Advocacy in action blog

The U.S. Treasury Department reports that nearly 16,000 American have been taken in by scams involving criminals falsely claiming to be employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The scams have resulted in losses of more than $80 million.

Some reinsurers and primary insurance companies have announced that they will temporarily stop accepting applications for some life insurance policies. The COVID-19 outbreak has injected a new level of uncertainty into the marketplace and made it difficult for insurers to complete underwriting tasks, such as medical exams. Low interest rates are also having an impact on carriers’ business models.

NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, along with several industry colleagues, has sent a letter to every state insurance licensing authority requesting temporary licensing accommodations for producers who cannot complete regular licensing requirements because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Measures on small business loans, payroll taxes, and retirement accounts to provide relief to financial professionals and their clients.

Congress has passed the CARES Act, a $2 trillion economic stimulus and relief package designed to bolster Americans and the U.S. economy currently racked by the COVID-19 outbreak. The bill now goes to the White House, where President Trump is expected to sign it.

“NAIFA has advocated for measures to help small business owners and American workers weather the devastating financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are pleased to see many of the provisions we promoted included in the CARES Act,” said NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux. “Small business loans to cover short-term payroll and other expenses, which could be forgiven at a future date; payroll tax exemptions; and relief from retirement-account withdrawal requirements and early withdrawal penalties have been at the top of NAIFA’s advocacy agenda and will be crucial to many NAIFA members and their Main Street USA clients. We are very pleased to see these provisions included in the final bill.”

State securities regulators have taken responsible safety measures in light of the Coronavirus, but are providing necessary services for their registrants and consumers. Recognizing the disruptions and dislocations caused by the COVID--19 outbreak, many state securities departments are making appropriate accommodations and are providing helpful relief from regular registration, filing, and other requirements for registrants who meet certain criteria.

House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) is considering potential legislation which would create a Pandemic Risk Insurance Program similar to that of the program created by the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). Chairwoman Waters’s proposal would be to create a temporary program that would provide a federal backstop for pandemic risk. This model would be very similar to the federal backstop that exists for terrorism risk through TRIA, but would deal with the Coronavirus pandemic instead.

On the ten-year anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) being signed into law, NAIFA looks back at the milestones of health care policy and how the ACA has changed over the last decade. Implementation of the ACA and the tenants included in this monumental health care program have proven to be fluid throughout the existence of the program.

As many industries transition to alternative working arrangements in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, certain sectors and functions essential to the nation’s public health, safety, and community well-being must continue to operate. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released an advisory initial list of “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.”

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) has a long history of working with lawmakers on the state and federal levels. Recent outreach to Congressional offices, state insurance commissioners, and state legislators offering assistance to lawmakers with constituents’ financial concerns has resulted in sincere appreciation.

The COVID-19 outbreak is disrupting the lives of families and the operations of businesses across the country. The impact on the economy and financial implications for Americans will certainly be substantial. At times like this, NAIFA’s advocacy influence and role as the voice of insurance and financial professionals is more important than ever. We are working on behalf of our members, the entire agent-advisor community, and Main Street USA consumers to help Congress find ways to lessen the impact of the outbreak.