Submit Your Nomination for the
2014 Florida Retailer of the Year
The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) is accepting
nominations until April 10, for its Retailer of the Year
Award. The annual recognition program honors Florida
retailers who blend sound business practices with
a commitment to their community, customers and
employees. “The Retailer of the Year Award pays tribute
to the outstanding retailers who make Florida such
an energetic and vibrant state for business,” says Rick
McAllister, FRF president and CEO. The award is open
to both members and nonmembers of the Florida Retail
Federation. A selection panel made up of small business
owners and other retail experts ranks nominees based on
their scores in several categories measuring community
service and business acumen.
Nomination criteria: Anyone may make a nomination
and may submit more than one retailer for consideration
in any given award year. Previous nominees who didn’t
receive a top award may be nominated again. Selfnominations are appropriate. Nominees must have a
physical presence in the operation and/or management
of a retail business in Florida. To make a nomination
visit www.frf.org or call 1-888-357-3824. ■
Congratulations Shanon Materio,
2013 Florida Retailer of the Year!
Shanon Materio, president and
owner of McMow Art Glass (insured
by a Summit-managed carrier) in
Lake Worth, Florida, was named the
2013 Florida Retailer of the Year by
the Florida Retail Federation.
McMow Art Glass is insured by Bridgefield Employers Insurance
Company, a Summit-managed workers’ compensation insurance
program.
How to Reach Us
Summit offers a variety of services and programs aimed at
controlling your workers’ compensation costs and making
the most of your premium dollars. Here’s a sampling of
some of the tools we have available at no additional cost
to you.


Customer Service
1-800-282-7648
Report a Workplace Injury
2014 Issue 1
24 hours a day, 7 days a week by—
 Calling 1-800-762-7811,
 Faxing your report to 863-667-1871 or
 Visiting our website at
www.summitholdings.com (login required)
Online Business Center, where you can—
• Check claims activity
• Print and download loss runs
• Print certificates of insurance (COIs) or waivers
• Find a doctor in our workers’ comp network
Spotlighting Employee Wellness:
What’s doubling your claims costs?
There’s an insidious threat out
there ratcheting up workers’ comp
claims dollars. It’s not new, but it’s
multiplying fast. And as you read
this, it’s probably already in place at
your company, perhaps before the first
injury of 2014 even occurs. It’s called a
comorbidity.
Florida/Corporate Office
Back2Work®, Summit’s return-to-work program gives you the tools you need to create a plan for your business.
1-800-282-7648 • 863-665-6060
Southeast Region

Open
for Business. Create and save your own
detailed plan for disaster recovery online—it’s free!
Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee
1-800-971-2667 • 678-450-5825
Open for Business is now OFB-EZ
On January 1, the Insurance Institute for Business
& Home Safety (IBHS) launched OFB-EZ, a new,
streamlined business continuity program for small
businesses. Open for Business has been a great tool for
insureds for a number of years, and this new, eight-step
version of the program promises a solid continuity plan
with a less intensive initial setup process.
Southwest Region
Arkansas, Alabama,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas
1-800-421-2944 • 225-926-3264

Specialized
Summit Manages
RetailFirst Insurance Company
Tailored loss-control services,** including—
• Safety consultations
• Drug-free workplace assistance
• Safety education, training materials, classes
and webinars
Retailers Casualty Insurance Company
ƒƒ They’re creeping up more and more often.
Recently, the National Council on Compensation Insurance
(NCCI) released a study reviewing nationwide data on
comorbidities in workers’ comp patients. According to
the study, the percentage of workers’ comp claims with a
comorbid diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension or obesity
nearly tripled between the years 2000 and 2009. Drug abuse
(which includes tobacco and alcohol abuse) as a comorbid
diagnosis actually quadrupled in the same time span.
Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Company
Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company

For more
information, tips on workers’ comp and
frequently asked questions, visit our website at
www.summitholdings.com.
* Proprietary network in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
In Arkansas and Texas, Summit uses contracted networks that offer
our clients benefits comparable to our proprietary arrangement.
** RetailFirst Insurance Company, BusinessFirst Insurance Company,
Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company, Bridgefield Casualty
Insurance Company and Retailers Casualty Insurance Company provide
policyholders with accident prevention services at no additional cost.
Summit Consulting LLC has used its best efforts to select
information for this publication from reliable sources, but cannot
warrant that it is complete or accurate. Summit Consulting LLC
does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person
for loss or damages caused by error or omission. Please check
with your agent or attorney for details about the laws as they
may affect your specific business situation.
For a list of sources related to the information
contained in this newsletter, please visit our
website: www.summitholdings.com
3/14 (13-210)
www.summitholdings.com
❹
ƒƒ They can increase the cost of the claim dramatically.
According to NCCI, the average medical cost for a workers’
compensation claim in the study was $2,490. This number
skyrocketed when those with comorbid conditions were
singled out.
So how do comorbidities impact your workers’
comp costs?
BusinessFirst Insurance Company

