x, 43 p. : ill. (some col.) A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Increasingly, workers' compensation (WC) insurers are turning to claim disposition agreements (CDA) as a means of reducing costs. CDAs are agreements between injured workers and insurers that close claims for a lump sum payment in lieu of other payments to which workers may be entitled. Intuitively, CDA payment amounts are expected to vary in response to changes in WC benefit levels. Models for decision-making processes related to lump sum versus benefit streams suggest the opposite. This thesis examines the relationship between CDA amounts and permanent partial disability (PPD) using two models. The first model utilizes individual claim information before and after a legislated benefit increase in the state of Oregon. The second model examines aggregate claims and payments made over a 16-year period from 1990 through 1995. / Committee In Charge Dr. Jessica Greene, Chair; Dr. L. Leete; Dr. R. Irvin

Master of Science / Food Science Institute / Edgar Chambers IV / Sensory claims, which are descriptive communications about a product’s sensorial attributes, are used in the food and beverage industry to market products every year. Food manufacturers use puffery, non-comparative and comparative (unsurpassed or superiority) sensory claims to communicate to consumers about sensory attributes and how they compare to other brands. However, food manufacturers cannot do so without the proper data to support them. Sensory and consumer perception studies can be used to provide the needed data to support sensory claims in a court of law. However, researchers must ensure data used to support these claims are defendable by a sound research plan which includes representative products tested by a suitable sample size of representative users in key geographical areas. Food companies spend thousands of dollars per year on sensory tests to specifically support food product claims. However, is this research worthy of investment by food companies when the risk, the likelihood of a challenge by competitors, consumers or public interest groups, may be high? Standards for conducting tests to support sensory claims were reviewed. Additionally, challenges of sensory claims were examined to determine the risk by claim type. Parallels from industry standards, sensory and advertising law experts, and cases from the National Advertising Division were drawn to assess the risk associated with different types of food claims and the likelihood of being challenged. Results show that a claim is likely to be challenged if it references or draws comparisons to a competitor’s product. One hundred percent of challenges in the past ten years regarding sensory claims were led by competitors, with a majority resulting in discontinued or modified claims. Therefore, to reduce wasted resources, a food manufacture should spend the time, money and energy to properly conduct claims testing when looking to make comparative claims. Sensory scientists should also review past claims cases and extensively understand how a case is reviewed and what the review panel considers as adequate support. With this knowledge, a sensory scientist can direct which claims to focus their company’s resources on, ensure a robustly designed study, achieve a higher likelihood of succeeding any challenge from the National Advertising Division or a competitor, and thus reduce the overall risk of making a claim. Further research connecting each claim type to actual revenue would be of interest. This information is limited as it lies within each company and may be a moving target as marketplaces and consumer preferences evolve over time.

A company issuing an insurance will provide, in return for a monetary premium, acceptance of the liability to make certain payments to the insured person or company if some beforehand specified event occurs. There will always be a delay between occurrence of this event and actual payment from the insurance company. It is therefore necessary for the company to put aside money for this liability. This money is called the reserve. When a claim is reported, a claim handler will make an estimate of how much the company will have to pay to the claimant. This amount is booked as a liability. This type of reserve is called; "case reserve". When making the estimate, the claim handler has the option of giving the claim a standard reserve or a manual reserve. A standard reserve is a statistically calculated amount based on historical claim costs. This type of reserve is more often used in small claims. A manual reserve is a reserve subjectively decided by the claim handler. This type of reserve is more often used in large claims. This thesis propose a theory to model and calculate an optimal limit above which a claim should be considered large. An application of the method is also applied to some different types of claims.

This study examined psychotropic medication claims in a sample of Protestant clergy. It estimated the proportion of clergy in the sample who had a claim for psychotropic medication (i.e., anti-depressants and anxiolytics) in 2005 and examined associations between sociodemographic characteristics, occupational distress and having a claim. Protestant clergy (n = 749) from nine denominations completed a mail survey and provided access to their pharmaceutical records. Logistic regression models assessed the effect of sociodemographic characteristics and occupational distress on having a claim. The descriptive analysis revealed that 16 % (95 % Confidence interval [CI] 13.3 %-18.5 %) of the clergy in the sample had a claim for psychotropic medication in 2005 and that, among clergy who experienced frequent occupational distress, 28 % (95 % CI 17.5 %-37.5 %) had a claim. The regression analysis found that older clergy, female clergy, and those who experienced frequent occupational distress were more likely to have a claim. Due to recent demographic changes in the clergy population, including the increasing mean age of new clergy and the growing number of female clergy, the proportion of clergy having claims for psychotropic medication may increase in the coming years. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the use of psychotropic medication among clergy.

This study examined psychotropic medication claims in a sample of Protestant clergy. It estimated the proportion of clergy in the sample who had a claim for psychotropic medication (i.e., anti-depressants and anxiolytics) in 2005 and examined associations between sociodemographic characteristics, occupational distress and having a claim. Protestant clergy (n = 749) from nine denominations completed a mail survey and provided access to their pharmaceutical records. Logistic regression models assessed the effect of sociodemographic characteristics and occupational distress on having a claim. The descriptive analysis revealed that 16 % (95 % Confidence interval [CI] 13.3 %-18.5 %) of the clergy in the sample had a claim for psychotropic medication in 2005 and that, among clergy who experienced frequent occupational distress, 28 % (95 % CI 17.5 %-37.5 %) had a claim. The regression analysis found that older clergy, female clergy, and those who experienced frequent occupational distress were more likely to have a claim. Due to recent demographic changes in the clergy population, including the increasing mean age of new clergy and the growing number of female clergy, the proportion of clergy having claims for psychotropic medication may increase in the coming years. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the use of psychotropic medication among clergy.

The Community Rating System (CRS) was introduced to encourage flood mitigation and increase National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) participation via premium discounts. It is not clear, however, how additional mitigation and premium discounts affect NFIP participation and damage claims payments. We employ matching methods and log-linear regression framework to estimate the impact of CRS participation (versus non-participation) on outcomes. We also analyze the effect of individual CRS mitigation activities on outcomes. We do so while controlling for key geospatial, socioeconomic, and time effects. Results show a positive and significant effect of CRS participation on NFIP participation, but no significant effect on damage claims payments. Outreach and flood data maintenance activities have positive effect on NFIP participation while floodplain mapping and flood protection have negative effect. Flood protection information and storm water management have negative effect on damage claims payments while floodplain management planning and acquisition and relocation have positive effect.

The theme of my work is " The adjustment of claims in life insurance". In the theoretical part I focus on the characteristics of adjustment of claims, legislation, claims adjuster and the importance of adjustment of claims. In the second part I describe life insurance and its position in the insurance business in the Czech Republic. In the last part I engage adjustment of claims process in life insurance in Allianz insurance company. At the end of this part I describe specific examples of adjustment of claims. These examples show, that the claims adjusters meet the diferent situations, which need an individual approach.

In this work we summarize the various techniques of claims reserves evaluating which consist in estimate of the future uncertain and hardly antici- pated loss development. It appears that the methods which are based on some credibility formula bring in the mean squared error sense the most accurate results. We consider this in the text derived conclusion very relevant and con- tributing, therefore we illustrate and present it on the numerical example. The calculations are introduced in the attached charts that build the important sup- plement of the text. The topic of this work follows up the content of Nonlife Insurance and Risk Theory lectures, therefore this text can be useful also for the students of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics to extend their knowledge. 1

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Leipzig, 2003.

There is no abstract available for this thesis.