Congress is considering a partial repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson Act that would apply only to health insurers – H.R. 3596, the Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Act – which was recently approved by the House Judiciary Committee.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA), however, says it supports a full repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson Act that would affect the insurance industry as a whole, including property and casualty insurers. Another bill – H.R. 1583, the Insurance Industry Competition Act of 2009 – would repeal McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemptions applied to property-casualty insurers.
American Insurance Association (AIA) President Leigh Ann Pusey recently said repealing McCarran-Ferguson would hinder insurance industry competition and cause “enormous disruptions and perverse effects on the insurance marketplace.”
“It would completely disrupt the industry’s business environment and create substantial legal uncertainty and unnecessary litigation,” she said. “Any repeal of McCarran will undercut the primary purpose of anti-trust laws, which are designed to promote market competition free from government or private interference.”
ASA is asking repairers to contact their representatives and senators in Congress to ask for their support for a full repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson Act.
More information:
• Send a letter to Congress supporting full repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson Act
• Insurance Industry Competition Act Would Subject Insurers to Anti-Trust Laws
• U.S. House Judiciary Committee Votes to Pass McCarran-Ferguson Repeal for Health Insurers
