Class Action Filed After Insurance Department Voids Side Agreement

A class-action lawsuit filed with the federal court in Sacramento accuses Applied Underwriters, California Insurance Co. and affiliated companies of unfair business practices and fraud for using side agreements recently voided by the California Department of Insurance to modify terms of coverage under the EquityComp workers' compensation program. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Jan. 21 signed an order adopting the proposed decision of an administrative law judge declaring provisions in a "reinsurance participation agreement" were unenforceable because the document had not b...