New Rules on Soldiers' Life Insurance in House Bill

U.S. House Bill Would Set New Rules on Soldiers' Life Insurance
By Patrick O’Connor and David Evans - Aug 2, 2010 11:09 AM

Representative Debbie Halvorson wants Congress to set new rules for life insurance companies that profit from accounts that hold death benefits from policies of dead U.S. soldiers and veterans.

The first-term Illinois Democrat introduced legislation on July 30 that would require companies such as Prudential Financial Inc. to tell beneficiaries how their money will be invested and how much the insurer stands to make from holding the funds.

Her legislation follows the start of a probe by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs into what has become a common industry practice. Officials at the Pentagon and the White House have said they’ll support that investigation.

Bloomberg Markets magazine reported on July 28 that life insurance companies keep money in their own accounts, instead of paying a lump sum directly to survivors when a policy holder dies. The insurers pay uncompetitive interest rates and offer misleading guarantees about the safety of accounts that aren’t federally insured.
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U.S. House Bill Would Set New Rules on Soldiers Life Insurance