This message comes to you at the request of Insurance Commissioner Jim Long:
URGENT ACTION NEEDED:
Immediate action is needed on SB 901 because the Senate Commerce Committee is scheduled to take up the bill this coming Tuesday, May 22nd at 11 a.m. in Raleigh. With the “crossover” deadline looming only 2 days later, any thing could happen … and that is very, very dangerous for consumers and payers of insurance premiums here in North Carolina.
Here is the summary:
If SB 901 passes, then insurance companies will be able to file and use higher insurance rates automatically. If SB 901 had been in place in 2006, then insurance companies would have been able to charge homeowners in eastern and coastal NC up to a 125% increase in homeowners insurance premiums.
If SB 901 passes, then the “burden of proof” – a powerful legal concept – will be moved from the insurance companies seeking rate increases to the Insurance Commissioner instead. What that means is that the Insurance Commissioner will have to prove that insurance rate hikes are unreasonable and excessive, etc., instead of insurance companies having the burden to prove why they should charge higher rates.
If SB 901 passes, then it will remove the limitations for automobile and workers’ comp rate filings: Those insurance companies will be able to make multiple rate filings and rate hikes in one calendar year.
If SB 901 passes, then the filed rates will go into effect immediately and would remain effective unless the Commissioner disputes the filing and a special Superior Court judge agrees with the Commissioner.
If SB 901 passes, then the rate-setting authority will be shifted to a Special Superior Court Judge in Wake County and away from an Insurance Commissioner elected Statewide.
If SB 901 passes, then a judge unfamiliar with the technical, complexities of insurance rate-setting – and without sufficient staff – will hear insurance rate-setting cases instead of the Commissioner of Insurance and his bevy of independent specialists working in the NC Department of Insurance.
If SB 901 passes, then you are guaranteed that your automobile insurance rates will go up. Why? NC already enjoys being the 5th lowest in auto insurance premiums in the country. With SB 901 there is no where to go but higher premiums.
If SB 901 passes, then insurance companies will even benefit from a new enormous windfall in the millions of dollars: Instead of having to refund excessive premiums to North Carolinians from the date the rates were raised by the companies, the insurance companies will only have to refund the amount of monies paid in unfairly since the decision by the Court. That is a huge change that will cost citizens and small businesses millions and millions of dollars.
If SB 901 passes, the Department of Insurance anticipates that workers’ compensation premiums for NC small businesses will rise just as quickly as auto insurance.
If SB 901 passes, then it will allow insurance companies to charge rates that are higher than the maximum approved rates.
If SB 901 passes, then we know for certain that homeowners insurance premiums will rise up to 125% because of what insurance companies sought on the coast and in eastern NC in 2006, and based upon the activities of many of those companies in neighboring southern States.
HERE’S THE LIST TO HELP YOU CONTACT THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE:
Senator R.C. Soles, Jr. DEM
Office: 2022 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 733-5963
Email: Rcsoles@ncleg.net
Senator Tony Rand DEM
Office: 300-C Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-9892
Email: Tonyr@ncleg.net
Senator David W. Hoyle DEM
Office: 300-A Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5734
Email: Davidh@ncleg.net
Senator Tom Apodaca REP-116 (Co-sponsor)
Office: 1127 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 733-5745
Email: Toma@ncleg.net
Senator Doug Berger DEM
Office: 622 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 715-8363
Email: Dougb@ncleg.net
Senator Phil Berger REP
Office: 1026 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 733-5708
Email: philbe@ncleg.net
Senator Julia Boseman DEM
Office: 309 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 715-2525
E-mail: juliab@ncleg.net
Senator Walter H. Dalton DEM
Office: 523 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 715-3038
Email: Walterd@ncleg.net
Senator Katie G. Dorsett DEM
Office: 2106 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 715-3042
Email: Katied@ncleg.net
Senator Tony Foriest DEM
Office: 332 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 301-1446
Email: Tonyf@ncleg.net
Senator James Forrester REP
Office: 1129 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 715-3050
Email: Jamesf@ncleg.net
Senator Linda Garrou DEM
Office: 627 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5620
Email: Lindag@ncleg.net
Senator W. Edward Goodall REP
Office: 1414 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 733-7659
Email: Eddieg@ncleg.net
Senator Steve Goss DEM
Office: 1118 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 733-5742
Email: Steveg@ncleg.net
Senator Malcolm Graham DEM
Office: 620 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5650
Email: Malcolmg@ncleg.net
Senator Kay R. Hagan DEM
Office: 411 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5856
Email: Kayh@ncleg.net
Senator Neal Hunt REP
Office: 1102 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 733-5850
Email: Nealh@ncleg.net
Senator Jim Jacumin REP
Office: 1113 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 715-7823
Email: Jimja@ncleg.net
Senator John H. Kerr III DEM
Office: 526 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5621
Email: Johnk@ncleg.net
Senator Vernon Malone DEM
Office: 314 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5880
Email: Vernonm@ncleg.net
Senator Floyd B. McKissick, Jr. DEM
Office: 314 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5880
Email: Vernonm@ncleg.net
Senator Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. DEM
Office: 300-B Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 715-3001
Email: martinn@ncleg.net
Senator Robert Pittenger REP
Office: 521 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5655
Email: Robertp@ncleg.net
Senator William R. Purcell DEM
Office: 625 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5953
Email: Williamp@ncleg.net
Senator Larry Shaw DEM
Office: 311 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-9349
Email: Larrys@ncleg.net
Senator Richard Stevens REP
Office: 406 Legislative Office Building
Phone: (919) 733-5653
Email: Richards@ncleg.net
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