The Connecticut State Senate confirmed Josh Hershman as the insurance commissioner on April 8, 2026. Hershman has served as interim insurance commissioner since December 12, 2025.
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NAIC Signals Potential Tightening of Annuity Illustration Practices
By Paige Waters on
Regulatory Landscape
In 2026, the NAIC Life Insurance and Annuities (A) Committee, chaired by Iowa and vice chaired by Michigan, is largely focusing on annuity sales practices, including annuity buyers guides, suitability, and annuity illustrations. Of particular interest to the life and annuity industry is the formation of the Life Insurance and Annuities Illustrations (A) Working Group (Working Group) chaired by Minnesota. The Working Group’s current charge is to “evaluate concepts for improving life insurance and annuity illustrations and disclosures, and consider revisions to relevant NAIC models or develop other guidance where feasible and appropriate.” The Working Group has asked for input on how to ensure that indexed annuity illustrations give consumers reasonable expectations, after regulators observed materials suggesting annual returns of 10–25% for multiple years. The comment record — including responses from industry trades, actuarial bodies, consumer advocates, and vendors — strongly suggests that current practices around indexed annuity illustrations and disclosures will be revisited. The Working Group is considering short-term and long-term approaches designed to ensure consumers receive reasonable expectations for indexed annuity returns at the point of sale.
Read More NAIC Signals Potential Tightening of Annuity Illustration PracticesFlorida Clears the Way for Commercial Surplus Lines Placements
On March 4, 2026, the Florida Senate approved Senate Bill 1028 (SB 1028), introduced by Senator Joe Gruters, which would establish both an admitted and a surplus lines clearinghouse for Citizens Property Insurance commercial policies. SB 1028, and its companion House Bill 943, were introduced on December 30, 2025, and have quickly made their way through both houses of the legislature. The Florida Legislature created Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens), a nonprofit windstorm and general property insurer of last resort, in 2002.[1]
Read More Florida Clears the Way for Commercial Surplus Lines PlacementsFifth Circuit Holds TCPA Does Not Require Prior Express Written Consent for Telemarketing Calls
By Brian Hays & Virginia Bell Flynn on
Posted in Insurance
In Bradford v. Sovereign Pest Control of Texas, Inc., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) does not require “prior express written consent” for telemarketing calls that use artificial or pre-recorded voice messages. Instead, the court concluded that the TCPA requires only “prior express consent,” which may be provided orally or in writing.
Read More Fifth Circuit Holds TCPA Does Not Require Prior Express Written Consent for Telemarketing CallsNotable Professional Liability Insurance Decisions of 2025
Over the past year, federal and state courts across the U.S. have continued to reshape the landscape of professional liability insurance. From high-stakes coverage battles to nuanced interpretations of policy language, 2025 delivered a breadth of notable decisions addressing a wide variety of coverage issues that every insurer, broker, risk manager, and coverage practitioner needs to understand. In this report, we focus on topics we believe will remain important in the professional liability insurance field and hope you find the following selection of cases both informative and helpful.
Read More Notable Professional Liability Insurance Decisions of 2025Bill to Limit Classification of Insurers as ‘Systemically Important’ Receives Bipartisan Approval by the House
By William Barnard on
On February 9, 2026, the House of Representatives, in a bipartisan vote, approved H.R. 3682. This bill would place additional guardrails on the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) in designating insurance companies as systemically important financial institutions (SIFI). The FSOC was established in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, to identify risks to financial stability, promote market discipline, and respond to emerging threats to financial stability. A key authority of the FSOC is its ability to designate nonbank financial institutions as SIFIs.
Read More Bill to Limit Classification of Insurers as ‘Systemically Important’ Receives Bipartisan Approval by the HouseAmanda Crawford was appointed as the new Commissioner of Insurance for the Texas Department of Insurance
Amanda Crawford was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott in January 2026 to serve as the new commissioner of insurance for the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), officially stepping into the role on February 3. She succeeds Cassie Brown, who retired after leading TDI for four years.
Read More Amanda Crawford was appointed as the new Commissioner of Insurance for the Texas Department of InsuranceNow Available: Surplus Lines Update Portal – Weekly Subscription
By John Emmanuel & Zachary Lerner on
Posted in Insurance, Reinsurance
We’re pleased to announce the launch of our Weekly Surplus Lines Update Portal, a comprehensive subscription service designed to help surplus lines carriers and brokers stay ahead of regulatory developments across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Navigating the surplus lines marketplace requires constant vigilance, and this portal delivers…
Read More Now Available: Surplus Lines Update Portal – Weekly SubscriptionNinth Circuit Holds that Texts Are “Calls” Under the TCPA But Embedded Videos Are Not Recorded Messages
By Brian Hays & Stefanie Jackman on
Posted in Insurance, Reinsurance
On January 13, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision in Howard v. Republican National Committee (RNC) offering two important interpretations of the applicability of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to certain text message communications:
Read More Ninth Circuit Holds that Texts Are “Calls” Under the TCPA But Embedded Videos Are Not Recorded MessagesTexas Will Have a New Insurance Commissioner
By Jon Gillum on
Current Texas Insurance Commissioner Cassie Brown announced this week that she will be retiring on February 2. Brown has led the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) for the past four years, and her tenure with TDI has spanned many more. Before serving as commissioner, Brown was the commissioner of TDI’s…
Read More Texas Will Have a New Insurance Commissioner