Georgia: Accident 'Taxes' Ban Moves to Full Senate

The Georgia Senate Insurance and Labor Committee gave a “do pass” last Thursday to SB 348, to provide that the imposition of any fees or taxes for services provided by counties or municipal corporations upon insurance companies is in contravention of public policy.

The bill was amended before being passed out of committee and now specifically carves out insurance-related exceptions to the ban:

Where the coverage for such services is expressly provided by an insurance company to the insured and the services are lawfully billed to the insured;
Where emergency medical services are provided to the insured by the county or municipal corporation, whenever the insured’s medical insurance covers the services provided and the insured assigns the right to collect to the service provider; or
Where other services are provided to the insured by the county or municipal corporation which are expressly authorized by state or federal law to be billed directly to an insurance company.

The Georgia Association of Property Casualty Insurance Companies, along with other members of the industry, negotiated acceptable language with representatives of cities and counties who were opposing the bill. GAPCIC is NAMIC’s advocacy partner in Georgia.

Direct questions to NAMIC State Affairs Manager Liz Reynolds.

Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:41:44 AM.

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We are 1,400 property/casualty insurance companies serving more than 135 million auto, home and business policyholders, with more than $196 billion in premiums accounting for 50 percent of the automobile/homeowners market and 31 percent of the business insurance market. We are the largest and most diverse property/casualty trade association in the country, with regional and local mutual insurance companies on main streets across America joining many of the country’s largest national insurers who also call NAMIC their home. More than 200,000 people are employed by NAMIC members.