Federal Insurance Office receives 150 comments on how to modernize the U.S. health insurance regulatory system

In October of last year, the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) issued a request for commentary on how to modernize health insurance regulations. The commentary period ended in December with the agency receiving more than 150 suggestions on what to do. Now, the FIO is using the comments it has received to help build a report regarding the regulatory system in the U.S. When completed, the report will be given to Congress and used to help plan a course of action for the future. Michael McRaith, director of the FIO, attended…

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ING Group to abandon plans for combined insurance and investment operations in Europe and Asia

The ING Group, a Dutch financial institution working in the banking and insurance industries, has announced that it will be abandoning its plans for a combined European and Asian insurance investment operation. The company cites economic turmoil in the European region as the primary reason for its change of heart. Future investment and insurance plans are still a possibility for the future, if the European financial crisis is resolved appropriately. The company still has a keen interest in the Asian market, however, and plans to pursue alternative schemes to expand…

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Vermont licensed more than 40 new captive insurance companies in 2011, expects to license more this year

The Vermont Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration has released new data that shows the state has added 41 new captive insurance companies in 2011. The state is home to more than 590 active captive insurance groups currently, with a total of 952 licensed insurers.2011 was the sixth consecutive year in which Vermont added more than 40 new captives to the market, showing the growing trend of captives in the state’s insurance industry. Captives have always been popular in the insurance business, but more insurance organizations are opting to…

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A.M. Best Co. releases updated outlook for American health insurance sector in 2012

A.M. Best Co. has issued a briefing that provides a revision on its initial outlook for the United States Health Insurance sector in 2012, raising it from being negative to being stable. Last year at this time, A.M. Best had confirmed its negative forecast for that sector, primarily over worries about the capability of that sector of the insurance industry to be able to put into place and maintain the various requirements for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), in addition to concerns over the chance that there…

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Allstate New Jersey wins judgment from state Superior Court in franchise suit

Allstate New Jersey Insurance Company had received a judgment in its favor from the Superior Court in that state, dismissing all of the claims made against the insurer in a lawsuit that had been filed against it. In 2011, the suit was filed by three exclusive agents who sought to prevent the agreements with their agencies from being terminated for being unable to meet certain quotas. Their claim was that their relationship with Allstate New Jersey was of a franchise nature and that they therefore had the protection of the…

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