Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Arkansas Joining Interstate Insurance Regulation Compact
Apr 29 2013 // Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe has signed SB1170, enacting the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact (Compact). The bill was introduced by Sen. Jason Rapert, chair of the Arkansas Senate Insurance and Commerce...
Oklahoma Agents Group Pleased with Progress of State Legislation
Apr 26 2013 // Oklahoma’s independent insurance agent association says measures of interest to the group are moving so quickly in the state Legislature this year it is cancelling an annual event furing which member speak with...
Florida Senate Approves Citizens Reform Bill; Path Ahead Remains Uncertain
Apr 26 2013 // Florida lawmakers have taken the first step towards reforming the state-backed property insurer, but not before significantly scaling back its impact on policyholders while the chances for final legislative approval remain...
Federal Judge Moves S&P Ratings Case Back to State Court
Apr 26 2013 // A federal judge handed a legal defeat to Standard & Poor’s, ruling that a lawsuit in which Connecticut accused it of fraudulently inflating credit ratings to win business should be moved back to the state court...
2 Judges Consider State Farm Rates in Texas
Apr 26 2013 // The state’s consumer advocate has challenged State Farm Insurance Co.’s 20 percent rate hike for Texas homeowners as being too high. Public Insurance Counsel Deeia Beck on April 24 urged two administrative law...
U.S. Court Rules Artist Richard Prince Didn’t Infringe Photo Copyrights
Apr 26 2013 // In a closely watched case in the art world, American artist Richard Prince won a federal appeals court order Thursday holding that he did not infringe the copyrights of a photographer by incorporating his images into 25...
EU Supports French Demand; Trade Talks with U.S. Should not Cover Culture
Apr 26 2013 // European Union lawmakers have backed French demands to exempt culture from a proposed free-trade pact between Europe and the United States, keeping Paris on side and raising the chances that the talks can start on...
AXA to Buy 50% of China P&C Insurer Tian Ping for $631 Million
Apr 26 2013 // France’s AXA Group announced that it has entered into an agreement with Tian Ping Auto Insurance Company Limited shareholders to acquire 50 percent of the company. Under the terms of the agreement, and subject to...
Oklahoma Workers’ Comp Reform Legislation Advances
Apr 25 2013 // Legislation that would reform Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system has passed the House and Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak says that’s a good thing. Applauding the leadership of House...
Ohio Justices: Doctor’s Apology not Evidence of Malpractice
Apr 25 2013 // Sympathetic statements by a doctor over a patient’s unexpected medical outcome can’t be admitted as evidence in medical malpractice cases filed after the date a law intended to outlaw their use went into effect...
North Carolina Senate Bill Aims to End Local Building Design Standards
Apr 25 2013 // Some North Carolina lawmakers are pushing legislation that forbids local governments from adopting their own building design standards in most cases. The Senate bill that passed the Commerce Committee on Tuesday says that...
Florida Judge Upholds Injunction Against Portions of State’s PIP Law
Apr 24 2013 // A Florida judge has upheld his temporary injunction partially blocking portions of the state’s automobile no-fault insurance law on the basis it infringes on drivers’ access to the courts. As a result,...
Missouri Department of Insurance Reports Leadership Changes
Apr 24 2013 // Several veteran regulators were appointed into new positions at the Missouri Department of Insurance during the first quarter of 2013. Department of Insurance Director John M. Huff announced that John Rehagen, Mary...
Texas Governor: State Oversight Not to Blame for West Blast
Apr 24 2013 // Gov. Rick Perry said that spending more state money on inspections would not have prevented the deadly explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. plant that was last investigated by Texas environmental regulators in 2006. Perry...
What Young Agents Say About Their Career Choice
Apr 23 2013 // The road to becoming a successful independent insurance agent is not always easy. The economy and often volatile property/casualty insurance market cycle are just two of the potholes agents must maneuver. Young agents in...
Safety Rules Limited for Small Fertilizer Plants
Apr 23 2013 // There were no sprinklers. No firewalls. No water deluge systems. Safety inspections were rare at the fertilizer company in West, Texas, that exploded and killed at least 14 people this week. This is not unusual. Small...
Directors, Officers Face Increased Scrutiny: Willis/Allen & Overy Survey
Apr 23 2013 // “The threat of regulatory investigations and enquiries, criminal penalties, along with anti-corruption legislation, are among the top concerns for directors and officers,” according to a new survey conducted by...
Police Look to Expand Connecticut Workers’ Comp Law
Apr 22 2013 // The police union that represents the officers who responded to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting is still hoping to change Connecticut’s law and extend workers’ compensation benefits to first responders...
Florida’s Latest PIP Conundrum: Medical Fees
Apr 22 2013 // Florida’s high court is poised to decide how much money insurers owe some medical providers in cases where an auto policy does not specifically state that the fees will be based on a fee schedule approved by state...
W.R. Berkley Corp. Divests, Connecticut Bank Acquires InsurBanc
Apr 22 2013 // InsurBanc, a federal savings bank founded by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America and W.R. Berkley Corp. a dozen years ago, has joined Connecticut Community Bank N.A., based in Westport, Conn. In the...
