Advocacy

​Legislation to make small business deduction permanent reintroduced in House and Senate. WASHINGTON, DC, February 26, 2021— The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I") is grateful for the reintroduction of the “Main Street Tax Certainty Act" in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana). The legislation would make permanent a 20% deduction on qualified business income for some owners and shareholders of pass-through businesses.“The Big 'I' thanks Reps. Smith and Cuellar and Sen. Daines for their work to reintroduce the Main Street Tax Certainty Act,"…

During this week's Independent Agents Advocacy Week, more than 70 independent agents conducted virtual meetings with more than 40 state legislators to call for pro-policyholder reforms. Key issues included making the auto photo inspection requirement voluntary, streamlining the process for placing coverage in the excess market, repealing the anti-arson application, and preventing no-fault insurance fraud.The event gave Big I NY members the opportunity to meet face to face with their elected state representatives. Kelly Gonyo, owner of the Blue Line Insurance Agency said,“I am so fortunate to have been given an opportunity to use my voice to directly speak with our lawmakers who represent us in…

​This week, the Senate Insurance Committee voted in favor of Big I NY – supported legislation which would make it easier to place commercial coverage in the excess market. The bill, S.498 (Breslin, D-Bethlehem)​, would simplify and streamline the affidavit process, and exempt commercial lines insurance transactions placed by wholesale insurance brokers from the requirement to obtain three separate declinations.New York's excess line market is critical to providing insurance for risks that are not underwritten by admitted carriers – such as those which are unique, volatile, or lack loss history. Current law requires brokers to obtain three declinations from admitted carriers before an excess line…