Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Florida May Tap Surplus Lines to Depopulate Citizens
Jan 9 2012 // Florida lawmakers are considering allowing surplus lines carriers to help Citizens Property Insurance Corp. lose some of its 1.5 million policyholders. State Sen. Garrett Richter (R-Naples) and Rep. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton)...
Trends for 2012
Jan 9 2012 // Soft Market Here to Stay, Merger Activity, Financial Pressures and More In order to be proactive, one needs to understand and exploit current and future trends. So what will 2012 be like for insurance agents and brokers?...
Declarations
Jan 9 2012 // Extended Stay “I’ve talked to the board and said that if I stay healthy — and I’m still hopeful — I would like to stay on for another year.” —AIG CEO Robert Benmosche on his plan to extend his...
Insurance Veterans’ Forecasts for 2012
Jan 9 2012 // Now that the year 2011 is behind us, let’s take a look at what might be ahead. Insurance Journal spoke with leading industry professionals and asked them what they are expecting this year. If their forecasts are any...
Judge Rules BP Not Negligent in Alaska Spill
Jan 9 2012 // A federal judge ruled that BP was not negligent in the case of a 2009 oil spill and did not violate the terms of its probation from an earlier accident thus escaping further punishment. The decision is a victory for the...
Workers’ Comp Reform Signed by Michigan Governor
Jan 9 2012 // Workers’ compensation reform legislation that supporters say will help reduce employer costs for assisting injured workers is now law in Michigan. Gov. Rick Snyder signed House Bill 5002 in late December...
Utah Lawmaker Wants Out of Daylight Saving Program
Jan 9 2012 // One Utah lawmaker wants to pull the plug on daylight saving time. The Desert News of Salt Lake City reports Republican Rep. Jim Nielson of Bountiful plans legislation that lets Utah opt out of the semiannual changing of...
Florida Investigating Massive PIP Fraud in Dade County
Jan 8 2012 // State investigators are considering criminal charges after finding regulatory violations in almost 90 percent of the pain clinics that treat automobile accident victims in Miami-Dade County. A report by the Agency for...
N.J. Court Rules in Favor of Allstate in Agency Franchise Lawsuits
Jan 7 2012 // Allstate announced on Friday that the Superior Court of New Jersey has entered judgment in favor of Allstate New Jersey Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allstate Insurance Company, and dismissed all claims...
Finston Named California Deputy Insurance Commissioner
Jan 6 2012 // John F. Finston has accepted an appointment to be Deputy Commissioner for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs at the California Department of Insurance. Finston was the head of SNR Denton’s insurance regulation...
Oklahoma Commissioner Disappointed in Denial of MLR Waiver Request
Jan 5 2012 // Oklahoma’s top insurance regulator believes the medical insurance market is headed for “disruption” as a result of the medical loss ratio component of federal health insurance reform After...
Insurance Veterans’ Forecasts for 2012
Jan 5 2012 // Now that the year 2011 is behind us, let’s take a look at what might be ahead. Insurance Journal spoke with leading industry professionals and asked them what they are expecting this year. If their forecasts are any...
Western Insurance Agents Roundtable Discussion Highlights
Jan 5 2012 // Rancho Cordova, Calif.-based WIAA Education & Research Foundation, a nonprofit corporation focused on advancing knowledge of insurance industry professionals, hosted a recent roundtable discussion on the industry and...
President Obama Signs Pipeline Safety, Airport Security Bills
Jan 5 2012 // President Barack Obama has signed legislation to toughen oil and gas pipeline regulations and another to ease airport security procedures for members of the military on official travel. The president signed the legislation...
Judge Tosses $322M Mississippi Asbestos Lawsuit Verdict
Jan 5 2012 // A Mississippi judge has thrown out a $322 million lawsuit verdict that had been hailed as the largest asbestos award for a single plaintiff in U.S. history. The case began to unravel last year after defense lawyers asked...
Wyoming Officials Say Mandatory Drunk Driving Law Gaining Acceptance
Jan 4 2012 // After a bit of a rocky start, law enforcement officials and prosecutors around the state say they’re now running into few problems with Wyoming’s new mandatory DUI (driving under the influence) testing...
Hawaii Lawmakers Calling Alcohol Ignition Locks Success
Jan 3 2012 // Hawaii officials say a state law requiring convicted drunk drivers to prove they are sober before their cars will start has been successful in its first year. State Rep. Sharon Har told Hawaii News Now on Saturday the...
New Georgia Law Requires Safety Features on Golf Carts
Dec 29 2011 // Golf cart owners in Georgia will soon have stricter requirements to follow if they plan to drive their carts on roadways. A new law taking effect Jan. 1 creates a separate classification of personal transportation vehicles...
Feds Throw Obstacle at Oregon Health Exchange
Dec 28 2011 // A clearer picture is surfacing of a new health insurance marketplace intended to help individuals and small businesses shop for health coverage. A preliminary business plan projects that more than 280,000 Oregonians will...
Judge Rules BP Not Negligent in Alaska Spill
Dec 28 2011 // A federal judge ruled that BP was not negligent in the case of a 2009 oil spill and did not violate the terms of its probation from an earlier accident thus escaping further punishment. The decision is a victory for the...
