NAIFA Frontline
http://www.naifa.org/frontline

Association of Health Insurance Advisors
http://www.ahia.net

State Legislation
http://www.azleg.state.az.us

Federal Legislation
http://www.naifa.org/gov_federal.html

Arizona House & Senate Contact Information
Arizona House of Representatives Senators & Assiatants

NAIFA's Legislative Action Alert Center
http://www.capwiz.com/naifa http://www.naifa.org/advocacy/advocacyonline.cfm
Contact Your Legislator
- http://www.naifa.org

For more information, contact Henry C. GrosJean at 623.435.8400


Legislative Update Submitted February 19, 2008 Henry C. GrosJean – AZ-NAIFA Legislative Chair
(4-24-08 Updates in red)

Bills being monitored so far:

HB 2658 - requires legislators advocating a bill that mandates health coverage to submit a report relative to costs and impact of the mandate. Has been transmitted to the Governor for her signature on 04-22-08.

HB2513 - This is a striker bill and has yet to be introduced; states that initiating or planning to initiate a life insurance policy for the benefit of a third party investor who has no insurable interest in the insured is a violation of ARS 20-1104, which states that no person shall procure an insurance contract on another without an insurable interest in the insured. ALIC is behind this. Still alive.

SB1093 - adds training requirements for individuals who sell long-term care insurance and makes changes to pre-existing condition limitations for long-term care insurance policies. Dead, but was resurrected in SB1223 as a strker bill.

SB1086 - requires all insurance producer license applicants to pass an examination within the one-year period preceding their application submission. Still alive.

HB2319 - establishes a new income tax credit for long-term care insurance premiums. Dead.

HB2145 - requires a mental health parity provision for health insurers. Dead, but was resurrected in HB2209. The bill now is in Appropriations.

HB2166 - removes the 180 day waiting period before an employer can enroll in the healthcare group. Dead.

HB2099 - allows insurers to take a credit against their insurance premiums tax liability for donations to a school tuition organization. Dead.

HB2081 - allows captive insurers to cover employment practices liability risk. Still alive.

---

NEW YEAR, NEW NAIFA, "NEW LOOK" for advocacy Communications - click here for PDF introduction.

12/7/07

NAIFA and ACLI Publish STOLI Alert Volume 1, Issue 5

NAIFA and the ACLI recently published the fifth issue of STOLI Alert. The timing of this issue was planned so that it would be published just prior to the NAIC’s Winter National meeting, which was held December 2-4. STOLI Alert is a newsletter published periodically by NAIFA and the ACLI to update its readers on recent activity and developments in connection with stranger-originated life insurance (STOLI). STOLI transactions are used by unrelated investors and speculators as a way to circumvent insurable interest laws by initiating life insurance policies on strangers with the intent that the policy-owner will settle the policy after the expiration of the contestability period. NAIFA believes such transactions are an abuse of life insurance’s traditional and established purposes.
 
A copy of Issue 5 of STOLI Alert in PDF format is here for your review.

---

11/15/07

Federal Estate Tax Subject of Senate Finance Committee Hearing
 
The Senate Finance Committee just wrapped up a hearing entitled “Federal Estate Tax: Uncertainty in Planning Under the Current Law.” Witnesses who testified were:

  • Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Omaha, NE.
  • Conrad Teitell, Principal, Cummings and Lockwood, LLC, Stamford, Ct.
  • Dean Rhodes, Rancher, Tuscarora, NV, and
  • Eugene G. Sukup, Chairman of the Board, Sekup Manufacturing Company, Sheffield, IA.

Misters Rhoads and Sukup represented small business and farm interests and testified on the cost and complexity of estate planning under current law. Mr. Teitel testified as an estate planning lawyer but did not take a position on whether the estate tax should be retained or repealed. Mr. Buffett, on the other hand, supported retaining the estate tax at approximately the same revenue raising level as today, although indicated he would not oppose reconfiguring it.
 
The genesis for the hearing grew out of Senate debate on an appropriations bill covering programs for the agricultural industry. Proponents of repealing the federal estate tax entirely were persuaded from offering amendments to the farm bill (now on the Senate floor) in exchange for the Finance Committee examining the issues involved in estate planning under current law. There has also been speculation that the Finance Committee will hold a “mark-up” session next spring when it will consider various options for repealing or modifying the federal estate tax.
 
Insurance agents and financial advisors are often at the core of professional advisors helping clients plan for transferring businesses and general assets to the next generation on the most cost effective basis. Therefore, NAIFA and NAIFA members have been involved in the highly contentious estate tax debate for many years. NAIFA’s view is that given that wealth transfer taxes have been part of the federal tax code since 1797, repeal of current law is highly unlikely, and even if it were repealed now, history shows it would likely resurface. All of the Finance Committee Senators present at the hearing agreed that there was almost no opportunity to repeal the estate tax. All, however, predicted that there would be a compromise—most likely 2009.
 