ƒƒ They’re a serious burden for our aging workforce.
In general, older employees are more prone to some of the
more common comorbidities, such as hypertension and
diabetes. Add a workers’ comp claim, and the combination
can lead to a lengthy and frustrating experience for both
you and your employee.
A comorbidity is a medical condition that exists simultaneously
with (and usually independently from) the condition being
treated. For example, a patient who is being treated for a back
injury could also have diabetes. During the treatment of the
back injury, diabetes would be considered the comorbidity.
Comorbidities can be any medical condition, but the four
most common are obesity, diabetes, hypertension and drug
abuse.
www.summitholdings.com
provider network,* consisting of more
than 16,000 doctors and specialists experienced in
occupational medicine and workers’ compensation.
Cases with a comorbid diagnosis, however, are usually
evenly split between medical-only and those requiring
indemnity payments. (Fifty percent of claims with a drug
abuse diagnosis, and 55 percent of claims with a diabetes
diagnosis include lost time.) Obesity falls on the upper end
of the scale, with 81 percent of cases involving an obese
injured worker resulting in indemnity payments.
For those in the medical industry, the concept of comorbidity
is probably old hat. But for most people, it’s a bit of a strangesounding term. So, let’s define it.
© 2014 Summit Consulting LLC
With $200 and a dream, Materio
and her husband, Phil, founded
McMow Art Glass in 1976. Since
then, the company has grown from
a 700-square-foot garage to 10,000
square feet of studio, retail, and manufacturing space.
The Materios are known for creating custom art glass for
places of worship, as well as individuals. Among their
clientele was the late Italian designer Gianni Versace,
with whom Materio worked closely to create art glass
installations for his famous South Beach mansion. At the
core of their success is a commitment to customer service.
“We don’t see dollar signs when a person walks through
the door,” said Materio. “We see a person who is going
to ask questions and need help with something. Our
customers have really responded to this level of care and
attention.” ■
What Can Summit Do for You?
Comorbid Condition
Average medical claim cost*
Drug abuse
$13,717
Diabetes
$15,897
Hypertension
$15,656
Obesity cost results not published by the study
*Compared to $2,490 when no comorbid condition is present.
To account for other factors that could be influencing
these costs, NCCI adjusted the numbers for the injured
workers’ state, year of injury, gender, industry and type
of injury. Even after accounting for all of these factors,
cases involving comorbidity were still twice as costly as
comparable claims.
ƒƒ They have a major impact on return to work.
While comorbid conditions are not usually covered under
workers’ comp, they can definitely slow down a patient’s
recovery and return to work. The NCCI study took a close
look at the impact of these conditions on lost-time wage
payments (indemnity). Normally, the majority of workers’
comp claims are classified as medical-only, meaning the
injured worker returns to the job quickly enough that
the claim never results in indemnity payments. Only
19 percent of all claims include lost-time payments.
What’s the solution?
A big part of the reason we’re seeing more cases of obesity,
diabetes, etc., in workers’ comp is simply because these
conditions are on the rise in the general population. That’s a
problem without a quick fix. But, there are steps you can take
to help your employees improve their health. Check out the
rest of this issue of COMPpress to find out more. ■
www.summitholdings.com
❶
A Message from Carol Sipe, Summit president and CEO
Wellness programs create big wins for you and your employees
Carol Sipe
Summit President and
CEO
When a New Year arrives each year,
many of us take the opportunity to
start fresh, setting both personal
and professional goals. Healthy
living tops the list of resolutions for
many people. That means this could
be the perfect time to implement an
employee wellness program, if you
don’t have one already.
team warming up before a game, a group of coworkers
headed out for a trail run on a Saturday morning, or just
folks out for an occasional stroll around campus, I’m
always encouraged to see our people up and moving.
Staying fit not only impacts employee health, it can also
have a big impact on your bottom line. You already
know healthy employees can save you money on health
insurance plans. But their overall health can also impact
your workers’ comp claims costs. To find out more, take a
look at this issue of COMPpress, where we share some of
the costliest health issues in comp, and some simple ways
to start reversing those numbers.
Employee wellness can start small. Here at Summit, you
won’t find vending machines with sodas and sweets.
Instead, there are bowls of fresh fruit in the break rooms
each week. We also try to create an environment where
people enjoy exercise. Whether it’s our Summit softball
NCCI Split Point Increases to $13,500
This year, the National Council on Compensation
Insurance (NCCI) is once again making a change to the
way your workers’ compensation insurance premium
is calculated. The goal is to more accurately calculate
the experience modification factor (mod) as claims costs
rise. Generally, this means that employers who are safety
conscious will be rewarded with a reduction in their mods
which means lower premiums. Those who aren’t safe will
likely see an increase.
2014 Split point Effective Dates
How it works
To determine your experience mod, each claim is divided
into a primary and excess portion. Primary losses are
counted in full, but only a percentage (typically 5 to 15
percent) of the excess portion is included. In 2013, the split
point—the line between primary and excess—increased
from its 25-year-long position of $5,000 to $10,000.
State
Effective Dates
Alabama
March 1
Arkansas*
July 1
Florida
January 1
Georgia
March 1
Kentucky*
October 1
Louisiana
May 1
March 1
North Carolina
April 1
South Carolina** September 1
March 1
* Split-point increase has not been filed by NCCI. Date shown is the
anticipated effective date.
** Split-point increase has been filed with the state and is awaiting approval.
Split Point Changes for a $25,000 Lost-time Claim
$25,000—
This year, NCCI is increasing the split point again–from
$10,000 to $13,500—which means that the first $13,500 of
every loss will now be allocated as primary. For example,
a loss of $15,000 will equal $13,500 in primary losses and
$1,500 in excess losses. In 2015, the split point is expected
to grow again to more than $15,000 (with adjustments for
inflation).
$11,500
Excess
$20,000—
$15,000
Excess
$10,000
Excess
$15,000—
$13,500—
$10,000—
Want to know more about the NCCI split-point change?
Visit our website and check out past editions of the
COMPpress. (Click on Employer Resources and then
Print Materials.) ■
$5,000—
$10,000
Primary
$13,500
Primary
Current
2014
Primary
Obesity in the workplace:
Use technology for
support and accountability
Lori Adams is the national
industry director for health
care with Liberty Mutual’s risk
quality assessment department.
In Liberty Mutual’s Research
to Reality report, she offered
these thoughts for implementing
a workplace wellness program
that’s both beneficial to the
employee and that can make real
strides in improving costs.
Today’s online venues, such
as websites and social media
platforms, make it convenient for
people to participate in programs
that promote healthy eating
habits and physical activity. Such
programs also provide peer-topeer accountability and support
to help people stay on track with
their goals.
Offer a variety of
program options
Make it fun
Programs that promote
healthy habits can be a winwin for employers and their
employees, but no single
program is going to work
for everyone. Different
strategies are going to work
for different companies and different options are going to
attract different people. So, you have to offer a variety of
things. What’s important is to find ways to inspire people
to live more healthy lifestyles, at home and at work.
One company I worked with
set up a ‘Walking to Vegas’
competition. The goal was to
see which team could walk as
many miles as it would take to
walk to Las Vegas. This kind
of friendly competitive fun can
really motivate people to get consistent exercise. Nearly
anyone can participate, and it can help get heart rates up
and bring weight down. ■
Health education is vital
Mississippi
Tennessee Getting Started with Employee Wellness
$15,000
Primary
2015
Excess
Just because an item has 40 percent fewer calories or half
the fat of a comparable item, does not make it healthy.
Whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are the best
option...teach people to really read a food label and to
know which foods offer good nutrition and which do not.
Your wellness
program could
include:
In-house fitness centers may only work for
some employees
Wellness
In most cases, those employees who would
use an on-site fitness center are
already exercising. That
“With rising
doesn’t mean it’s not a good
idea, but the employer
health-care costs,
has to be realistic. Many
growing numbers of older
people are not going
workers and the increasingly
to be comfortable
sedentary nature of many modernexercising in front
of their coworkers.
day jobs, helping employees
On-site
fitness centers
stay healthy on the job can have
also fail to address the
significant benefits. It’s good for
health of the growing
workers, but it’s also good
numbers of remote
workers.
business practice.”
Health
communications (email, newsletter, etc.)
risk assessments or screenings
Workshops
Walking
Breaks
A
during the workday for physical activity
snacks available on site
policy of healthful foods for meetings
Fitness
classes
Smoking
cessation classes
Giveaways
such as water bottles, insulated lunch
bags, pedometers and health-focused cookbooks
—Lori Adams
www.summitholdings.com
www.summitholdings.com
❷
❸
More than one third of the nation’s adults have




