Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
AIA Notes N.H. Adoption of New Credit Rule
Mar 3 2004 // The American Insurance Association has issued a bulletin noting that the New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) has finalized a rule on credit-based insurance scores (INS 3300) “that balances consumer protections...
NAIC, PCI Issue Statements in Response to Consumer Group Criticisms on Regulatory Reform
Mar 3 2004 // The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) issued statements in response to a letter from two consumer groups that criticized the insurance...
AIA Urges Md. Senate Finance Committee to Improve Viability of Workers’ Comp System By Passing SB 466
Mar 2 2004 // On Tuesday, the American Insurance Association (AIA) testified before the Maryland Senate Finance Committee in support of critical workers’ compensation legislation that would reportedly enable Maryland – like...
Segal Now Charged With Seeking Special Regulatory Treatment
Mar 1 2004 // Michael Segal, the president and CEO of Chicago-based Near North National Group, was already under federal indictment of 17 counts of fraud and racketeering. Now federal prosecutors in the U.S. District Court of Northern...
Maine Governor Reappoints Iuppa as Insurance Superintendent
Mar 1 2004 // Maine Governor John E. Baldacci has reappointed Alessandro A. Iuppa as superintendent of the Maine Bureau of Insurance. The bureau is responsible for overseeing the 950 insurance companies and 35,000 agents licensed in...
Industry Has Productive Legislative Session in New Mexico
Mar 1 2004 // The New Mexico legislature’s regular 30-day session adjourned at noon on Feb. 19, 2004. Although the New Mexico Constitution largely limits the scope of 30-day sessions to fiscal matters, the governor can ask...
Calif. Commissioner Applauds Vargas’ Workers’ Comp Reform Bill
Feb 27 2004 // Calling it California’s best hope for a comprehensive solution to the workers’ compensation crisis, Assemblyman Juan Vargas (D-San Diego), and California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi announced the...
PCI Urges Senate to Keep Medical Liability Reform on ’04 Agenda
Feb 26 2004 // An effort by the U.S. Senate to reform the nation’s medical liability system by placing reasonable caps on non-economic damages fell short earlier this week, reportedly leaving the future of reform legislation in...
Pa. Supreme Court Ruling Reportedly Prolongs Extreme Asbestos Litigation System
Feb 26 2004 // A Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling last week regarding asbestos liability limits will only exacerbate the out-of-control asbestos litigation system in the state and can potentially delay or prohibit a truly sick claimant...
AIA Opposes N.Y. Workers’ Comp Bill
Feb 25 2004 // The American Insurance Association joined the PCI (See IJ Web site Feb. 24) in opposing legislation – Assembly Bill A. 9736 – under consideration in New York, indicating that the measure would further erode a...
PIRRGA Obtains Regulatory Approval to Underwrite Med-Mal Insurance in Florida
Feb 24 2004 // Pediatricians Insurance Risk Retention Group of America (PIRRGA), a physician-owned and governed medical malpractice insurance company, has received notification of registration from the Florida Office of Insurance...
Missouri DOI Finds Insurance Scoring Harms Poor, Minorities
Feb 23 2004 // Insurers’ use of credit scoring in underwriting and rating personal lines insurance harms poor and minority policyholders in Missouri, according to a study released by the state’s insurance department. The...
Missing Perspective in Missouri
Feb 23 2004 // In the last year, policymakers have crafted more measured responses to political concerns about insurers’ use of credit information. Such a balance is lacking in the Missouri proposal. Property/casualty...
SOUTH CAROLINA HOMEOWNERS RATE MODERNIZATION BILL CLEARS FIRST HURDLE:
Feb 23 2004 // The South Carolina Senate Banking and Insurance Committee recently approved a flex rating bill supported by the American Insurance Association that would reportedly eliminate prior approval for homeowners insurance rates....
Where are the Southeastern Commissioners on Rate Modernization’
Feb 23 2004 // For reasons that remain incomprehensible to me, some lawmakers tend to believe that they have a constitutional duty to meddle in rate filings. South Carolina Insurance Director Ernst Csiszar was the first to admit that he...
Reflections from Rip Van Winkle
Feb 23 2004 // From 1979 to 1988 I had the pleasure of serving as executive V. P. of the Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas. For the past fifteen years I have served as the lobbyist for the Arkansas Medical Society. When Kelley...
Medical Liability Reform Group Praising Senate Leaders for Their Efforts to Improve System
Feb 18 2004 // The Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Health Care (CARH), an organization of health care providers and others dedicated to medical liability reform, this week praised new efforts by U.S. Senate leaders to bring balance...
FACT Act Addresses Changes for Fair Credit Reporting Act
Feb 18 2004 // The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act of 2003 will impact property/casualty insurers primarily in the areas of sharing information among affiliates and providing consumers with adverse action notices on...
Judge: Insurers Lack Standing in Halliburton Case
Feb 12 2004 // Halliburton announced that the Honorable Judith K. Fitzgerald issued a ruling holding that insurers lack standing to bring motions seeking to dismiss the prepackaged reorganization cases filed by DII Industries, Kellogg...
NEW HAMPSHIRE AUTO RULES:
Feb 9 2004 // A New Hampshire legislative panel with responsibility for reviewing regulatory changes has cleared the way for a streamlining of the state’s automobile insurance system. The Joint Legislative Committee on...
