| Regulators file complaint on insurance firm
TALLAHASSEE - The Office of Insurance Regulation has filed an administrative complaint against the American General Life Insurance Co., seeking to suspend or revoke its ability to write insurance policies in Florida. The state office said it is also requiring the company to cease and desist from unfair trade practices. American General has refused to provide policies or limited the amount, extent or kind of life insurance based solely on the individual's future travel plans, state officials said. "When assessing their life insurance needs, consumers should not have to worry about how their travel plans might affect their ability to get insurance," said General Counsel Steve Parton. Officials said American General had been warned about the practice in the past. The most high-profile incident involved U.S.
State wants to suspend American General over Wasserman Schultz life insurance request
Florida insurance regulators are moving to suspend American General Life Insurance from doing business in the state, in part as a result of a congressional member having her application rejected.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, of Pembroke Pines, indicated on her application for an increased amount of life insurance in 2005 that she intended to travel internationally. American General then called her husband to learn where she wanted to visit and was told Israel.
That inquiry alone violated a state statute that prevents insurers from asking potential customers what their future travel plans might include.
It's the first time Florida has sought to suspend a company for violating its Freedom to Travel statute. .
State want to suspend American General over life insurance
Florida insurance regulators moved Wednesday to suspend American General Life Insurance from doing business in the state, in part as a result of a congressional member having her application rejected. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Pembroke Pines indicated on her application for an increased amount of life insurance in 2005 that she intended to travel internationally. American General then called her husband and learned she wanted to visit Israel. "Our legal travel choices should not adversely impact our ability to purchase life insurance," Wasserman Schultz said in a statement Wednesday. That inquiry alone violates a state statute that prevents insurers from asking potential customers what their future travel plans might include. "Given that these actions are in clear violation of the law, the office is left with little choice," said Steve Parton, general counsel for the Office of Insurance Regulation.
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