Advocacy in action blog

NAIFA-Iowa recently held a successful combined in-person/virtual state conference, Sept. 9-11 in Cedar Falls. The program highlighted each point of NAIFA’s membership promise – Advocate, Educate, Differentiate – but the focus turned squarely to advocacy during the Thursday keynote presentation by state Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen and the Friday Newell C. Day Awards Breakfast keynote address by Sen. Chuck Grassley.

November is just two months away and with it comes two things: First, the relief that of knowing that 2020 is moving into the rearview mirror. The second, and perhaps most important, is Election Day and the checklist of things we have to do before we can cast our ballots.  

The California State Legislature recently passed a bill to prohibit life and disability income insurance providers from denying coverage to HIV-positive individuals. The bill, initially introduced as SB 961 by Sen. Lena Gonzales (D), was initially concerning to NAIFA. Together with the Association of California Life & Health Insurance Companies (ACLHICI) and the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), NAIFA worked with Gonzales to amend the bill to give insurers more underwriting flexibility, while still prohibiting them from declining applicants based solely upon an HIV test.

NAIFA-WI teamed up with other trade associations representing the insurance and financial services industry to push back on a potential regulatory proposal that would complicate existing data privacy and security laws. 

Last week NAIFA issued a joint statement with industry association partners to denounce racial injustice. NAIFA has always advocated for financial security for all and the responses we received to our statement were overwhelmingly positive. Our active pursuit of racial equality does not support violence or any activity that works against financial security—including looting, marring our national monuments and destroying private property. We are further saddened by the damage done through rioting and in no way condone these activities as a method of protest.

Politico, the influential political publication, noted some of the prominent contributors to NAIFA Advocacy in Action Day in its "Influence" column: Reps. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Jim Himes (D-Conn.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), Roger Williams (R-Texas), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.), Trey Hollingsworth (R-Ind.) and Mark Walker (R-N.C.); Susan Neely and Joyce Meyer of the American Council of Life Insurers; Julie Herwig of New York Life; and Laura Haines of Guardian Life.

Susan Neely, president and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers, provided an inspiring and laudatory message to attendees of NAIFA’s Advocacy in Action Day. She spoke of how the life insurance and financial services industry and agents and advisors are “meeting the moment” during the COVID-19 crisis.

Reps. Tom Reed (R – NY) and Tom Souzzi (D – NY) share a strong appreciation for the insurance and financial services industry and the importance of the products and services that agents and advisors provide. The y spoke about their work and the Problem Solvers Caucus during NAIFA’s Advocacy in Action Day.

Moderator: Diane Boyle

Tracy Jones – Moderator