Texas Self-Insurance Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2007
News Release

FOR MORE INFORMATION
John Greeley @ (512) 804-4202

AUSTIN, TX – Fourteen companies with approximately 47,600 employees in Texas recently were approved to self-insure for workers’ compensation claims for a one-year period under the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation Self Insurance Program.

Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation Albert Betts approved an initial application for a Certificate of Authority to Self-Insure from Leonard Family Corporation, headquartered in San Antonio. Commissioner Betts also approved renewals of 13 existing certificates for companies listed below.

Under Texas law, certain large, private companies can self-insure for workers’ compensation claims, while retaining the protection of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act for the company and for its employees. To qualify, a company must have a minimum workers’ compensation insurance manual premium of $500,000 and meet other requirements subject to annual review.

The following companies, listed in alphabetical order with the city and state of the company headquarters or the Texas business office, received renewals of self-insurance certificates:

• ABF Freight System, Inc., Fort Smith, AR
• Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, TX
• Chevron Corporation, San Ramon, CA
• Costco Wholesale Corporation, Issaquah, WA
• Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., Ft. Worth, TX
• Dolgencorp of Texas, Inc., Goodlettsville, TN
• Driver Pipeline Company, Inc., Dallas, TX
• General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI
• Johns Manville, Denver, CO
• Kiewit Corporation, Omaha, NE
• PPG Industries, Inc., Allison Park, PA
• Starbucks Corporation, Seattle, WA
• Trinity Mother Frances Health System, Tyler, TX

For more information on applying to the Self-Insurance Program, visit TDI’s website at www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/mr/selfins.html.

# # #