Declarations

No Single Answer

“Distracted driving is a serious problem and in our increasingly mobile world, it is becoming the norm. As we have seen with other motor safety issues such as seatbelt use and drunk driving, there is no single answer to addressing the problem of distracted driving.”

—Robert Passmore, senior director of personal lines for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), in response to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) call for a national ban on cell phone use while driving.

Insurance to Count On

“Texans who live along the coast need to be able to count on their windstorm insurance. … This committee will review alternative methods to provide insurance coverage in coastal areas and help protect the safety and well-being of the residents and businesses along the 367 miles of Texas coastline.”

—Texas House Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio, announcing appointments to the Joint Interim Committee to Study Seacoast Territory Insurance, which will explore possible alternatives to the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association.

Essential Competition

“[P]reserving competition is essential in order to afford consumers protection through competition. I truly believe that the best way to control health insurance costs is through competition in the private sector.”

—Louisiana Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon is requesting that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reconsider its denial of the medical loss ratio (MLR) waiver that the state requested. The MLR requires that health insurers spend 80 percent to 85 percent of premiums on actual medical services and the balance on other costs.