The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, at its recent Summer 2010 National Meeting in Seattle, passed a resolution "to protect the ability of licensed insurance professionals to continue to serve the public." The resolution affirms that agents and brokers provide crucial assistance to employers operating under myriad federal and state regulations and IRS guidelines. Agents also advocate for employees and individuals in the health claims process, help employers develop proposals and renewals for insurance coverage, and "often fill the role of an HR department as well as professional consultant" for small businesses.
The resolution points out that because of the complexity and massive scale of the ongoing federal healthcare reform, "employers and consumers will need professional guidance even more in the future."
Finally, the resolution calls on Congress and federal regulators to acknowledge that insurance professionals are crucial to protecting the interests of consumers and to ensure that future laws and regulations safeguard the profession and ensure that producers are fairly compensated.
We couldn't agree more. Let's hope that Washington listens.