Also complicating the picture are the “pay as you go” budget rules Congress adopted last January designed to reign in the federal budget deficit. If the estate tax were completely repealed or substantially modified, Congress would have to find new revenue sources to make up the difference. (It could cut spending of course, but that is highly unlikely.) In 2006, estate and gift taxes generated $27.8 billion in federal tax revenue.
Therefore, NAIFA has consistently supported establishing an exempt amount which would be high enough to exempt 99.6 percent of all taxpayers from any possibility of paying estate taxes, and applying a top rate of 40 to 45 percent of the remainder of estates. An exempt amount that would fit the 99.6 percent standard would be roughly $3 to $3.5 million in 2010.
 
NAIFA is very sympathetic to the charge that current law inhibits planning. When Congress enacted the current estate tax law in 2001, NAIFA members in the estate planning field feared that many individuals would put off planning because it was widely proclaimed that Congress had repealed the “death tax.” Proponents failed to publicize that Congress did no such thing, and that after the scheduled “repeal” year of 2010, the tax is scheduled to revert to year 2001 levels. The exempt amount in 2011 would then be $1 million and carry a top rate or 55 percent. Unfortunately, the publicity surrounding “repeal” persuaded many potentially impacted individuals to put off planning, to the point where many have run out of good options.
 
The Joint Tax Committee prepared a concise overview of federal wealth transfer tax system in connection with the hearing. For a copy please go to http://www.naifa.org/advocacy/documents/wealth_transfer11142007.pdf

For more information, please contact Michael L. Kerley at mkerley@naifa.org or 703.770.8155.

---

Federal Legislation Update for NAIFA Members Henry C. GrosJean – AZ-NAIFA Legislative Chair

As of October 31st 2007 - Pending Legislation for Health and Welfare Plans

HR493 / S358 Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007

Purpose: This bill would bar group health plans or health insurers from requesting, requiring, or purchasing genetic information for underwriting purposes, to deny health coverage or to raise premiums.

Outlook: The bill is being prevented from moving to a vote and is supported by the Bush Administration.

S558 Mental Health Parity Act of 2007

Purpose: It would provide mental health parity for employers with 50 or more employees.

Outlook:This could be enacted this year. The Senate bill has been endorsed by business and health insurers. A House version HR1424 is much more restrictive and does not have the support from business.

S2219 / HR3932 Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act

Purpose: It would establish a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan that would be operated by the federal Medicare program and compete with the privately sponsored plans that are currently offered.

Outlook: Is opposed by most Republicans and the Bush Administration.

HR2638, HR3161, HR3043 Prescription Drug Importation

Purpose: These bills would prohibit customs officials from seizing prescription drugs crossing the border from Canada. They could also be purchased over the Internet and by mail.

Outlook: The current Administration and the pharmaceutical industry remain staunchly opposed of any kind of legislation that would legalize drug importation.

HR3963, S2152, S2193 Low-Income Premium Assistance

Purpose: They would allow states to offer a premium assistance subsidy under both the CHIP and Medicaid programs to all individuals under age 19 and the parent of such individual for qualified, employer-sponsored coverage.

Outlook: These bills were mainly introduced to highlight differences between the Democrats and the Republicans.

S1693, HR2406, HR2991 Health Information Technology (IT) Bills

Purpose: They would establish a public-private partnership to provide recommendations to HHS for the exchange for health information. They would include privacy protections, etc.

Outlook: Despite strong bipartisan support budget constraints and competing domestic issues may push consideration until 2008.

S1753 Wellness Tax Credit (Healthy Workforce Act)

Purpose: It would provide a ten year tax credit of up to $200 per employee for the first 200 employees and up to $100 per employee thereafter to employees that provide qualified comprehensive wellness programs.

Outlook: It is expected to move some time this year.

S504, HR3363 Long-Term Care Trust Account Act of 2007

Purpose: They would create a new type of savings account to cover long-term care costs. Individuals who establish a long-term care trust account would be able to contribute up to $5,000 annually, adjusted to inflation, to their account and receive a refundable 10% tax credit.

Outlook: They have bipartisan support, but the fate of such legislation remains unclear.

 

Legislative Update Submitted August 14, 2007 Henry C. GrosJean – AZ-NAIFA Legislative Chair

Federal - Health and Welfare

S. 1753 was introduced that would provide tax credits to employers that implement workplace wellness programs aimed at encouraging employees to lead healthier lives and prevent chronic illnesses.

H.R. 2948 and S. 1652 were introduced that would permit health insurance to be purchased from funds in a health savings account.

