MURIELBOWSER
MAYOR
February23,2023
TheHonorablePhilMendelson,Chairman
CounciloftheDistrictofColumbia
JohnA.WilsonBuilding
1350PennsylvaniaAvenue,NW,Suite504
Washington,DC20004
DearChairmanMendelson:
EnclosedforconsiderationandenactmentbytheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiaarethe“Motor
VehicleandHomeownerInsurancePriorApprovalRateFilingEmergencyAmendmentActof2023,”
the“MotorVehicleandHomeownerInsurancePriorApprovalRateFilingTemporaryAmendmentAct
of2023,”andthe“MotorVehicleandHomeownerInsurancePriorApprovalRateFilingAmendment
Actof2023,”alongwithanaccompanyingemergencydeclarationresolution.Thepurposeofthe
legislationistochangethemotorvehicleandhomeownerinsuranceratefilingstandardfromfileand
usetopriorapproval.
TheDepartmentofInsurance,Securities,andBanking(“Department”)hasnoticedatrendinmotor
vehicleandhomeownerinsurancemarketsintheDistrictwhereinsurershavebeenrequestingdouble-
digitrateincreases.Insomecases,theincreasesareinexcessof20percent.Whileinsurersareentitled
toanadequatepremiumrateinexchangefortheinsurancecoveragetheyprovide,theCommissioner
isconcernedabouttheimpactoftheserateincreasesonDistrictresidents.
Inaddition,becausetheratefilingsofmotorvehicleandhomeownerinsurersoperateunderafileand
usestandardintheDistrict,insurerscurrentlycanimplementtherateincreasesimmediatelyuponfiling
therateswiththeCommissioner.TheCommissionerisconcernedthatthelargepremiumincreases
couldcausepolicyholderstomisspaymentsduetotheirinabilitytoaffordtheincreasedrateswhileat
thesametimelackingsufficienttimetoshopformoreaffordableinsurance.Suchaninstancecould
resultinpolicieslapsingduetonon-paymentandanincreaseinuninsuredmotorists.Byenactingthe
legislationandchangingtheratefilingstandardformotorvehicleandhomeownerinsurerratefilings
fromfileandusetopriorapprovalwitha90daydeemer,theDepartmentwillhavetimetoreviewthe
filingstoensurethattherateincreasesareneitherexcessivenordiscriminatorybeforethenewrates
becomeeffective.Moreover,thelegislationwillrequiremotorvehicleandhomeownerinsurersto
providepolicyholders60daysadvancewrittennoticeforanyrateincreaseof10%ormore.
Accordingly,IurgetheCounciltotakepromptandfavorableactionontheenclosedlegislation.
Sincerely,
ser
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‘‘hairmanPhilMendelson
attherequestoftheMayor
ABILL
INTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA.
Toamend,onatemporarybasis,AnActtoprovideforregulationofcertaininsurance
ratesintheDistrictofColumbia,andforotherpurposes,tochangethemotor
vehicleandhomeownerinsuranceratefilingstandardfromfileandusetoprior
approvalwitha90-daydeemer,torequirenoticeandopportunityforahearing
beforearatefilingisdeterminedtobeexcessiveorunfairlydiscriminatory;andto
requireinsurerstoprovidepolicyholders60dayadvancewrittennoticeofany
rateincreaseof10%ormore.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,
thatthisActmaybecitedasthe“MotorVehicleandHomeownerInsurancePrior
ApprovalRateFilingTemporaryAmendmentActof2023”.
Sec.2.AnActToprovideforregulationofcertaininsuranceratesintheDistrict
ofColumbia,andforotherpurposes,approvedMay20,1948(62Stat.243;D.C.Official
Code§§31-2701etseq.),isamendedfollows:
(a)Section3(£)(2)(D.C.OfficialCode§31-2703(1)(2))isamendedtoreadas
follows:
“(2)(A)Eachfinalrateorpremiumchargeproposedtobeusedbyany
motorvehicleorhomeownerinsurershallbefiledwiththeCommissionerandshallbe
adequate,notexcessive,andnotunfairlydiscriminatory.Beforeamotorvehicleor
homeownerrateorpremiumchargefilingshallbecomeeffective,theCommissionershall
havetheauthoritytodetermine,within90daysafterthefilingdate,thatarateor
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premiumchargeisexcessiveiftherateorpremiumchargeisunreasonablyhighforthe
insuranceprovidedandisnotactuariallyjustifiedbasedoncommonlyacceptedactuarial
principles.Indeterminingwhetheraratecomplieswiththestandardssetforthintheprior
sentence,dueconsiderationshallbegivenforpastandprospectivelossexperiencewithin
andoutsidetheDistrict,areasonablemarginforunderwritingprofitandcontingencies,
dividends,savings,orunabsorbedpremiumdepositsallowedorreturnedbyinsurersto
theirpolicyholdersormembersorsubscribers,pastandprospectiveexpenses,both
nationwideandintheDistrict,andinvestmentincomeearnedorrealizedbyinsurersboth
fromtheirunearnedpremiumsandfromtheirlossreservefunds.
