Texas Mutual Recognized as One of the 2011 Best Places to Work in Texas
December 20, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company was recently named one of the 2011 Best Places to Work in Texas, a list made up of only 100 companies statewide. The program is a project of TEXAS MONTHLY magazine, the Texas Association of Business (TAB), the Texas State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management and Best Companies Group.
The statewide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Texas, benefiting the state’s economy, its workforce and business.
“At Texas Mutual, our employees are what make our business a success,” said Ron Wright, president of Texas Mutual. “Each day of the week, including Saturday and Sunday, there are Texas Mutual employees serving external and internal customers and doing it with an attitude and spirit that strengthens relations throughout the company. The employees’ support of our mission and values helps make this a great place to work, and now others outside the company will also know.”
To be considered for the list, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:
- Have at least 15 employees working in Texas
- Be a for-profit or not-for-profit business or government entity
- Be a publicly or privately held business
- Have a facility in the state of Texas
- Have been in business a minimum of one year
Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the Best Companies to Work for in Texas. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices and demographics, which was worth approximately 25 percent of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience—worth approximately 75 percent of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking.
“We are extremely proud to receive this designation, especially because a large part of it is based on employee evaluations,” said Wright.
Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Texas and analyzed the data to determine the final rankings. Texas Mutual will be recognized and honored at the Best Companies to Work for in Texas awards ceremony on Thursday, January 27, 2011, as part of the Texas Association of Business 2011 Annual Conference in Austin, Texas. The rankings will also be released in a special advertising section of the February 2011 issue of TEXAS MONTHLY.
Texas Mutual Earns Second Consecutive High Performer Designation
December 15, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company was recognized as a high performer in the Performance-Based Oversight (PBO) report issued by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) for the second time on December 13.
The PBO report evaluates the timeliness of insurance carriers in delivering income benefits to injured workers, paying health care providers for their services and submitting required data to the DWC.
“Injured workers rely on benefit checks to help get them back on their feet,” said Lisa Corless, chief operating officer of Texas Mutual. “Being honored as a high performer highlights Texas Mutual’s commitment to ensure that workers are being taken care of in a difficult time.”
Texas Mutual is one of 12 commercial insurance carriers that were acknowledged as a highperformer by the DWC.
The PBO report is a product of House Bill 7, passed during the 2005 legislative session. The bill requires the DWC to assess insurance carriers and health care providers against regulatory goals established by the commissioner of workers’ compensation.
For more information about PBO, visit www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/pbo/pbo.html.
AgriComp Group Earns First Texas Mutual Dividend
December 10, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced a $46,049 dividend to the AgriComp workers’ compensation Safety Group today. The group’s first dividend was based largely on its loss ratio.
By committing to workplace safety and helping injured workers return to productive employment, AgriComp members improve their chances of qualifying for future dividends.*
In addition to potential dividends, AgriComp group members get a discount on their workers’ compensation premium. They also have access to free safety materials, including online videos, pamphlets, DVDs and an industry-specific safety plan.
AgriComp is open to more than 60 qualifying types of businesses in the agriculture community, ranging from farming to feed manufacturing, wholesale and retail nurseries, landscape contractors, growers, irrigation contractors and other green industry businesses.
Any licensed Texas agent can submit qualifying clients for consideration in the AgriComp Safety Group.
For more information, visit texasmutual.com/agents/pr_agricomp.shtm.
*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends. The Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.
Green Industry Group Nears $3M Texas Mutual Dividend Mark
December 7, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced a $195,811 dividend to the Texas Green Industry (TGI) Safety Group today. The workers’ compensation dividend was based largely on the group’s loss ratio.
TGI has earned $2,838,848 in Texas Mutual dividends since 2005. By committing to workplace safety and helping injured workers return to productive employment, members improve their chances of qualifying for future dividends.*
In addition to potential dividends, TGI group members get a discount on their workers’ compensation premium. They also have access to free safety materials, including online videos, pamphlets, DVDs and an industry-specific safety plan.
TGI is open to qualifying wholesale and retail nurseries, landscape contractors, growers, irrigation contractors and other green industry businesses. Any licensed Texas agent can submit qualifying clients for consideration in the TGI Safety Group.
