Latest Legislation Headlines

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

La. Judge: No Basis for Suit to Make State Sue Insurance Companies

Aug 13 2007 // A judge in Baton Rouge, La., threw out a request to make state officials sue insurance companies for hurricane repairs on public property, saying the suit neither named any companies to sue nor listed any specific damaged...

Gov. Signs Texas Agents’ Resolution Opposing Federal Regulation

Aug 13 2007 // Gov. Rick Perry recently signed a joint Senate and House resolution passed during the 80th Texas Legislature affirming support for continued state regulation of the insurance industry, the Independent Insurance Agents of...

Judge Hears Appeal on Ruling That Quashed Va. Bad Driver Fees

Aug 10 2007 // There was no rational basis for state legislators to assess surcharges for bad driving only on Virginians and not nonresidents, a lawyer for a repeat traffic offender told a judge considering whether the fees are...

Maine Court Rules Employer May Offset Workers Comp by Disability Sum

Aug 10 2007 // An employer may use a payment to an injured worker under its group life and disability plan to offset its workers’ compensation benefit payment, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court has ruled.The plaintiff had argued...

Judge Delays Trial Order for N. D. Workers’ Comp Director

Aug 9 2007 // A judge has delayed his ruling on whether the director of North Dakota’s workers’ compensation agency should face trial on charges that he misspent more than $18,000 in public money.Sandy Blunt, director of the...

Lawmakers: Former Hurricane Center Head Should Get Old Job

Aug 9 2007 // If the ousted director of the National Hurricane Center is not allowed to return to his job, he should at least be assigned to his previous weather-related position, two lawmakers said Monday.U.S. Reps. Brad Miller,...

Parents, Toy Companies Stressed Over Major Toy Recall

Aug 8 2007 // Many American parents are facing a quandrary about what toys to buy their children following the recall by Mattel Inc. of almost 1 million Chinese-made toys because they may contain lead.As if fears over contaminated...

Mass. Court Rules Excess Insurer Not Bound by Primary Insurer Settlement

Aug 7 2007 // An insurer of a so-called “follow form” excess policy is not bound by the decision of a primary insurer to settle a claim, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled.The state’s highest court...

Kentucky Regulator Wins First Professional Designation

Aug 7 2007 // The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has awarded its first professional designation to Kathy Horsley of the Kentucky Office of Insurance.Horsley earned the Associate Professional of Insurance Regulation...

Wash. Medical Malpractice Rules Outline Reporting Requirements

Aug 7 2007 // Regulations designed to provide guidance to insurers, providers, attorneys and claimants on complying with Washington’s new Health Care Liability Reform Law have been implemented, according to the Office of the...

Directors & Officers Liability

Aug 6 2007 // For years, environmental issues, including issues arising from global warming, have hovered on the periphery of concerns affecting directors’ and officers’ liability exposure. But an April 2, 2007, decision by...

Blanco, Donelon and business coalition deliver market reform laws

Aug 6 2007 // The 2007 legislative session in Louisiana resulted in three major pieces of legislation recently signed into law which will improve the ability of insurers to rate and underwrite homeowners insurance on a more competitive...

Commerce makes Mass. U-turn, now supports competitive rating

Aug 6 2007 // One of — if not the — most influential industry opponents of competitive rating for the Massachusetts private passenger auto insurance system for years has changed course and says it now fully supports the...

House panel votes to add wind to flood program

Aug 6 2007 // Private insurance companies are balking at a decision by a key House panel to expand the federal flood insurance program to include wind coverage. The House Financial Services Committee voted late last month to add wind...

Commerce makes Mass. U-turn, now supports competitive rating

Aug 6 2007 // One of — if not the — most influential industry opponents of competitive rating for the Massachusetts private passenger auto insurance system for years has changed course and says it now fully supports the...

How to write energy risks in a volatile world

Aug 6 2007 // Today’s energy industry is being challenged by climate changes, market fluctuations, business mergers, natural disasters, terrorism, war, political risk, increasing regulatory and financial scrutiny and evolving...

News Currents

Aug 6 2007 // Oregon seeking comments on insurer assessmentsOregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services is seeking public comments on its proposed amendment of administrative rules relating to assessments against...

Insurance referendum appears headed for Washington ballot

Aug 6 2007 // In its latest attempt to block a Washington regulation that insurers say would drive up insurance rates, insurance industry associations have launched a public campaign to take their issue to the ballot box.A campaign...

News Currents

Aug 6 2007 // Court rules liability waiver invalid when there is gross negligenceThe California Supreme Court has ruled that a signed liability waiver is useless in protecting a government entity from gross negligence and only good in...

News Currents

Aug 6 2007 // House panel votes to add wind to flood programPrivate insurance companies are balking at a decision by a key House panel to expand the federal flood insurance program to include wind coverage. The House Financial Services...