a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater,
meeting the clinical definition of obesity.*
Obese patients have a significantly increased
risk for hypertension, type 2 diabetes and
heart disease.*
U.S. employers spend more than $200 billion
annually in health-care costs because of
obesity-related health conditions.*
Obesity is associated with a 25 percent higher
risk of work-related injury.*
In June 2013, the American Medical Association
classified obesity as a treatable disease. The
implications for workers’ comp claims are still
unclear.
* Information provided by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute, Research to Reality, Spring 2013.
Post Your OSHA 300A Form
As of February 1, employers must post their company’s
2013 OSHA Summary of Work-Related Injuries and
Illnesses (Form 300A). The summary must be posted in a
visible location for a three-month period (from February
1 through April 30) so that all employees can be made
aware of the injuries and illnesses that occurred in their
workplace. If you have more than one physical location,
you must post the summary at each one. For more
information, please visit www.osha.gov.
Please note, there are partially exempt industries that
may not be required to keep OSHA injury and illness
records. To find out if your business is exempt, please
visit www.osha.gov/recordkeeping. ■
on wellness issues
or other exercise programs
Healthful
Did you know?
Liberty Mutual Agrees to Sell
Summit to AFG
On January 9, Liberty Mutual Insurance reached a
definitive agreement to sell Summit Holding Southeast,
Inc. and its related companies to American Financial
Group (AFG) in an all-cash transaction. Following the
transaction, Summit will continue to operate under the
Summit brand as a member of AFG’s Great American
Insurance Group. Summit’s operations will continue as
normal, and the status of your policy with Summit is
not affected. Please contact your agent if you have any
questions or visit our website at www.summitholdings.com.
Note: The transaction is subject to customary regulatory
approvals. ■
A Message from Carol Sipe, Summit president and CEO
Wellness programs create big wins for you and your employees
Carol Sipe
Summit President and
CEO
When a New Year arrives each year,
many of us take the opportunity to
start fresh, setting both personal
and professional goals. Healthy
living tops the list of resolutions for
many people. That means this could
be the perfect time to implement an
employee wellness program, if you
don’t have one already.
team warming up before a game, a group of coworkers
headed out for a trail run on a Saturday morning, or just
folks out for an occasional stroll around campus, I’m
always encouraged to see our people up and moving.
Staying fit not only impacts employee health, it can also
have a big impact on your bottom line. You already
know healthy employees can save you money on health
insurance plans. But their overall health can also impact
your workers’ comp claims costs. To find out more, take a
look at this issue of COMPpress, where we share some of
the costliest health issues in comp, and some simple ways
to start reversing those numbers.
Employee wellness can start small. Here at Summit, you
won’t find vending machines with sodas and sweets.
Instead, there are bowls of fresh fruit in the break rooms
each week. We also try to create an environment where
people enjoy exercise. Whether it’s our Summit softball
NCCI Split Point Increases to $13,500
This year, the National Council on Compensation
Insurance (NCCI) is once again making a change to the
way your workers’ compensation insurance premium
is calculated. The goal is to more accurately calculate
the experience modification factor (mod) as claims costs
rise. Generally, this means that employers who are safety
conscious will be rewarded with a reduction in their mods
which means lower premiums. Those who aren’t safe will
likely see an increase.
2014 Split point Effective Dates
How it works
To determine your experience mod, each claim is divided
into a primary and excess portion. Primary losses are
counted in full, but only a percentage (typically 5 to 15
percent) of the excess portion is included. In 2013, the split
point—the line between primary and excess—increased
from its 25-year-long position of $5,000 to $10,000.
State
Effective Dates
Alabama
March 1
Arkansas*
July 1
Florida
January 1
Georgia
March 1
Kentucky*
October 1
Louisiana
May 1
March 1
North Carolina
April 1
South Carolina** September 1
March 1
* Split-point increase has not been filed by NCCI. Date shown is the
anticipated effective date.
** Split-point increase has been filed with the state and is awaiting approval.
Split Point Changes for a $25,000 Lost-time Claim
$25,000—
This year, NCCI is increasing the split point again–from
$10,000 to $13,500—which means that the first $13,500 of
every loss will now be allocated as primary. For example,
a loss of $15,000 will equal $13,500 in primary losses and
$1,500 in excess losses. In 2015, the split point is expected
to grow again to more than $15,000 (with adjustments for
inflation).
$11,500
Excess
$20,000—
$15,000
Excess
$10,000
Excess
$15,000—
$13,500—
$10,000—
Want to know more about the NCCI split-point change?
Visit our website and check out past editions of the
COMPpress. (Click on Employer Resources and then
Print Materials.) ■
$5,000—
$10,000
Primary
$13,500
Primary
Current
2014
Primary
Obesity in the workplace:
Use technology for
support and accountability
Lori Adams is the national
industry director for health
care with Liberty Mutual’s risk
quality assessment department.
In Liberty Mutual’s Research
to Reality report, she offered
these thoughts for implementing
a workplace wellness program
that’s both beneficial to the
employee and that can make real
strides in improving costs.
Today’s online venues, such
as websites and social media
platforms, make it convenient for
people to participate in programs
that promote healthy eating
habits and physical activity. Such
programs also provide peer-topeer accountability and support
to help people stay on track with
their goals.
Offer a variety of
program options
Make it fun
Programs that promote
healthy habits can be a winwin for employers and their
employees, but no single
program is going to work
for everyone. Different
strategies are going to work
for different companies and different options are going to
attract different people. So, you have to offer a variety of
things. What’s important is to find ways to inspire people
to live more healthy lifestyles, at home and at work.
One company I worked with
set up a ‘Walking to Vegas’
competition. The goal was to
see which team could walk as
many miles as it would take to
walk to Las Vegas. This kind
of friendly competitive fun can
really motivate people to get consistent exercise. Nearly
anyone can participate, and it can help get heart rates up
and bring weight down. ■
Health education is vital
Mississippi
Tennessee Getting Started with Employee Wellness
$15,000
Primary
2015
Excess
Just because an item has 40 percent fewer calories or half
the fat of a comparable item, does not make it healthy.
Whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are the best
option...teach people to really read a food label and to
know which foods offer good nutrition and which do not.
Your wellness
program could
include:
In-house fitness centers may only work for
some employees
Wellness
In most cases, those employees who would
use an on-site fitness center are
already exercising. That
“With rising
doesn’t mean it’s not a good
idea, but the employer
health-care costs,
has to be realistic. Many
growing numbers of older
people are not going
workers and the increasingly
to be comfortable
sedentary nature of many modernexercising in front
of their coworkers.
day jobs, helping employees
On-site
fitness centers
stay healthy on the job can have
also fail to address the
significant benefits. It’s good for
health of the growing
workers, but it’s also good
numbers of remote
workers.
business practice.”
Health
communications (email, newsletter, etc.)
risk assessments or screenings
Workshops
Walking
Breaks
A
during the workday for physical activity
snacks available on site
policy of healthful foods for meetings
Fitness
classes
Smoking
cessation classes
Giveaways
such as water bottles, insulated lunch
bags, pedometers and health-focused cookbooks
—Lori Adams
www.summitholdings.com
www.summitholdings.com
❷
❸
More than one third of the nation’s adults have




