FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW EDITOR, NEW FORMAT FOR JOURNAL OF INSURANCE REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 27, 2010) — The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is pleased to announce that Lawrence S. (Lars) Powell, Ph.D., has been named the new editor of the Journal of Insurance Regulation (JIR). The JIR provides high-quality research and offers a variety of perspectives on insurance regulatory and public policy issues.

“As a former editor of this publication, I understand and appreciate the value the JIR brings to regulators, policymakers, academics and others,” said NAIC Chief Executive Officer Therese M. (Terri) Vaughan, Ph.D. “Our ultimate goal with the journal is to help policymakers make more informed decisions — which directly supports the mission of the NAIC and the Center for Insurance Policy and Research (CIPR).”

Beginning this year, the NAIC will post a brief synopsis of each JIR article on the CIPR website, with the full version of each JIR article available for individual purchase. Articles will be available to download in electronic format as soon as they are published — for only $10 each. A hardcopy compilation of all JIR articles released in 2010 will be published at year-end and made available for purchase.

“It is an honor to be chosen as the new editor of the JIR,” said Dr. Powell. “I believe my experiences provide a broad and deep knowledge of insurance regulation and insurance industry standards. I look forward to working with authors to publish relevant papers that will inspire thoughtful debate and elicit unique insight into the issues facing today’s insurance marketplace.”

Dr. Powell holds the Whitbeck-Beyer Chair of Insurance and Financial Services in the College of Business at the University of Arkansas – Little Rock. His research focuses on insurance regulation and insurance company operations. He has testified before the U.S. Congress on insurance matters and has worked with insurance companies and professional organizations as a consultant for regulatory activities. He also serves on the Arkansas Insurance Commissioner’s Legislative Task Force and the Arkansas Governor’s Working Group for Health Improvement. Dr. Powell earned a doctorate degree in risk management and insurance from the University of Georgia and bachelor's degrees in insurance and finance from the University of South Carolina.

Sponsored by the NAIC, the objectives of the JIR are to 1) provide a forum for opinion and discussion on major insurance regulatory issues; 2) provide wide distribution of rigorous, high-quality research regarding insurance regulatory issues; 3) make state insurance departments more aware of insurance regulatory research efforts; 4) increase the rigor, quality and quantity of the research efforts on insurance regulatory issues; and 5) be an important force for the overall improvement of insurance regulation.

The following JIR articles will be available for purchase in May 2010:

• “Economies of Scale in the Non-life Insurance Industry in Japan: Did Deregulation Enhance Economies of Scale?” (Choo Yap Yin).
• “Reforming Insurance Regulation: Where do we start?” (Patricia H. Born and Andreas Richter).
• “Factors Influencing the Demand for Reinsurance in the Medical Malpractice Insurance Market: A Focus on Organizational Form” (Yu Lei and Joan T. Schmit).
• “Banking Regulation and Proposed Reforms: Implications for Insurance Regulatory Reform that Includes an Optional Federal Charter” (Robert W. Cooper).
• “Regulation, Competition and Cycles: Lessons from the Deregulation of the German Insurance Market” (Thomas R. Berry-Stölzle and Patricia Born).

Click HERE for more information.

Order the JIR and hundreds of other NAIC publications online via Account Manager at www.naic.org/account_manager.htm.
 

About the NAIC

Formed in 1871, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is a voluntary organization of the chief insurance regulatory officials of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. The NAIC has three offices: Executive Office, Washington, D.C.; Central Office, Kansas City, Mo.; and Securities Valuation Office, New York City. The NAIC serves the needs of consumers and the industry, with an overriding objective of supporting state insurance regulators as they protect consumers and maintain the financial stability of the insurance marketplace. For more information, visit www.naic.org.

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