PCI Says Its PAC Is Hefty

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.–The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America's (PCI) political action committee fund currently totals nearly $370,000 with a goal of collecting $401,500 this year, members were told yesterday.

Bruce Trost, the vice chairman of the PAC, said the PACs of the American Insurers Association and National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies even if added together and doubled are not as large as the PCI war chest.

Incoming PCI board chairman John Blackburn said what the PAC tells lawmakers is the “level of seriousness and commitment we have about our business.”

Mr. Trost said the PAC provides PCI with access to lawmakers. Speaking at the group's annual meeting here, he said that “with the winds of change blowing on Capitol Hill it is vital that we all work together.”

Candidates for PCI's PAC monies are decided by member companies' government affairs representatives serving on a contributions committee that is appointed by the PCI board.

Sarah Moe, PCI director of political affairs, says most of the contributions take the form of donations at fundraising events, which PCI representatives attend so they can make their case with lawmakers and let them know about the presence of PCI companies in their state. Most of the money goes to congressional candidates rather than those seeking state posts.

She said she receives about six or seven solicitations a day from members and Republican and Democratic lawmakers' fundraising operatives.

According to the nonpartisan Open Secrets, insurance industry spending over the years has been greater for Republican candidates than for Democrats. This year, for the first time since 1994, contributions to Democrats have been nearly equal to those given to the GOP candidates–46 percent against 54 percent.

Mr. Trost said in the past two years PCI will have distributed $750,000 from its PAC.