It Figures
$1 Million
Amount raised last year by InsurPac, the political action committee of The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”). It’s the first time the fund – which pays to support federal office candidates who espouse a pro-independent agency agenda – broke the seven-figure mark. In 2008, InsurPac raised a little over $900,000.
$495,000
Fine paid in New York by a property/casualty claims unit of the insurer formerly known as AIG for improper licensing of the business and its employees. Regulators said Chartis Claims Inc. and some of its employees acted as adjusters in New York without licenses and conducted insurance business under unlicensed names,. The company agreed to the fine in early December, according to a document filed with the state. It’s one of the larger fines in recent memory levied by the state’s insurance regulator.
93,277
Number of workplace discrimination claims filed last year with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, marking the second-highest level ever recorded. Monetary relief obtained by the agency for victims topped $376 million. Private sector job bias charges – which include those filed against state and local governments – alleging discrimination based on disability, religion or national origin hit record highs. The number of charges alleging age-based discrimination reached the second-highest level ever.
3
Number of fatalities last year at construction sites in New York City – a huge decrease over the previous several years. The city saw 19 fatal accidents in 2008 and 12 fatalities in 2007. The decline may be partly related to a slowdown in construction due to the soured economy. The city’s Buildings Department also credited tougher enforcement of safety rules as officials responded to scandals involving botched inspections and two disasters involving huge construction cranes. Overall, the number of construction injuries logged by the city rose in 2009, but authorities said that was due mostly to more diligent reporting of accidents.