H.R. 2833 was introduced that would provide additional limitations on pre-existing condition exclusions in group and individual health plans.

H.R. 2842 was introduced that would prohibit pre-existing condition limitations from being imposed on children under age 19.

H.R. 3363 was introduced that would allow qualified long-term care insurance to be offered under cafeteria plans and health flexible spending arrangements.

The 48th Legislature, 1st Regular Session ended June 20th 2007 – Henry C. GrosJean – AZ-NAIFA Legislative Chair

I am pleased to report that it was not an eventful session relative to our industry. There were a number of bills that AZ-AIFA supported. They are not in any particular order and descriptions are very brief. Some are also listed here for informational purposes only, however all have been signed by the Governor. For more detail go to: www.azleg.gov

SB1073 involved cash surrender payments under deferred annuities that had to fall within 30 days of the contract termination.

SB1203 involved further definitions of variable group contracts as well as establishing new requirements for variable group contractors.

HB2134 involved the future implementation of a uniform health questionnaire for small employer health insurance.

HB2405 allows an insurer to reduce WC insurance premiums by 5% if the employer conducts drug and alcohol testing of employees.

SB1098 allows health insurance providers to offer incentives under a wellness program that meets certain conditions.

SB1204 decreased the number of people necessary for a group disability policy from five to two and eliminates the definition of a participating provider.

And, there was one bill that we officially opposed although it passed. This was HB2439, which increased the number of continuing education credit hours for hearing aid dispensers. I gave testimony to the effect that it was encouraging to know that dispensers had enough training to install these aids so the general public could hear and hopefully understand what an insurance agent was selling them! For some reason the legislators did not find this particularly amusing.

Legislative Update – Submitted May 15, 2007 – Henry C. GrosJean – AZ-NAIFA Legislative Chair

HB2405 was signed by the Governor. This bill allows an insurer to reduce an employer's worker's compensation insurance premium by five percent if the employer conducts drug and alcohol testing of employees.

Legislative Update – Submitted February 19, 2007 – Henry C. GrosJean – AZ-NAIFA Legislative Chair

SB 1073 - deferred annuities; cash surrender; payment
Primary sponsor is Senator Linda Gray (D-19) Republican

From a prior update this bill requires insurance companies to pay cash surrender
benefits to policyholders within thirty (30) days of annuity contract termination.

For the bill: AZ-AIFA, ACLI, Prudential, MetLife.
Against the bill: State Farm
Neutral: Department of Insurance

SB 1506 - tax-credit; business health insurance
Primary sponsor is Senator B. Leff (D-11) Republican

From a prior update it establishes an individual income tax credit for small businesses that provide health insurance to their employees, beginning in tax year 2008.

For the bill: CIGNA, BC/BS, NFIB, America’s Health Insurance Plans, East Valley Chambers of Commerce Alliance, AZ Restaurant Assoc., AZ-AIFA, United Healthcare, Golden Rule, AZ Chamber of Commerce, Greater Phoenix Chamber.
Against the bill: none listed
Neutral: Dept. of Revenue

SB1532 - tax credit; long-term care insurance
Primary sponsor is Senator C. Allen (D-8) Republican

Purpose is to establish an income tax credit, beginning Jan of 08 for long-term care premium costs, subject to specified conditions and limits.

For the bill: SCAN Health Plan, America’s Health Insurance Plans, East Valley Chambers of Commerce Alliance, AZ-AIFA, AZ Assoc. of Homes & Housing for the Aging, AZ Health Care Assoc., AARP.
Against: none listed
Neutral: Dept. of Revenue

Legislative Update – Submitted February 13, 2007 – Henry C. GrosJean – AZ-NAIFA Legislative Chair

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1532 tax credit; long-term care insurance

Purpose

Establishes an income tax credit, beginning January 1, 2008, for long-term care premium costs, subject to specified conditions and limits.

Background

Long-term care refers to the services needed when an individual’s ability to care for himself or herself has been limited due to a chronic illness or disability. Long-term care needs may be permanent or limited to a relatively short time. Some individuals require constant care in an institution such as a nursing home, while others may need assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing or eating.

Long-term care insurance is one way of paying for these services. Like other insurance programs, consumers pay premiums that vary depending on their age and health status and on the level of coverage, benefits and options selected. Benefits are claimed when long-term care services are needed, such as when a consumer must enter a nursing home, either permanently or temporarily. According to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, as of 2005, approximately 10 million people need long-term care in the United States, including 6 million elderly and 4 million children and non-elderly adults. The General Accounting Office estimated that in 2000, private insurance accounted for 11 percent of total payments for long-term care, while Medicaid and Medicare accounted for 45 and 14 percent, respectively.

