Regulation/Legislation

Insurance agents and brokers should focus on the medical loss ratio in the healthcare reform legislation because it will determine their future commissions, a healthcare law and policy expert says.

Proposed cuts in the crop insurance program are sending alarms through the insurance industry for both underwriters and agents.

The Missouri Department of Insurance is recommending workers' compensation loss cost rates be cut by 8.1 percent, significantly below the 1.9 percent recommendation from the National Council of Compensation Insurance.

A new study by the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office almost doubles its earlier estimate of the reduction in cost of medical liability insurance through a common package of tort reforms.

The New York State Insurance Department has directed two insurance companies to reinstate 260 homeowners policies in the state after following up on four homeowner complaints filed with the department.

Insurance industry officials say they are encouraged by the Senate Banking Committee's leadership that work is progressing on bipartisan financial services reform legislation, and the committee hopes to resolve remaining issues before January.