Advocacy; Industry News

​Reacting to Big I New York's successful effort last year to make the automobile photo inspection requirement optional, the New York State Department of Financial Services has proposed a major amendment to the regulation that implements the law. All members of the public can submit comments on the proposal.The department formally published the amendment in the April 3, 2024 issue of New York State Register. It changes Part 67 of Title 11 of the New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations (also known as “Insurance Regulation 79.") The New York Department of State publishes the New York State Register each Wednesday. It is the weekly publication…

​ Photo by South Carolina National Guard. Public Domain.​ ​The National Flood Insurance Program will run​ out of authorization to operate on Dec. 16​, barring congressional action. The program, which Congress has authorized on a temporary basis since its inception in 1968, will lose the ability to issue or renew policies on that date.Reauthorization of the NFIP is not controversial. However, its authorization is tied to approval of an overall spending plan for the federal government. The government's fiscal year ends on September 30 each year. In most years, Congress fails to adopt a budget before the fiscal year end and the government operates under short-term…

​Guidance to help agents and brokers comply with a new federal law requiring disclosure of health insurance compensation is now available from the Big "I" and the federal government. The requirement took effect late last month.Section 202 of the December 2020 omnibus government funding legislation signed into law by former President Donald Trump included new compensation disclosure requirements for health insurance agents and brokers. The requirements took effect on Dec. 27, 2021.After the requirements took effect last week, the Department of Labor (DOL) released Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2021-03, which provides further guidance and announces the DOL's temporary enforcement policy for group health plan service…