Santa Clara County firm known for personal injury and criminal defense includes insurance law as part of practice

San Jose, California (PRWEB) August 16, 2017

Jachimowicz Law Group, which maintains offices in both San Jose and Morgan Hill, California, recently declared a renewed effort to provide clients counsel on matters pertaining to insurance law.

Jachimowicz Law Group provides representation in a number of insurance law-related matters. Clients can rely on the firm’s knowledge in areas including short-term, and long-term disability, health insurance disputes, life insurance denials, defense of civil action, theft from your business, and home owners’ insurance disputes. Jachimowicz Law Group also assists clients with concerns related to both the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

“The practice of insurance law along with that of personal injury and criminal defense matters allows us to help more people seek the relief they are due.” stated Jachimowicz Law Group Partner Albie B. Jachimowicz. “We are confident the knowledge and experience our team of attorneys provides to clients will result in favorable outcomes for those who counsel.”

To strengthen its Insurance Law practice, Jachimowicz Law Group has secured the of counsel services of Attorney Joel P. Waelty to assist clients in their disputes with insurers and employers. He brings extensive experience handling a wide variety of workplace disputes and pursuit of wrongfully denied benefits on behalf of policyholders. Mr. Waelty graduated from the University of California at Berkley before earning his law degree from the University of California Hastings School of Law in 2003.

About Jachimowicz Law Group: 

Jachimowicz Law Group represents Northern California clients in matters of criminal defense and personal injury. The firm also has experience in cases of employment law, workplace accidents and business litigation. They have convenient office locations in San Jose and Morgan Hill. To schedule a free consultation with one of the attorneys, call 408-246-5500 or visit http://www.jachlawgroup.com. Reported by PRWeb 14 hours ago.

Cigna TTK has filed an application with the IRDAI to increase Cigna's stake from 26% to 49% in the joint venture. The increase in stake is subject to regulatory approvals.

Cigna TTK Health Insurance a joint venture between US-based global health service leader, Cigna Corporation and Indian conglomerate TTK Group. Cigna TTK is a standalone health insurance company having a pan-India presence, headquartered in Mumbai. Cigna TTK, currently has over three lakh customers in India with a network of 15 branches, and is present in 6,000 locations through its point of sales network.

Cigna TTK will continue to strengthen its market position in India by further growing its distribution network through expansion and new alliances. Reported by Deccan Herald 7 hours ago.

Achieving PCI DSS, ISAE 3402, HIPAA, SSAE 18 and SOC 2 compliance demonstrates the company's ongoing commitment to safeguarding client data and focus on providing best-in-class data center operations.

San Jose, CA (PRWEB) August 16, 2017

Evocative, LLC, a leading provider of secure internet infrastructure solutions, today announced it has completed a rigorous series of data center audits and surpassed all security requirements for PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), International Standards for Assurance Engagements (ISAE) No. 3402, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 18 (SSAE-18), and Service Organization Control (SOC) 2. This achievement demonstrates Evocative’s dedication to its clients and commitment to maintaining the highest security and protocol standards with a single-minded focus on safeguarding client data.

Evocative data centers in Emeryville and San Jose, CA completed an on-site evaluation and thorough review by independent auditors of the PCI DSS, ISAE 3402, HIPAA, SSAE-18, and SOC 2 security organizations and have been awarded five compliance certifications associated with the management and secure storage of client data.

“As the trusted guardians of our clients’ internet infrastructure, it is our duty to provide them with a secure and highly available environment in which to store mission critical applications, data and equipment,” said Michael Smiley, Evocative’s Director of Operations.

“As cloud computing, managed IT services and colocation technology solutions continue to change to meet evolving business needs, we are committed to continually improving our security measures and internal operations. Being awarded five separate compliance certifications across our data centers has validated this commitment,” said Arman Khalili, Evocative’s CEO.

Evocative has been recognized for exceeding security standards for:· PCI DSS: Information security standards that safeguard credit and debit card transactions and personal financial data.
· ISAE 3402: International assurance standards to protect shareholders and the public at large from accounting errors and fraudulent practices.
· HIPAA: National security standards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and security of electronic medical records and the creation, receipt, use or maintenance of all patient data.
· SSAE-18 Type II: Information security standards which put in place strict controls over data center hosting of client financial data. This new standard replaces SSAE-16 Type II audits effective May 1, 2017.
· SOC 2: Information security standards which regulate the security, availability and processing of client information in a data center environment.

Businesses in regulated industries including healthcare, financial services, legal, and banking, can also have a high level of trust and confidence that Evocative’s receipt of these security certifications will not only safeguard their data but make it easier for them to comply with their own regulations. With the use of Evocative data centers to store, manage and maintain their technology infrastructure, companies will be able to achieve their own compliance requirements in less time and at a decreased cost.

About Evocative
Evocative is a North American company and an owner and operator of secure, compliant, highly available data centers. We are the trusted guardians of our clients’ Internet infrastructure. To tour an Evocative data center or receive additional information on data center services, please visit http://www.evocative.com. Reported by PRWeb 12 hours ago.

US health insurance giant UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) re-shuffled its boardroom, with current president David Wichmann to take over the reins as chief executive. Wichmann will take up his new role at the start of September when current boss Stephen Hemsley takes up the newly-created position of executive chairman. The shake-up will also see chairman Richard Burke will become a lead independent director. “This is the right time for this transition to take place, as the company is performing strongly and has a positive outlook for the foreseeable future, and Dave Wichmann is the right choice to succeed as CEO for that future," Hemsley said in a statement. At 54, Wichmann is 11 years younger than Hemsley and he’s spent most of his working career at UnitedHealth in once capacity or another. He joined the insurer back in 1998 and held the position of chief financial officer from 2011 until last summer, when he was named president. Wichmann has also overseen UnitedHealthcare, the company’s benefits business for the past three years. UnitedHealth shares have climbed more than 20% so far this year and they were up another 1.5% or so in pre-market trade to US$194.50. Reported by Proactive Investors 12 hours ago.

