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November 4, 2009 Sign up Forward Archive Advertise The daily insurance industry news source   News of the Day    Report: P/C industry closed 2008 with adequate reserves The property/casualty insurance industry's reserves were sufficient by the end of 2008, but several statistical factors suggest a possible future reserve deficiency, according to a report from Fitch Ratings. Unstable financial markets and a deepening economic crisis could adversely affect the industry, creating "tremendous challenges in estimating loss reserves going forward," the rating agency said. National Underwriter (free registration) (11/3) P/C insurers still have enough risk capital despite decline, report says: The property/casualty insurance industry continues to have enough capital for its asset, credit and underwriting risks despite a slump in its risk-adjusted capitalization by 17 percentage points last year, according to a report from A.M. Best. The capital decline could be attributed to tough market conditions, record-high catastrophe losses and the financial meltdown, the firm said. Business Insurance (11/3) Nat Cat Frequency Cover With the escalation in frequency of large natural catastrophes, traditional Cat covers are not providing protection for the frequency of losses. Munich Re America's new Nat Cat Frequency Cover protects against the accumulation of losses and complements an insurer's existing property cat cover. Click here to learn more about this new product.   Industry Watch  Government forecasters to improve storm advisories The National Hurricane Center is planning to change its public advisories on tropical storms to make them easier to understand. Some people have complained about the difficulty of finding the information they need on the advisories, an agency spokesman said. The Miami Herald/The Associated Press (11/3) Army Corps starts $1 billion New Orleans flood-protection project The Army Corps of Engineers has begun work on a $1 billion project in New Orleans that aims to protect the city's western section from flooding during a powerful hurricane. Many residents have returned since Hurricane Katrina, but the area remains highly prone to flooding, experts warn. MSNBC/The Associated Press (11/3) Other News Army Corps of Engineers to use $90 million in stimulus funds for river-levee inspections WDAF-TV (Kansas City, Mo.)/The Associated Press (11/3) New York enforces law prohibiting motorists from texting while driving Insurance Journal/The Associated Press (11/3) Indiana lawmaker to seek texting ban for all drivers The Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Ind.) (11/3) Missouri transportation department bans employees from texting while driving KOMU-TV (University of Missouri) (11/3)   Trends & Technology  Deaths caused by single-car collisions on the rise in Delaware Most of the traffic fatalities in Delaware could be attributed to single-car crashes and distracted driving, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic. Government data show a "troubling" increase in the number of deaths caused by single-vehicle crashes in the state every year, an official from the group said. The News Journal (Wilmington, Del.) (11/3) Other News Iowa's road fatalities could hit record low this year The Des Moines Register (Iowa) (11/3)   Business Leadership  How to compete with a BlackBerry -- and win Meetings need to be more interactive with participants continually called on to get involved to stop them from using a cell phones, laptop or BlackBerry instead of paying attention, Michael Schrage writes. "You manage attention not by regulating devices but by managing expectations," he writes. HarvardBusiness.org/Conversation Starter blog (11/2) Charitable efforts lift employee morale, engagement Employee engagement and morale can be boosted when a company asks workers to use their specific skills to help with philanthropic efforts, writes Sylvia Ann Hewlett, the founding president of the Center for Work-Life Policy. Such efforts are especially key when a company has been rocked by bad press or tough economic times. HarvardBusiness.org/Winning the Talent War blog (10/30)   Featured Content    Cardmember Profile: Consultants 2 Go OPEN Forum Connectodex 4 Easy Low Budget Ideas to Market Your Small Business Ivana Taylor 13 Ways to Network Beyond Facebook and LinkedIn John Jantsch 'Eco-Angst' Joins 'Buyer's Remorse' in Consumer Regrets Jill Fehrenbacher Tapping Your Way Into a Loan Julia Rogers from Wise Bread   Best Practices  10 strategies to boost sales through the end of year Online marketer Travis Campbell has put together 10 tips to help businesses close more sales to bring a stronger finish to the year. Among his ideas: Plan a webinar series, publicize a customer case study and poll top-25 customers. Small Business Trends (11/1) Elite sports offers business lessons in winning strategies Elite sports has plenty of parallels with big business, ranging from long-term and short-term strategies, goals, teamwork and perseverance. Some important lessons that sports offer are that elite athletes are not born but made, that planning and a positive mind-set are essential, and that it's equally essential to celebrate victories. Forbes (11/2)   SmartQuote  What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?" --Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Franco-Swiss philosopher, writer     NAMIC Resources About NAMIC Event calendar Advocacy (Members Only) Services NAMIC Staff Write NAMIC   Subscriber Tools       Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Advertise Sales Account Director:  Corey Thibodeau 202-737-5500 x 267   Read more at dailyLead.com A powerful Web site for dailyLead readers including: Breaking News Industry Home Competitor News Readers' Choice Press Releases Search Archive Get this RSS Feed Publish your Press Release       Recent NAMIC dailyLead Issues: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 Monday, November 02, 2009 Friday, October 30, 2009 Thursday, October 29, 2009 Wednesday, October 28, 2009     Lead Editor:  Brooke Howell       Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005     © 1999-2009 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information