Latest Legislation Headlines

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

Judge Halts Implementation of TWCC’s Alternate Medical Necessity Dispute Review Rule

Oct 4 2004 // The Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission (TWCC) reported that a Travis County District Judge has granted a temporary restraining order to prevent TWCC from implementing or enforcing new Commission Rule 133.309...

N.J. Maintains Top Auto Insurance Premium Figures Reflect Years of ‘Suffering’ Before 2003 Reforms

Oct 1 2004 // New Jersey Banking and Insurance Commissioner Holly C. Bakke wasted little time in putting the latest numbers showing the state with the highest average auto insurance premium — $1,113 — in perspective.Those numbers...

PIA Survey Shows Strong Support for State Regulation

Oct 1 2004 // Members of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) strongly support state regulation of insurance and strongly oppose any effort to move to a federal regulatory system.The results of a survey of PIA...

Insurers Applaud House Committee Passage of TRIA Extension Act

Sep 30 2004 // Both the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) and the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) praised the House Financial Services Committee’s passage of H.R. 4634, the Terrorism...

Fla. Insurers Often Waive Multiple Deductibles

Sep 29 2004 // Many insurance companies are waiving additional deductibles for people who’ve suffered losses from more than one hurricane.Hurricane Jeanne’s path poses the grim prospect of triple insurance deductibles for...

Big ‘I’ Praises Approval of Terrorism Insurance Backstop Bill by Financial Services Committee

Sep 29 2004 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) is hailing House Financial Services Committee passage of H.R. 4634, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Backstop Extension Act.The Association...

Mich. Insurer Group Taps Former Auto Industry Lobbyist as New Executive Director

Sep 28 2004 // The Lansing, Mich.-based Insurance Institute of Michigan has named a former lobbyist for the auto industry as its new executive director. Peter Kuhnmuench will start Oct. 11, 2004 and previously served as legislative...

NAIC Adopts Amendments to Medicare Model Law

Sep 27 2004 // The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has adopted amendments to its Model Regulation to Implement the NAIC Medicare Supplement Insurance Minimum Standards Model Act to make it compliant with the...

CIAB Urges TRIA Extension, Passage of Regulatory ‘Roadmap’ at Testimony

Sep 24 2004 // The Council of Insurance agents & Brokers has told Congress that it “should move to extend the federal terrorism backstop beyond its Dec. 31, 2005, expiration date because the private marketplace is not prepared...

AIA Insurers Call State Regulation a ‘Trifecta’ of Failure, State Their Case for Federal Role

Sep 23 2004 // A representative of the American Insurance Association (AIA) testified before the Senate Banking Committee, alleging that “the outdated, dysfunctional nature” of state insurance regulation does not allow the...

California Governor Vetoes Bill Sponsored by Personal Injury Lawyers

Sep 23 2004 // Continuing to act on his pledge to improve California’s business climate and prevent expensive litigation and abuse by special interest groups, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has vetoed legislation sponsored by...

On Behalf of State Regulators, N.Y. Superintendent Serio Speaks Out Against Federal Oversight

Sep 22 2004 // Claiming that progress is already underway toward building a stronger, national, state-based system of insurance regulation, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) told the Senate Committee on Banking,...

NAMIC Cites Oxley as Legislator of the Year

Sep 21 2004 // Rep. Michael Oxley (R-OHIO), chairman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee which handles federal terror insurance, flood program and other industry legislation, was named the first-ever Legislator of the Year...

New Article Reportedly Confirms Earlier Findings Regarding Government Price Controls for Insurance

Sep 21 2004 // A recent report produced by Milliman Inc. has reportedly confirmed findings from its earlier study regarding California’s Proposition 103, which instituted a system of rigid price regulation for insurance...

Kansas Bulletin on Credit Scoring’s ‘Sole Use’ Meets With Industry Resistance

Sep 20 2004 // The current Kansas Insurance Department regulation as well as a proposed bulletin on the use of credit-based insurance scores significantly alters the Kansas Insurance Score Act, one of 20 state laws based on the NCOIL...

CALIFORNIA WORK COMP FRAUDSTERS TO BE POSTED ON WEB:

Sep 20 2004 // Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed into law AB 2866, legislation that requires individuals and companies convicted of workers’ compensation insurance fraud to be posted on the Web, according to the Gilroy...

Fiduciary Liability: The Most Misunderstood of Management Exposures

Sep 20 2004 // In the early 1960s, life in the United States was lived at a slower pace. Transportation and communication required more time (and patience) and employees were more inclined to trust employers on issues relating to...

Insurance Industry Hopes to Extend TRIA in Time for 2005 Policies

Sep 20 2004 // But Not Everyone Thinks Renewing the Federal Backstop is a Good IdeaRegardless of whether George W. Bush is re-elected or John Kerry moves into the White House, the property/casualty insurance industry appears to have a...

PIA ENCOURAGED, BUT WILL NOT ENDORSE SMART BILL:

Sep 20 2004 // The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) says it is encouraged by the discussion draft of a bill that provides a “road map” for insurance regulatory reform. The draft of the State...

CII Says AXA’s De Castries Believes Rough Times Have Strengthened the Industry

Sep 20 2004 // The U.K.’s Chartered Insurance Institute is gearing up for this year’s Insurance & Financial Services Conference, which will take place in Birmingham, Sept. 29-Oct.1.In advance of the conference the CII...