U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney’s reintroduction of the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act (“PRIA”), which would create a shared public-private insurance program styled after the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, has stirred skepticism among several trade groups.
Read MoreOn November 2, 2021, New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney reintroduced the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act (“PRIA”) in the U.S. House of Representatives. PRIA would create the Pandemic Risk Reinsurance Program (the “Program”), a shared public-private system that would require insurers to offer coverage in all commercial property and casualty lines of insurance for insured losses resulting from public health emergencies or future pandemics.
Read MoreThe New Jersey Assembly is currently considering legislation that would authorize property insurers offering coverage for loss of use and occupancy and business interruption to provide their insureds a rider covering global virus transmission or pandemic. The bill provides that the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance must review and approve, on an expedited basis, any such rider offered by an insurer.
Read MoreOn May 12, 2021, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a bill requiring insurers issuing policies covering loss or damage to property, including the loss of use and occupancy and business interruption, to disclose to policyholders whether their policy provides coverage for “global virus transmission or pandemic.”
Read MoreBoth the New Jersey Assembly and Senate recently passed identical legislation that would require insurers offering commercial coverage for loss or damage to property, including business interruption, to provide insureds with a general summary of common insurance clauses in policies for loss of use and occupancy of a commercial property, along with a disclosure relating to pandemic and virus losses.
Read MoreIn an effort to help struggling businesses deal with the fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic, legislatures in Florida, Illinois, Maine and Rhode Island have recently proposed legislation to require insurance carriers to cover COVID-19 related business interruption claims. Traditionally, business interruption policies require that a business suffer some sort of physical loss or damage before the carrier will pay-out on a business interruption claim.
Read MoreAtlanta Partner and Co-Chair of Locke Lord’s Regulatory and Transactional Insurance Practice Brian Casey, Chicago Partner Ben Sykes and New York Partner Zachary Lerner co-authored a two-part article for Insurance Journal discussing the top insurance regulatory developments of 2020, examining a year that brought many changes to the industry.
Read MoreOn January 13, 2021, the New York Assembly introduced Assembly Bill A1937, which nullifies policy provisions denying claims for loss or damage to property based on virus, bacterium or other microorganisms. The bill covers businesses with fewer than 250 employees working at least 25 hours a week and provides that insurers, including excess lines insurers, which indemnify insureds who file claims based on losses due to virus, bacterium or other microorganisms, may apply to the Department of Financial Services for financial relief and reimbursement. The bill further authorizes the Department of Financial Services to collect from insurers, including excess lines insurers, amounts necessary to cover such requests for financial relief and reimbursement.
Read MoreLocke Lord’s Privacy & Cybersecurity Newsletter provides topical snapshots of recent developments in the fast-changing world of privacy, data protection, and cyber risk management. For further information on any of the subjects covered in the newsletter, please contact one of the members of our privacy and cybersecurity team.
Read MoreIn conjunction with the Locke Lord COVID-19 task force, we are reviewing, analyzing, and compiling regulatory updates to provide clients easy access to information during this unprecedented time. If you have any questions on the subject matter below, do not hesitate to reach out. The information below relates to state and federal bulletins, emergency orders, pending/enacted legislation, and other related actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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