The 114th United States Congress is being sworn in today and we need your help urging them to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). The last Congress left town in December without reauthorizing this critical economic program. Passing legislation that reflects the compromise iterated in last year’s S.2244 must be a top priority.

That compromise also includes NARAB II, The Council’s long-sought legislation to create a national broker licensing regime. Every major stakeholder impacted by the compromise supports NARAB II’s inclusion, and it is imperative that the provision remain intact when Congress moves TRIA. The compromise legislation passed the House of Representatives less than a month ago by a vote of 417-7. Similar legislation passed the Senate last July by a vote of 93-4.

We cannot stress enough how important it is that you and your colleagues contact your Members of Congress in both the House and Senate. Because Congress failed to act last year, terrorism insurance policies written for 2015 commercial policyholders are now in peril. Council members are the primary producers of commercial terrorism policies and our recent market survey, conducted after the Senate adjourned in December, shows that if Congress doesn’t act in the coming days, policyholder and insurer confidence will erode, commercial terrorism policies already written for 2015 will be in peril and market disruption will unfold in a matter of weeks.

View the press release of our survey results.

Your government affairs team is working overtime to see the reauthorization legislation through, but we need your help. Please call 202-225-3121, ask for your Senator and Congressman/Congresswoman, and urge them to reauthorize TRIA as soon as possible. To find your Member of Congress, visit www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Listed below are talking points for your message:

  • Please pass legislation to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) and create the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers (NARAB) as soon as possible.
  • Legislation should reflect the compromise crafted last month that garnered 417 votes in the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • TRIA provides for the availability of a private terrorism insurance market, and allowing the measure to expire was a dangerous move that now jeopardizes economic growth and American jobs.
  • NARAB allows for brokers to operate on a multistate basis with a single license while undergoing the strongest regulatory scrutiny in the United States. The measure has overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives four times, and passed the United States Senate last year.
  • I URGE YOU TO PASS LEGISLATION MIRRORING THAT WHICH PASSED THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EARLIER LAST MONTH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

If you would like to send an email or fax, please refer to the following language:

Dear (Senator/Representative_______):

I’m writing today to urge you to immediately pass legislation to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program (TRIA). The program has now expired, putting commercial policyholders for terrorism policies at risk and potentially damaging economic growth.

Last month, compromise legislation to extend TRIA for six years while increasing the program’s trigger from the current $100 million to $200 million passed the House of Representative with 417 votes. It was unfortunately never voted on in the U.S. Senate. It is critical that TRIA is reauthorized as soon as possible to avoid a negative economic spiral. Market surveys demonstrate that 2015 terrorism policies will be renegotiated or extracted for policyholders, should Congress refuse to act.

Last year’s compromise bill also creates the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers (NARAB), which would provide a path for insurance brokers to operate on a multistate basis using a single license, all the while being scrutinized by the strongest regulatory standards in the country. NARAB has overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House of Representatives four times, and passed the U.S. Senate last July.

Congress cannot continue to wait to pass this legislation. I urge you to pass legislation mirroring last month’s compromise in S.2244 to reauthorize TRIA.

Thank you for your consideration.