Both bodies of the Georgia General Assembly have passed a bill that would allow Georgia-domiciled insurers to divide into one or more parts. HB 754 would allow domestic insurers to draft a detailed plan of division and submit that plan to the Commissioner for approval. HB 754 would not require
Read More Georgia Domestic Division Bill Advances Through General Assembly

Colorado Governor, John Hickenlooper, has picked Michael Conway as the interim Colorado Insurance Commissioner beginning January 1, 2018.  Michael Conway started at the Colorado Division of Insurance in March 2016.   He most recently served as Deputy Commissioner for Consumer and Compliance Services.  Mr. Conway previously worked in the Insurance Unit
Read More Interim Insurance Commissioner Appointed in Colorado

New York Associate Zachary Lerner authored a Law360 article on commission sharing, referral fee and producer licensing issues.  Within the article, Mr. Lerner identifies important issues for insurers and producers to consider, both in the admitted and surplus lines insurance markets, with respect to the sharing of commissions and whether
Read More New Insurance Platforms Arguably Require Producer Licenses

The Florida Supreme Court Pruco advisory opinion, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Pruco Life Ins. Co., 200 So. 3d at 1203 & 1206-07, to the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that an insurer may not challenge the validity of a Florida life insurance policy, even on
Read More The Pruco Florida Supreme Court decision has been legislatively reversed by a recent amendment to the Florida Viatical Settlement Act

Florida has recently adopted amendments to its Viatical Settlement Act.

One of the new provisions, Section 626.99292 Notice to life insurance policyholders, provides:

“(1) A life insurer shall provide an individual life insurance policyholder with a statement informing him or her that if he or she is considering making changes

Read More New Notice Requirement for Insurers under Florida’s Viatical Settlement Act

Florida has recently adopted amendments to its Viatical Settlement Act.

One of the new provisions, Section 626.99287 Contestability of viaticated policies, provides as follows:

(2) Except as hereinafter provided [certain life changing events, such as death of a spouse, divorce, retirement from full time employment, terminal or chronic illness, mental

Read More Florida may have outlawed the secondary sale of policies if at any time during the five year period post issuance there was a loan secured by the policy

Florida has recently adopted amendments to its Viatical Settlement Act.

One of the new provisions, Section 626.9911 (9), defines a prohibited stranger-originated life insurance practice as:

(9) “Stranger-originated life insurance practice” means an act, practice, arrangement, or agreement to initiate a life insurance policy for the benefit of a third-party

Read More Florida may have outlawed legitimate premium finance lending

Please join Locke Lord for a complimentary CLE seminar on Wednesday, October 11th from 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Program Highlights
Locke Lord’s Insurance Practices will present an informative ‎afternoon CLE and Ethics program featuring a keynote from Jennifer Hammer, Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance. Locke Lord lawyers will present an
Read More Please Join Us for a Complimentary CLE Seminar, “What’s Happening in Springfield? Illinois Insurance Department, Industry & Legislative Updates – Regulatory and Political Hot Topics for Insurers”

As we previewed here earlier this year, the Texas Legislature passed legislation expressly permitting service contracts regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to include the replacement of a motor vehicle key or key-fob.  This new law became effective September 1, 2017.  A copy of the new law
Read More Texas Service Contract Law Now Permits Key-Fob Replacement

As we reported here in May, the Texas Legislature recently passed legislation (House Bill 1774, a copy of which can be found here) which amends Chapter 542 of the Texas Insurance Code—Texas’s general prompt pay statute for insurance claims.  Most of the new law’s provisions are aimed at addressing
Read More Uncertainty Surrounds New Texas Insurance Law: Divergent Views Emerge on the Impact of the Texas “Hail Storm Bill” on Hurricane Harvey Claims