State Fund gives victims a break

Credit Extension Offered to State Fund Policyholders Impacted by Devastating Wildfires in the Lake Tahoe Area

SAN FRANCISCO, July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- State Compensation Insurance
Fund announced today that it will extend credit to policyholders who have suffered a financial loss or business disruption caused by recent wildfires that ravaged the Lake Tahoe area. The fires caused havoc, burning some 3,100 acres, destroying more 250 buildings and forced the evacuation of over 2,000 people. Shortly after the fires subsided Governor Schwarzenegger declared El Dorado County a disaster area.

"State Fund policyholders in the Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County area range from large construction businesses to small retail shops and have been in business for years," said State Fund Interim President Larry Mulryan. "We recognize that the fires caused a significant disruption and hardship for some of our policyholders and they will need help in the weeks and months to come. Our offer of credit relief is one way to help them and
their businesses return to normal operations."

State Fund will work with employers who were unable to report payroll figures or submit payments as a result of the emergency. Dedicated customer service lines have been set up to provide assistance to El Dorado County policyholders whose operations were impacted. Policyholders are encouraged to contact State Fund's Customer Service Center at 800-388-0902 to make arrangements for June 2007 payroll reports and payments. This program will
be offered to employers through a series of newspaper announcements and mailings to all State Fund policyholders in the affected area.