Advocacy in action blog

Alabama, Maine, and Virginia have joined 12 other states in adopting consumer-protection regulations or legislation based on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC’s) Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model. The NAIC model requires financial professionals to work in the best interests of their clients during annuities transactions and aligns with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulation Best Interest. It also preserves the ability of consumers to work with agents and advisors offering a variety of successful business models and avoids restrictions that would likely make it impossible for financial professionals to work with Main Street investors and retirement savers.

Understandably, 2020 was a slow year for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) – with the obvious exception of COVID-19 matters. Many Working Groups, Task Forces, and Committees delayed projects and meeting altogether. Although there still are discussions on COVID-19 topics, the recent spring meetings of both groups generally focused on getting regular work streams back up and running.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased to welcome Maeghan Gale as a Policy Director. Gale will join NAIFA’s Government Relations team on February 1 and will report to Senior Vice President for Government Relations Diane Boyle.

Christopher L. Gandy, a member of the 2021 National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Board of Trustees and the president of NAIFA’s Chicagoland chapter, spoke on behalf of NAIFA at a National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) meeting of the NAIC’s Special Committee on Race and Insurance.

NAIFA is proud to announce that it has renewed its participation as a member of the Industry Education Council (IEC), the educational partner of the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL). The IEC provides effective communication with state legislators, and vital support for NCOIL’s educational programs.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased with NCOIL’s adoption of the Short Term Limited Duration Insurance Model Act sponsored by IN Representative Martin Carbaugh. NAIFA has long reasoned that STLDI plans can ensure that consumers are able to maintain critical and temporary health insurance coverage especially in instances where a consumer lost his or her individual market or group policy and needs sufficient time to obtain a more comprehensive insurance plan.  Also, in some health insurance markets where there are very few and cost prohibitive plans available for consumers, STDLI policies may offer consumers the only affordable, albeit temporary, option. 

Julie Harrison, NAIFA's Director of State Chapter Government Relations, has been named to the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) Board of Directors.

The NAIC recently adopted amendments to its Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation, which regulates producer and insurer recommendations for all annuities. The revised NAIC Model requires producers and insurers to act in the best interest of annuity purchasers and to not put their own financial interests ahead of the consumers’ interest. The amended Model, which aligns well with the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest, will raise the standard of care required of financial professionals while preserving consumers’ access to valuable financial advice, services and products. NAIFA was an active participant in the development of these revisions and supports the amended Model regulation. The adoption by the states of these amendments is a top advocacy priority for NAIFA.

In 2017, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners adopted a Data Security Model Law and states have been quick to respond. So far, South Carolina has been the only state to adopt the actual model with no modifications –which isn’t too surprising considering South Carolina’s Insurance Director, Ray Farmer, led the Cybersecurity Working Group at the NAIC.