For more information, visit texasmutual.com/agents/pr_tgig.shtm or tgiwcgroup.com.
*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends. The Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.
Texas Supreme Court Hands Employers Major Victory in Stop-Loss Case
December 6, 2010 - On Friday, December 3, 2010, the Texas Supreme Court put a final end to a case involving the amount some hospitals marked up workers’ compensation-related bills under rules in effect until 2008.
In June 2010, the Texas Supreme Court declined to review the matter. The hospitals then requested the Court to reconsider that decision, but the move on Friday by the Court denied the hospitals’ request.
“Texas employers realized a great victory today,” Mary Barrow Nichols, general counsel and senior vice president for Texas Mutual, said. “A small number of hospitals were marking up a $4,000 item to $40,000 or more, or they’d turn a two-day admission into a $120,000 bill. These inflated charges could have cost the system hundreds of millions of dollars and continued to affect the workers’ compensation premiums of every Texas employer.”
The interpretation issue in this case between Texas Mutual and Vista Medical Center affects any remaining fee disputes under the stop-loss exception to the now-repealed rule.
Hospitals that treat workers’ compensation patients in Texas are reimbursed under the state’s workers’ compensation in-patient fee schedule. The 1997 fee schedule, which was repealed in 2008, included a stop-loss exception. Under the stop-loss exception, hospitals could be paid more than the fee schedule if they met certain criteria. The dispute between Texas Mutual and Vista centered on those criteria.
Texas Mutual argued that the stop-loss exception should be applied to admissions involving charges of more than $40,000 and “unusually extensive services.” Vista countered that the exception applied to all admissions for which they charged more than $40,000. The 353rd Judicial District Court of Travis County ruled for Vista. Texas Mutual appealed to the Austin Court of Appeals, which reversed the lower court. Vista then asked the Supreme Court to review the case.
NFIB, Texas Mutual Partnership Yields Dividend
November 22, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced a $283,291 dividend to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Safety Group for manufacturers today. The workers’ compensation dividend was based largely on the group’s loss ratio.
NFIB manufacturing has earned $1,161,317 in Texas Mutual dividends since 2007. By committing to workplace safety and helping injured workers return to productive employment, members improve their chances of qualifying for future dividends.*
In addition to potential dividends, NFIB manufacturing members get a discount on their workers’ compensation premium. They also have access to free safety materials, including online videos, pamphlets, DVDs and an industry-specific safety plan.
Any licensed Texas agent can submit qualifying clients for consideration in the NFIB manufacturing group. For more information, visit texasmutual.com/agents/pr_nfibm.shtm or nfib.com/txmutual.
*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends. The Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.
New Policyholders Earn Share of $100M Texas Mutual Dividend Payout
November 10, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, has begun distributing dividends among approximately 2,500 new policyholders across the state.
“We have a permanent, vested interest in helping Texas businesses thrive,” said Bob Barnes, chairman of the Texas Mutual board of directors. “In 1999, we were thrilled to pay our first dividend - $25 million. This year, that number has grown to $100 million. Our policyholders will use those funds to expand their businesses, create jobs, pay skilled employees and improve their safety programs.”
Dividends are based largely on each policyholder’s loss ratio. Policyholders who focus on preventing workplace accidents and helping injured workers get well and back on the job improve their chances of earning a dividend.
The new-policyholder dividends represent the final component of Texas Mutual’s $100 million 2010 dividend distribution. Approximately 38,000 business owners across the state, representing 77 percent of the company’s policyholders, earned a dividend this year.
This year’s dividend distribution comes as the economy continues to climb out of the worst slump since the Great Depression. Texas Mutual President Ron Wright said that the company’s 12th consecutive dividend payout is a sign of its ongoing financial stability.
“Texas Mutual’s strong customer retention, conservative investment philosophy and commitment to controlling our costs have helped us weather the recession,” said Wright. “We have not been immune to its effects, but we remain well-positioned to keep our promises to our customers long into the future.”
Texas Mutual notes that past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends. All dividend plans require Texas Department of Insurance approval.