The Department of Insurance (DOI) regulates long-term care insurance in Arizona. DOI reports that, as of 2005, 104,729 individuals in Arizona have long-term care insurance (including both individual and group policies). S.B. 1532 could provide incentives for additional people to purchase long-term care insurance.

Current statute allows Arizona taxpayers who do not take a standard deduction to deduct specified items when computing taxable income. Examples of deductions include certain expenses for medical care, interest on certain home mortgages, and certain charitable contributions. Other deductions are specified in federal law. S.B. 1532 prohibits taxpayers from claiming a deduction and taking a tax credit for the same expense. This prohibition applies to all expenses for which a taxpayer is eligible to claim a deduction and a credit.

The fiscal impact of the bill to the state General Fund depends upon how many individuals take advantage of the credit and the amounts of the credits taken.

Provisions

  1. Establishes, for taxable years beginning January 1, 2008, a nonrefundable income tax credit for long-term care premium costs paid by an Arizona resident for: a) the taxpayer. b) the taxpayer’s spouse, parent or parent-in-law. c) any other dependent of the taxpayer, subject to specified restrictions.
  2. Limits the amount of the credit to the lesser of ten percent of the premium costs paid or five hundred dollars per each person covered by the policy; the credit cannot exceed the taxpayer’s income tax liability.
  3. Prohibits the credit from being refunded or carried forward to subsequent years.
  4. Prohibits a taxpayer from claiming a credit for any premium amount that is excluded from Arizona gross income or deducted or subtracted in the calculation of the taxpayer’s Arizona adjusted gross income.
  5. Allows a husband and wife that filed separate tax returns to split the credit, but limits the sum of the credits claimed by the husband and wife to the amount that would have been allowed if they filed a joint return.
  6. Requires a long-term care policy to meet the requirements of the current statutes that regulate long-term care insurance.
  7. Prohibits taxpayers from claiming both an itemized deduction and a tax credit for the same expense.
  8. Adds the credit established by the bill to the Income Tax Credit Review Schedule in 2012.
  9. Stipulates the purpose of the bill is to reduce the amount of state income taxes paid by Arizona residents who pay for long-term care insurance coverage.
  10. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Legislative Update – Submitted January 31, 2007 – Henry C. GrosJean – AZ-NAIFA Legislative Chair

Bills of possible interest and/or are being monitored:

SB1073 - deferred annuities; cash surrender; payment
This bill would make an amendment to IRC 20-1232, which refers to the deferral in payment of the cash surrender benefit for a period not to exceed thirty days, instead of six months as stated in the current statute.

SB 1217 - filings; securities dealers
From what can be assessed this bill spells out basic reporting requirements for securities dealers, salesmen; SEC filings; record retention; real property records; and civil action. Not being in the securities business others in the association will have to pass judgment on this measure. I will follow up with other industry lobbyists for clarification.

HB2086 - insurance; cancer screening examinations
This is yet another health insurance mandate, but for a change it includes prostate exams for men over the age of forty-five.

HB2157 - income tax credit; diabetes expenses
This would offer an income tax credit up to $500 for a taxpayer who incurs qualified diabetes expenses. A qualified diabetes expense means that the following items are not covered by the health insurance policy. These are blood glucose monitors, BGM’s for the legally blind, test strips, insulin preparations and glucagons, insulin cartridges, injection aids, syringes and lancets, prescribed oral agents and podiatric appliances.

HB2449 - insurance contract; policy contents
This amendment clarifies that a premium does not include a separate charge for an installment fee and requires the installment fee to be disclosed by a motor vehicle insurer.

Legislative Update – Submitted January 29th 2007 Henry C. GrosJean – AZ-NAIFA Legislative Chair

Bills of possible interest and/or are being monitored:

SB1032 - burden of proof; emergency treatment
Requires the statutory elements of proof for medical malpractice cases related to certain emergency circumstances to be established by clear and convincing evidence. Broadens the instances in which the existing clear and convincing evidence requirement for cases related to emergency labor and delivery applies.

SB 1288 - insurance; automobile rates; zip codes
In essence, an insurer shall not base a risk classification on the applicant ’s zip code.

SB 1271 - AHCCCS; healthcare group coverage; eligibility
A small employer (2-25) could enroll in the Healthcare Group Plan provided that the employer could demonstrate that the commercial health plan’s insurance premiums were increased by more than thirty percent in less than twelve months. Also, that a non-profit that has 25 or fewer employees would be eligible. The six month go-bare period would not apply in these two instances.

SB1203 - variable group contracts
The purpose is to define a variable group annuity and establishes the requirements necessary for a person to sell variable group annuities. The bill states that variable group holders are protected by ERISA and not by federal security law. Current statute does not differentiate between variable contracts and variable group contracts. This bill defines a variable group contract and establishes new requirements for variable group annuity contractors.

