ISO's New Program Combines Basic Employment-Practices Insurance with Underwriting and Risk-Management Services

January 1, 2011 / 4 min read

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Nov. 13, 2001 — Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) has unveiled a program that combines employment-practices liability (EPL) insurance with underwriting and human resources risk-management services, so insurers can underwrite business more profitably in this fast-growing market and help their insureds reduce exposures to workplace claims.

The new program, ISO Employers AdvantageSM, offers insurers and reinsurers a portfolio of services that combine the basic ISO EPL insurance program with underwriting guidelines and risk-management services, and lowers insurers' barriers to entry into this specialty business.

ISO Employers Advantage provides risk-management services to insurers and reinsurers in business alliances with the workplace HELPLINE and Laurdan Associates, Inc., two leading consulting firms that advise employers on risk-management and human resources practices. The services help companies reduce exposures to employment-related liability claims and workplace lawsuits.

"Along with the basic EPL program of coverage forms and endorsements, manual rules, and advisory prospective loss costs that ISO introduced in 1997, insurers and reinsurers can now offer their insureds risk-management services from the workplace HELPLINE and Laurdan Associates," said Domenick J. Yezzi, Jr., ISO's vice president for specialty commercial lines.

"ISO's alliances with these risk-management firms bolster our existing EPL program, offering insurers greater flexibility and more options for customized coverages. Further, our ready-to-use program, complete with underwriting guidelines, opens the door for insurers of all sizes to a lucrative specialty market with a minimum of investment and a maximum likelihood of success," Yezzi added.

ISO unveiled ISO Employers Advantage in Dallas at ISOTech®, the premier technology conference for the property/casualty industry.

The new ISO program also provides insurers with underwriting materials, including underwriting guide, application forms, and online or telephone help with questions on applications and underwriting criteria, as well as training to underwriters and insurance agents.

The workplace HELPLINE features these services:

A private branded website for insurer customers;
A nationwide toll-free employer HELPLINE to answer insureds' human resources questions on regulatory compliance, policies and procedures, employee relations, compensation, harassment and discrimination, and other issues;
online resources, including access to human resources specialists, as well as sample policies, procedures, and case digests;
Web-based compliance training for employment-practices liability issues;
HR Express Updates, a monthly electronic service of changing rules and regulations at the workplace;
Federal and state labor law posters;
Customized consulting services;
On-site training;
Employment screening to minimize possibility of negligent hiring; and
Human resources risk-management audits.

Laurdan Associates, Inc. offers the Employment-Labor Law Audit (ELLATM), the nation's leading human resources auditing and employment-practices risk-assessment tool, and a nationwide toll-free number for insureds, as well as:

ELLA on the WEBTM, a web-based auditing tool for enhanced auditing capabilities and generating reports;
ELLA AssistanceTM, a suite of human resources and employment practices risk-management consulting services, including employee handbook and policy development, employee reference checking, mediation, dispute resolution, affirmative action planning, and employment posters;
ELLA TrainingTM, on-site and off-site human resources and employment practices risk-management training on such issues as HR auditing techniques, discrimination and harassment issues, and job performance management issues for senior executives, human resources professionals, risk managers, and employees; and
Employee surveys and research to help organizations improve employee relations and reduce exposure to employment-related claims.

About ISO

ISO is a leading source of information, and products and services related to property and liability risk. For a broad spectrum of commercial and personal lines of insurance, ISO provides statistical, actuarial, underwriting and claims information and analyses; consulting and technical services; policy language; information about specific locations; fraud-identification tools; and data processing. In the United States and around the world, ISO serves insurers, reinsurers, agents, brokers, self-insureds, risk managers, and insurance regulators and other government agencies.

About the workplace HELPLINE

the workplace HELPLINE is a Human Resource risk-management firm that provides "Virtual HR on demand" services to the private sector, non-profit and governmental organizations nationwide. The firm's services include a toll-free Employer HELPLINE, online content including access to HR professionals, web based training, and informational updates.

About Laurdan Associates, Inc.

Laurdan Associates, Inc., a nationally recognized consulting firm specializing in human resources auditing, employment-practices risk-assessment tools, and HR consulting services, provides customized services to insurers, brokers and employers. Laurdan's HR auditing tool ELLA is the employment-practices risk-assessment tool of choice for manufacturers, service organizations, and employment-practices liability insurance carriers.

Release: Immediate

Contacts:
Giuseppe Barone / Erica Helton
MWW Group (for ISO)
201-507-9500
gbarone@mww.com / ehelton@mww.com