The umbrella body of the industry, the General Insurance Council, does not have the segmented data on group health insurance losses. Reported by DNA 10 hours ago.

Hope Hicks has been one of Donald Trump’s advisors since the campaign, acting as a one-woman press shop early on in his candidacy who will now fill the void left by Anthony Scaramucci by serving as interim White House Communications Director. She’s also recently been acting as the director of strategic communications and has been mentioned as one of Trump’s most trusted staffers on a regular basis.

But who is this 28-year-old woman from Greenwich, Connecticut? During the campaign, while she was a spokeswoman, Hicks rarely spoke to reporters, much less appeared on TV. And before working for Trump, she’d never had a job in politics before.

Check out the essential things you need to know about Hicks below.

*Also Read:* Jimmy Kimmel Calls Trump 'Unhinged,' Prefers Cersei Lannister to Run the Country (Video)

After graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, with an English degree, Hicks worked at the New York PR firm Hiltzik Strategies, the company that Ivanka Trump hired to help with her fashion line. She met Trump through his eldest daughter, and according to GQ‘s 2016 profile on Hicks, was poached from Hiltzik Strategies after dressing like Ivanka to win Trump over.

*Also Read:* Hope Hicks Named as Interim White House Communications Director

“Hicks is a product not of Washington but of the Trump Organization, a marble-walled universe where one’s delightful agreeability and ferocious loyalty are worth more than conventional experience,” the profile says.

During the campaign, she helped Trump tweet, decided who would and would not receive interviews with him, and attempted to put out several fires: Pope Francis calling out Trump’s wall rhetoric; Corey Lewandowski allegedly grabbing Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields’s arm; and the leaked Access Hollywood tape that produced the infamous “grab ‘em by the p—-” line.

Hicks was also the only person in the room with Trump during his interview with the New York Times in July. You remember the one — Trump confusingly suggested he believes health insurance only costs $12 a year and blasted Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, among other things (that now pale in comparison to his remarks Tuesday).

*Also Read:* Hope Hicks: Who Is the Press-Shy Spokesperson for Donald Trump?

Before she became Trump’s righthand woman, Hicks dabbled in modeling and played lacrosse in college. “She is a hugger and a people pleaser, with long brown hair and green eyes, a young woman of distinctly all-American flavor — the sort that inspires Tom Petty songs, not riots,” as GQ described her in 2016.

Hicks was in Trump’s inner circle long before Sean Spicer or Scaramucci, the communications staffers who have most recently bitten the dust. She’s supposed to help Trump find a new, permanent communications director, so we’ll see if her history with the president will make her less vulnerable to the communications staffing curse.

*Related stories from TheWrap:*

Hope Hicks Named as Interim White House Communications Director

Hope Hicks: Who Is the Press-Shy Spokesperson for Donald Trump?

Barack Obama Makes Twitter History With Charlottesville Response

Trump Fan Misidentified as Charlottesville Protester Speaks Out About Death Threats, Lost Business Reported by The Wrap 8 hours ago.

It's a bold plan, but it might just work.

*The third time wasn't the charm for President Donald Trump when it came to addressing what happened in Charlottesville over the weekend.*

People across the political spectrum were stunned with what amounted to a full-throated defense of white nationalists. The New York Post's John Podhoretz called it "horrifying," CNN's Chris Cillizza warned that the speech signaled that Trump's presidency could be "headed to a very dark place," and a number of Republican members of Congress publicly distanced themselves from the president after his impromptu press conference in the Trump Tower lobby.

Also, it's not a reporter's job to say something was "nice." Come on, man. GIFs from Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube.

*Late night talk show hosts once again got in on the action of criticizing Trump's comments, but Jimmy Kimmel took a somewhat unique approach.*

He began with what we all know: that Trump is volatile and at times, can seem "unhinged." He got in some substantial criticism of Trump's comments, such as Trump's claim that there were "very fine people on both sides" of the Charlottesville protest.

"If you're with a group of people chanting things like, 'Jews will not replace us!' and you don't immediately leave that group, you are not a 'very fine person,'" Kimmel said.

*That's when Kimmel pivoted, choosing not to simply preach to the choir of "smug, annoying liberals," but instead addressing Trump voters directly.*

"I get it. I actually do," he said, offering empathy for people who felt so disaffected by the political system in the U.S. that they just wanted to "shake this Etch-a-Sketch hard and start over" with a political neophyte like Trump. But what does not make sense is why so many are continuing to stick by his side.

Since taking office, Trump's threatened a number of countries via Twitter, called the media the "enemy," skirted nepotism laws, launched a bogus "voter fraud" investigation, repeatedly confused the concept of health insurance with life insurance, divulged classified information to the Russians during an Oval Office meeting, endorsed police brutality, and so much more.

This probably isn't what Trump voters actually voted for, and Kimmel gets that. *He urged Trump voters to "treat the situation like you would if you'd put 'Star Wars' wallpaper in the kitchen: 'All right, I got caught up. I was excited. I made a mistake, and now it needs to go.'"*

*Trump voters: your voices matter, especially right now. He needs to hear from you.*

Urge him to take the job seriously. This is not a vanity project to earn him praise. *People's lives are at stake*.

