Insurance Lagniappe...

Lagniappe is "a little extra" left over when preparing a feast, a sort of unexpected gift. And since I'm more likely to cheer on Iron Chef Chen than Quarterback Rex (or whomever), I'll stick with the food metaphors, instead of Monday Morning Quarterbacking:

■ Officials in Washington (as in Starbucks, not Senators) have fined our old friends United HealthCare almost $60,000. What was it this time? UHC apparently used an unapproved contract for its chiropractic providers, even though they'd been warned previously about that very thing.

$60,000. UHC. Hmm...somebody's petty cash is gonna be hurtin' this week.

■ Italian insurance company Assicurazioni Generali has some financial issues, as well: they're on the cusp of a deal to resolve some claims arising from the Holocaust. This has been a particular bone of contention: among other things, how does one file a claim for whole families that were wiped out?

Adding insult to injury, some claimants will receive the equivalent of $1,000. Doesn't seem quite, um, kosher.

■ Texas-based management consultants Robert E. Nolan Co recently surveyed the life insurance industry. Among other things, they found that insurers are looking toward more widespread adoption of e-signatures and online applications, as well as better document management and workflow.

I think that means we'll be seeing more Carpal Tunnel claims.