State Supervision And Regulation
Primary responsibility for overseeing the insurance industry that has rested with individual states since 1945, after Congress passed the MCCARRAN-FERGUSON ACT (PUBLIC LAW 15). In addition to supervision and regulation, states receive taxes and fees paid by the industry that amount to several billion dollars a year. State insurance laws are administered by state insurance departments that are responsible for making certain that (1) rates are adequate, not unfairly discriminatory, and not unreasonably high, and (2) insurance companies in the state are financially sound and able to pay future claims. To this end, states set requirements for company reserves, require annual financial statements, and examine company books. Each state has an insurance commissioner or superintendent who is either elected or appointed by the governor, with responsibility for investigating company practices, approving rates and policy forms, and ordering liquidation of insolvent insurers. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS (NAIC) has drafted model legislation and worked for policy uniformity, but regulations vary widely from state to state.
Whether insurers should be regulated by the states or the federal government remains at issue, but so far insurers and the NAIC lobbying have been effective in resisting federal regulation. Nevertheless, the federal government has a profound effect on the insurance industry through its taxes and a variety of regulations.
Popular Insurance Terms
Plan in which funds are withdrawn or income begins before the plan participant reaches age 59/2. An extra 10% early distribution tax on the taxable amount may have to be paid unless any one ...
Value or property given by an individual to a trustee who holds and administers it for the benefit of the donee (recipient of the gift). For example, a father entrusts a life insurance ...
State law that limits the admitted value of an insurance company's EDP equipment to 3% of the company's ADJUSTED SURPLUS. ...
Coverage provided on an all risks basis for an exhibitor whose product, while being displayed at a public exhibition, is damaged or destroyed by a peril that is not specifically excluded in ...
Law under which one state gives favorable tax treatment to an insurance company domiciled in a different state that is admitted to do business, provided the second state does the same for ...
Trust whereby asset management is provided until a child reaches the age of majority. Upon reaching majority, the child has full use and control over the assets. The grantor of the trust ...
Health insurance that provides income payments to the insured wage earner when income is interrupted or terminated because of illness, sickness, or accident. Definitions under this ...
Value or cost of the actual net protection, in life insurance, in any year (face amount less reserve) according to the yearly renewal term rate used by an insurance company. ...
Clause common to life and health insurance policies issued during wartime that exclude benefits for military service-connected perils of death, disability, illness, accident, or sickness. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.