But if appealing to vanity is the only way to get through to him, well, Kimmel has a tongue-in-cheek solution to that as well: King Trump.

The whole segment is great and is worth a watch by everyone across the political spectrum. We're all in this together. Reported by Upworthy 3 hours ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Donald Trump will make this month’s payments to insurers under the health-care law he wants to repeal and replace. Trump has repeatedly threatened to end the payments, which help reduce health insurance copays and deductibles. But a White House spokesman says “the August payment will be made.” […] Reported by Seattle Times 5 hours ago.

The so-called "cost-sharing" subsidies total about $7 billion this year and are considered vital to guarantee stability for consumers who buy their own individual health insurance policies. "State insurance commissioners have warned that abrupt cancellation of cost-sharing subsidies would cause premiums, copays and deductibles to increase and more insurance companies to leave the markets," said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The Congressional Budget Office reported this week that premiums for a popular type of individual health care plan under the Affordable Care Act would rise sharply, and that more people would be left without options for coverage, if Trump kept his threat to stop the payments. [...] ending the payments would only increase federal deficits since it would trigger a rise in separate health law subsidies for premiums, wiping out any potential savings. The subsidies are snared in a legal dispute over whether the Obama health care law properly approved the payments to insurers. Reported by SeattlePI.com 4 hours ago.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to end the payments, which help reduce health insurance copays and deductibles for people with modest incomes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
  Reported by USATODAY.com 3 hours ago.

The government will make this month's payments to insurers under the Obama-era health care law that President Donald Trump still wants to repeal and replace, a White House official said Wednesday, The Associated Press reports. Trump has repeatedly threatened to end the payments, which help reduce health insurance copays and deductibles for people with modest incomes, but remain under a legal cloud. A White House spokesman said "the August payment will be made," insisting on anonymity to discuss the decision ahead of the official announcement. The so-called "cost-sharing" subsidies total about $7 billion this year and are considered vital to guarantee stability for consumers who buy their own... Reported by WorldNews 3 hours ago.

Massachusetts health insurance companies will hike rates more on average for the last three months of the year since at least 2012. Reported by bizjournals 23 hours ago.

*Strong operating and commercial performance of the combined group; Solvency II ratio at 196%*

· Operating result ongoing business was up from EUR 321 million in 2Q16 to EUR 404 million, of which Delta Lloyd contributed EUR 49 million. The operating result excluding Delta Lloyd increased by EUR 33 million
· Net result was down 28.2% from 2Q16 to EUR 240 million, of which Delta Lloyd contributed EUR 21 million. The net result excluding Delta Lloyd decreased by EUR 115 million, reflecting a provision related to ING Australia Holdings partly compensated by higher non-operating items
· Strong commercial momentum: APE was up 43.1% from 2Q16 at constant currencies to EUR 400 million, of which Delta Lloyd contributed EUR 66 million. VNB for 6M17 was up 69.4% to EUR 170 million driven by Japan Life and Insurance Europe
· Solvency II ratio of NN Group was 196% reflecting the acquisition of Delta Lloyd, positive market impacts, operating return and the deduction of the 2017 interim dividend
· Holding company cash capital was EUR 1,731 million; including EUR 820 million dividends received from subsidiaries and EUR 500 million capital injection into Delta Lloyd Life
· Interim dividend 2017 of EUR 0.62 per ordinary share or approximately EUR 209 million

*Statement of Lard Friese, CEO*

'Today we are reporting our first fully consolidated set of quarterly results for NN Group and Delta Lloyd, and I am pleased with the strong overall performance of the combined group in the second quarter of 2017. We have seen a healthy contribution from Delta Lloyd, and almost all our segments reported improved results compared with a year earlier, most notably in Japan Life and Insurance Europe. The results of our Netherlands Non-life business were impacted this quarter by a EUR 40 million strengthening in the Property & Casualty insurance liabilities. We continued to deliver cost efficiencies across our businesses, leading to a further reduction of our cost base. The Solvency II ratio was 196%, providing a solid foundation for the combined group going forward. The commercial momentum we saw earlier has been sustained, as both sales and the value of our new business increased significantly, and NN Investment Partners again attracted robust Third Party net inflows.

We have made steady progress in our first quarter together with Delta Lloyd, and a start has been made to integrate our businesses, with the aim of taking the combined group into the next phase of our journey. Integrating two organisations and business cultures requires effort and focus. Throughout this process, our employees remain committed to deliver an excellent customer service, further innovate our businesses and to contribute to the societies in which we operate.

We are excited to start this new chapter as a combined group, reporting a first strong set of results. While we bring together the best of our businesses and cultures to integrate NN and Delta Lloyd in the Netherlands and Belgium, our focus remains on disciplined capital management, a strong balance sheet, and on driving ahead with full energy to further improve the customer experience across our 18 markets.'

*NN Group key figures*

In EUR million *2Q17* 2Q16 Change 6M17 6M16 Change
             
Operating result ongoing business ^1) 404 321 25.8% 810 626 29.4%
Net result 240 335 - 28.2% 676 605 11.6%
Net operating ROE ^1)9)22) 10.7% 8.6%   10.9% 8.6%  

  *2Q17* 1Q17 Change 6M17 6M16 Change
Solvency II ratio ^2) 196% 238%   196% 252%  

Note: All footnotes are included on page 31

*Quarterly Business Update*

NN Group's robust financial position provides a solid foundation for executing the company's strategy, which is to deliver an excellent customer experience based on transparent products and services and long-term relationships. NN Group aims to help people secure their financial futures, and is committed to delivering products and services that are easy to understand and meet customers' lifetime needs.

