Increases Outdoor Gathering Limits

A new Emergency Health Order goes into effect on Wednesday, January 13th. The order allows for indoor gatherings of up to 10 people (mirroring the previous Emergency Health Order) and limits outdoor gatherings to 50 people (increased from the last Emergency Health Order's outdoor capacity limit of 25 people.)

Schools are still allowed to continue in-person learning for all grade levels, and colleges, universities & other higher education centers can also remain open. 

Restaurants in Dane County can offer indoor seating capacity of 25%, while restrictions remain the same for bars and taverns. 

According to the City of Madison, violation of the emergency order could result in a $1,000 fine. Read more here. 

Social Media Ghosts Are Real

In May, the United Way of Southeast Missouri faced a fake social media profile that claimed to be an employee of their business posting racist memes and causing an uproar online. While they worked to mitigate the damage from this fake profile, they are still needing to respond to comments about the fake profile months later. This 'ghost' caused reputational damage and they needed to use their workforce for the first week of this incident to respond to angry emails, comments and other communications about the fake profile. 

According to Property Casualty 360, "The organization did not have insurance coverage for the incident for this incident. And even if it had a cyber policy, it is unlikely it would have responded. Cyber insurance typically covers losses from computer-based attacks on a firm's information technology systems. Claims payments compensate for costs from the theft of data, loss of funds from online fraud, or lawsuits from privacy or regulatory violations... But the reputational damages from incidents like this are tricky to quantify. While there's no simple, easy-to-buy insurance protection from social media ghosts, you and your client organizations can take away a few important lessons from the United Way's ghostly experience:

• Create a crisis plan.

• Engage experts.

• Stay on message. 

• Move fast.

• Ask critics for viral help.

• Strengthen your diversity and inclusion action plan."

Learn more about the incident and how you can prepare for this harsh social media reality here. 

Stay Up-to-Date on What's Happening in Politics and Government

The IIAW's Online Community offers 11 different Groups to join, one of those being our Government Affairs Group. This Group will keep you informed on all the state and federal changes happening politically and emerging issues. This Group monitors legislation on state and national levels, they help direct grassroots lobbying efforts to support legislative activities. If you're not already one of the over 180 members of our Online Community, click here to join. 

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter  Big I Buzz.  If you aren't subscribed, click  here  to add your email to our emailing list. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week!