a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater,
meeting the clinical definition of obesity.*
Obese patients have a significantly increased
risk for hypertension, type 2 diabetes and
heart disease.*
U.S. employers spend more than $200 billion
annually in health-care costs because of
obesity-related health conditions.*
Obesity is associated with a 25 percent higher
risk of work-related injury.*
In June 2013, the American Medical Association
classified obesity as a treatable disease. The
implications for workers’ comp claims are still
unclear.
* Information provided by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute, Research to Reality, Spring 2013.
Post Your OSHA 300A Form
As of February 1, employers must post their company’s
2013 OSHA Summary of Work-Related Injuries and
Illnesses (Form 300A). The summary must be posted in a
visible location for a three-month period (from February
1 through April 30) so that all employees can be made
aware of the injuries and illnesses that occurred in their
workplace. If you have more than one physical location,
you must post the summary at each one. For more
information, please visit www.osha.gov.
Please note, there are partially exempt industries that
may not be required to keep OSHA injury and illness
records. To find out if your business is exempt, please
visit www.osha.gov/recordkeeping. ■
on wellness issues
or other exercise programs
Healthful
Did you know?
Liberty Mutual Agrees to Sell
Summit to AFG
On January 9, Liberty Mutual Insurance reached a
definitive agreement to sell Summit Holding Southeast,
Inc. and its related companies to American Financial
Group (AFG) in an all-cash transaction. Following the
transaction, Summit will continue to operate under the
Summit brand as a member of AFG’s Great American
Insurance Group. Summit’s operations will continue as
normal, and the status of your policy with Summit is
not affected. Please contact your agent if you have any
questions or visit our website at www.summitholdings.com.
Note: The transaction is subject to customary regulatory
approvals. ■
Submit Your Nomination for the
2014 Florida Retailer of the Year
The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) is accepting
nominations until April 10, for its Retailer of the Year
Award. The annual recognition program honors Florida
retailers who blend sound business practices with
a commitment to their community, customers and
employees. “The Retailer of the Year Award pays tribute
to the outstanding retailers who make Florida such
an energetic and vibrant state for business,” says Rick
McAllister, FRF president and CEO. The award is open
to both members and nonmembers of the Florida Retail
Federation. A selection panel made up of small business
owners and other retail experts ranks nominees based on
their scores in several categories measuring community
service and business acumen.
Nomination criteria: Anyone may make a nomination
and may submit more than one retailer for consideration
in any given award year. Previous nominees who didn’t
receive a top award may be nominated again. Selfnominations are appropriate. Nominees must have a
physical presence in the operation and/or management
of a retail business in Florida. To make a nomination
visit www.frf.org or call 1-888-357-3824. ■
Congratulations Shanon Materio,
2013 Florida Retailer of the Year!
Shanon Materio, president and
owner of McMow Art Glass (insured
by a Summit-managed carrier) in
Lake Worth, Florida, was named the
2013 Florida Retailer of the Year by
the Florida Retail Federation.
McMow Art Glass is insured by Bridgefield Employers Insurance
Company, a Summit-managed workers’ compensation insurance
program.
How to Reach Us
Summit offers a variety of services and programs aimed at
controlling your workers’ compensation costs and making
the most of your premium dollars. Here’s a sampling of
some of the tools we have available at no additional cost
to you.