*Capturing growth*

With the acquisition of Delta Lloyd, NN's proposition in the Dutch pension market was further strengthened, especially in the area of Defined Contribution (DC) pensions. Delta Lloyd brings significant additional DC business to the existing NN portfolio, leading to a combined #1 market position in DC. The first half of 2017 also showed a steady inflow of new contracts at AZL, NN Life's pension administrator, for a number of industry pension funds. These new contracts will significantly increase the total number of participants from almost 900,000 to 1,250,000 as from 1 January 2018.

Our general pension fund 'De Nationale APF' signed a contract with a new client, McCain. De Nationale APF is an independent entity which provides an attractive solution for pension funds and employers to comply with increasingly complex pension regulations and to benefit from economies of scale.

In the second quarter of 2017, the sale of protection products of Insurance Europe grew by 47.8% across the region compared with the same quarter in 2016. Several of our business units in Europe developed health products. For example, our Spanish business expanded the 'For You' proposition to tied agents. This product provides specific coverage for the diagnoses of breast cancer and offers specific services such as a second medical opinion, homecare and childcare services. A campaign raising awareness for cancer prevention, supported the marketing of the product.

NN Hellas in Greece introduced a new health insurance programme, 'NN Orange Health'. This is specifically designed to meet the needs of young families, as it covers up to six insured people in the same policy. NN Orange Health provides access to more than 40 private hospitals in Greece at an affordable price. It includes coverage abroad, medical expenses in the event of an accident, surgical allowance, and urgent transportation within Greece.

The NN Accident Insurance packages of NN Hungary have proven to be successful, with more than 10,000 policies sold to date, since its launch in the second quarter of 2016. Offered online, the packages provide specific coverage in the event of an accident, including coverage for daily hospital costs and loss of income, plus a rider covering the costs of physiotherapy, assistance service and help at home. The demand for this product shows that customers are becoming more conscious about preparing for the loss of income due to an accident. In addition to this, new riders were added to Motiva, NN Hungary's easy-to-understand pension insurance product.

NN Investment Partners saw positive net flows for Third Party assets for the fourth consecutive quarter amounting to EUR 3.1 billion in the second quarter. And our banking businesses - NN Bank and Delta Lloyd Bank - grew their combined mortgage portfolio by EUR 0.5 billion to EUR 17.4 billion in the second quarter of 2017. During that same period, their customer savings grew by EUR 0.2 billion to EUR 13.7 billion.

*Multi-access distribution*

NN Group serves its customers through multiple channels, comprising tied agents, bancassurance partners, brokers and direct channels.

Following the acquisition of Delta Lloyd, the distribution capabilities of NN Group have been expanded with the inclusion of its direct channel OHRA and bank distribution channel ABN AMRO Insurance in the Netherlands. ABN AMRO Insurance provides ABN AMRO customers with life and non-life insurance product and service solutions in the Retail and SME segments. With over a million customers serviced through call centres, internet and branches, ABN AMRO Insurance is an attractive bancassurance platform in the Netherlands. In Belgium, the distribution scope has been broadened with the brokers and direct channels of Delta Lloyd Life Belgium.

In the second quarter of 2017, our businesses in Europe added new banks to the bancassurance platform, through which life and non-life products are offered. NN Bulgaria added three new banks, and in the Czech Republic the cooperation with Moneta Money Bank is showing positive results with a significant increase in sales of life insurance policies and pensions. Nationale-Nederlanden in Poland started offering health insurance packages to customers through its strategic partnership with ING Bank Slaski, using their online banking channel.

NN Hayat ve Emeklilik launched a new partnership with Abank, a player in the Turkish and international market. This partnership enables customers to have access to NN Hayat ve Emeklilik's product portfolio through Abank's 53 branches across Turkey, over the next 5 years.

Bancassurance COLI sales for Japan Life increased by 26.4% at constant currencies, compared with the second quarter of 2016, despite increasing competition. Higher sales were driven by the higher bank activation and the expansion of the bank distribution network to 68 partners as of end of June 2017, compared with 57 partners a year earlier. Furthermore, Sumitomo Life started offering NN Life Japan's COLI products from the beginning of April 2017, contributing over 10% of Japan Life's total sales this quarter.

*Effective and efficient operations*

NN Group is committed to making its processes as efficient and effective as possible. The businesses in the Netherlands are working on the integration process with Delta Lloyd, but at the same time continue to implement efficiency initiatives. For example, NN Life is separating its pension business into Pension Services and Pensions New Business to further improve the customer experience for both segments.

Furthermore, NN Life has successfully migrated around 140,000 policies to a new platform. This system creates a flexible cost structure and enables our customers and tied agents to see their product details online.

*Innovation*

NN's innovation lab, Sparklab, in Hungary is developing several health initiatives, including a mobile application connected to a smart device to help those living with diabetes. The aim of the project is to use technology to help people to take care of their health and make it easier to follow their health status and results. Sparklab in the Netherlands launched 'Bundelz', the first prepaid car insurance. It allows customers to buy a 1,000-kilometre bundle of car insurance, instead of paying a monthly premium. This user based service is ideal for drivers who only drive occasionally, or short distances. The Dutch Cyber Collective, an NN initiative supporting SMEs to reduce cybercrime, launched the 'Cyberwacht', an emergency service for hacked companies. The Cyberwacht limits damage, investigates causes and removes malicious software.

We offer our agents and employees digital tools to simplify and improve the experience of our customers. For example, we are deploying new digital illustration tools for our agents to help customers select the right products and services. Paperless application processes, including electronic underwriting and biometric signatures, enable our customers to access our products and services effortlessly.

