Workers' Compensation Insurance In North America: Lessons for Victoria?

Among the issues we will consider here are the following. Who carries the underwriting(insurance) risk for workers' compensation benefits? How is workers' compensation insuranceprices, and by whom? What fundamental principles guide the insurance pricing system? Whomonitors benefits for compliance with statutory requirements? Are the availability of coverageand the payment of insurers' claims obligations guaranteed? Is self-insurance allowed and, if so, for whom? How are incentives for prevention of accidents, and resulting workers' compensation claims, maintained? What is the performance of the overall system? In summary, how are these questions answered and what so the answers reveal about how these responsibilities are allocated among government agencies, other public entities and private firms

The Supply of Catastrophe Insurance Under Regulatory Constraints

Klein and Kleindorfer provide a brief overview of the current extent of their research on this topic. The intent of this research is to empirically address interactions across the multiple stakeholders in the Catastrophe Insurance Business, i.e. homeowners, businesses, insurers, reinsurers, the construction and real estate sector, and regulatory institutions. Their analysis is aimed at addressing three questions: What is the structure and performance of the catastrophe insurance market? How do factors such as, interdependencies, profits, risk exposures, and distribution impact the performance of the market? What is the impact of regulation of this market on pricing adequacy, pricing precision, and financial risk? What is the current state of the market, and what future sustainable states of the market are possible? This paper is primarily devoted to describing what authors consider to be the structural drivers of supply and demand and the impact of regulatory controls. These drivers are: "Demand structure" (i.e. why consumers buy what they do) obviously contains several components. Items such as location, demography, price, policy features such as the presence of absence of bundling, "quality" effects such as perceived solvency and claims processes, and finally, how products are distributed, all impact consumer choice. In addition, consumers have other risk management options open to them, the most obvious being where to live, what type of construction to choose and what type of "mitigation", if any to employ. "Supply Structure" describes how the consumer business of insurance is conducted. Salient features would be the degree of competition, geography, profitability, solvency, exposure, loss costs, marketing costs, organizational form, financial structure, and regulatory/solvency constraints. Obviously, insurance companies attempt to maximize profits in the face of these variables "Regulatory Impact" on such things as pricing adequacy, pricing precision, and financial risk has important effects on all parties. In particular the freedom to manage ones risk exposure is critical to everyone from the individual consumer to the largest company, and regulation may produce. In an analysis to come later, the researchers will utilize detailed premium record data obtained from ISO on insurance transactions, supplemented by information on expected costs for different policies and risk characteristics. The data will, for the first time, provide and empirically grounded understanding of the supply and demand for CAT-related coverage provided in residential insurance policies. The study will seek to identify the factors that most affect supply and demand and the magnitudes of their relative effects, including the pricing of CAT coverage and alternative policy provisions.

Time-Encoded Raman: Fiber-based, hyperspectral, broadband stimulated Raman microscopy

Raman sensing and Raman microscopy are amongst the most specific optical technologies to identify the chemical compounds of unknown samples, and to enable label-free biomedical imaging with molecular contrast. However, the high cost and complexity, low speed, and incomplete spectral information provided by current technology are major challenges preventing more widespread application of Raman systems. To overcome these limitations, we developed a new method for stimulated Raman spectroscopy and Raman imaging using continuous wave (CW), rapidly wavelength swept lasers. Our all-fiber, time-encoded Raman (TICO-Raman) setup uses a Fourier Domain Mode Locked (FDML) laser source to achieve a unique combination of high speed, broad spectral coverage (750 cm-1 - 3150 cm-1) and high resolution (0.5 cm-1). The Raman information is directly encoded and acquired in time. We demonstrate quantitative chemical analysis of a solvent mixture and hyperspectral Raman microscopy with molecular contrast of plant cells.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

G88-865 Fine Tuning a Sprayer wih the Ounce Calibration Method

This NebGuide discusses guidelines to quickly evaluate the performance of a sprayer. Sprayer calibration, nozzle discharge and speed checks are evaluated with minimal calculations. Tractor-mounted, pull-type, pick-up mounted and self-propelled pesticide application equipment are available from numerous sources. pesticide costs, potential crop damage, unsatisfactory control and environmental concerns make correct application important. Proper calibration to ensure accurate application must be a primary management consideration for both farmers and custom applicators. Application equipment users also should know proper application methods, chemical effects on equipment and correct cleaning and storage procedures of liquid sprayers