Customer Service
1-800-282-7648
Report a Workplace Injury
2014 Issue 1
24 hours a day, 7 days a week by—
 Calling 1-800-762-7811,
 Faxing your report to 863-667-1871 or
 Visiting our website at
www.summitholdings.com (login required)
Online Business Center, where you can—
• Check claims activity
• Print and download loss runs
• Print certificates of insurance (COIs) or waivers
• Find a doctor in our workers’ comp network
Spotlighting Employee Wellness:
What’s doubling your claims costs?
There’s an insidious threat out
there ratcheting up workers’ comp
claims dollars. It’s not new, but it’s
multiplying fast. And as you read
this, it’s probably already in place at
your company, perhaps before the first
injury of 2014 even occurs. It’s called a
comorbidity.
Florida/Corporate Office
Back2Work®, Summit’s return-to-work program gives you the tools you need to create a plan for your business.
1-800-282-7648 • 863-665-6060
Southeast Region

Open
for Business. Create and save your own
detailed plan for disaster recovery online—it’s free!
Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee
1-800-971-2667 • 678-450-5825
Open for Business is now OFB-EZ
On January 1, the Insurance Institute for Business
& Home Safety (IBHS) launched OFB-EZ, a new,
streamlined business continuity program for small
businesses. Open for Business has been a great tool for
insureds for a number of years, and this new, eight-step
version of the program promises a solid continuity plan
with a less intensive initial setup process.
Southwest Region
Arkansas, Alabama,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas
1-800-421-2944 • 225-926-3264

Specialized
Summit Manages
RetailFirst Insurance Company
Tailored loss-control services,** including—
• Safety consultations
• Drug-free workplace assistance
• Safety education, training materials, classes
and webinars
Retailers Casualty Insurance Company
ƒƒ They’re creeping up more and more often.
Recently, the National Council on Compensation Insurance
(NCCI) released a study reviewing nationwide data on
comorbidities in workers’ comp patients. According to
the study, the percentage of workers’ comp claims with a
comorbid diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension or obesity
nearly tripled between the years 2000 and 2009. Drug abuse
(which includes tobacco and alcohol abuse) as a comorbid
diagnosis actually quadrupled in the same time span.
Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Company
Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company

For more
information, tips on workers’ comp and
frequently asked questions, visit our website at
www.summitholdings.com.
* Proprietary network in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
In Arkansas and Texas, Summit uses contracted networks that offer
our clients benefits comparable to our proprietary arrangement.
** RetailFirst Insurance Company, BusinessFirst Insurance Company,
Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company, Bridgefield Casualty
Insurance Company and Retailers Casualty Insurance Company provide
policyholders with accident prevention services at no additional cost.
Summit Consulting LLC has used its best efforts to select
information for this publication from reliable sources, but cannot
warrant that it is complete or accurate. Summit Consulting LLC
does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person
for loss or damages caused by error or omission. Please check
with your agent or attorney for details about the laws as they
may affect your specific business situation.
For a list of sources related to the information
contained in this newsletter, please visit our
website: www.summitholdings.com
3/14 (13-210)
www.summitholdings.com
❹
ƒƒ They can increase the cost of the claim dramatically.
According to NCCI, the average medical cost for a workers’
compensation claim in the study was $2,490. This number
skyrocketed when those with comorbid conditions were
singled out.
So how do comorbidities impact your workers’
comp costs?
BusinessFirst Insurance Company

