Amy Bach and others with United Policyholders provide a longtime and steadfast consumer protection organization devoted solely to the interests of policyholders. With extensive experience and appreciation of how much legislation can impact insurance coverage and claims, Bach provides a unique perspective with expertise on a national level concerning insurance policy and insurance regulation. Policyholders need more Amy Bachs to counteract the extraordinary coordinated efforts by insurers to make laws and regulations one sided in the insurers favor.

In a letter to Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Chaney, Amy Bach calls on him to support policyholders in Mississippi with regulations demanding that insurers sell and service the insurance product so that full and prompt indemnity is accomplished. Here is what she calling on Chaney to do:

I’m writing to encourage you to lend your support to a legislative measure that passed out of the Mississippi House of Representatives earlier this week. My understanding is that the bill has been amended to address concerns you raised to the sponsor. The bill will strengthen legal protections for insured property owners in your state, and we hope your office will help get it enacted. You know all too well about the problems people have experienced in getting paid on their hurricane damage claims due to confusing legalese in property policies and unanticipated exclusions.

I am certain many may think these efforts are a waste of time because the insurance lobby in Mississippi seems to be in control of the political process. Standing up for the right principle and social policy is always the right thing to do. Like water in a stream relentlessly influencing the earth, just social policy reflected in law will eventually happen. But this will occur only so long as we stand up to those with more significant wealth or power that are attempting to keep the unjust status quo in place.

My hat is off to everybody who stands with Amy Bach and does something, however seemingly slight or unimportant, to help even the playing field for policyholders. In the long run, these efforts will prevail and be reflected in rules for accountability for the greater benefit of all.