Hospital Group Earns Third Texas Mutual Dividend
November 6, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced a $138,105 dividend to the Hospitals of Texas workers’ compensation Safety Group (HOTComp) today. The dividend was based largely on the group’s loss ratio.
HOTComp has earned $387,952 in Texas Mutual dividends since 2008. By committing to workplace safety and helping injured workers return to productive employment, HOTComp members improve their chances of qualifying for future dividends.*
In addition to potential dividends, HOTComp members get a discount on their workers’ compensation premium. They also have access to free safety materials, including online videos, pamphlets, videos, DVDs and an industry-specific safety plan.
Any licensed Texas agent can submit qualifying clients for consideration in HOTComp. For more information, visit texasmutual.com/agents/pr_hotcomp.shtm or hotcomp.net.
*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends. The Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.
Auto Dealers Approach $5M Texas Mutual Dividend Mark
November 1, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced an $856,859 dividend to the Lone Star Auto Dealers (LSA) workers’ compensation Safety Group today. The dividend was based largely on the group’s loss ratio.
LSA has earned $4.7 million in Texas Mutual dividends since 2002. By committing to workplace safety and helping injured workers return to productive employment, LSA members improve their chances of qualifying for future dividends.*
In addition to potential dividends, LSA members get a discount on their workers’ compensation premium. They also have access to free safety materials, including online videos, pamphlets, videos, DVDs and an industry-specific safety plan.
Any licensed Texas agent can submit qualifying clients for consideration in LSA. For more information, visit texasmutual.com/agents/pr_lsa.shtm or lonestarautodealers.com.
*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends. The Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.
Medical Group Earns $788K Texas Mutual Dividend
October 28, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced a $788,170 dividend to the Texas Medical Group (TMG) today. The workers’ compensation Safety Group dividend was based largely on TMG’s loss ratio.
TMG has earned $1,726,338 in Texas Mutual dividends since 2008. By committing to workplace safety and helping injured workers return to productive employment, TMG members improve their chances of qualifying for future dividends.*
In addition to potential dividends, TMG members get a discount on their workers’ compensation premium. They also have access to free safety materials, including online videos, pamphlets, videos, DVDs and an industry-specific safety plan.
Any licensed Texas agent can submit qualifying clients for consideration in TMG. For more information, visit texasmutual.com/agents/pr_tmg.shtm or texasmedicalgroupwcprogram.com.
*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends. The Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.
Court Orders Employer to Pay $100K to Texas Mutual
October 27, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced today that a Travis County district court sentenced Joffrey Majors of Parker, Texas on workers’ compensation fraud-related charges. The court sentenced Majors to four years’ deferred adjudication and ordered him to pay $100,000 to Texas Mutual.
Majors operated Ameripro Drivers LLC, a temporary employment agency in Dallas, Texas. Majors was involved in a scheme to conceal the number of employees and annual payroll of Ameripro Drivers LLC from Texas Mutual.
Because workers’ compensation insurance premium is based in part on payroll, such a scheme results in a business paying less premium than it actually owes. By paying less premium, an employer can gain an unfair advantage over competitors.
Texas Mutual Announces Fraud Indictment
October 19, 2010 - Texas Mutual Insurance Company reported today that a Travis County grand jury indicted a McAllen man on workers’ compensation fraud-related charges. Roberto Espericueta allegedly obtained $8,400 in workers’ compensation benefits he was not entitled to.
Espericueta reported a job-related injury while working as a construction superintendent for Ecam Oilfield Service in Mission, Texas. He claimed he was unable to work as a result of the injury, and Texas Mutual began paying income benefits to him.
Meanwhile, Texas Mutual uncovered evidence that Espericueta worked for another company while receiving income benefits.Investigators call this type of scam double-dipping because the claimant collects benefits for being too injured to work when he or she is, in fact, gainfully employed. Texas law requires claimants to contact their workers’ comp carrier when they return to work. Left unchecked, double-dipping and other workers’ comp fraud can lead to higher premiums for all Texas employers.
Note: A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation - not a conviction - of criminal conduct.