Topic: California Developments
2018 Statewide Elections: A Mixed Bag for Insurers?
All eyes have been focused on the federal mid-term elections and the impact on the U.S. House and Senate. Post-mortems by the pundits have begun. See Locke Lord’s take on the mid-terms. The divided government in Washington, D.C. may well stymie efforts to regulate the insurance industry at the federal level, except in very limited circumstances where bi-partisan accord can be achieved.
Read MoreCalifornia Department of Insurance Notice of Public Hearing on “Gender Non-discrimination in Automobile Insurance Rating rulemaking project”
On October 19th the CDI gave a 45 day notice of a public hearing to be held on December 3, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. at the CDI’s offices in Sacramento. The hearing is to consider amending the California Code of Regulations to eliminate the use of gender in private passenger automobile insurance rating in California pursuant to the authority granted by California Insurance Code section 1861.02(a)(4).
Read MoreNew California Legislation Governing Health Plans’ Relationships with Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers
Last month, California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 315 into law. AB 315 is California’s version of the growing national trend to regulate pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”). PBMs are entities that not only manage prescription drug benefits under health insurance plans, including drug utilization review, drug plan formulary development, selecting pharmacies for prescription drug networks, and determining reimbursements for those pharmacies, but also operate mail order and specialty pharmacies themselves.
Read MoreCalifornia Department Targets Approximately 50 Insurers with Probe on Board Diversity
California has written letters to at least fifty California-licensed insurers requesting information on any existing or planned initiatives to increase the diversity of the insurer’s board.
Read MoreCalifornia Electric Utilities’ Problems are Above Smokey the Bear’s Pay Grade!
On August 31, 2018, the California Legislature passed a number of bills addressing various issues related to wildfires that have ravaged the state in recent years. The following bills relate to insurance in connection with past and future wildfires.
Read MoreCalifornia Amends Consumer Data Privacy Act, but Leaves Material Provisions Unchanged and Questions Unanswered
Update: the Governor of California, signed Senate Bill 1121 on September 23, 2018, ratifying the amendments described below.
On August 31, 2018, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 1121, amending the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”). The CCPA, which contains the broadest consumer data privacy protections in the country, was hastily passed in June to forestall an advocacy group from putting a more restrictive bill before voters in a November referendum.
New California Department of Insurance Opinion on Underwriting Rules
On August 10, 2018, the California Department of Insurance took the unusual step of posting an opinion about underwriting rules used by property and casualty carriers who must file their rates for prior approval.
Read MorePrivacy & Cybersecurity Newsletter – August 2018
In This Issue:
Follow the Leader: NYDFS Cybersecurity Regulation Leads the Way for Other States and Industries
Read MoreCalifornia Insurance Commissioner Approves First Cannabis Business Owners Policy
On June 4, California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced that he approved the first Cannabis Business Owners Policy (“CannaBOP”) in California.
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