Practices
Insurance Regulatory
Sedgwick’s Insurance Regulatory practice provides insurers with expert advice in a complex regulatory environment. Our attorneys represent property/casualty insurers, health insurers and life insurers on a wide range of regulatory issues, including compliance, enforcement actions, insurance company mergers and acquisitions, class action litigation, field examinations, insolvency matters and public records disputes. Our attorneys have also represented insurance interests through the drafting of proposed legislation and supporting testimony.
Sedgwick’s Insurance Regulatory practice provides insurers with expert advice in a complex regulatory environment. Our attorneys represent property/casualty insurers, health insurers and life insurers on a wide range of regulatory issues, including compliance, enforcement actions, insurance company mergers and acquisitions, class action litigation, field examinations, insolvency matters and public records disputes. Our attorneys have also represented insurance interests through the drafting of proposed legislation and supporting testimony.
Regulations
Our attorneys are skilled not only at analyzing regulations at a technical level but also at identifying the particular problems a regulation will pose for a client, crafting practical solutions and working with in-house counsel to implement these solutions within their companies.
Compliance Counseling
Our regulatory attorneys are adept at translating burdensome regulations into real-world business solutions for our insurer clients. Our lawyers review and draft compliance guides, respond to business professional concerns and provide in-person presentations regarding the impact of regulations and the implications of inadequate compliance.
Many of our health insurer clients offer managed care products, and Sedgwick provides advice concerning the regulations governing health care information and managed care operations. We advise health carriers on compliance and rate regulation issues under federal healthcare reform legislation.
We provide advice on state insurance statutes and regulations relevant to excess and surplus lines carriers and to reinsurers. We also analyze the evolving role of the federal government in insurance regulation and the implications for our clients.
Sedgwick’s counseling services include 50-state reviews to ensure policy and procedure compliance with all state regulations. The attorneys in our London office and associated Bermuda office offer their international insurance experience in the expansion of these reviews to international jurisdictions.
Rules Adoption
Sedgwick attorneys have participated in state regulatory agency task forces and workshops in the development and adoption of rules governing the insurance industry. These interactions have included private discussions and presentations with agency staff and have covered topics such as rate setting, regulated premiums, and insurance application and coverage forms.
Our attorneys also are very experienced with formal rulemaking hearings and have provided live testimony and written comments regarding a host of proposed regulatory changes. We have a strong track record in securing modifications to needless or counterproductive insurance regulations. Sedgwick’s attorneys have also been called on to provide comment to administrative entities that review insurance agency rule changes, including California’s Office of Administrative Law.
Judicial Challenges to Regulations
Sedgwick represents insurance industry interests in judicial challenges to adopted regulations. Our attorneys employ their extensive litigation and appellate experience to successfully contest unlawful regulations.
Enforcement Action Defense and Litigation
We represent insurers in enforcement actions brought by state agencies charged with oversight of the industry. These actions have involved a broad spectrum of regulatory disputes.
Sedgwick attorneys also represent insurance companies in private attorney general, unfair business practices and "regulatory" lawsuits brought in the courts, including class actions. These cases have involved allegations of insurance code and regulation violations, as well as rate, dividend, fee, underwriting, policy structure, disclosure and privacy disputes.
Our in-depth knowledge of insurance regulatory procedures combined with our firm’s extensive litigation resources enable us to structure multipronged defense strategies that include potential regulatory and legislative responses.
Transactional Approvals and Affiliate Transactions
Sedgwick provides advice in connection with insurance company mergers and acquisitions. We handle the insurance regulatory approval process for these transactions and draft and secure approvals for inter-company agreements of all types, including reinsurance, management, services, and novel or unusually structured agreements. We also obtain insurance regulatory approval for surplus note and other financing arrangements.
Field Examinations
We work with our clients to prepare for and respond to insurance regulator field examinations covering rates and underwriting, market conduct, and claims practices, and have advised insurers with respect to financial examinations associated with intercompany contracting. Sedgwick conducts file reviews, addresses confidentiality issues, responds to preliminary reports, negotiates resolutions and handles any "fallout" litigation.
Additional Services
Insurer Insolvency
Working in conjunction with the members of Sedgwick’s Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy Group, our insurance attorneys represent financially troubled insurers in discussions with insurance regulators. We also represent creditors in insurance insolvency proceedings. Public Records
Our attorneys are skilled in making and enforcing public records requests. We are also experienced in opposing state regulatory agency disclosure of confidential insurance company materials that are retained by agencies. Legislation
Our attorneys work with insurance industry trade organizations and registered lobbyists to draft proposed legislation, initiative proposals and regulations. We also provide ongoing analysis of proposed changes in insurance laws and regulations.
