PIA Sets Agenda For D.C. Conference

By Mark E. Ruquet

NU Online News Service, April 1, 4:02 p.m.EST?Members of an independent insurance agents group willbe lobbying legislators in Washington, D.C. tomorrow withopposition to optional federal chartering, consumer privacy issuesand natural disaster legislation among their top items ofconcern.

The effort comes as the National Association of ProfessionalInsurance Agents holds its 20^th annual FederalLegislative Summit in the nation's capital.

Ted Besesparis, vice president of communications for theAlexandria, Va.-based group, said PIA has chosen three issues theassociation is focusing on during this session.

PIA says, in policy statements, that it is opposed to optionalfederal charters, largely because it would create a competing andconflicting federal-state system that, it argues, would be "counterproductive to effective oversight of the insurance industry."

On consumer privacy issues legislators need to work at refiningregulations to ensure "a more common, consistent approach" toprivacy practices throughout the financial services industry.

On the third topic, natural disaster legislation, theassociation said it supports federal legislation that would makeinsurance available and affordable in catastrophe-prone areas,while working through the private market to achieve this goal.

On Thursday, Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., and the chief deputymajority whip in the House of Representatives, is scheduled toaddress agents during the summit's breakfast.

Mr. Besesparis said summaries of the association's focus issueswould be made available to agents attending the meeting along withstaff to answer questions agents might have.

Mr. Besesparis said many agents have made advance appointmentsto meet with their representatives before arriving inWashington.

For the evening's activities, PIA is holding a PIA PoliticalAction Committee fundraiser dinner.

Mr. Besesparis said that he was not aware of any targets the PACdinner was aiming to raise.

According to the Federal Elections Commission's Web site, in2002, the PIAPAC distributed more than $99,000 to other committees.The major recipients of contributions were the National RepublicanSenatorial Committee, which received $7,500, and the NationalRepublican Congressional Committee, which received $5,000.

PIA said the PAC supports candidates who are open to theassociation's views and "will give our positions a fair hearing andultimately be supportive."

It said the PAC, which has increased over the years, is onlypart of an overall strategy by the association to advocate itsinterests. The PAC plays a supportive role in these strategies, theassociation added in a statement to the NationalUnderwriter.

On Saturday, the association will hold its National Awardsprogram in Arlington, Va., where Mike Pickens, president of theNational Association of Insurance Commissioners, will address theassociation and participate in meetings of the association'snational policy committee.