Kansas 2023-2024 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB397

Introduced
1/25/24  
Refer
1/26/24  

Caption

Eliminating annual controlled business reporting requirements placed on title agents and insurers.

Impact

The bill is expected to impact state insurance laws significantly, particularly those governing the operations of title agents and insurers. By removing the annual reporting requirement, the insurance commissioner potentially shifts informed regulatory oversight towards a more trust-based approach with title insurance entities. This change may strengthen the business operations of title insurers, as they can now operate without the burden of frequent mandatory disclosures regarding controlled business activities, thus providing more flexibility in their operations.

Summary

Senate Bill 397 aims to reform title insurance practices in Kansas by eliminating the annual controlled business reporting requirements placed on title agents and insurers. This legislative move seeks to simplify compliance for title insurance providers by removing bureaucratic hurdles associated with reporting their financial interests. Supporters of the bill believe that this will lead to operational efficiencies and lower administrative costs for title insurers, enabling them to allocate resources more effectively to customer services and policy issuance.

Contention

Nevertheless, this bill has generated some concern among advocates for consumer protection and insurance regulation. Critics argue that eliminating these reporting requirements may reduce transparency in the title insurance market, allowing for potential conflicts of interest to go unchecked. They fear that the lack of oversight can lead to unfair practices where title agents with financial interests direct business to affiliated insurers without adequate disclosure, undermining consumer trust. The debate around SB 397 highlights the balancing act between regulatory efficiency and consumer protection in insurance practices.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB22

Requiring title agents to make their audit reports available for inspection instead of submitting such reports annually, requiring the amount of surety bonds filed with the commissioner of insurance to be $100,000 and eliminating the controlled business exemption in certain counties.

KS SB23

Requiring agents and insurers to respond to inquiries from the commissioner of insurance within 14 calendar days and authorizing certain rebate pilot programs to exceed one year in duration.

KS SB42

Providing for the establishment of a web-based online insurance verification system for the verification of evidence of motor vehicle liability insurance, eliminating the requirement that the commissioner of insurance submit certain reports to the governor and requiring certain reports be available on the insurance department's website, removing certain entities from the definition of person for the purpose of enforcing insurance law, requiring that third party administrators maintain separate fiduciary accounts for individual payors and prohibiting the commingling of funds held on behalf of multiple payors, requiring the disclosure to the commissioner of insurance of any bankruptcy petition filed by or on behalf of such administrator pursuant to the United State bankruptcy code, requiring title agents to make their reports available for inspection upon request of the commissioner of insurance instead of submitting such reports annually, standardizing the amount of surety bonds filed with the commissioner of insurance at $100,000 and eliminating the small business exemption in certain counties.

KS SB55

Prohibiting the assignment of benefits under certain property and casualty insurance contracts and defining such assignment of benefits as an unfair method of competition and unfair or deceptive act or practice.

KS HB2043

Providing a protest petition to contest certain increases in property tax revenues and continuing reimbursements from the taxpayer notification costs fund for an additional five years.

KS HB2042

Authorizing the adoption of certain rules and regulations related to hazardous waste monitoring and permit application fees by the Kansas department of health and environment.

KS SB0245

Insurance: insurers; processing of a claim; modify duties. Amends secs. 2005, 2006, 2026 & 2049 of 1956 PA 218 (MCL 500.2005 et seq.) & adds sec. 2005b & ch. 30B.

KS HB2334

Enacting the Kansas protected cell captive insurance company act, providing for the redomestication of a foreign or alien captive insurance company and updating certain terms, requirements and conditions of the captive insurance act, reducing insurance company premium tax rates, creating parity between the insurance agent and public adjuster licensing requirements, authorizing insurers to file certain travel insurance policies under the accident and health line of insurance and authorizing the commissioner of insurance to select and announce the version of certain instructions, calculations and documents in effect for the upcoming calendar year and cause such announcement to be published in the Kansas register not later than December 1 of the current year.

KS HB552

Medical providers and medical malpractice insurers; prohibit consent to arbitration as a condition for care or insurance.

KS HB1113

Medical providers and medical malpractice insurers; prohibit consent to arbitration as a condition for care or insurance.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.