Movir, which offers individual disability insurance to self-employed workers in the Netherlands, joined forces with Totem Open Health, an innovative start-up in the mobile health sector, aimed at detecting and addressing people's high stress levels. Based on data from ECG sensors using Totem, a person's stress level can be monitored, which, if needed, prompts the user to seek timely help in order to prevent potential burnout.

*Other events*

As part of our commitment to society, NN Group endorsed the final recommendations of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures. A consistent disclosure framework helps us as an investor and insurer, to more effectively measure the financial implications of climate change. To demonstrate that climate change warrants specific attention, NN Group has published the carbon footprint of a large part of its proprietary assets, and joined the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC). These steps help us to engage with investee companies to encourage them to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the Paris Agreement.

OHRA, Delta Lloyd's direct distribution channel for healthcare and non-life protection products won a SAN Accent Award for its health insurance campaign in the Netherlands.

*NN Group Profile*

NN Group is an international insurance and asset management company, active in 18 countries, with a strong presence in a number of European countries and Japan. With all our employees the Group offers retirement services, pensions, insurance, investments and banking to approximately 17 million customers. NN Group's main brands are Nationale-Nederlanden, NN, Delta Lloyd, NN Investment Partners, ABN AMRO Insurance, Movir, AZL, BeFrank and OHRA. NN Group is listed on Euronext Amsterdam (NN).

*Investor conference call and webcast*

Lard Friese and Delfin Rueda will host an analyst and investor conference call to discuss the 2Q17 results at 10.00 am CET on Thursday 17 August 2017. Members of the investment community can join the conference call at +31 20 531 5865 (NL), +44 203 365 3210 (UK), +1 866 349 6093 (US) or follow the webcast on www.nn-group.com .

*Press call*

Lard Friese and Delfin Rueda will host a press call to discuss the 2Q17 results, which will be held at 12.00 pm CET on Thursday 17 August 2017. Journalists can join the press call at +31 (0)20 531 5863.

*Financial calendar*

· Publication 3Q17 results: 16 November 2017
· Capital Markets Day: 30 November 2017

  · Publication 4Q17 results: 15 February 2018
· Publication 1Q18 results: 17 May 2018

*Contact information*

*Press enquiries*

Saskia Kranendonk
+31 62 568 3835
saskia.kranendonk@nn-group.com   *Investor enquiries*

Investor Relations
+31 88 663 5464
investor.relations@nn-group.com

*Additional information on www.nn-group.com*

· NN Group 2Q17 Financial Supplement, NN Group 2Q17 Analyst Presentation
· NN Group 30 June 2017 Condensed consolidated interim financial information
· Photos of NN Group executives, buildings and events are available for download at Flickr

*Important legal information*

NN Group's Consolidated Annual Accounts are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union ("IFRS-EU") and with Part 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code.

In preparing the financial information in this document, the same accounting principles are applied as in the NN Group N.V. condensed consolidated interim financial information for the period ended 30 June 2017.

All figures in this document are unaudited. Small differences are possible in the tables due to rounding. Certain of the statements  contained herein are not historical facts, including, without limitation, certain statements made of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements due to, without limitation: (1) changes in general economic conditions, in particular economic conditions in NN Group's core markets, (2) changes in performance of financial markets, including developing markets, (3) consequences of a potential (partial) break-up of the euro or European Union countries leaving the European Union , (4) changes in the availability of, and costs associated with, sources of liquidity as well as conditions in the credit markets generally, (5) the frequency and severity of insured loss events, (6) changes affecting mortality and morbidity levels and trends, (7) changes affecting persistency levels, (8) changes affecting interest rate levels, (9) changes affecting currency exchange rates, (10) changes in investor, customer and policyholder behaviour, (11) changes in general competitive factors, (12) changes in laws and regulations and the interpretation and application thereof, (13) changes in the policies and actions of governments and/or regulatory authorities, (14) conclusions with regard to accounting assumptions and methodologies, (15) changes in ownership that could affect the future availability to NN Group  of net operating loss, net capital and built-in loss carry forwards, (16) changes in credit and financial strength ratings, (17) NN Group's ability to achieve projected operational synergies, (18) catastrophes and terrorist-related events, (19) adverse developments in legal and other proceedings and (20) the other risks and uncertainties contained in recent public disclosures made by NN Group.

Any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of NN Group speak only as of the date they are made, and, NN Group assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or for any other reason.
This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities.

NN Group Press Release 2Q17
--------------------This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: NN Group NV via GlobeNewswire

HUG#2127692 Reported by GlobeNewswire 20 hours ago.

In an earlier article I suggested eliminating all personal tax deductions, with a possible exception related to health care. One of the well-publicized problems with the American health care system is that employer-provided health insurance is not taxed, pushing us to a system in which people get health insurance from their employers. A better option would be to allow a competitive market in which people shop for their own health insurance, as they do with homeowner insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, and really, all insurance except for health insurance.

One way to change the system is to make employer-provided health insurance a taxable benefit, taking away the tax advantage of buying health insurance through one’s employer. That would impose a tax cost on those receiving the benefit, which could be offset by allowing everyone to deduct the cost of their health insurance from their taxable income.

One problem with the deduction is that those with higher incomes would benefit more from it than those with lower incomes whose tax liabilities may be less than what they would have to pay for health insurance. So, provide everyone with a refundable tax credit up to some limit, or maybe as a percentage of their premium cost. For example, the credit could be 85% of the cost of their premiums. This is not that original an idea, in that it is similar to one of the proposals John McCain made when he was running for president.

