Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
La. Lawmakers Support Overhaul of Citizens Insurance Company
Mar 19 2007 // Two Louisiana lawmakers said they support a plan to overhaul the state-backed insurance company by opening much of its business to bidding among private firms. Sen. James David Cain, chairman of the Senate Insurance...
New Mexico Passes Regulatory Modernization Bill
Mar 19 2007 // The New Mexico legislature has passed a bill that would establish a file and use rate regulatory system for most personal lines of insurance. The Insurance Rate Regulation Law, SB 483, applies to all kinds and lines of...
House Committee Approves Agricultural Disaster Funds
Mar 19 2007 // A House committee approved almost $4 billion in agricultural disaster aid late last week, a first step for the controversial legislation. The money is included as part of a war spending bill that would require withdrawal...
Lawsuit Reform Bills Advance in Okla. Senate
Mar 15 2007 // The evenly divided Oklahoma Senate recently passed three key lawsuit reform measures, according to a Senate announcement. Senate Republican leaders said they are negotiating with Senate Democrats and leaders of the House...
Insurer Argonaut, Reinsurer PXRE to Merge, Forming Argo Group
Mar 15 2007 // Argonaut Group, Inc., a specialty underwriter, and PXRE Group Ltd., a Bermuda-based property reinsurer, have agreed to a merger under which the combined entity will do business as Argo Group International Holdings...
Request Withdrawn for Judge to Approve Miss. State Farm Settlement
Mar 14 2007 // Some of the lawyers who helped negotiate a proposed settlement with State Farm Insurance Cos. over Hurricane Katrina damage claims withdrew their request Monday for a federal judge to approve the multimillion dollar...
Swiss Re to Alter Structure as EU Re Directive Deadline Approaches
Mar 13 2007 // Swiss Re announced plans to alter its current corporate structure within the European Union by forming three legal entities, based in Luxembourg. They “will serve as risk carriers for most of its European reinsurance...
Lobbyist Bill Takes Hold in Conn. Ethics Law
Mar 13 2007 // Gov. M. Jodi Rell and the Office of State Ethics announced a new educational campaign designed to inform the public about the practice of lobbying. The “Are You A Lobbyist?” campaign will help educate the...
With Auto Surcharge Failing, Ore. Lawmakers Look to Lottery
Mar 13 2007 // With Ore. Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s proposed surcharge on auto insurance to pay for more state troopers not gaining any traction, some lawmakers are pushing for a proposal to set aside $65 million in lottery proceeds to...
Panel Approves Maine Bill Requiring “Fire-Safe” Cigarettes
Mar 12 2007 // A legislative panel has given its approval to a bill to require cigarette makers to sell only self-extinguishing cigarettes in Maine. The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on Friday unanimously approved a bill...
La. Isn’t the Only Coastal State With Insurance Troubles
Mar 12 2007 // Eighteen months after the hurricanes, “crisis” is the term everyone uses to describe Louisiana’s insurance problems. The governor spends much of her time begging insurance companies to continue doing...
News Currents
Mar 12 2007 // Ohio legislators challenge governor’s veto on fraud damage limits Republican lawmakers had no legal authority to ask the Ohio Supreme Court to throw out a veto Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland carried out on his first...
News Currents
Mar 12 2007 // Nevada lawmakers debate policy on drug tests for injured workers Injured Nevada workers could face required drug tests to prevail in insurance disputes, under an industry-backed proposal debated by state legislators. The...
Beacon Mutual gets R.I. audit
Mar 12 2007 // Rhode Island officials have completed their audit of Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. and turned over the results to the workers’ compensation insurer. However it will be weeks before the public learns what is in the...
Number of catastrophe-related laws enacted rose significantly in 2006
Mar 12 2007 // State lawmakers ready to exceed or outpace last year’s total Enacted catastrophe-related laws increased dramatically in the states last year, according to the annual survey of state insurance laws prepared by an...
Mass. health insurers agree on $175 a month plan under new law
Mar 12 2007 // The average uninsured Massachusetts resident could obtain health care coverage for as little as $175 a month under the state’s insurance law, Gov. Deval Patrick announced as he released the results of negotiations...
Judge Senter weighs binding arbitration in Miss. State Farm Katrina settlement
Mar 12 2007 // U.S. District Judge L.T. Senter Jr., the federal judge weighing competing plans to resolve thousands of disputed claims in Mississippi against State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. after Hurricane Katrina, held a hearing...
Protecting customer data under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
Mar 12 2007 // Insurance agents and brokers constantly deal with customers’ personal information. Yet many in the industry may not be aware of the legal requirements for handling or storing this information. How should agents and...
News Currents
Mar 12 2007 // Insurers lose steam in auto rate reg fight A California Superior Court judge has thrown out a lawsuit that challenged rules requiring auto insurers to base their rates primarily on drivers’ records instead of where...
Minn. Lawmakers Consider Bad Faith Proposals
Mar 9 2007 // Minnesota lawmakers are considering proposed legislation which would authorize additional legal action against insurers when investigating suspicious claims. The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) say...
