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
Average earned monthly income (AEMI) for the tax year in which the insured wage earner has income interrupted or terminated because of illness, sickness, or accident. This AEMI is important ...
Latin phrase meaning "overpowering force"; an unavoidable accident or calamity; an accident for which no one is responsible; an act of god. ...
Feature of life and health insurance policies that stipulates that the policy represents the whole agreement between the insurance company and the insured, and that there are no other ...
Life insurance: Bonds most state regulations permit life insurance company investments in debentures, mortgage bonds, and blue chip corporate bonds. Stocks(a) preferred stock investment ...
Negligent acts or omissions that result in actual or imagined bodily injury and/or property damage to a third party, who brings suit against a business firm and its representatives ...
Denial of coverage for various perils (such as war, flood); hazards (storing dynamite in the home, thereby increasing the chance of loss); property (such as pets); and locations. These are ...
Retirement plan under which contributions are fixed in advance by formula, and benefits vary. These plans are often used by organizations that must know what the cost of employee benefits ...
Circumstance resulting when government expenditures exceed government income. To finance this difference, the United States Treasury will auction Treasury bills, notes, and bonds. In order ...
Period of time of insurance coverage. If a loss occurs during this time, insurance benefits are paid. If a loss occurs after this time period has expired, no insurance benefits are paid. ...
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