AAIS TO RELEASE REVISED,
EXPANDED COMPLIANCE GUIDE

AAIS's annual guide to state filing requirements has been revised and expanded.

This Friday, Oct. 19, AAIS affiliates will receive a bulletin announcing  the new AAIS Compliance Guide, an updated version of the former filings guide. In addition to updates and expansions of existing sections, the revised guide features several new sections, including:

• A new section with tables listing requirements regarding the use of "SERFF," the System for Electronic Rate and Form Filing;

• A new section with information on filing requirements for umbrella policy forms, endorsements, rules, and rates; and

• New "company action" sub-sections within existing sections with instructions for implementing an AAIS form, rule, or rating information filing.

More details are available in a press release.

The Compliance Guide is provided without additional charge to all companies that utilize at least one AAIS insurance line program.

Companies not affiliated with AAIS can purchase an electronic copy for $400. For information, contact Rick Maka, director of marketing, at rickm@AAISonline.com, or by calling 800-564-AAIS.

AICP presentation

Larris Larsen, AAIS assistant vice president for compliance, and Laura Lemke, AAIS supervisor of state filings, will make a presentation on materials in the expanded AAIS Compliance Guide on Tuesday, Oct. 30, at the annual conference of the Association for Insurance Compliance Professionals, Oct. 28-Nov. 1 in Portland, Ore.

Joyce Tignino, AAIS vice president of marketing and industry relations, will also be on hand to provide information on AAIS programs.

LATEST HOMEOWNERS AUDIO FILE
DISCUSSES BUSINESS EXPOSURES

In the second of a series of audio files on refinements to the AAIS Homeowners forms, Susan Luecke describes how new policy provisions address exposures to business-related activities.

In a series of short interviews being posted over coming weeks, Sue describes how AAIS has developed or modified provisions related to water loss, personal injury, business activities, motorized vehicles, equipment breakdown, and new household arrangements.

Sue is AAIS's assistant vice president of personal lines and the principal developer of the revised Homeowners forms filed countrywide and now approved in 28 states.

D.C. ISSUES RESTRICTIONS ON NON-RENEWALS AND USE OF CLAIMS HISTORIES IN HOMEOWNERS

The District of Columbia's Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking recently published a final rule regarding permissible reasons for non-renewing a homeowners policy and the use of claims history information.

According to the rule, an insurer cannot refuse to renew a homeowners policy solely because of loss or claim frequency unless there have been two or more claims in the preceding 3-year period. (The rule does not distinguish between claims by an insured or claims related to an insured property.)

The rule expressly states that use of loss histories in renewal decisions cannot consider a first claim caused by weather, losses for which no payments were made or investigation initiated, or any losses caused by a catastrophic event.

Other provisions of the rule specify how insurers are to notify policyholders that they utilize claims histories, and how they are to notify policyholders of decisions to non-renew homeowners policies based on claims or loss histories.

AAIS STAFF AVAILABLE
AT AGRIBUSINESS CONFERENCE

Sherry Taylor, AAIS's new manager of farm and agribusiness programs, will be at the Midwest Agribusiness Conference, Oct. 22-23, in Des Moines, Iowa. AAIS is a co-sponsor of the event, where attendees attend classes and take examinations which lead to the designation of Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist.

Sherry recently joined AAIS after many years as a farm insurance underwriter and manager for several carriers. She will be accompanied by Rick Maka, AAIS director of marketing.

PROGRAM PLANNING UNDERWAY
FOR 2008 AAIS 'MAIN EVENT'

AAIS is now evaluating topics for its 2008 Main Event conference, April 20-22 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

This executive conference focuses on product-related issues of strategic importance to property/casualty insurers. To that end, AAIS is seeking speakers on trends in science, technology, law, economics, and other fields that will impact property and liability risk and, consequently, the design and development of P/C insurance products.

There are two ways to submit ideas for topics:

• Use the AAISalert online submission form. This web page asks users to describe new exposures they are concerned about, indicate how they address the exposure or plan to address it, and how it is likely to affect property/casualty insurance.

• Contact Joseph Harrington, AAIS director of corporate communications, at joeh@AAISonline.com, or by calling 800-564-AAIS.