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
Practice of a ceding company whereby insurance previously ceded to a re insurer is returned to that ceding company. ...
Insurance policy in force only after the insurance company approves the application. Today, most companies use the insurability conditional premium receipt. ...
Excess funds above the amount required to establish legal reserves for the policies in force. These excess funds are generated as the result of mortality savings, excess interest earned on ...
Instrument that guarantees compliance with various city, county, and state laws that govern the issuance of a particular license to conduct business. ...
One that provides group health or pension benefits for a multiemployer plan. To lower the cost, small firms band together to take advantage of the economies of large group underwriting. ...
Health characteristic considered by an insurer underwriting an applicant for life or health insurance. Many insurance companies charge reduced premiums for nonsmokers. ...
Part of the business risk exclusion in general liability insurance that denies coverage for subsequent claims if a defective product is not recalled by an insured. For example, if a ...
Termination of a policy. Contract may be terminated by an insured or insurer as stated in the policy. If the insurance company cancels a policy, any unearned premiums must be returned. If ...
Let's dive into the world of real estate and investments! Today, we'll learn about the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, or SIPC for short. This is a genuine mouthful, but this ...
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