ƒƒ They’re a serious burden for our aging workforce.
In general, older employees are more prone to some of the
more common comorbidities, such as hypertension and
diabetes. Add a workers’ comp claim, and the combination
can lead to a lengthy and frustrating experience for both
you and your employee.
A comorbidity is a medical condition that exists simultaneously
with (and usually independently from) the condition being
treated. For example, a patient who is being treated for a back
injury could also have diabetes. During the treatment of the
back injury, diabetes would be considered the comorbidity.
Comorbidities can be any medical condition, but the four
most common are obesity, diabetes, hypertension and drug
abuse.
www.summitholdings.com
provider network,* consisting of more
than 16,000 doctors and specialists experienced in
occupational medicine and workers’ compensation.
Cases with a comorbid diagnosis, however, are usually
evenly split between medical-only and those requiring
indemnity payments. (Fifty percent of claims with a drug
abuse diagnosis, and 55 percent of claims with a diabetes
diagnosis include lost time.) Obesity falls on the upper end
of the scale, with 81 percent of cases involving an obese
injured worker resulting in indemnity payments.
For those in the medical industry, the concept of comorbidity
is probably old hat. But for most people, it’s a bit of a strangesounding term. So, let’s define it.
© 2014 Summit Consulting LLC
With $200 and a dream, Materio
and her husband, Phil, founded
McMow Art Glass in 1976. Since
then, the company has grown from
a 700-square-foot garage to 10,000
square feet of studio, retail, and manufacturing space.
The Materios are known for creating custom art glass for
places of worship, as well as individuals. Among their
clientele was the late Italian designer Gianni Versace,
with whom Materio worked closely to create art glass
installations for his famous South Beach mansion. At the
core of their success is a commitment to customer service.
“We don’t see dollar signs when a person walks through
the door,” said Materio. “We see a person who is going
to ask questions and need help with something. Our
customers have really responded to this level of care and
attention.” ■
What Can Summit Do for You?
Comorbid Condition
Average medical claim cost*
Drug abuse
$13,717
Diabetes
$15,897
Hypertension
$15,656
Obesity cost results not published by the study
*Compared to $2,490 when no comorbid condition is present.
To account for other factors that could be influencing
these costs, NCCI adjusted the numbers for the injured
workers’ state, year of injury, gender, industry and type
of injury. Even after accounting for all of these factors,
cases involving comorbidity were still twice as costly as
comparable claims.
ƒƒ They have a major impact on return to work.
While comorbid conditions are not usually covered under
workers’ comp, they can definitely slow down a patient’s
recovery and return to work. The NCCI study took a close
look at the impact of these conditions on lost-time wage
payments (indemnity). Normally, the majority of workers’
comp claims are classified as medical-only, meaning the
injured worker returns to the job quickly enough that
the claim never results in indemnity payments. Only
19 percent of all claims include lost-time payments.
What’s the solution?
A big part of the reason we’re seeing more cases of obesity,
diabetes, etc., in workers’ comp is simply because these
conditions are on the rise in the general population. That’s a
problem without a quick fix. But, there are steps you can take
to help your employees improve their health. Check out the
rest of this issue of COMPpress to find out more. ■
www.summitholdings.com
❶
A Message from Carol Sipe, Summit president and CEO
Wellness programs create big wins for you and your employees
Carol Sipe
Summit President and
CEO
When a New Year arrives each year,
many of us take the opportunity to
start fresh, setting both personal
and professional goals. Healthy
living tops the list of resolutions for
many people. That means this could
be the perfect time to implement an
employee wellness program, if you
don’t have one already.
team warming up before a game, a group of coworkers
headed out for a trail run on a Saturday morning, or just
folks out for an occasional stroll around campus, I’m
always encouraged to see our people up and moving.
Staying fit not only impacts employee health, it can also
have a big impact on your bottom line. You already
know healthy employees can save you money on health
insurance plans. But their overall health can also impact
your workers’ comp claims costs. To find out more, take a
look at this issue of COMPpress, where we share some of
the costliest health issues in comp, and some simple ways
to start reversing those numbers.
Employee wellness can start small. Here at Summit, you
won’t find vending machines with sodas and sweets.
Instead, there are bowls of fresh fruit in the break rooms
each week. We also try to create an environment where
people enjoy exercise. Whether it’s our Summit softball
NCCI Split Point Increases to $13,500
This year, the National Council on Compensation
Insurance (NCCI) is once again making a change to the
way your workers’ compensation insurance premium
is calculated. The goal is to more accurately calculate
the experience modification factor (mod) as claims costs
rise. Generally, this means that employers who are safety
conscious will be rewarded with a reduction in their mods
which means lower premiums. Those who aren’t safe will
likely see an increase.
2014 Split point Effective Dates
How it works
To determine your experience mod, each claim is divided
into a primary and excess portion. Primary losses are
counted in full, but only a percentage (typically 5 to 15
percent) of the excess portion is included. In 2013, the split
point—the line between primary and excess—increased
from its 25-year-long position of $5,000 to $10,000.
State
Effective Dates
Alabama
March 1
Arkansas*
July 1
Florida
January 1
Georgia
March 1
Kentucky*
October 1
Louisiana
May 1
March 1
North Carolina
April 1
South Carolina** September 1
March 1
* Split-point increase has not been filed by NCCI. Date shown is the
anticipated effective date.
** Split-point increase has been filed with the state and is awaiting approval.
Split Point Changes for a $25,000 Lost-time Claim
$25,000—
This year, NCCI is increasing the split point again–from
$10,000 to $13,500—which means that the first $13,500 of
every loss will now be allocated as primary. For example,
a loss of $15,000 will equal $13,500 in primary losses and
$1,500 in excess losses. In 2015, the split point is expected
to grow again to more than $15,000 (with adjustments for
inflation).
$11,500
Excess
$20,000—
$15,000
Excess
$10,000
Excess
$15,000—
$13,500—
$10,000—
Want to know more about the NCCI split-point change?
Visit our website and check out past editions of the
COMPpress. (Click on Employer Resources and then
Print Materials.) ■
$5,000—
$10,000
Primary
$13,500
Primary
Current
2014
Primary
Obesity in the workplace:
Use technology for
support and accountability
Lori Adams is the national
industry director for health
care with Liberty Mutual’s risk
quality assessment department.
In Liberty Mutual’s Research
to Reality report, she offered
these thoughts for implementing
a workplace wellness program
that’s both beneficial to the
employee and that can make real
strides in improving costs.
Today’s online venues, such
as websites and social media
platforms, make it convenient for
people to participate in programs
that promote healthy eating
habits and physical activity. Such
programs also provide peer-topeer accountability and support
to help people stay on track with
their goals.
Offer a variety of
program options
Make it fun
Programs that promote
healthy habits can be a winwin for employers and their
employees, but no single
program is going to work
for everyone. Different
strategies are going to work
for different companies and different options are going to
attract different people. So, you have to offer a variety of
things. What’s important is to find ways to inspire people
to live more healthy lifestyles, at home and at work.
One company I worked with
set up a ‘Walking to Vegas’
competition. The goal was to
see which team could walk as
many miles as it would take to
walk to Las Vegas. This kind
of friendly competitive fun can
really motivate people to get consistent exercise. Nearly
anyone can participate, and it can help get heart rates up
and bring weight down. ■
Health education is vital
Mississippi
Tennessee Getting Started with Employee Wellness
$15,000
Primary
2015
Excess
Just because an item has 40 percent fewer calories or half
the fat of a comparable item, does not make it healthy.
Whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are the best
option...teach people to really read a food label and to
know which foods offer good nutrition and which do not.
Your wellness
program could
include:
In-house fitness centers may only work for
some employees
Wellness
In most cases, those employees who would
use an on-site fitness center are
already exercising. That
“With rising
doesn’t mean it’s not a good
idea, but the employer
health-care costs,
has to be realistic. Many
growing numbers of older
people are not going
workers and the increasingly
to be comfortable
sedentary nature of many modernexercising in front
of their coworkers.
day jobs, helping employees
On-site
fitness centers
stay healthy on the job can have
also fail to address the
significant benefits. It’s good for
health of the growing
workers, but it’s also good
numbers of remote
workers.
business practice.”
Health
communications (email, newsletter, etc.)
risk assessments or screenings
Workshops
Walking
Breaks
A
during the workday for physical activity
snacks available on site
policy of healthful foods for meetings
Fitness
classes
Smoking
cessation classes
Giveaways
such as water bottles, insulated lunch
bags, pedometers and health-focused cookbooks
—Lori Adams
www.summitholdings.com
www.summitholdings.com
❷
❸
More than one third of the nation’s adults have