“(B)IftheCommissionerdoesnotmakeadeterminationona
proposedrateorpremiumchargewithinthe90-dayperiod,therateorpremiumcharge
shallbedeemedapproved.IftheCommissionerdetermines,withinthe90-dayperiod,
thatamotorvehicleorhomeownerrateorpremiumchargemaybeexcessiveorunfairly
discriminatory,theCommissionershallprovidetheinsurerwithnoticeofthe
determinationandthereasonsthereforandanopportunityforahearing.Ahearingmust
berequestedbytheinsurerwithin15daysafterthenoticeisprovidedtotheinsurerby
theCommissioner.AhearingshallbeheldbytheCommissionerwithin60daysaftera
writtenrequestistimelyreceivedfromtheinsurerandtheCommissionershallissuea
finalorderwithin30daysafterthecloseofthehearingrecord.Thecostofthehearing
shallbebornebytheinsurerrequestingtherateincrease.IftheCommissionerfindsafter
ahearingthatarateorpremiumchargeisnotincompliancewiththisparagraph,the
Commissionershallorderthatitsusebediscontinuedforanypolicyissuedorrenewed
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afteradatespecifiedintheorderandtheordermayprospectivelyprovideforarate
premiumchargeadjustmentofanypolicytheninforce.
“(C)Ifafinalrateorpremiumchargetobeimplementedbyan
insurerwillincreasetheexistingrateorpremiumchargeofapolicyholderby10%or
more,theinsurershallprovidethepolicyholderwrittennoticeofthepercentageand
amountofsuchincreaseasitpertainstotheindividualpolicyholderatleast60days,and
notmorethan90days,beforetheincreasewillbeappliedtothepolicyholder’sinsurance
policy.Iftheinsurerisunabletoprovidewrittennoticeatleast60daysbeforetheendof
thecurrenttermofthepolicyholder’spolicy,thentheinsurermustwaituntiltheendof
thesubsequenttermofthepolicyholder’spolicytoimplementtherateorpremium
increase.”.
(b)Section4(c)(2)(A)(ii)(D.C.OfficialCode§31-2704(c)(2)(A)(ii))isamended
toreadasfollows:
“(ii)Theorderismadeaftertheprescribedinvestigation
andhearingandwithin30daysafterthefilingofratesaffected,exceptasotherwise
permittedby§3(£)(2)oftheact.”
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheChiefFinancialOfficeras
thefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProcedures
Actof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-
301.47).
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Sec.4.Effectivedate.
(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheevent
ofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),anda30-dayperiodof
Congressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHome
RuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.Code§1-206(c)(1)),and
publicationintheDistrictofColumbiaRegister.
(>)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
GOVERNMENT OFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA
OfficeoftheAttorneyGeneral
xke
Ea
Ea
LegalCounselDivision
MEMORANDUM
TO: BeverlyL.Perry
SeniorAdvisor
OfficeoftheSeniorAdvisor
FROM:MeganD.Browder
DeputyAttorneyGeneral
LegalCounselDivision
DATE:November8,2022
RE: LegalSufficiencyCertificationofDraftLegislation,the“MotorVehicleand
HomeownerInsurancePriorApprovalFilingAmendmentActof2022,”Emergency
VersionandResolution,andTransmittalLetter
(AE-22-166)
ThisistoCertifythatthisofficenasreviewedtheabove-referenceddraft
legislationandfoundittobelegallysufficient.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitateto
callmeat(202)724-5524.
MeganLeine6
MeganD.Browder
GovernmentoftheDistrictofColumbia
OfficeoftheChiefFinancialOfficer
*
fares need
TT
GlenLee
ChiefFinancialOfficer
MEMORANDUM
TO: TheHonorablePhilMendelson
Chairman,CounciloftheDistrictoe
FROM: GlenLee i fuh—
ChiefFinancialOffi
DATE: November7,2022
SUBJECT: FiscalImpactStatement-MotorVehicleandHomeowner Insurance
PriorApprovalRateFilingEmergencyAmendmentActof2022
REFERENCE:DraftBillasprovidedtotheOfficeofRevenueAnalysisonOctober27,
2022
Conclusion
Fundsaresufficientinthefiscalyear2023throughfiscalyear2026budgetandfinancialplanto
implementthebill.
Background
TheDepartmentofInsurance,SecuritiesandBanking(DISB)approvesrateadjustmentsfrom
insurerstoensuretheyareadequate,notexcessive,andnotunfairlydiscriminatory.Formotor
vehicleinsurance,DISBallowsaninsurertofiletheirnewratesandthenbeginchargingthoserates
priortoDISBapproval.
Thebillchangesthestandardandappliesittohomeownerinsurersaswell.Bothmotorvehicleand
homeownerinsurancecompanieswillneedtofilenewratesandwaitupto60daysforDISBto
approveordenytherates.IfDISBdoesnotdecideontherateswithinthattime,thentheratesare
deemedtobeapproved.AninsurercanappealaDISBdecisionthatratesareexcessiveor
discriminatorywithin60daysofthedecision.
"AnActtoprovideforregulationofcertaininsuranceratesintheDistrictofColumbia,andforother
purposes,approvedMay20,1968(62Stat.242;D.C.OfficialCode§31-2703(f(2)).
1350PennsylvaniaAvenue,NW,Suite203,Washington,DC20004(202)727-2476
wwwefo.degov
‘TheHonorablePhilMendelson
FIS:"MotorVehicleandHomeownerInsurancePriorApprovalRateFilingEmergencyAmendmentActof
2022,"DraftBillasprovidedtotheOfficeofRevenueAnalysisonOctober27,2022
FinancialPlanImpact
Fundsaresufficientinthefiscalyear2023throughfiscalyear2026budgetandfinancialplanto
implementthebill.DISBcurrentlyholdshearingsforadverserulingsandcanabsorbanycosts
associatedwithholdingthesehearingspriortoauthorizinganinsurertoimposenewrates.
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