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
Paid loss experience for the period of time from January 1 to December 31 of a specified year (not necessarily the current year). ...
Insurance sold by privately formed insurance companies with the objective of making a profit. ...
Qualified retirement plan under the internal revenue code Section 457 for employees of the states and political subdivisions within the states. ...
Professional designation earned after the successful completion of three national examinations given by the insurance institute of America (IIA). Covers such areas of expertise as ...
Probability of one's living to a specific age according to a particular mortality table. Life expectancy is the beginning point in calculating the pure cost of life insurance and annuities ...
Interest rate credited on three-month United States Treasury bills. ...
Unexpected, unforeseen event not under the control of the insured that results in bodily injury. ...
Model state law of the NAIC that requires that applicant be furnished a Buyer's Guide to Annuities and a contract summary. The Buyer's Guide must contain information concerning: the various ...
Federal legislation passed in 1988 (repealed November 23, 1989) that significantly increased the benefit amounts provided under medicare, both Part A and Part B, in the following manner: ...
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