This policy would have a huge beneficial effect on the market for health care, although it would not be optimal for tax policy. Simply looking at the tax system, the best option would be just to tax employer-provided health insurance and use the extra revenues to lower tax rates for everyone. The problem is that politically, it would be very difficult to tax health insurance benefits without some offset. The tax credit provides a mechanism that would not impose a cost on those who now receive the benefit, would invigorate the market for health care and health insurance, and would encourage everyone to buy health insurance.

It is not a perfect policy, but it is a politically feasible way to improve on what we have now.

This article was published by The Beacon. Reported by Eurasia Review 20 hours ago.

Dr. Romeo Morales with Advanced Dermatology, P.C. Offers Tips to Consider Before Removing Those ‘Love Handles’

Albertson, NY (PRWEB) August 17, 2017

August 2017 - Get rid of fat – fast. Science is confirming the safety and effectiveness of various body-sculpting techniques to eliminate “love handles,” brassiere rolls, tummy bulges, large flanks and slightly over-sized buttocks in a matter of weeks without surgery, according to Romeo Morales, MD, of Advanced Dermatology, P.C.

But, don’t expect miracles, especially following the July 2017 public report indicating that more than 70 percent of adults in the United States are either overweight or obese.

Research generally concludes that nonsurgical cosmetic techniques to remove fat cells are mildly to moderately successful, but “they are not a substitute for healthy diet and exercise,” warns Dr. Morales, who is also an clinical instructor of dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City.

“The ideal candidate for these procedures is a person who is at, or close to, his or her ideal weight, but cannot get rid of unsightly accumulations of fat in certain areas of the body, despite best efforts,” Dr. Morales explains. “Body toning is not intended to help one lose weight. For the person who is overweight or obese, science has yet to concoct a magical potion that can melt away the fat. Only lifestyle changes will do that.”

Next to skin-tightening, the demand for cosmetic body-sculpting has risen dramatically during the past several years. A review article published in October 2016 in the International Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism indicated that noninvasive body-contouring techniques represent one of the fastest-growing areas of aesthetic medicine. And, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has presented data showing a more than 521 percent growth in nonsurgical body-contouring procedures during the past 20 years.

The popularity of these procedures is rooted in many people’s general insecurity about their body aesthetics, Dr. Morales says. Studies have indicated that improved body aesthetics enhance self-esteem, self-image and even social performance.

The basic premise underlying contouring techniques is to tone specific areas of the body by disrupting and destroying the fat cells there. The body then eliminates these dead cells naturally over time through the lymphatic system.

“Some people may have a genetic predisposition for developing fat pockets in certain areas -- like the thighs, the upper arms or the abdomen. No matter how active they are, no matter how healthy they eat, they just can’t seem to get rid of the bulges,” Dr. Morales says.

To accomplish fat-cell destruction, health practitioners now have at hand a variety of noninvasive tools – all approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. These include cooling devices (like CoolSculpting®) to freeze the fat, radiofrequency energy (Vanquish®, for example), high-intensity ultrasound waves (Liposonix®), and lasers (such as SculpSure® and Zerona®).

Although multiple treatments are usually required to achieve desired toning goals, these fat-eliminating techniques can be performed in a short period of time, without anesthesia, with minimal side effects, but with visible results that can enhance self-image, Dr. Morales says.

So, what’s not to like?
First, few comparative investigations have been done to show clearly what technique will have the best results for which patient. Author of an Aesthetic Surgery Journal article opined in March 2015 that “not much in the way of high-level evidence [is available] to support the use of any of the noninvasive body contouring devices” and that few comparative trials have been performed “to demonstrate the effectiveness of one technology over the other.”

Secondly, “success does not always breed success,” Dr. Morales said. “Unless someone who has achieved a desirable result commits to a healthy lifestyle – good nutrition and exercise, the fat will return.”

That’s because only a small percentage of fat cells are removed from treated areas. Fat tissue remains throughout the body, including underneath the skin and at the tops of the kidneys. Fat is also stored in the liver and muscle. As people gain weight, fat cells simply grow larger, storing greater amounts of a person’s unspent energy.

For those considering nonsurgical body toning, Dr. Morales offers this advice:·     Consult with a physician before undergoing any procedure.
·     Manage expectations. Know that nonsurgical approaches are intended to trim only an inch or two of unwanted fat from specific areas. They are not weight-loss tools.
·     Understand that desired results are not immediate, and multiple treatments may be needed.
·     Check your health insurance plan to determine what, if any coverage, is provided for these toning procedures
·     Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Otherwise, the body improvements achieved will be temporary at best.

Romeo Morales, M.D., F.A.A.D., is a board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology and specializing in medical and surgical dermatology.

Advanced Dermatology, P.C. and the Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery (New York & New Jersey) is one of the leading dermatology centers in the nation, offering highly experienced physicians in the fields of cosmetic and laser dermatology as well as plastic surgery and state-of-the-art medical technologies. http://www.advanceddermatologypc.com. Reported by PRWeb 18 hours ago.

When it comes to employee benefits administration, business owners typically think of health insurance but often neglect to consider their 401(k) plans. Since retirement plans don’t have to be renewed every year like some other benefit packages, it’s easy for 401(k)s and other retirement and investment vehicles to get overlooked. That’s about to change, thanks to updates to the Department of Labor’s Fiduciary Rule, which is expected to have a huge impact on the costs associated with managing… Reported by bizjournals 18 hours ago.

SHANGHAI and HONG KONG, Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter "Ping An" or the "Group", HKEx: 2318; SSE: 601318) today announced its 2017 interim results for the period ended June 30, 2017.

