Latest Legislation Headlines

All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Industry Group Sees Sarbanes-Oxley as an Example of Hyper-Vigilance

Dec 5 2005 // The extension of Sarbanes-Oxley to non-public insurance companies is a good example of the era of regulatory hyper-vigilance in which it is difficult to know when an issue is of legitimate public policy concern or when it...

Eight Key Litigation Trends

Dec 5 2005 // Following are key findings in the 2005 Fulbright and Jaworski 2005 Litigation Trends Survey. 1) Litigation Dockets –Eighty-seven percent of American companies are engaged in some form of litigation in the United...

Case Law Watch

Dec 5 2005 // Montana House Bill 631 (Signed into law on April 8, 2005) Regulation: This law relates to the revision of surplus lines insurance law and provides that a policy may not be placed with an unauthorized insurer unless the...

Whitfield: Legislation Might Be Needed To Resolve Jockey Issues

Dec 5 2005 // Racetrack executives appeared before a House panel recently, arguing that congressional action is not necessary to solve industry problems, including a recent lapse in health insurance for jockeys that left the...

Statewide Code to Guide Rebuilding in Louisiana

Dec 5 2005 // The Louisiana Legislature passed a measure creating a mandatory, uniform statewide building code that proponents believe will not only help build a more structurally stable Loui-siana but will help keep insurance rates...

LAWMAKERS ASK COLO. TO CRACK DOWN ON AUTO INSURANCE COMPANIES

Dec 5 2005 // Democratic lawmakers have asked the Colorado Division of Insurance to crack down on auto insurance companies and fine them $250 a day if they fail to submit timely information to a database that tracks uninsured...

Executive Life Judge Confirms Some $900M in Total Verdicts, Settlements

Dec 5 2005 // California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi has praised a Los Angeles Federal judge’s ruling that the Artemis Co., reportedly a main conspirator in the fraudulent purchase of the Executive Life Insurance Co....

Regulation of Surplus Lines

Dec 4 2005 // Montana House Bill 631 (Signed into law on April 8, 2005) Regulation: This law relates to the revision of surplus lines insurance law and provides that a policy may not be placed with an unauthorized insurer unless the...

Industry Group Sees Sarbanes-Oxley as an Example of Hyper-Vigilance

Dec 4 2005 // The extension of Sarbanes-Oxley to non-public insurance companies is a good example of the era of regulatory hyper-vigilance in which it is difficult to know when an issue is of legitimate public policy concern or when it...

News Briefs

Dec 4 2005 // ALABAMA Alabama Expects 50,000 Claims More than 50,000 claims are expected in Alabama from hurricane damage, however, complete cost estimates won’t be available until this month. Ragan Ingram, Department of Insurance...

Citizens Board Agrees to Increase Florida Rates; OIR Approval Necessary

Dec 4 2005 // Home insurance rate increases as high as 31 percent for some properties, were approved Nov. 17 by the board of governors of Citizens Property Insurance Co., Florida’s insurer of last resort, and now have to go to the...

Executive Life Judge Confirms Some $900M in Total Verdicts, Settlements

Dec 4 2005 // California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi has praised a Los Angeles Federal judge’s ruling that the Artemis Co., reportedly a main conspirator in the fraudulent purchase of the Executive Life Insurance Co....

News Briefs

Dec 4 2005 // New Online License Service Available for Wash. Agents and Brokers Insurance agents, brokers and other insurance professionals licensed to transact business in Washington can now print copies of their licenses from their...

Whitfield: Legislation Might Be Needed To Resolve Jockey Issues

Dec 4 2005 // Racetrack executives appeared before a House panel recently, arguing that congressional action is not necessary to solve industry problems, including a recent lapse in health insurance for jockeys that left the...

Conn. Proud of Its ‘Common Sense’ Compensation Disclosure Law

Dec 4 2005 // States in search of a “common sense” approach to insurance producer compensation disclosure might consider talking to Connecticut officials, that state’s commissioner recently proposed. “I’m...

News Briefs

Dec 4 2005 // CONNECTICUT Work-Related Deaths: The number of deaths in Connecticut due to work-related injuries increased by 50 percent last year, rising from 36 to 54, according to a state report. Connecticut is one of 27 states to...

Calif. Court Rules in Favor of Earthquake Policyholders

Dec 2 2005 // An insurance broker was a representative for the California Fair Plan Insurance Co. with regard to the Northridge earthquake revival statute, which gave policyholders another year to file lawsuits against their insurers in...

Preston, Kipper Named Deputy Commissioners at LDI

Dec 2 2005 // Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley announced that Clarissa A. Preston has been named deputy commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Insurance Office of Property and Casualty, and Scott Kipper is now deputy...

Consumer Advocates and Insurance Groups Urge Texans to Cash in on Competition

Dec 1 2005 // Consumer advocates and insurance groups announced the launch of a public education campaign to encourage Texans to shop around for insurance. The campaign marks the one-year anniversary on Dec. 1 of the implementation of...

Mont. Old Fund Insurance In Dire Need of Funds

Dec 1 2005 // A Montana-owned insurance agency for injured workers may need $69 million to pay all of its bills, according to a Montana State Fund executive. Outside insurance experts hired by the State Fund concluded earlier this year...