Predictably, large lobbying expenditures by property and casualty insurance companies in 2011 focused on catastrophe issues and on pursuing legal reform, according to data released by SNL Financial.
At the same time, the 10 largest P&C insurance companies covered by the data also provided money to law firms and trade groups that lobbied for them, according to the data.
Earlier this month, PC360 reported on SNL Financial data regarding lobbying expenses by insurers. In the chart below, SNL data provides a deeper look at which insurance-holding companies spent the most and where some of that money went.
The data is based on information insurers are required to file with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
The data showed that Allstate made the largest corporate lobbying donation, of $1.4 million, to ProtectingAmerica.org, which does educational and lobbying work on catastrophe issues.
Travelers Insurance Co. made contributions to the Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform through 33 of its property and casualty insurance companies, according to the data. The Chamber's legal-reform unit deals mainly with federal and state tort-reform issues, and is one of the most aggressive lobbying groups in the U.S.on those issues.
As stated earlier, State Farm was the largest campaign contributor, spending $6.79 million in lobbying through its State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. for lobbying.
Nationwide was second, with $3.5 million in contributions, with Travelers third with $2.9 million in contributions.
CNA Financial Corp. was next, with $1.57 million in contributions, followed by Allstate, with $1.48 million in contributions and Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., with $1.39 million in contributions.
Eighth on the list was Assured Guaranty, a bond insurer, with $1.29 million in campaign contributions, followed by ACE Ltd., with $1.3 million in campaign contributions, and Progressive Corp., with $990,000 in campaign contributions.
Detailed P&C Insurer Lobbying Payments — 2011
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| Organization | SNL top-tier entity | Payments ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Protecting America | Allstate Corp. | 1,400,000 |
| Property Casualty Insurers Association | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 718,776 |
| Patton Boggs | Assured Guaranty Ltd. | 548,636 |
| Debevoise & Plimpson, LLP | Assured Guaranty Ltd. | 263,358 |
| Multistate Associates, Inc. | CNA Financial Corp. | 249,616 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 185,925 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 174,675 |
| Property Casualty Insurers Association | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 165,717 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 152,700 |
| SNR Denton | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 83,705 |
| Princeton Public Affairs Group | Allstate Corp. | 50,139 |
| Lynch & Fierro | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 45,000 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 37,500 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 36,300 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 33,075 |
| Nebraska Secretary of State | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 30,530 |
| Nebraska Secretary of State | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 30,530 |
| Nebraska Secretary of State | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 30,530 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 20,475 |
| Pennington, Moore, Wilkinson, Bell | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 20,000 |
| Insurance Council of New Jersey | Allstate Corp. | 15,625 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 11,100 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 10,275 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 10,275 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 9,525 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 9,150 |
| Physician Insurers Association of America | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 8,618 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 6,600 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 5,775 |
| American Bankers Insurance Association | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 4,800 |
| Consumer Credit Industry Association | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 4,757 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 4,350 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 3,900 |
| Republican Governors Association | Nationwide Mutual Group | 3,676 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | ACE Ltd. | 3,638 |
| Akin Gump Strauss Hauder & Feld LLP | ACE Ltd. | 3,576 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 3,525 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 3,525 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 3,525 |
| The Surety & Fidelity Association | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 3,315 |
| Republican Governors Association | Nationwide Mutual Group | 3,101 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 3,000 |
| Republican Governors Association | Nationwide Mutual Group | 2,831 |
| Republican Governors Association | Nationwide Mutual Group | 2,831 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 2,700 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 2,250 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 2,175 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 2,175 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 2,025 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 2,025 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 2,025 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 2,025 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 2,025 |
| Dean G Skelos Campaign | Progressive Corp. | 2,000 |
| Windels Marx Lans & Mittendorf LLP | State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. | 1,650 |
| Republican Governors Association | Nationwide Mutual Group | 1,213 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 1,050 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 1,050 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 1,050 |
| Senator Seward Campaign | Progressive Corp. | 1,000 |
| Insurance Council of New Jersey | Progressive Corp. | 1,000 |
| Joe Morelle Campaign | Progressive Corp. | 1,000 |
| Carl Heastie Campaign | Progressive Corp. | 1,000 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 750 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 750 |
| US Chamber of Commerce – Institute for Legal Reform | Travelers Companies, Inc. | 750 |
| Republican Governors Association | Nationwide Mutual Group | 539 |
| Republican Governors Association | Nationwide Mutual Group | 539 |
| Peer & Knight, Inc | Allstate Corp. | 375 |
| Republican Governors Association | Nationwide Mutual Group | 270 |
| The Surety & Fidelity Association | State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. | 253 |
| National Insurance Crime Bureau | ACE Ltd. | 16 |
* Insurers are required to disclose the name of the organization and the amount paid if payments represent 25% or more of the total amount of payments in connection with matters before legislative bodies, officers or departments of government.
As of May 2, 2012.
Based on as-reported annual NAIC statutory P&C statement filings, U.S. filers only.
Payments are based on amounts reported in General Interrogatories (Other) Row 35.2.
Chart does not include payments by companies not required to file with the NAIC.
Amounts shown reflect subsidiaries that file the P&C statement filing with the NAIC and do not include amounts reported by subsidiaries in either the Life or Health statement filings.
Source: SNL Financial
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