Politically Speaking

You Deserve Better Government!

Years ago, former Senator Russell Long (D-Louisiana), past chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee and son of Governor Huey Long said: “Everyone deserves good government; some people deserve better government.”

What exactly does it take to get better representation by your elected officials? It takes effective Washington representation, a large political action committee and a superb grassroots network.

In Washington, the squeaky wheel often does get the grease. Your trade association, NAMIC, enables its 1,400 member companies to speak with one voice on critically important issues at both the federal and state levels. In Washington, your involvement helped to get Class Action Reform legislation through the Congress earlier this year after many years of effort and we overcame very strong opposition by trial lawyers. We are continuing to pursue other legal reforms such as asbestos litigation reform and lawsuit abuse reduction.

With the federal reinsurance backstop for terrorism coverage in TRIA set to expire at the end of this year, NAMIC is pushing hard in Washington to extend the backstop while developing a longer term public/private sector solution. NAMIC is fighting to block the imposition of federal regulation on the business of insurance. This threat looms large with legislative proposals set to be introduced in both houses of Congress and a frenetic level of lobbying on behalf of an optional federal charter.

NAMIC is fighting single-handedly at the federal level to obtain more favorable tax treatment for small property/casualty insurance companies. Through your efforts in the 108th Congress, both the House and Senate passed measures including an inflation adjustment for the small property/casualty company investment income election and though it did not make it through the conference committee, it is among NAMIC’s highest priorities in this Congress.

NAMIC’s Congressional Contact Program (CCP) this spring and summer focused on all of these issues. We expect to have NAMIC member companies from more than 30 states visit Washington this year and hold more than 300 meetings with their Members of the House and Senate and hand out 164 Benjamin Franklin Public Policy awards. This is a substantial increase from last year, and next year I expect CCP’s numbers to continue to grow.

The reason for this program’s success is a committed and engaged membership that understands the importance of establishing and maintaining relationships with their elected representatives in Washington, D.C.

While the annual CCP program is well established and appreciated in the halls of Congress, this year NAMIC is initiating a new “Minuteman” program designed to enable NAMIC member companies to sign up on the NAMIC website and become part of NAMIC’s legislative action network. By becoming part of the minuteman program, NAMIC’s lobbyists will be able to communicate breaking events on Capitol Hill, instantaneously enabling you to express your support or opposition to legislation when it counts. Those who participate in CCP and who sign up for the minuteman program will get better government!

To find out more about CCP and Minuteman please call Georgiann Howell, NAMIC federal communications director at (202) 528-1558.

David A. Winston Senior Vice President – Federal Affairs

Posted: Monday, October 17, 2005 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Monday, October 17, 2005 3:22:06 PM.

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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.