Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
SCOR Acquires 32.9% of Converium; Makes Unsolicited Bid; S&P Comments
Feb 19 2007 // France’s SCOR Group announced that it has acquired 32.9 percent of the share capital of Swiss-based reinsurer Converium Holding AG. SCOR said it “strongly believes that the combination of Converium and SCOR is...
Judge in Texas Approves Settlement in Allstate Discrimination Case
Feb 18 2007 // A federal judge in Texas has given final approval to a class-action settlement in a case accusing Allstate Corp. of discriminating against minority policyholders by using credit reports to set rates. U.S. District Judge...
Calif. Judge Rules Against Auto Insurers in Lawsuit over ZIP Codes
Feb 18 2007 // Siding with consumer groups and state regulators, a state judge on Feb. 15 threw out a lawsuit that challenged rules requiring auto insurers to base their rates primarily on drivers’ records instead of where they...
‘Fire-Safe’ Cigarette Bill Advances in Kentucky
Feb 16 2007 // Kentucky’s status as the nation’s leading adult smoking state makes it more susceptible to fatal fires sparked by cigarettes, a safety advocate said this week. The solution is to join several other states by...
Mont. Blocks Military Financial Servcies Protection Act
Feb 16 2007 // A Montana state bill (H.B. 542) modeled after the federal “Military Personnel Financial Services Protection Act” (S. 418) was tabled in the Montana House Business and Labor Committee, chaired by Rep. Scott...
Study: Allowing Generic Biotech Drugs Could Save $70 Billion
Feb 16 2007 // Patients and health insurance providers could save at least $71 billion over 10 years if there were a regulatory mechanism that allowed for the marketing of generic biotech medicines, according to a new study. Currently...
Former N.Y. Supt. Mills: State Regulation Has Holes to be Filled
Feb 15 2007 // Looking back on his two-year tenure, former New York Superintendent of Insurance Howard Mills says state regulation could stand some improvement. According to the former Empire State insurance chief, the state regulatory...
Maryland Mulls Ways to Keep Insurers from Abandoning Coastal Properties
Feb 15 2007 // Alarmed that homeowners on Maryland’s coasts may one day be cut off from home insurance, state lawmakers are mulling new rules prohibiting insurers from pulling out of areas they deem risky. But insurers met with...
Minn. Lawmakers Seek Tougher Auto Safety Rules
Feb 15 2007 // Strap in the kids, buckle up and turn off the cell phone. The rules of the road in Minnesota might get more strict in 2007. In the name of highway safety, lawmakers are debating bills to increase the use of seat belts and...
Surplus Lines and Reinsurance Reform Legislation Reintroduced in Congress
Feb 15 2007 // Federal legislation that would establish national standards for state regulation of the surplus lines and reinsurance markets made its second appearance into Congress today. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Fla., and Rep. Dennis...
Senate, House Get Bipartisan Bills to Repeal Insurance Antitrust Immunity
Feb 15 2007 // Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, joined with Senate Democratic and Republican leaders this week to introduce a bipartisan bill that would strip the insurance industry of its limited...
Agents Prepare for Legislative Summit in Washington
Feb 13 2007 // Members of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents will convene on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on March 28 and 29, 2007 for their 25th annual Federal Legislative Summit. The 2007 PIA Federal...
Iowa Faces $16.1 Million Shortfall in Kid’s Insurance Programs
Feb 13 2007 // Iowa is one of at least 14 states facing a federal shortfall for its state insurance program for children. The state faces a shortfall of $16.1 million in federal money by the end of June for health care programs that...
The Commissioners: Sandy Praeger
Feb 12 2007 // The state of Kansas is examining several key areas of concern in 2007 including the uninsured motorist population, health care for small businesses, rating, federal health insurance iniatives and more. Insurance...
Judge refuses to dismiss Feds, Corps from La. flood suit
Feb 12 2007 // Residents of the three areas in or near New Orleans that were flooded worst by Hurricane Katrina can sue the Army Corps of Engineers over claims that a poorly designed navigation channel caused catastrophic flooding during...
Florida insurers in freeze until June
Feb 12 2007 // Florida Gov. Charlie Crist convinced Cabinet members to approve a rule that will prevent property insurers from canceling Florida policies for much of the rest of this year. The emergency rule will freeze insurance rates...
The Commissioners: David Rivera
Feb 12 2007 // Outgoing Colorado regulator comments on consumer choices, ethics In 2004 at the age of 34, David Rivera was appointed to be Colorado’s State Insurance Commissioner, the youngest insurance person to serve in that...
One-on-one interviews with 15 insurance regulators
Feb 12 2007 // One-on-one interviews with 15 insurance regulators At a recent meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Insurance Journal sat down with 15 insurance regulators to talk about issues affecting their...
Howard Mills, New York, Insurance Commissioner
Feb 11 2007 // Howard Mills, formerly an elected state representative, served the State of New York as its appointed insurance superintendent for the last two years. He stepped in to fill the shoes of Greg Serio when he departed and...
Maine lawmakers balk at federal driver’s license-ID system
Feb 11 2007 // The Maine Legislature declared that it would refuse a congressional order to change its drivers’ licenses so they can serve as national identification cards. Supporters of a recent nonbinding resolution say the...
