News & Updates
Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt toured communities impacted by rare December Derecho.
Topeka, Kan. – Recently, Kansas experienced a meteorological first. Multiple counties across the state were impacted by the first recorded December derecho in U.S. history. Instead of rolling prairie lands covered in snow, Kansans recently watched footage of farmland set ablaze by windswept wildfires. On December 15, Kansas Insurance Department staff and I followed updates…
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Kansas Insurance Department Migrates Licensing
As part of SB 37, the producer licensing bill passed in 2021, the Kansas Insurance Department will be migrating its licensing information to NIPR (National Insurance Producer Registry) and SBS (State-Based Systems) soon. Due to this change, you will not be able to process any Kansas licensing transactions between Dec. 30, 2021 – Jan. 11, 2022. …
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Stonetrust Enters New States Kansas and Alabama
Stonetrust Workers’ Compensation President and CEO Michael G. Dileo announced that the company is now writing workers’ compensation coverage in Kansas and Alabama effective January 1, 2022. “I’m excited to announce that we’re now offering workers’ compensation coverage and services in Kansas and Alabama as part of our evolving plans for regional expansion,” said Dileo.…
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AM Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of Kansas Mutual Insurance Company
OLDWICK, N.J., November 9, 2021-AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “a” (Excellent) from “a-” (Excellent) of Kansas Mutual Insurance Company (KMIC) (Topeka, KS). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) has been revised to stable from positive. The ratings reflect…
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Senate Bill 37 Amends Agent Licensing and Renewal Requirements
The Kansas Insurance Department has been reaching out to agencies and agents and getting unreachable responses. So we want to take this opportunity to make sure you are aware of some of the provisions of SB 37 (the producer licensing bill) that will affect your agency and staff in the months to come. The most…
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Religious Accommodations: Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs
Employers typically should assume that a request for religious accommodation is based on a sincerely held religious belief. However, suppose the employer has a valid and objective reason to request more information from an employee or doubt a request’s validity. In that case, they may ask additional questions tailored for the individual assessment being conducted. …
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Swiss Re/Westport Releasing New E&O Policy Enhancements
Swiss Re and IIABA created a Professional Liability Committee for state E&O program managers, state executives, and independent agents to consistently review the Swiss Re E&O program and its offerings. Below is a high-level summary of the changes. Simplified and consistent policy language Revised the language in some sections for ease of reading with no…
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Changes to Kansas Health Care Stabilization Fund
We would like to take the opportunity to inform you of changes to the Kansas Health Care Stabilization Fund that will impact your clients’ policies effective January 1, 2022. On May 19, 2021, Governor Laura Kelly signed into law House Substitute for Senate Bill No. 78. The new statute requires defined health care providers to…
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Big ‘I’ Installs New Leadership
October 5, 2021- The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) installed Kansas’ Bob Fee, president of Fee Insurance Group Inc. in Hutchinson, as 2021-22 Big “I” chairman at the recent Big “I” Fall Leadership Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Fee has held numerous positions at both the state and national level…
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