a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater,
meeting the clinical definition of obesity.*
Obese patients have a significantly increased
risk for hypertension, type 2 diabetes and
heart disease.*
U.S. employers spend more than $200 billion
annually in health-care costs because of
obesity-related health conditions.*
Obesity is associated with a 25 percent higher
risk of work-related injury.*
In June 2013, the American Medical Association
classified obesity as a treatable disease. The
implications for workers’ comp claims are still
unclear.
* Information provided by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute, Research to Reality, Spring 2013.
Post Your OSHA 300A Form
As of February 1, employers must post their company’s
2013 OSHA Summary of Work-Related Injuries and
Illnesses (Form 300A). The summary must be posted in a
visible location for a three-month period (from February
1 through April 30) so that all employees can be made
aware of the injuries and illnesses that occurred in their
workplace. If you have more than one physical location,
you must post the summary at each one. For more
information, please visit www.osha.gov.
Please note, there are partially exempt industries that
may not be required to keep OSHA injury and illness
records. To find out if your business is exempt, please
visit www.osha.gov/recordkeeping. ■
on wellness issues
or other exercise programs
Healthful
Did you know?
Liberty Mutual Agrees to Sell
Summit to AFG
On January 9, Liberty Mutual Insurance reached a
definitive agreement to sell Summit Holding Southeast,
Inc. and its related companies to American Financial
Group (AFG) in an all-cash transaction. Following the
transaction, Summit will continue to operate under the
Summit brand as a member of AFG’s Great American
Insurance Group. Summit’s operations will continue as
normal, and the status of your policy with Summit is
not affected. Please contact your agent if you have any
questions or visit our website at www.summitholdings.com.
Note: The transaction is subject to customary regulatory
approvals. ■
Submit Your Nomination for the
2014 Florida Retailer of the Year
The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) is accepting
nominations until April 10, for its Retailer of the Year
Award. The annual recognition program honors Florida
retailers who blend sound business practices with
a commitment to their community, customers and
employees. “The Retailer of the Year Award pays tribute
to the outstanding retailers who make Florida such
an energetic and vibrant state for business,” says Rick
McAllister, FRF president and CEO. The award is open
to both members and nonmembers of the Florida Retail
Federation. A selection panel made up of small business
owners and other retail experts ranks nominees based on
their scores in several categories measuring community
service and business acumen.
Nomination criteria: Anyone may make a nomination
and may submit more than one retailer for consideration
in any given award year. Previous nominees who didn’t
receive a top award may be nominated again. Selfnominations are appropriate. Nominees must have a
physical presence in the operation and/or management
of a retail business in Florida. To make a nomination
visit www.frf.org or call 1-888-357-3824. ■
Congratulations Shanon Materio,
2013 Florida Retailer of the Year!
Shanon Materio, president and
owner of McMow Art Glass (insured
by a Summit-managed carrier) in
Lake Worth, Florida, was named the
2013 Florida Retailer of the Year by
the Florida Retail Federation.
McMow Art Glass is insured by Bridgefield Employers Insurance
Company, a Summit-managed workers’ compensation insurance
program.
How to Reach Us
Summit offers a variety of services and programs aimed at
controlling your workers’ compensation costs and making
the most of your premium dollars. Here’s a sampling of
some of the tools we have available at no additional cost
to you.


