According to an annual survey conducted by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies , catastrophe-related state laws rose considerably last year.

According to David Reddick, NAMIC's associate director of public policy, 10 states enacted 17 catastrophe-related bills last year, compared to three states in 2005. The three states that passed bills last year included Louisiana (following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita), Florida, and Hawaii, which each passed resolutions calling for creation of a national catastrophe fund. Reddick added that state lawmakers already are on pace to equal or exceed last year's total.

While catastrophe-related bills saw an increase, the total number of property and casualty-related bills actually decreased last year. NAMIC's survey found that 44 states and the District of Columbia collectively enacted 539 bills last year, as compared to 625 property/casualty insurance laws in 2005. Motor vehicle insurance bills accounted for the largest single category with 169 bills, followed by workers' compensation and identity theft-related bills.

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