HB2509 - insurance score; credit history
This bill makes some technical corrections to IRC 20-2110 relating to reasons for an adverse underwriting decision. It would change the reporting date to the insured from 90 days to 21 days relative to reasons for the adverse decision; provide a consumer report to the consumer at no cost; including any factors other than the credit history that were used in the decision, including a description of these factors. Some of the “factors” listed that must be disclosed to the applicant include the number of credit inquiries made by the consumer during the previous 24 months, factors relating to employment status that may affect the applicant’s income, if an insurer uses a third party to calculate an insurance score, and the insurer cannot use a surcharge or discount that was used in relation to a prior claim history for the non-credit score portion of a policy.

December 15, 2006

The U.S. Senate recently passed HR6111 which is scheduled to be signed by the President.

Highlights:

Allows HSA contributions up to the full statutory maximum without regard to the HDHP deductible amount.

Allows a one-time tax free rollover of amounts in a Flexible Spending Account, HRA, or IRA to the HSA account.

Allows a full-year contribution to the HSA account regardless of when you started the plan. So, if you're eligible the last day of the month of a given taxable year you are deemed to be eligible for the entire year.

And, will allow an employer to contribute greater contributions for non-highly compensated employees without violating the HSA comparability rules.

Obviously, this is a brief overview.

Henry GrosJean
State Legislative Chair

 

Novemerber 13, 2006

Henry C. GrosJean, Immediate Past President and 2006/07 Government Relations Chair

We, as members, are all aware that NAIFA’s top priority is legislative and regulatory advocacy. The impact of this effort will affect our Member’s bottom-line, which is part of the very reason for NAIFA’s existence.

A major reason why NAIFA made this part of their refocused mission statement is because our industry is high value tax target. Why is that?

Think about this: In 2004 alone, the Federal deficit was $428 Billion. That same year the life insurance industry transferred $402 Billion to policyholders, beneficiaries, and annuitants tax free! One does not need to be an economist to see that these dollars represent possible revenue to the US Treasury.

If this is not enough take note that one-third of all “tax expenditures” or “negative revenue” falls within the domain of the insurance and financial services industry. This fact is supported by the Joint Committee on Taxation which researches potential sources of tax revenue for the two congressional tax writing committees – House Ways & Means and Senate Finance. The “tax expenditures” that fall within our industry are:

  • Qualified Retirement Plans and IRA’s
  • Employee Benefit Programs
  • Tax-Free Life Insurance Death Proceeds
  • Tax-deferred Inside Build-Up

In view of this list it’s very obvious that there is not a single insurance or investment product that we offer our clients that does not have an associated tax benefit or advantage.

And the reason we have these tax benefits to offer is because of the historical lobbying efforts of NAIFA. They have made these a reality. For it has and will remain a viable economic and social policy to encourage and incentivize consumers in assuming responsibility for their long-term financial security.

Only two years ago NAIFA was able to defeat two attempts at taxing the inside build-up of life insurance. We all know that over the next two years lawmakers will be looking at the challenges of the U.S. budgetary deficit. 

Also, keep in perspective that over the past 12 years the GOP-controlled Congress has passed or advocated a host of bills and regulations helpful to insurance companies and not just agents. For example with the recent changes to Medicare in late 2003 it is estimated that over $12 billion will be transferred to insurers over the next few years. And this year there was real movement on federal chartering for insurers. It is likely that this initiative and others will come to a halt with the new regime entering Congress as Democrats have historically opposed a number of insurance industry-favored initiatives.

So, it should be no secret that in view of the transfer of power in Congress our target just got bigger. And we as Members not only have to step up our involvement with APIC and IFAPAC, but must stiffen our resolve in getting this message out to the apathetic majority of agents.

 

September 21, 2006

Henry C. GrosJean, Immediate Past President and 2006/07 Government Relations Chair

For 2007 Legislative Session:

AZ Department of Insurance may introduce NAIC model legislation requiring all agents who sell LTC to take an approved LTC course / exam prior to selling the product.

There will be legislation introduced to standardize the health questionnaire for small business amongst all of the Accountable Health Plans.

Continuing Education for all agents may again be introduced along with some compromises to get it enacted, such as, a grandfather clause for those in the business twenty or more years, and mono-line agents or those who strictly sell property-casualty insurance.

A universal health insurance bill will also be re-introduced by Rep. Rios, however, it will only get an initial audience and will probably not go anywhere.

And, the Arizona Department of Insurance has indicated that they would support an ethics exam prior to license issue.

