The Professional Insurance Agents of New York says its ongoing negotiations with state regulators over the new broker compensation disclosure rule, set to take effect Jan. 1, 2010, have enabled the organization to create a guide explaining how to follow the new rule.

Facing an estimated $1.5 billion budget shortfall for the current fiscal year, Virginia legislators are seeking solutions to get the state out of the red, but don’t appear to be going the same route as their peers in Connecticut.

As Pennsylvania continues to deal with its budget problems, agents groups in the state say they do not expect to see higher licensing fees.

A regional agents’ group is speaking out against the practice of carriers requesting customer lists or expensive profiles of agency books of business, calling it a “significant breach” of the agent-carrier relationship.

With all the technology options available to agents now, a coalition of four state trade associations has established a hotline to provide some guidance.

As part of a new two-year, $37.6 billion budget, Connecticut has doubled the majority of its fees levied by the department of insurance, a move other states might emulate given widespread deficits in their coffers.

New York’s insurance department has submitted new rules on producer compensation transparency to the governor’s office, moving it one step closer to becoming regulation.