Regulation/Legislation

The House passed the wide-ranging Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009, drawing an immediate and generally favorable reaction from one insurance trade group and a lukewarm response from another.

Consumer advocate Birny Birnbaum came up with some intriguing suggestions on how to level the playing field between consumers and insurers when setting regulatory policy, says NU Editor Sam Friedman in his blog at www.NUSamSoapBox.com.

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced that workers' compensation insurance rates in the state will be relatively stable and increase by an average of only 4 percent in 2010.

Senate Democrats appear to be coalescing around a compromise to a so-called "public plan" for health care protection reform legislation that has met divided insurance industry opinion.

Reinsurance and surplus lines purchases would be governed by the tax policies, licensing and other requirements of the buyer's home state under legislation approved for House floor action.

The regulator leading the National Association of Insurance Commissioners effort to get insurers' climate change information said companies will be given lots of leeway in responding.