A new panel has been set up in Alabama by Governor Robert Bentley comprised of 24 of the state’s insurance and business officials as well as several regulatory figures. The panel is tasked with investigating the state’s insurance market in the wake of deadly tornadoes that ravaged the state, along with its neighbors, two months ago. The original intent of the panel was to focus their investigation to coastal areas, spurred by the forecasts of a tumultuous hurricane season. The effort has been expanded, however, to account for the toll…
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Governor Corbett signs reform legislation for civil liability in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has signed a bill that would place a limitation on the liability of defendants in some negligence cases in civil court. The bill was put to a vote in the state House, where it was passed 116 to 83. This was the second similar bill that has been passed within three months. After the vote, it moved to Corbett. This despite the protests of Democrats, who said that the bill is being pursued by business organizations, but that it comes at the cost of the victims…
Read MoreNew bill in Maine calls for lawmakers to pay health insurance tax
Republican legislators in Maine have proposed a new bill that would levy a $4 monthly health insurance tax throughout the state. The bill notably exempts federal and state employees from the tax, drawing harsh criticism from both Democrats and citizens. Democrats had submitted amendments to the bill late last week that would remove the exemption for lawmakers, but the notion was dismissed by Republicans. However, Senator Richard Whittemore, R-Skowhegan, issued an emergency legislation that would require state legislators to be included in the tax. The reasoning behind the proposed tax…
Read MoreDebate continues over bill allowing consumers to purchase insurance across state lines
Congress is considering a bill that would allow insurance companies to sell policies across state lines. The bill has been before Congress for some time, but legislators have yet been unable to determine the necessity or viability of such a law. Now, Congress is calling upon witnesses to testify whether or not the law will actually help lower the number of uninsured people in the nation and entice insurers to provide more affordable coverage. These witnesses have begun appearing before the Health Subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and…
Read MoreChanges to Illinois health insurance up for vote
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is expected to make a decision on a bill arriving at his desk today. The State’s House of Representatives passed legislation— by a sweeping majority of 98-15 – that would keep the state’s health insurance contracts intact for the next two years. This conflicts with Quinn’s move to change the state’s health insurance carrier, a measure that would have left more than 100,000 government workers in need of new coverage. The bill will also reopen the health insurance procurement process and allow the state’s insurers to…
Read MoreFlorida insurance bill opens up new market for audit
New legislation in Florida may mandate the state’s insurers to present the books of affiliated management companies for audits. This legislation would close a loophole left over from the last time the state’s insurance laws were amended, a loophole that kept this information private. Insurers also exploited the loophole to spend the money collected through premiums on ventures that they owned. Such spending was not regulated in any way by the state. The legislation is an amendment added to a much larger insurance bill, sponsored by Senator Garrett Richter of…
Read MoreNational Flood Insurance Program on financial shaky ground
On Wednesday, a subcommittee of the House of Representatives approved amendments that could help revitalize the stagnant National Flood Insurance Program. The program is currently in a state of bankruptcy, having been unable to procure any additional funding from the government. It will continue to operate until September 30, when funding will run out completely. The legislation, which was passed by a voice vote, seeks to revamp the program to make it more financially sound and provide federal agencies such as FEMA more flexibility in their operations. “In the near…
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