Customer Service
1-800-282-7648
Report a Workplace Injury
2014 Issue 1
24 hours a day, 7 days a week by—
 Calling 1-800-762-7811,
 Faxing your report to 863-667-1871 or
 Visiting our website at
www.summitholdings.com (login required)
Online Business Center, where you can—
• Check claims activity
• Print and download loss runs
• Print certificates of insurance (COIs) or waivers
• Find a doctor in our workers’ comp network
Spotlighting Employee Wellness:
What’s doubling your claims costs?
There’s an insidious threat out
there ratcheting up workers’ comp
claims dollars. It’s not new, but it’s
multiplying fast. And as you read
this, it’s probably already in place at
your company, perhaps before the first
injury of 2014 even occurs. It’s called a
comorbidity.
Florida/Corporate Office
Back2Work®, Summit’s return-to-work program gives you the tools you need to create a plan for your business.
1-800-282-7648 • 863-665-6060
Southeast Region

Open
for Business. Create and save your own
detailed plan for disaster recovery online—it’s free!
Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee
1-800-971-2667 • 678-450-5825
Open for Business is now OFB-EZ
On January 1, the Insurance Institute for Business
& Home Safety (IBHS) launched OFB-EZ, a new,
streamlined business continuity program for small
businesses. Open for Business has been a great tool for
insureds for a number of years, and this new, eight-step
version of the program promises a solid continuity plan
with a less intensive initial setup process.
Southwest Region
Arkansas, Alabama,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas
1-800-421-2944 • 225-926-3264

Specialized
Summit Manages
RetailFirst Insurance Company
Tailored loss-control services,** including—
• Safety consultations
• Drug-free workplace assistance
• Safety education, training materials, classes
and webinars
Retailers Casualty Insurance Company
ƒƒ They’re creeping up more and more often.
Recently, the National Council on Compensation Insurance
(NCCI) released a study reviewing nationwide data on
comorbidities in workers’ comp patients. According to
the study, the percentage of workers’ comp claims with a
comorbid diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension or obesity
nearly tripled between the years 2000 and 2009. Drug abuse
(which includes tobacco and alcohol abuse) as a comorbid
diagnosis actually quadrupled in the same time span.
Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Company
Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company

For more
information, tips on workers’ comp and
frequently asked questions, visit our website at
www.summitholdings.com.
* Proprietary network in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
In Arkansas and Texas, Summit uses contracted networks that offer
our clients benefits comparable to our proprietary arrangement.
** RetailFirst Insurance Company, BusinessFirst Insurance Company,
Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company, Bridgefield Casualty
Insurance Company and Retailers Casualty Insurance Company provide
policyholders with accident prevention services at no additional cost.
Summit Consulting LLC has used its best efforts to select
information for this publication from reliable sources, but cannot
warrant that it is complete or accurate. Summit Consulting LLC
does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person
for loss or damages caused by error or omission. Please check
with your agent or attorney for details about the laws as they
may affect your specific business situation.
For a list of sources related to the information
contained in this newsletter, please visit our
website: www.summitholdings.com
3/14 (13-210)
www.summitholdings.com
❹
ƒƒ They can increase the cost of the claim dramatically.
According to NCCI, the average medical cost for a workers’
compensation claim in the study was $2,490. This number
skyrocketed when those with comorbid conditions were
singled out.
So how do comorbidities impact your workers’
comp costs?
BusinessFirst Insurance Company

ƒƒ They’re a serious burden for our aging workforce.
In general, older employees are more prone to some of the
more common comorbidities, such as hypertension and
diabetes. Add a workers’ comp claim, and the combination
can lead to a lengthy and frustrating experience for both
you and your employee.
A comorbidity is a medical condition that exists simultaneously
with (and usually independently from) the condition being
treated. For example, a patient who is being treated for a back
injury could also have diabetes. During the treatment of the
back injury, diabetes would be considered the comorbidity.
Comorbidities can be any medical condition, but the four
most common are obesity, diabetes, hypertension and drug
abuse.
www.summitholdings.com
provider network,* consisting of more
than 16,000 doctors and specialists experienced in
occupational medicine and workers’ compensation.
Cases with a comorbid diagnosis, however, are usually
evenly split between medical-only and those requiring
indemnity payments. (Fifty percent of claims with a drug
abuse diagnosis, and 55 percent of claims with a diabetes
diagnosis include lost time.) Obesity falls on the upper end
of the scale, with 81 percent of cases involving an obese
injured worker resulting in indemnity payments.
For those in the medical industry, the concept of comorbidity
is probably old hat. But for most people, it’s a bit of a strangesounding term. So, let’s define it.
© 2014 Summit Consulting LLC
With $200 and a dream, Materio
and her husband, Phil, founded
McMow Art Glass in 1976. Since
then, the company has grown from
a 700-square-foot garage to 10,000
square feet of studio, retail, and manufacturing space.
The Materios are known for creating custom art glass for
places of worship, as well as individuals. Among their
clientele was the late Italian designer Gianni Versace,
with whom Materio worked closely to create art glass
installations for his famous South Beach mansion. At the
core of their success is a commitment to customer service.
“We don’t see dollar signs when a person walks through
the door,” said Materio. “We see a person who is going
to ask questions and need help with something. Our
customers have really responded to this level of care and
attention.” ■
What Can Summit Do for You?
Comorbid Condition
Average medical claim cost*
Drug abuse
$13,717
Diabetes
$15,897
Hypertension
$15,656
Obesity cost results not published by the study
*Compared to $2,490 when no comorbid condition is present.
To account for other factors that could be influencing
these costs, NCCI adjusted the numbers for the injured
workers’ state, year of injury, gender, industry and type
of injury. Even after accounting for all of these factors,
cases involving comorbidity were still twice as costly as
comparable claims.
ƒƒ They have a major impact on return to work.
While comorbid conditions are not usually covered under
workers’ comp, they can definitely slow down a patient’s
recovery and return to work. The NCCI study took a close
look at the impact of these conditions on lost-time wage
payments (indemnity). Normally, the majority of workers’
comp claims are classified as medical-only, meaning the
injured worker returns to the job quickly enough that
the claim never results in indemnity payments. Only
19 percent of all claims include lost-time payments.
What’s the solution?
A big part of the reason we’re seeing more cases of obesity,
diabetes, etc., in workers’ comp is simply because these
conditions are on the rise in the general population. That’s a
problem without a quick fix. But, there are steps you can take
to help your employees improve their health. Check out the
rest of this issue of COMPpress to find out more. ■
www.summitholdings.com
❶