Insurance news: New coverage for some adult kids, Hawaii insurance fees up, and Paris pioneers insurance for subway scofflaws

Auburn Reporter: Some health plans covering adult kids early

AP: Health coverage extensions for young not universal: "These voluntary extensions come with a host of qualifications. Whether your child gets one also can depend on your employer."

WP: Quicker coverage sought for federal workers’ adult children: "Lawmakers introduced a measure Tuesday that would allow the Office of Personnel Management to extend health-care coverage to the adult children of federal workers before the new federal health-care law takes effect next year. Several health insurance companies plan to extend health-care coverage to adult children up to age 26 starting in June, but current federal law prohibits OPM from doing the same for workers in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program."

Hawaii boosts insurance fees to help offset its budget shortfall "One insurance bill, SB 2159, raises the fee insurers pay to obtain copies of a driver’s record, from $7 to $20. HB 1985 doubles more than 30 other fees that are paid by insurance companies, agents, brokers, adjusters and other insurance entities. HB 2600 requires insurance companies to put systems in place to pay premium taxes monthly rather than quarterly, which has been the long-standing practice, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America."

HHS: Sebelius calls on governors and insurance commissioners to re-examine any WellPoint health insurance rate increases in their states (Includes text of letter)

NM Insurance Chief Resigns After Blue Cross Flap

Health insurance ministry members pay claims directly to other believers: "Masters, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is part of a growing number of Americans who are members of faith-based "health sharing ministries" where members directly pay for each others' medical bills."

Pharmacist sentenced to 4 years for defrauding insurance company (Iowa case)

(Houston TV station) Saving Cents: Buy car insurance by the mile: "There’s a first-of-its-kind auto insurance company in Texas that sells coverage by the mile. The company is called MileMeter, and is based in Dallas. The policies are great for people who live close to their jobs, those in the military who leave a car behind that is unused, retirees who do not drive much and those with a second car or truck that rarely leaves the garage."

(MI) Wayne County assistant prosecutor to tackle only arson-for-hire cases: "A state insurance coalition has raised enough money to pay an assistant Wayne County prosecutor to handle nothing but arson-for-hire cases."

NPR: Don’t pay your fare on the subway? There’s insurance for that: "Groups of free riders on the Paris Metro have created informal insurance pools that pay the fine when riders get caught. The groups call themselves mutuelles des fraudeurs -- fraudster mutuals. The fraudsters pay into a into a central fund. Then, whoever gets caught riding for free can draw from the fund to pay the fine, which starts at about $75."