Brazil’s insurance regulator, the Superintendency of Private Insurance (SUSEP), recently issued regulations establishing that cessions to occasional reinsurers (see definition below) by Brazilian insurers may not exceed 10% of the total premiums ceded to reinsurers.  The new regulations further establish that no Brazilian insurer may cede more than 50% of the risk it underwrites to occasional reinsurers.  The moves were not unexpected, having been foreshadowed in SUSEP’s discussions with the industry. 
Read More Brazil Issues New Regulations Governing Maximum Cession Levels To Occasional Reinsurers

On July 14th, industry representatives presented their viewpoints on the need to reform the current New York regulations regarding producer compensation standards and disclosure to a panel consisting of officials from the New York Insurance Department and the Office of the Attorney General. 


Read More The New York Insurance Department and New York Attorney General Held the First of Three Joint-Hearings Regarding Insurance Producer Compensation

Following a meeting between BIBA and IIB, the two broker bodies have confirmed that they are working together to address concerns raised by the FSA’s discussion paper entitled ‘Transparency, disclosure and conflicts of interest in the commercial insurance market’ (the DP) (See: BIBA press release). 


Read More UK: British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) and the Institute of Insurance Brokers (IIB) Liaise on Transparency Issues

Last month, the Senate began debate on the first comprehensive climate change bill, known as the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (the “Bill”).  The Bill would rely on a “cap and trade” program (the “Program”) to give power plants, factories and refineries financial incentive to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.  Under the Bill, the Program would first set a cap on the total carbon dioxide emissions allowed in the United States. 


Read More Senate Debates Global Warming Bill

The issues of contingent commissions and producer compensation disclosure has reached the forefront of New York regulatory law, as the Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, First Department recently ruled in favor of the insurance industry in the matter of People v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. 


Read More The New York State Insurance Department and New York Attorney General to Hold Public Hearings Regarding Producer Compensation

On June 26, 2008, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) published proposed Rules 151A and 12h-7 (“Proposed Rules”).  The Proposed Rules, if adopted, would clarify the status of indexed annuities (i.e. annuities for which payments to the purchaser are dependent on performance of a securities index) under the federal securities laws, and would provide insurance companies an exemption from reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) with respect to such annuities and certain other securities issued by insurance companies that are registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”) and regulated as insurance under state law. 


Read More SEC Proposes a New Rule to Regulate Indexed Annuities