Latest Legislation Headlines

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

New Mexico Governor Signs Credit Legislation

Apr 8 2005 // The American Insurance Association commended New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) for signing into law this week SB 560, the Personal Insurance Credit Information Act. The bill was passed by the legislature on March...

Ky. Court Rules AIK COMP Rehabilitation May Resume

Apr 8 2005 // Franklin Circuit Court Judge William Graham signed an order April 7 enabling AIK COMP rehabilitator Martin J. Koetters to continue his efforts on behalf of the financially troubled self-insured group workers’...

ABI Secures Delay for New Finance Bill Regulations

Apr 7 2005 // The Association of British Insurers (ABI) announced that following discussions with financial authorities, the U.K. Government has decided to drop controversial new clauses from the current Finance Bill. The ABI said it...

Insurance Accounting Probe Spreads; Munich Re Questioned; Bermuda Opens Investigation

Apr 7 2005 // The accounting investigation swirling around AIG has now spread out across the ocean to reach Bermuda and Germany, as authorities questioned Munich Re about its relations ships with AIG and Island regulatorsd launched...

Okla. Gov. Henry Seeks Bipartisan Compromise for Workers’ Comp Reform

Apr 7 2005 // Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry is calling on legislative leaders to work toward a bipartisan compromise on workers’ compensation reform, saying the issue is too important to fall prey to political disagreements.Two major...

Insurers Warn in Study: Unprofitable Del. Auto Insurance Market Could Face Reduced Competition

Apr 6 2005 // Even after investment income is considered, underwriting private passenger automobile insurance in Delaware has been unprofitable for the past five years, according to a study done by the Property Casualty Insurers...

Key Insurers Withdraw Support for Federal Asbestos Trust Fund but Sens. Frist, Specter Push Ahead

Apr 6 2005 // More than a dozen insurance companies have dropped their support of the proposed $140 billion federal trust fund meant to pay claims stemming from asbestos lawsuits, telling Congress it should instead work to establish...

Report Suggests Texans Overpaying for Insurance

Apr 5 2005 // Insurance companies in Texas overcharged homeowners and drivers by $4 billion last year despite recent legislation designed to limit rising rates, according to a report released recently by two state consumer groups.The...

Single Territory Map Plan Struck From Fla. House Bill, Remains in Senate Version

Apr 4 2005 // A proposal which would create a single Florida-wide territory map and eliminate individual rate territories based on predicted hurricane risks and expected loss models was removed from House hurricane legislation last...

Del. Undertakes 5-Point Plan to Address Medical Malpractice and Attract More Competition

Apr 4 2005 // Delaware Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn and a bi-partisan group of legislative leaders, physicians, and civic leaders announced today a series of initiatives to address Delaware’s medical malpractice insurance...

Push Underway for Tough Fla. Insurance Fraud Laws

Apr 4 2005 // Tough legislation to increase fraud penalties in Florida for filing fraudulent auto crash reports that can be used to bilk insurance companies, to strengthen consumers’ rights to sue operators of unauthorized...

States Try Narrow and Broad Approaches to Curbing Driving Distractions

Apr 4 2005 // New Hampshire is the only state that doesn’t require adult motorists to wear seat belts, but it does ticket drivers for eating, drinking, talking on a cell phone or fussing with their makeup while behind the...

Regulators Look for a Clue

Apr 4 2005 // Was it Colonel ChoicePoint in the Conservatory With a Knife?When ChoicePoint Asset Co. finally disclosed Feb. 15 that criminals had gained access to the personal information of as many as 145,000 people in all 50 states,...

State Opposition, Other Issues Bury Federal Charter Efforts

Apr 4 2005 // Although three major proposals to revamp insurance regulation are before legislators in some form, it appears that the industry’s ultimate goal of optional federal charters is nowhere close to fruition.Only the...

TOP COURT RULES FOR INSURERS ON MEDICAL CHARGES:

Apr 4 2005 // The Supreme Court of Michigan recently ruled that the state’s No-Fault Insurance Act prohibits health care providers from charging more than a reasonable fee for services and left it up to lower courts to determine...

Ala. Atty. Gen. Tells AIIA: ‘Take a Stand for Values in Government’

Apr 4 2005 // Take a stand for values in government,” Troy King, Alabama Attorney General, told more than 100 Alabama Independent Insurance Agents attending a March 17 annual Young Legislative Conference in Montgomery.Quinton...

LAWMAKERS REJECT FLEX BAND RATING BILL

Apr 4 2005 // Despite apparent support of House leaders, the Republican-controlled House failed to pass House Bill 683 and send it to the Senate. Only 42 of the House’s 180 members voted for HB 683, which would have implemented a...

NCOIL Approves Producer Compensation Disclosure Model Act

Apr 4 2005 // The approval of a revised producer compensation disclosure model act and a resolution calling on commissioners to oppose the application of Sarbanes-Oxley financial reporting requirements on nonpublicly traded insurance...

ONE LAWSUIT REFORM BILL DOWN, TWO TO GO

Apr 4 2005 // Gov. Brad Henry’s tort reform bill, Senate Bill 914, died in the Oklahoma State Senate, with the Senate refusing to hear the bill on the last day that body could consider its own bills. Senate Democrats reportedly...

HOUSE GIVES PLICO TWO MORE YEARS

Apr 4 2005 // The Oklahoma House passed a measure giving the state’s major medical malpractice insurer two more years to build up its reserves before state regulators intervene. HB 1566, by State Rep. Dan Sullivan, would exempt...