Panelists: Industry A ‘Whipping Boy’

The insurance industry is the “whipping boy” of state attorneys general and insurance commissioners, many of whom want to enter 2006 governor’s races in their states, according to panelists and their audience at the Society of Insurance Research’s annual conference, workshops and exhibit fair in Atlanta.

A list of states, California, Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota and New York, were ticked off by David B. Reddick, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) southeaststate affairs manager. He pointed out that these states launched insurance industry probes and their insurance commissioners are potential governors in 2006.

Reddick thinks the 2006 governor’s race in Florida will be especially interesting because it is likely there will be a face-off between Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher and Attorney General Charlie Crist.

Hot Topics Workshop panelists were all NAMIC officials: Kenneth R. Marshall, state affairs information manager; Reddick; Peter A. Bisbecos, director of legal and regulatory affairs; and Joe Thesing, central region state affairs manager.

They said the National Association of Attorneys General’s Web site, http://www.naag.org, emphasizes political “causes,” anti-trust, bankruptcy, civil rights, medical fraud, tobacco and violence against women–all topics to encourage press coverage and votes.

Hurricane issues have such a high-profile that panelists said several commissioners are avoiding them until after the Florida Legislature meets in December.

Topics Florida