Ala. Department Names First Consumer Panel

Alabama Insurance Commissioner David Parsons named 15 Alabamians of diverse backgrounds to the Department of Insurance’s first Consumer Liaison Committee.

Parsons noted that the consumer panel was created to “help ensure that the interests of consumers are represented at the table when decisions are made for a legislative program, administrative rules, enforcement priorities and long-range plans.”

Among other issues, the Consumer Committee members will discuss proposed legislation the department is considering filing with the Alabama legislature. The committee also plans on discussing various current issues facing consumers such as how credit histories are being used in issuing policies and how it affects the price of an insurance policy. Further discussions will include recent concerns about mold exclusions in homeowners’ policies. One of the key areas the committee will look at and discuss is solutions for problems in the area of available and affordable health insurance.

Not only has the department appointed the Consumer Committee, they will shortly appoint an industry council to provide better communication between the department and insurers that do business in Alabama. These boards should provide better communication between insurers, the department, and consumers.

The department has established these Boards, and its members will hold a term for a period of one year. While the Department felt the size of the group had to be limited to be a manageable number, there are other consumers, consumer groups, and insurers that will be invited to participate in future Boards.

Among the Alabamians appointed by the Department to the first Consumer Liaison Committee are: Mike Winter, advocacy representative for AARP Alabama; Susan Martin, VP Better Business Bureau of Central Alabama and the Wiregrass; J. Ray Warren, claims manager State of Alabama, Department of Finance; Mac McArthur, executive director Alabama State Employees Association; Representative Craig Ford, Alabama House of Representatives; Melinda Waters, director Legal Services Corporation of Alabama; Ralph Stacy, president and CEO Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama; Billington Garrett, chief of General Civil Litigation and Administrative Law Division Attorney General’s Office; Colonel James Alexander, director Alabama Department of Public Safety; Judy Meeks, program director State Health Insurance Assistance Alabama Dept. of Senior Services; Joe Bennett, Cousins Insurance Agency; Kimble Forrister, executive director Alabama Arise; Dr. Rick Love Physician and president, Alabama Society of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Thomas Methvin, Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.; Rick Harris, director Bureau of Health Provider Standards Alabama Dept. of Public Health.

Topics Alabama