---

SB1170 permanently repeals the Arizona estate tax. Because the Arizona estate tax is based on the federal credit for state death taxes, the Arizona estate tax was subsequently phased out between 2002 and 2005. This bill permanently repealed the Arizona estate tax. While no tax will be owed on an estate of a person who dies after 12-31-04, the state General Fund may still continue collecting estate taxes through March 31, 2006 (the estate tax return may be filed no later than 9 months after a person's death, but the filer may be granted a 6 month extension). One other provision of this bill was that it subtracts from the Arizona gross income the amount of federal estate taxes paid in the current taxable year. The bill was sponsored by Senator Dean Martin (who is now running for state treasurer, and Senator Bob Blendu (a stockbroker).

----

Annual Wrap Up – by 2005/06 President, Henry GrosJean:

Supported HB2698 entittled "small business health insurance plans". This bill, which was signed by the Governor, exempts from specified insurance coverage requirements, including certain mandates, health insurance that is issued to businesses that employ 2 to 25 persons and that have been uninsured for at lease six months.

Supported HB2162 which was also signed into law. This was a correction bill to current insurance statutes and follows the requirement that an insurance producer or an insurer should have reasonable grounds for believing that the recommendation for the purchase of an annuity is suitable for annuities consumers. The content of this bill mimics what any insurance agent and carrier perform relative to their due diligence.

SB1070 was also signed by the Governor. This bill did not call for us to support and basically it removes a participation percentage relating to group life insurance policies. Specifically, it removes the requirement that a group life insurance policy, on which part fo the premium is to be derived from funds contributed by the insured members (or employees) only be placed if at least 75% of the eligible members participate.

Did not support HB2627. This bill would have removed the exemption for securities and insurance dealers regarding criminal and civil penalties for exploiting incapacitated or vulnerable adults. I logged on-line that NAIFA-AZ was in opposition and my on-line comment as to the effect that banks should be included was read by the Chairman of the committee in front of the public. The bill was passed in this committee, however, Senator Linda Gray (D-10) decided that in view of my comment relative to the bank inclusion, was intent on placing an amendment on the floor that would have included banks.

I subsequently received a call from the bill sponsor, Rep. Ted Downing (D-28) and was asked that if we (NAIFA-AZ) would be willing to discuss a compromise relative to our position. I declined the offer. The bill never made it out of the Senate and in a subsequent conversation with the AZ Department of Insurance the threat of the floor amendment was probably the reason for the bills' failure.

Did not support HB2782 which would have placed Life Settlement contracts under the jurisdiction of the AZ Department of Insurance from the AZ Securities Department. This issue will probably re-surface in the 2007 legislative session as one of the sponsors wanted to talk to us following the fact that the bill did not make it out of the first committee where it was introduced.
I would suggest that the locals keep this issue alive as we'll be asking for your input from your members closer to when this bill will come up again.

HB2217 was sponsored by Rep. Doug Quelland from my district per my request. I spent a great deal of time at the legislature on this bill and, yes, it did affect my business. However, requiring insurers to provide more information to brokers and employers as to the basis on which their rates are developed is an important step towards affordable health insurance. This bill was signed by the Governor on April 12. Starting, probably in July, all health insurers or Accountable Health Plans will have to file their Base rates, or best rate possible, and their Index rates, or average rates, with the AZ Department of Insurance. This information will be available to employers and their insurance brokers.

 

 

April 14, 2006 -


SPECIAL BULLETIN


To: All NAIFA Members
From: David E. Smithkey, CLU, RFC, NAIFA President
Date: April 14, 2006
Subject: Agent Training and Reporting Requirements Under the New USA PATRIOT Act Anti-Money Laundering Regulations Regulations recently adopted by the Treasury Department under the USA Patriot Act require insurance companies to report suspected money laundering and other suspicious activities, and to develop training programs designed to help their agents spot these activities. While the regulations only apply to insurers and do not directly cover agent activities, the new reg does require insurers to integrate their agents into their anti-money laundering activities. Companies need to have their compliance programs up and running and their agent training started by May 2, 2006. What does this mean for NAIFA members? You will have to take a training program from the insurers you represent which will help you recognize money laundering and other suspicious activities. You will also need to assist insurers in their responsibility to identify and report suspicious activity. To minimize the burden to agents, NAIFA has been working in conjunction with the ACLI to standardize training program requirements, so that agents will not have to take a separate training program from each insurer they represent. The remainder of this bulletin (see below) consists of a primer prepared by NAIFA and the ACLI designed to help NAIFA members understand the new anti-money laundering regulation and the insurer and agent responsibilities under the new rule. (The document is also available online at www.naifa.org/advocacy/documents/agent_primer042006.pdf.) It is likely that you will also receive information on the new regulation from the insurers you represent.

