Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Circuit Court Judge Orders Florida Select into Rehabilitation
Jul 6 2006 // A Leon County Circuit Court Judge has ordered Florida Select Insurance Company into rehabilitation according to Tom Gallagher, Florida’s CFO. Under the order, the company’s 70,000 homeowners policies are not...
Effort to Block Wal-Mart, Berkshire Hathaway Banks Gaining Support
Jul 6 2006 // With Wal-Mart and Home Depot among a record number of companies awaiting federal approval to open banks, legislation to block this special kind of bank is gaining momentum, a senior House lawmaker said. Thirteen companies,...
Nationwide Requests 71 Percent Homeowners Increase in Florida
Jul 6 2006 // Nationwide Insurance Company of Florida has filed with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation for a statewide average increase in homeowner’s insurance rates of 71 percent. The Office of Insurance has 90 days to...
California Revises Proposed Mileage Verification Regulations
Jul 6 2006 // The California Department of Insurance has revised its proposed “odometer verification” regulations, deleting provisions that would have authorized insurers to require agents to verify the mileage if they met...
Lawmakers Want Miss. Casino Funds to Help Cover Insurance Rise
Jul 6 2006 // Two Mississippi lawmakers are proposing a stream of money, generated by taking a portion of the growth in the state’s gambling revenue, to hold down homeowner insurance rates on the hurricane-ravaged Gulf...
New Virginia Laws Address Vicious Dogs, Underage Drinking
Jul 5 2006 // Owners of dangerous dogs face tougher penalties and adults who serve booze to underage guests are targeted under new state laws taking effect in Virginia. Although the 2006 General Assembly was dominated by a budget...
R.I. Ups Breathalyzer Penalties
Jul 5 2006 // Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri will sign legislation today eliminating what some claim is a major loophole in the state’s drunk driving laws. The new law increases the penalties for those who refuse to...
Las Cruces Legislator Wants More Oversight of State Insurance
Jul 5 2006 // A Las Cruces lawmaker is vowing to reintroduce legislation that would increase oversight of New Mexico’s Insurance Division. Democratic Sen. Mary Kay Papen said a possible conflict of interest created by Eric...
News Briefs
Jul 4 2006 // EU Leaders Fiddle While Europe Burns: The crisis in the European Union, provoked when French and Dutch voters rejected the EU Constitution, is being largely ignored by Europe’s leaders. Instead of a bit of...
Standard & Poor’s Annual Insurance Conference
Jul 4 2006 // Despite recent adversity and scrutiny faced by the insurance industry, financial ratings for companies appear on the upswing. “For the first time that I can remember we have a period where none of the sectors that we...
Editor’s Note: Exemption protection
Jul 3 2006 // The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee last month received testimony on whether to continue the insurance antitrust exemption contained in the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act. This law placed responsibility for insurance...
Fraud on the farm
Jul 3 2006 // GAO: The USDA should do more to control fraud in the nation’s crop insurance program Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency has taken steps to improve its procedures and processes...
Appeals Court rules insurer’s indemnity obligation is joint and several
Jul 3 2006 // The Court of Appeals of Oregon has decided that an insurance company’s indemnity obligation to its policyholders is joint and several, not pro-rata, in environmental liability insurance coverage case. In Cacade Corp....
Federal insurance antitrust exemption: Insurer, consumer friend or foe?
Jul 3 2006 // Congress opened debate on the insurance industry’s exemption from federal antitrust laws, with some larger insurers indicating a willingness to relinquish the exemption in exchange for regulatory reform that would...
Washington’s Ethel Adams legislation takes effect
Jul 3 2006 // Legislation changing the uninsured motorist law in Washington that is named in honor of accident victim Ethel Adams has taken effect. Adams was injured in an automobile accident in 2005 when her car was hit during an...
News Currents
Jul 3 2006 // Michigan helmet repeal legislation nixed by governor Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm vetoed a bill on June 23 that would have repealed the state of Michigan’s 37-year-old mandatory helmet law. The proposed law change...
Quotations
Jul 3 2006 // “During the session the stability of the insurance marketplace was threatened by legislation that would have saddled insurers with excessive regulation, increased litigation and significantly impaired their ability...
Editor’s Note: Exemption protection
Jul 3 2006 // The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee last month received testimony on whether to continue the insurance antitrust exemption contained in the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act. This law gave states responsibility for insurance...
8 Report faults FEMA on hurricane assistance
Jul 3 2006 // GAO estimates around $1 billion ‘improperly’ handed out 10 Let the towing begin Thousands of abandoned cars to be removed in New Orleans 10 IIAT presents awards, installs new officers Association holds 109th...
Federal insurance antitrust exemption: Insurer, consumer friend or foe?
Jul 3 2006 // Congress opened debate on the insurance industry’s exemption from federal antitrust laws, with some larger insurers indicating a willingness to relinquish the exemption in exchange for regulatory reform that would...
