Category Archives: Hygiene

Email Database Check List

Looking for an easy way to make more money from your existing buyer file?  Expand your marketable universe of email addresses.  Now is the time to make sure you haven’t missed an opportunity to communicate through this budget friendly and … Continue reading

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ACMA CCPA Panelist Tom Berger: Recap on Key Service Bureau Considerations

I was honored to participate in the recent CCPA panel discussion hosted by the ACMA. I provided my perspective on preparedness from the service bureau world. For those of you who could not attend, below is a recap of key … Continue reading

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Florida Court Issues Opinion on ‘Time’ vs ‘Proof’ of Death

Please see below for an article recapping the Florida First District Court of appeals’ August 5th 2014 opinion in regard to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans v. State of Florida, Department of Financial Services (DFS).  In short, the court disagreed with … Continue reading

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Guidance on Proposed DMF Certification Guidelines

As many are now aware, the administration recently passed legislation that will delay access to current death data on the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File (SSA DMF) for three years.  This legislation provides for a certification process that will … Continue reading

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ANICO Ruling Casts Doubt on Ability to Circumvent State UP Audits; Is there an Implied Duty to Undertake Death Matching?

On May 7th, 2013, the California State Controller filed suit against ANICO (John Chiang vs. American National Insurance Company) seeking an order preliminarily enjoining Defendant American National Insurance Company, a Texas Corporation, (“ANICO”), and any persons acting on their behalf, including … Continue reading

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The Impact of Proposed Legislation to Restrict Access to the SSA DMF; Making “The Perfect” the Enemy of “The Good”?

There is an old story about large numbers of government benefit checks piling up at Post Offices.  Postal carriers, leery of mail theft in marginal neighborhoods, would hold checks rather than placing them in mail boxes.  While this kept the checks out … Continue reading

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Making Sense of the GAO Reports on Gaps & Errors in the SSA Death Master File

There have been many recent developments impacting the insurance industry.  This discussion covers the following: May 3rd 2013 GAO audit report identifying gaps in the SSA DMF and Verus Financial’s comments on same. May 8th 2013 GAO testimony addressing the … Continue reading

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New Department of the Treasury proposal and Senate Bill 676 Introduced to Limit Access to the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File

Contact Tom Berger if you are an advocate, attorney or professional with insurer relationships that can benefit from our shared expertise. Requirements for using the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File (SSA DMF) to review insurer books and records in … Continue reading

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John Hancock Lawsuit is a Wake-Up Call for Some Insurers

As reported in LifeHealthPRO on Feburary 1st 2013 (http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2013/02/01/hancock-hit-with-unclaimed-property-lawsuit) , John Hancock has been named in a class action lawsuit concerning their practices relating to life insurance death benefit payments.  The suit seeks damages for individuals who did not find … Continue reading

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Four More States Propose Legislation Requiring Routine Deceased Processing using the SSA DMF

On January 29, 2013, New Mexico joined Vermont, Massachusetts and North Dakota and became the fourth state this year, the tenth overall, to propose legislation requiring regular use of the Social Security Administration Death Master File (SSA DMF). However, as with the other … Continue reading

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