What Insurance Agents and Brokers Should Expect under the New Anti-Money Laundering Regulations for Life Insurance Companies The USA PATRIOT Act includes provisions intended to prevent the financial services industry, including the insurance sector, from being used for money laundering and terrorist financing by criminals and terrorists.  The Act requires insurance companies to establish anti-money laundering (AML) programs that comply with minimum standards developed by the Department of the Treasury. Regulations issued by the Treasury Department and its Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) establish minimum requirements for insurance company anti-money laundering programs and require insurers to report suspicious transactions. Although insurance agents and brokers are not required to have their own anti-money laundering programs, the Treasury Department and FinCEN have stated that insurance agents and brokers are expected to play an important role in implementation of these programs by insurers.  ACLI’s member insurance companies are mindful of the burden that inconsistent or conflicting programs could impose on agents and brokers, and are cooperating on various means of avoiding any undue burden, while assuring the effectiveness of the industry’s efforts to combat money laundering.  This document has been prepared by the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) in conjunction with the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and is intended to provide agents and brokers with a brief description of money laundering and terrorist financing and the ways in which the insurance industry might be used to engage in such activities.  In addition, it serves as an introduction to the requirements imposed by the Treasury Department regulations, and some of the means by which brokers and agents may be integrated into insurers’ AML programs. What is Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing? Money laundering.  Money laundering is a varied and often complicated process that can, but does not always, involve cash transactions. Illegally-obtained money is filtered through a series of transactions that eventually make the money appear to be obtained from “clean”, or legal, activities.  The money laundering process has been described as having three phases that often overlap:Placement—Injecting ill-gotten proceeds, including cash, into the financial system through transactions such as bank deposits or the purchase of certain insurance productsLayering—Separating illicit proceeds from their criminal source through complex financial transactions Integration—Putting the proceeds back into circulation in the economy, with the appearance of legality.  Terrorist financing.  Terrorist financing involves the use of money, which may be lawfully obtained, to fund illegal activities. Because the transactions often have a legitimate origin and can often involve small amounts of money, terrorist financing can be more difficult to identify than money-laundering activities, although an effective anti-money laundering program can help prevent the use of funds for terrorism activities. What Responsibilities Will Agents and Brokers Have Under the New Rules?The new insurance regulations do not require insurance agents and brokers to establish anti-money laundering programs or to report suspicious transactions themselves.  However, FinCEN has made clear that life insurance agents and brokers will have an important role to play in insurance companies’ anti-money laundering programs because they have direct contact with customers and are thus often in the best position to gather information and detect suspicious activity.  To assure that insurance companies and their distribution partners collaborate in preventing money laundering, the new rules require life insurance companies to integrate agents and brokers into their anti-money laundering programs and to monitor the agents’ compliance with the programs. The preamble to the rules states that if efforts to integrate agents into insurance company programs are ineffective, FinCEN may reconsider its decision not to require agents and brokers to establish their own programs.  The regulations are effective on May 2, 2006.  On that date, insurance company programs must be up and running. There are two new regulations requiring collaboration between insurance companies and their agents or brokers.  In general, the first requires each insurance company to develop and implement a written anti-money laundering program, applicable to “covered products,” that is reasonably designed to prevent the insurance company from being used to facilitate money laundering or the financing of terrorist activities.  These programs must (a) include risk-based policies, procedures and controls that, among other things, “integrat[e]” the company’s insurance agents and insurance brokers into its anti-money laundering program,” (b) designate a compliance officer responsible for the program, (c) provide for ongoing training of individuals, including agents and brokers, with responsibilities under the program, and (d) provide for independent testing of the program, including testing with respect to compliance of agents and brokers.  The second rule requires insurance companies to report “suspicious activities” and to establish procedures to obtain information from agents and brokers, among others, necessary to detect and report those transactions.  Each insurance company is required to establish an AML program that is “risk-based,” which means that each company’s program must address the money laundering risks arising from the company’s particular product mix and unique business practices.“Covered Products.”  The rules are not applicable to all insurance products.  Rather, the Treasury Department identified categories of “covered products” that in its judgment presented sufficient AML risk to justify regulation.  “Covered products” are defined to include:

  • A permanent life insurance policy, other than a group life insurance policy; An annuity contract, other than a group annuity contract; or
  • Any other insurance product with features of cash value or investment.

Accordingly, property-casualty coverage, health insurance, and term life insurance, among other kinds of products, need not be included in an insurance company’s AML program.  Insurance companies may offer guidance on which of their products are covered under their programs. Customer Information.  The new rules require insurance companies to collect customer information from agents and brokers, among other sources, to support their anti-money laundering programs and to detect and report suspicious transactions.  FinCEN has made clear that insurance agents and brokers have a crucial role to play in this area:

[I]nsurance agents and brokers are an integral part of the insurance industry due to their contact with customers. Insurance agents and brokers typically are involved in sales operations and are therefore in direct contact with customers. As a result, the agent or broker will often be in a critical position of knowledge as to the source of investment assets, the nature of the client, and the objectives for which the insurance products are being purchased.