In the first half of 2017, the Group's overall results continued to grow steadily. Net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company rose 6.5% YoY to RMB43,427 million (up 38.8% YoY if the RMB9,497 million profit from Puhui's restructuring for the first half of 2016 is excluded). Equity attributable to shareholders of the parent company amounted to RMB425,780 million, up 11% from the beginning of the year. New business value generated by the life and health insurance business grew strongly by 46.2% YoY, driven by the Group's value creation strategy and the expanding scale and productivity of sales agents.

Backed by Ping An's sustainable growth and adequate solvency, an interim dividend of RMB0.50 per share to the shareholders for the six months ended June 30, 2017 has been proposed, 150% higher compared with the same period last year.

Profit from the Group's individual business for the first half of 2017 was RMB34,626 million, or 79.7% of Ping An's net profit, up 21.1 pps YoY, driven by increasing individual customers and continued exploitation of customer value. The three KPIs in evaluating the retail business value -- customer base, number of contracts per customer, and profit per customer -- all maintained steady growth. As at June 30, 2017, the Group had an overall individual customer base of 143 million persons, up 9.3% YTD; the number of contracts per customer at the group level rose 3.2% YTD to 2.28; the Group's profit per customer reached RMB241.66, 18.5% higher YoY.

*Ping An's major business highlights for Interim 2017 are as follow:*

· Net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company grew to RMB43,427 million (up 38.8% YoY if the RMB9,497 million profit from Puhui's restructuring for the first half of 2016 is excluded).
· Cash dividends increased significantly -- a cash dividend of RMB0.50 per share is proposed, 150.0% higher compared with the same period last year.
· The Group's operating ROEV (not annualized) reached 15.4%; the life and health insurance business's operating ROEV (not annualized) reached 21.8%.
· The integrated finance model was further improved as 26.1% of the Group's customers held multiple contracts with different subsidiaries.
· The individual customer base grew to 143 million persons, up 9.3% YTD; the number of contracts per customer at the group level hits 2.28; the profit per customer reached RMB241.66, indicating a steady increase in customer value.
· The number of new customers reached 18.54 million, of which 6.67 million were converted from the Group's internet users.
· New business value of the life and health insurance business grew by 46.2% YoY; the number of life insurance sales agents rose 19.3% YTD to 1,325 thousand; Ping An Life's residual margin release was RMB23,987 million, up 38.7% year on year.
· Ping An Property & Casualty registered an increase of 23.5% in premium income, expanding its market share by 1.5 pps YoY; the combined ratio was 96.1%, and the ROE (not annualized) was 10.5%.
· Ping An Bank's retail business accounted for 40% of its total income, up 11 pps YoY, and 64% of its profit before tax, up 35 pps YoY; retail customers' assets under management (AUM) rose 19.2% YTD to RMB950,970 million, while personal deposits and retail loans grew by 16.0% and 21.5% respectively.
· Lufax Holding realized a profit and reported an increase of 65.0% YoY in the trading volume of wealth management in the period, while the institutional trading volume soared 45.4% YoY.

*Key achievements in technological innovation in 1H2017:*

· As at June 30, 2017, Ping An had filed 1,458 patent applications.
· Ping An's face recognition technology topped the world with 99.8% accuracy, and has been applied to more than 200 scenarios.
· Ping An has pioneered image-based loss verification in the industry, using image recognition and deep learning to provide superfast claims services. Launched in 2016, the technology has sped up the process of loss verification by 4,000 times compared with the traditional process.
· Ping An Technology worked with Chongqing Center for Disease Control and Prevention to develop the world's first "AI + big data" flu forecasting model.

*Group: The individual customer base grew to 143 million persons, up 9.3% YTD, with profit per customer up 18.5% YoY to RMB241.66.*

As at June 30, 2017, the number of individual customers of the Group reached 143 million, up 9.3% YTD. The number of new customers acquired in the first half of 2017 increased by 10.6% YoY to 18.54 million, of which 6.67 million were converted from the Group's internet users. Expansion of Ping An's customer base is driven by development of internet users.

Progress of Ping An's integrated finance strategy has been accompanied by increased cross-selling. As at June 30, 2017, the number of contracts per customer of the Group amounted to 2.28, up 3.2% YTD. 37.34 million individual customers held multiple contracts with different subsidiaries of the Group, accounting for 26.1% of the individual customer base. All major product lines maintained healthy, sustainable profitability in the first half of 2017, with profit per customer of the Group reaching RMB241.66, up 18.5% YoY.

During the period, the number of internet users of the Group grew 16.4% YTD to 403 million. 41.32 million users migrated among internet platforms, up 20.2% YoY. On average, each internet user held 2.04 services of Ping An, up 5.2% YTD. Moreover, users became increasingly active. As at the end of June 2017, the Company had 65.31 million monthly average active users, up 76.1% year on year; highly active users accounted for 21.9%. User stickiness continued to improve.

Dr. Peter Ma, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ping An, said, "We focus on development of individual customers. We aim to make our services more convenient and professional by cross-selling our different product and service offerings. Drawing on the excellent customer base attracted by our integrated finance model, we have steadily raised the value of our individual business and enhanced our competitive edge in China's retail financial sector."

*Core Finance Businesses: New business value rose 46.2%, Ping An P&C expanded market share by 1.5 pps, and Ping An Bank accelerated transformation towards retail banking*

In the first half of 2017,* the new business value of the life and health insurance business soared by 46.2% YoY** to RMB 38,551 million*. As at June 30, 2017, the number of individual life insurance agents reached a record high of 1,325 thousand, up 19.3% YTD. Productivity of agents increased steadily as the first-year written premium per agent per month grew to RMB12,438, up 18.2% YoY. In the first half of 2017, the life and health insurance business boosted the EV by 23.9% YTD, and delivered an operating ROEV (not annualized) of 21.8%. During the period, Ping An Life realized RMB22,598 million in net profit, up 34.8% YoY. The residual margin release was RMB23,987 million, up 38.7% YoY. As at June 30, 2017, Ping An Life's residual margin grew by 19.9% YTD to RMB545,329 million, fueled by robust new business growth.

