LARA - Michigan Automobile and Home Insurance Consumer Advocate Named as NAIC Consumer Liaison Representative

Michigan Automobile and Home Insurance Consumer Advocate Named as NAIC Consumer Liaison Representative

Contact: Kathy Fagan 517-373-2414

Agency: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

March 11, 2010 - Today, during National Consumer Protection Week, Michigan's Automobile and Home Insurance Consumer Advocate Melvin Butch Hollowell announced he has been appointed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to the position of Consumer Liaison Representative. The NAIC has also listed Hollowell in its newly-created Consumer Expert Database.

"I'm very grateful to the NAIC for this opportunity to help shape the national course on auto insurance reform," Hollowell said. "Consumers in Michigan and in all states need help in making rates more affordable and insurers more accountable. I look forward to advocating for them."

As a consumer liaison representative, Hollowell will participate at NAIC meetings to provide a consumer perspective and to collect and/or impart information of mutual concern and interest to insurance consumers and regulators.

"The NAIC is well aware of Advocate Hollowell's outstanding work as a strong voice for reform and consumer education in Michigan. We are confident he will bring this perspective to the NAIC as an important component of the NAIC's consumer protection initiatives," said Jane L. Cline, NAIC President and West Virginia Insurance Commissioner. "We value the perspectives provided by the consumer liaison representatives in helping improve the insurance regulatory system for all policyholders."

As Michigan's Automobile and Home Insurance Consumer Advocate, Hollowell works to educate consumers on how to protect themselves against predatory or illegal insurance practices and coordinate advocacy and educational efforts with non-governmental consumer advocacy entities and other organizations. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/lowerratesnow.

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.

For more information about LARA, please visit www.michigan.gov/lara

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