The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has developed a three-point plan to assist industry businesses in lowering their insurance costs.
TIA's plan includes the following:
1. A new insurance consulting service. TIA and Risk Assessment Management Services are partnering to assist TIA members with their insurance decisions.
"We're partnering with a company that has no ties to any particular insurance company, and will offer members unbiased expert advice to tire industry professionals," says TIA President Steve Disney. "Insurance costs are rising at virtually every tire business, and this service will help TIA members find the most competitive program for their stores."
2. Insurance resources and seminars at TIA events. TIA will offer insurance resources and seminars at the International Tire Expo/SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., Nov. 5-8, 2002.
The association will hold a seminar titled, "The Tire Industry’s Insurance Market: What You Need to Know for Your Business," at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Las Vegas Convention Center. The seminar is open to the public, and will feature a discussion abut tire industry insurance policies. It is hosted by a panel of insurance industry experts.
Additionally, Risk Assessment Management Services will offer insurance consulting for all members in the TIA booth at the International Tire Expo.
3. A comprehensive government affairs effort. TIA is focusing its government affairs resources on improving the health care options available to tire industry businesses.
The association is lobbying for the passage of Association Health Plans (AHPs) legislation, which is supported by Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and President Bush.
The bill will allow health plans offered by associations to operate like health plans sponsored by Fortune 500 companies or labor unions, which essentially pool the resources of thousands of members under association management. The result will be lower administrative costs for insurance programs and greater bargaining power with insurance companies, in effect lowering insurance costs for many TIA members.
Secretary Chao has pledged that the Department of Labor will allocate the necessary resources to administer AHP certification and oversight responsibilities.
"By creating a new insurance consulting resource, scheduling educational opportunities for members... and focusing our lobbying efforts on AHP legislation, TIA is taking three important steps to lowering the insurance rates of its members," says Disney. "This will be a key goal of the association in the coming years."
Members interested in the new TIA insurance services –- and receiving assistance regarding their insurance decisions -– may contact TIA at (703) 736-8082.
