Atlanta Conferees Suggest SAG Investigations Politically Motivated

David Reddick

The insurance industry is the “whipping boy” of state attorneys general and state insurance commissioners, many of whom have their hopes set on throwing their hats in the 2006 governor’s races in their states, according to panelists and their audience attending the Society of Insurance Research’s annual conference, workshops and exhibit fair being held Nov. 14 to 17 in Atlanta.

In a half-joking, half-serious discussion David B. Reddick quipped, “Does anyone know what insurance commissioners and state attorneys general have in common?”

Reddick, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) state affairs manager for the southeast ticked off a list of states: California, Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota and New York. All these states have launched insurance industry probes, all five insurance commissioners are all potential governors in 2006.

Reddick said the 2006 governor’s race will be especially interesting in Florida where there could be a face-off between Florida Chief Financial Officer Tom “I want to be governor” Gallagher and Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist.

Panelists at the Hot Topics Workshops were all NAMIC officials, Kenneth R. Marshall, state affairs information manager; Reddick; Peter A. Bisbecos, director of legal and regulatory affairs; and Joe Thesing, state affairs manager for the central region.

They suggested the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) nickname should be the “inspiring governors association.” They pointed out that at the site, http://www.naag.org/, political interaction obviously motivates the actions of many NAAG members, as is obvious from the “causes” they have chosen to pursue, such as antitrust, bankruptcy, civil rights, medical fraud, tobacco and violence against women.

Panelists and audience members agreed that attorneys general in other southeast states were watching what was happening in Florida, and do not intend to do anything in their states until the outcome is decided in Florida. The Florida Legislature meets in December to discuss dual indemnity, but everyone doubted that many important decisions will be made in that session and that most likely most important topics will be held over until the spring legislative sessions.

Topics Florida