New life insurance rules may have dramatic impact on industry

New York Homeowners Insurance Rules

Top regulator warns of potential impact of new life insurance rules The New York Department of Financial Services has issued concerns regarding emerging rules that may affect the nation’s life insurance industry. Benjamin Lawsky, Superintendent of the agency, released a five-page letter to state insurance commissioners throughout the U.S. warning them that new rules for the life insurance sector could severely impact claims reserves and lead to insolvencies. These rules are summed up in “principles-based reserving,” a concept that has already become somewhat popular amongst states with flagging life insurance…

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Force placed insurance sales information released by Assurant following inquiry

Forced Placed Insurance

The Securities and Exchange Commission has put the pressure on the company to release these details. Assurant Inc. is currently under review regarding whether or not it has been overcharging for force placed insurance purchased on behalf of some homeowners, and has broadened its disclosure regarding the profits this activity has generated, following an inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). According to the insurer’s data, this coverage represented 89 percent of the specialty property profits in Q1 and Q2. Throughout the first half of the year, the company…

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Tornadoes and storms in Oklahoma create difficult insurance marketplace for consumers and companies alike

The National Tornado Preparedness Summit in Oklahoma City – an event sponsored by the Oklahoma Insurance Department, the National Weather Center, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners – is expected to draw almost 800 representatives from the insurance industry. According to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Insurance vice president of public affairs, John Wiscaver, the harsh reality for the state is that throughout the last five years, the marketplace has faced the highest historic loss levels among all organization histories. He stated that earthquakes, hailstorms, tornadoes, and wildfires have all…

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Connecticut Becomes First U.S. Insurance Regulator to Join International Information Exchange Agreement

Membership Strengthens International Supervisory Cooperation, Promotes Enhanced Consumer Protection Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Thomas B. Leonardi and Peter Braumüller, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), today announced that Connecticut has joined an international supervisory cooperation and information exchange agreement, becoming the first U.S. regulator to gain membership. Connecticut becomes the 22nd signatory of the IAIS Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU), a framework that establishes a formal basis for global cooperation and information exchange among insurance supervisors. Commissioner Leonardi and Chairman Braumüller said Connecticut was…

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Homeowners should expect their insurance rates to rise

Many of the largest homeowners insurance providers in the country, including Travelers, Allstate, and State Farm, will be increasing their rates this year following losses in 2011 that were far greater than had been predicted by the industry. The second biggest homeowners insurance company in the United States, Allstate, has already announced that it will be boosting its rates by 5.6 percent between now and September 30, 2012. They have also indicated that policyholders should expect other increases, as well. Travelers has also discussed the increases that will be experienced…

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