*Ping An Property & Casualty boosted its premium income by 23.5% YoY to RMB103,443 million while expanding its market share by 1.5 pps*. Business quality remained excellent with a combined ratio of 96.1% and an ROE (not annualized) of 10.5%. The auto insurance business achieved RMB80,260 million in premium income, up 13.6% YoY, while the market share reached 22.3%. Ping An Property & Casualty launched the world's first "510 City Superfast Onsite Investigation" service with a commitment for its inspectors to arrive within 5-10 minutes in more than 90% of daytime auto accident cases in cities. This service has been piloted in 334 prefecture- and higher-level cities across China.

In the first half of 2017, Ping An improved its asset allocation and reported an annualized net investment yield of 5.0% on its investment portfolio of insurance funds; the annualized total investment yield was 4.9%, up 0.5 pps YoY.

Ping An Bank advanced its transformation into a smart retail bank. Net profit grew 2.1% YoY to RMB12,554 million, while the cost-to-income ratio improved by 4.04 pps YoY to 24.76%. During the period,* Ping An Bank's retail business accounted for 40% of its total income, up 11 pps YoY, and 64% of its profit before tax, up 35 pps YoY. *The number of retail customers and retail customers' assets under management (AUM) increased by 11.5% and 19.2% to 58.43 million and RMB 950,970 million respectively. The number of credit cards in circulation grew by 15.7% to 29.63 million, while the retail loans rose by 21.5%.

In the first half of 2017, Ping An Trust enhanced risk management and furthered business transformation. The fee and commission income was 22.4% higher than a year earlier; the number of active wealth management customers reached 65,500, up 24.7% YTD. Ping An Securities built differential advantages and outperformed industry average as its net profit declined slightly by 2.6% YoY to RMB1,187 million. AUM of Ping An Asset Management grew to RMB2.49 trillion, up 10.0% YTD.

*Internet Finance Business: Lufax Holding turned profitable; Ping An Good Doctor saw a daily peak of 460,000 inquiries; Finance One Account attained 203 million registered users.*

In recent years, the Group constantly upgraded its business models, built "open platforms + open marketplaces", and incubated a series of fintech and healthtech service platforms.

*Lufax Holding has become China's leading internet finance platform of one-stop transaction information services*. In the first half of 2017, Lufax Holding started to generate profits, maintained fast growth in wealth management, consumer finance and institutional trading businesses, and further strengthened its market leadership. Trading volumes of wealth management and institutional trading grew by 65.0% and 45.4% to RMB1,098,539 million and RMB3,687,231 million respectively.

*Ping An Good Doctor is committed to building a healthcare ecosystem featuring one-stop, whole-process O2O services*. As at June 30, 2017, Ping An Good Doctor had provided over 160 million users with health management services. The peak number of monthly active users hit 20 million, and that of daily inquiries reached 460,000. Ping An Good Doctor has built an in-house medical team of nearly 1,000 doctors, and has contracted more than 60,000 external doctors. Appointment making is available on the app with nearly 2,300 partner hospitals. Ping An Good Doctor has also partnered with over 700 health checkup institutions in 191 cities across China.

*Finance One Account* stepped up efforts to develop an open financial services ecosystem, and attained 203 million users by the end of the period, up 9.7% YTD. By June 30, 2017, Finance One Account had partnered with 406 banks and 1,493 non-bank financial and quasi-financial institutions; the interbank trading volume reached RMB 2.62 trillion. Moreover, Finance One Account had handled over 356 million credit inquiries as an effective supplement to the PBOC's personal credit reference system.

*Prospects*

Dr. Peter Ma said, "In the forthcoming era of smart technology, the future belongs to those with winning technologies. We are pursuing technology-powered business transformation. Today, Ping An has one of the largest big data platforms among Chinese financial institutions. Ping An has over 500 big data scientists, over 20,000 technological R&D staff members, and many world-leading technologies such as human face recognition, voiceprint recognition, prediction AI technologies, prescription AI technologies and blockchain, which have been applied to hundreds of scenarios. It is our goal to transform Ping An progressively from a capital-driven enterprise into a technology-driven one in the near future. This will empower the Company to develop faster and better, create value for our customers, and reward our investors with superior returns." Reported by PR Newswire Asia 14 hours ago.

DUBLIN, August 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Philippines Hospitals Market Outlook to 2021 - Rising Prevalence of Diseases coupled with Increasing Penetration of Health Insurance to Drive the Marke... Reported by FinanzNachrichten.de 12 hours ago.

The Trump administration will soon unveil new regulations that will exempt religious institutions from the “Obamacare” requirement that health-insurance programs must include contraceptive coverage, the Wall Street Journal reports. Reported by Catholic Culture 7 hours ago.

Covered California, the health insurance exchange created under the Affordable Care Act, will take the unprecedented step of offering insurance companies financial incentives, and guardrails, to encourage them to continue selling health plans through its program. The agency’s board on Thursday approved a proposal to allow insurers to raise premiums more than normal between 2019 and 2021 if they lose more money than expected in 2018 due to federal policy changes, such as a lack of federal enforcement of the health law’s individual mandate. This will allow insurers, in future years, to recoup losses they may see in 2018. Reported by SFGate 3 hours ago.