Sedgwick’s Insurance Regulatory practice provides insurers with expert advice in a complex regulatory environment. Our attorneys represent property/casualty insurers, health insurers and life insurers on a wide range of regulatory issues, including compliance, enforcement actions, insurance company mergers and acquisitions, class action litigation, field examinations, insolvency matters and public records disputes. Our attorneys have also represented insurance interests through the drafting of proposed legislation and supporting testimony.
Regulations
Our attorneys are skilled not only at analyzing regulations at a technical level but also at identifying the particular problems a regulation will pose for a client, crafting practical solutions and working with in-house counsel to implement these solutions within their companies.
Compliance Counseling
Our regulatory attorneys are adept at translating burdensome regulations into real-world business solutions for our insurer clients. Our lawyers review and draft compliance guides, respond to business professional concerns and provide in-person presentations regarding the impact of regulations and the implications of inadequate compliance.
Many of our health insurer clients offer managed care products, and Sedgwick provides advice concerning the regulations governing health care information and managed care operations. We advise health carriers on compliance and rate regulation issues under federal healthcare reform legislation.
We provide advice on state insurance statutes and regulations relevant to excess and surplus lines carriers and to reinsurers. We also analyze the evolving role of the federal government in insurance regulation and the implications for our clients.
Sedgwick’s counseling services include 50-state reviews to ensure policy and procedure compliance with all state regulations. The attorneys in our London office and associated Bermuda office offer their international insurance experience in the expansion of these reviews to international jurisdictions.
Rules Adoption
Sedgwick attorneys have participated in state regulatory agency task forces and workshops in the development and adoption of rules governing the insurance industry. These interactions have included private discussions and presentations with agency staff and have covered topics such as rate setting, regulated premiums, and insurance application and coverage forms.
Our attorneys also are very experienced with formal rulemaking hearings and have provided live testimony and written comments regarding a host of proposed regulatory changes. We have a strong track record in securing modifications to needless or counterproductive insurance regulations. Sedgwick’s attorneys have also been called on to provide comment to administrative entities that review insurance agency rule changes, including California’s Office of Administrative Law.
Judicial Challenges to Regulations
Sedgwick represents insurance industry interests in judicial challenges to adopted regulations. Our attorneys employ their extensive litigation and appellate experience to successfully contest unlawful regulations.
Enforcement Action Defense and Litigation
We represent insurers in enforcement actions brought by state agencies charged with oversight of the industry. These actions have involved a broad spectrum of regulatory disputes.
Sedgwick attorneys also represent insurance companies in private attorney general, unfair business practices and "regulatory" lawsuits brought in the courts, including class actions. These cases have involved allegations of insurance code and regulation violations, as well as rate, dividend, fee, underwriting, policy structure, disclosure and privacy disputes.
Our in-depth knowledge of insurance regulatory procedures combined with our firm’s extensive litigation resources enable us to structure multipronged defense strategies that include potential regulatory and legislative responses.
Transactional Approvals and Affiliate Transactions
Sedgwick provides advice in connection with insurance company mergers and acquisitions. We handle the insurance regulatory approval process for these transactions and draft and secure approvals for inter-company agreements of all types, including reinsurance, management, services, and novel or unusually structured agreements. We also obtain insurance regulatory approval for surplus note and other financing arrangements.
Field Examinations
We work with our clients to prepare for and respond to insurance regulator field examinations covering rates and underwriting, market conduct, and claims practices, and have advised insurers with respect to financial examinations associated with intercompany contracting. Sedgwick conducts file reviews, addresses confidentiality issues, responds to preliminary reports, negotiates resolutions and handles any "fallout" litigation.
Additional Services
Insurer Insolvency
Working in conjunction with the members of Sedgwick’s Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy Group, our insurance attorneys represent financially troubled insurers in discussions with insurance regulators. We also represent creditors in insurance insolvency proceedings. Public Records
Our attorneys are skilled in making and enforcing public records requests. We are also experienced in opposing state regulatory agency disclosure of confidential insurance company materials that are retained by agencies. Legislation
Our attorneys work with insurance industry trade organizations and registered lobbyists to draft proposed legislation, initiative proposals and regulations. We also provide ongoing analysis of proposed changes in insurance laws and regulations.
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