First Legislative Report is an ALERT! How’s that for a start???

The 2013 legislative session starts with numerous Work Comp bills but first…

 

RICHMOND -  Delegate Tim Hugo has introduced HB 1607 on behalf of USAA and we knew that one day this would be coming.  In short, the bill would allow for companies to cancel or non-renew policies by electronic means IF the customer has agreed to communicate and do business electronically in the first place.  While we don’t want to tell USAA that they can’t conduct business by their electronic business model, an unintended E&O consequence of this legislation would require independent agents to potentially check each and every e-mail received and ensure that it is the “electronic address of record” submitted to the insurance company.

 

We have TRIED to work with our company lobbyist friends (PCI, AIA, State Farm and others) and at this point have submitted FOUR friendly amendments designed to protect agents.  Presently our amendment is as follows:

 

Line 223 of HB 1607

38.2-325

E.  The notification to the insurance company of any change of electronic address for the named insured shall be the sole responsibility of the named insured.  Notice of such change of the insured’s electronic address given to the agent of record by any person shall not be deemed as notice to the insurance company unless it is specifically identified as a change and receipt has been accepted.

 

This amendment:

 
1.  Does not impact how USAA does business – they don’t have agents.  This ONLY applies if there is an “agent of record” associated with the client.
2. This would protect the agent who receives hundreds of e-mails each day from having to check if any are “new” addresses.
3. The insurance company lobbyists are saying the agent solution to the E&O land mine is to agree to completely take ourselves out of the electronic loop.  Then this legislates the agent out of business and takes them out of the electronic customer service business.  We are NOT going to be dinosaurs!

This bill was carried over by the Commerce and Labor Committee and is presently scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.  IF YOUR LEGISLATOR IS ON THE HOUSE COMMERCE AND LABOR COMMITTEE – PLEASE CONTACT THEM IMMEDIATELY!  Ask them to support and endorse the Big I amendment to HB 1607!  Here are the members of the committee and their contact information:

 

Terry Kilgore, Chairman    804-698-1001  Deltkilgore@house.virginia.gov

Lee Ware, Vice Chairman   804-698-1065  DelLWare@house.virginia.gov

Bob Purkey   804-698-1082  DelBPurkey@house.virginia.gov

Kathy Byron  804-698-1022  DelKByron@house.virginia.gov

Tim Hugo      804-698-1040  DelTHugo@house.virginia.gov

Tom Rust       804-698-1086  DelTRust@house.virginia.gov

Danny Marshall        804-698-1014  DelDMarshall@house.virginia.gov

Ben Cline       804-698-1024  DelBCline@house.virginia.gov

Jackson Miller           804-698-1050  DelJMiller@house.virginia.gov

Don Merricks            804-698-1016  DelDMerricks@house.virginia.gov

Manoli Loupassi      804-698-1068  DelMLoupassi@house.virginia.gov

John Cosgrove          804-698-1078  DelJCosgrove@house.virginia.gov

Rob Bell         804-698-1058  DelRBell@house.virginia.gov

Barbara Comstock    804-698-1034  DelBComstock@house.virginia.gov

Greg Habeeb             804-698-1008  DelGHabeeb@house.virginia.gov

Joe Johnson   804-698-1004 DelJJohnson@house.virginia.gov

Johnny Joannou        804-698-1079  No e-mail

Jennifer McClellan   804-698-1071  DelJMcClellan@house.virginia.gov

Jeion Ward    804-698-1092  DelJWard@house.virginia.gov

Lynwood Lewis       804-698-1000  DelLLewis@house.virginia.gov

Roslyn Tyler 804-698-1075  DelRTyler@house.virginia.gov

Lionell Spruill          804-698-1077  DelLSpruill@house.virginia.gov

 

If you do not know who your legislator is, check here.

 

Again, please contact your legislator TODAY and before 11:00 am on Tuesday, January 15!

 

The first legislative table accompanies this report.  This appears to be the year of the Work Comp bill.  I’ve never seen so many introduced in one year. Many bills are yet to come.  In fact, IIAV’s bill that defines health care navigators has not dropped yet but we expect them to drop both in the House and Senate by early next week.

 

So….more to come.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us:

 

Bob Bradshaw – Rbradshaw@iiav.com – 804-929-4134

Joe Hudgins – Jhudgins@iiav.com – 804-929-4138

 

After speaking with your delegate about HB 1607, if you could let us know about your conversation, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Until next week…..we’re working as hard as we can on your behalf.