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President Obama stepped up the diplomatic pressure on Russia by signing a new executive order titled “Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine” (the “Second Executive Order”). The Second Executive Order follows on the heels of a referendum in the autonomous region of Crimea on March 17, 2014, in which over 90% of the voting population of Crimea casted ballots in favor of seceding from Ukraine and joining Russia. …
Read More President Obama Issues Second Executive Order Regarding Crisis in the Ukraine; Targets Officials of the Government of the Russian Federation

In KAIROS SHIPPING LTD & STANDARD CLUB LTD V ENKA & CO LLC & ORS 2014 EWCA Civ 217, Karios sought a declaration that it was entitled to constitute a limitation fund
(a fund providing a maximum limit for its claims liability under the International Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976) by means of a guarantee in the form of a letter of undertaking provided by a protection and indemnity (P&I) club. …
Read More UK: Court Of Appeal Rules a Limitation Fund Can Be a Guarantee as an Alternative to a Payment Into Court

U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) has introduced a bill, S.2012, in an effort to clarify the application of Section 171 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) to insurance companies. Section 171 (codified at 12 U.S.C. 5371) requires insured depository institutions, depository institution holding companies, and nonbank financial companies to maintain certain capital levels on a consolidated basis (i.e., Basel III global capital standards). …
Read More Senate Bill Would Allow Federal Reserve to Exclude Insurers From Dodd-Frank Consolidated Capital Requirements

The Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Financial Services is due to report next week on HB 881, An Act Relative to Reinsurance Requirements. Sponsored by Representative Michael Costello of Newburyport, the bill closely tracks the NAIC’s Revised Credit for Reinsurance Model Law, which has already been adopted in eighteen states, including New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. …
Read More Massachusetts Legislative Committee Considers Reinsurance Credit Requirements

In a letter dated November 10, 2013 (the “Letter”) to the United States Senate Banking Committee (the “Committee”), the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) showed support for Committee members seeking to address the potential confusion regarding capital and leverage requirements for insurers regulated by the Federal Reserve due to being either considered (1) a thrift holding company, or (2) a systemically important financial institution as designated by the Financial Stability Oversight Council. …
Read More Insurance Regulators Make a Plea to the United States Senate Banking Committee Regarding Capital Regulations for Insurers

Storm Shutters

Pursuant to the Connecticut Insurance Code, “[n]o insurer that delivers, issues for delivery, renews, amends or endorses a homeowners insurance policy in this state shall refuse to renew or issue such a policy solely on the basis that the insured or prospective insured has failed to install permanent storm shutters on his or her residential dwelling as a means of mitigating loss from hurricanes or other severe storms.” …
Read More Connecticut Lawmakers Consider Bill that Would Mandate Coverage by Insurers for Homes that Lack Permanent Storm Shutters; Provides Authority for Private Insurers to Offer Flood Insurance Coverage

In Intervest Construction of Jax v. General Fidelity Ins. Co., the Florida Supreme Court considered insurance policy language that called for a self-insured retention to be exhausted by “payments made by the insured.” …
Read More The Florida Supreme Court Takes the “Self” Out of “Self-Insured Retention” and Rules that the Insured’s Self-Insured Retention Can Be Satisfied by Payment by Someone Other Than the Insured

On March 6, 2014, President Obama issued an Executive Order setting forth the foundation for imposing sanctions against any individual or entity responsible for or complicit in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine or threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine. …
Read More New Executive Order Regarding U.S. Sanctions against Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine

Earlier in 2014, Governor Andrew Cuomo introduced a series of tax reforms in his budget bill (the “Bill”) which is currently being addressed by the state legislature. …
Read More Potential New York Legislation to Introduce Tax Changes With Respect To Captive Insurers