Because each company’s program must be risk-based, agents and brokers should expect to collect and retain information needed to assess the risk associated with particular business – in particular, to identify customers in high-risk businesses or high-risk geographic locations, or those using products or services that may be more susceptible to abuse in money laundering activity.  Efforts will be made to assure that agents and brokers who sell insurance products through broker-dealers that have their own anti-money laundering programs will not be subject to inconsistent insurance company programs.  These registered representatives will likely experience little, if any, change to their current customer due diligence requirements with respect to sales of variable products.   Methods of Payment. Certain forms of payment – including cash, money orders, traveler’s checks, and bank checks – can be used in the placement phase of a money laundering scheme.  To manage this risk, companies may set limits on the forms of payments that will be accepted and the amounts acceptable for some of them.  The goal is to reduce the chances that the insurance business will be involved in money laundering, without excluding forms of payment with a legitimate business purpose.  Because agents and brokers often collect at least the first premium due under a policy, they may be called upon to inform customers of these standards and enforce them. Suspicious Transactions.  Insurance companies will be developing controls and procedures to identify and report suspicious transactions – in general transactions aggregating $5,000 or more that a company has reason to suspect (i) involve funds derived from illegal activity or are intended to hide funds derived from illegal activity, (ii) are designed to evade reporting requirements imposed by Federal law, (iii) have no apparent lawful purpose or are not the sort in which a particular customer would be expected to engage, or (iv) that involve the use of the insurance company to facilitate criminal activity.  Significantly, reportable transactions are not limited to a narrow definition of money laundering.  They include any effort to involve an insurance company in illegal activity, and may even include lawful transactions that are atypical for the customer involved and for which there is no reasonable explanation. Although insurance agents and brokers are not independently required to report suspicious transactions, the regulation makes clear that agents and brokers are expected to work with insurance companies in identifying suspicious transactions that the company must report: An insurance company is responsible for reporting suspicious transactions conducted through its insurance agents and brokers.  Accordingly, aninsurance company shall establish and implement policies and procedures reasonably designed to obtain customer-related information necessary to detect suspicious activity from all relevant sources, including from its insurance agents and brokers… Agents and brokers are often in the best position to detect suspicious activity – for instance, customers who are resistant to requests for information, who are indifferent to the features of a product, except for withdrawal rights, or who seek products inconsistent with their apparent needs.  Companies are likely to notify agents of “red flags” that should be called to the insurance company’s attention. Under federal law, insurance agents and brokers, as well as insurance companies, are protected from liability to customers for disclosing possible criminal activity to their insurance companies, law enforcement, and certain government supervisory agencies. Suspicious Activity Reports and the fact that they have been filed must be kept confidential.  In particular, customers cannot be notified that a suspicious activity has been reported. Training for Agents and Brokers.  The new regulations require companies to train their agents and brokers regarding their responsibilities under the company’s anti-money laundering program. The rules state that the company may satisfy this requirement by directly training its agents and brokers or by verifying that its agents and brokers have received adequate training through another insurance company or by a competent third-party. These programs are expected to be tailored to the needs of agents and brokers and to include training on identifying suspicious customer behavior and transactions as well as on procedures to report suspicious activities to the company. Testing the Effectiveness of the Anti-Money Laundering Program. An insurance company is required to conduct independent testing as to the effectiveness of its anti-money laundering program, including the compliance of its agents and brokers. The Internal Revenue Service will examine insurance companies on the adequacy and effectiveness of their anti-money laundering programs. Contractual Arrangements With Agents and Brokers.
FinCEN contemplates that companies will be expected to use their contractual relationships to require agents and brokers to provide them with information that may be useful for identifying potential suspicious activity The contractual responsibilities of agents and brokers with respect to anti-money laundering programs will likely be similar the current responsibilities agents and brokers undertake in connection with company customer identification and anti-fraud procedures. Insurers already have numerous compliance and best practices guidelines that both captive and independent agents and brokers follow in order to continue doing business with them. Insurers also require very extensive information-gathering by many of their agents and brokers for underwriting purposes. It is expected that many insurance companies will adopt the same structural model for their anti-money laundering programs. Conclusion
Insurance companies and their agents and brokers are proud of the products and services that they offer. Even before being tasked by the Congress with the responsibilities set forth in the new AML rules, insurance companies and their agents and brokers took serious efforts to prevent, identify, and report suspicious financial transactions. By continuing to make it difficult for criminals to use insurance products for illegal purposes, the life insurance industry and the economy in which