CHAPTER 20—REGULATION OF INSURANCE

        

§1011. Declaration of policy

Congress hereby declares that the continued regulation and taxation by the several States of the business of insurance is in the public interest, and that silence on the part of the Congress shall not be construed to impose any barrier to the regulation or taxation of such business by the several States.

(Mar. 9, 1945, ch. 20, §1, 59 Stat. 33.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title of 2021 Amendment

Pub. L. 116–327, §1, Jan. 13, 2021, 134 Stat. 5097, provided that: "This Act [amending section 1013 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 1013 of this title] may be cited as the 'Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2020'."

Short Title

Act Mar. 9, 1945, ch. 20, 59 Stat. 33, which is classified to this chapter, is popularly known as the "McCarran-Ferguson Act".

Separability

Act Mar. 9, 1945, ch. 20, §6, 59 Stat. 34, provided: "If any provision of this Act [this chapter], or the application of such provision to any person or circumstances, shall be held invalid, the remainder of the Act, and the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected."

§1012. Regulation by State law; Federal law relating specifically to insurance; applicability of certain Federal laws after June 30, 1948

(a) State regulation

The business of insurance, and every person engaged therein, shall be subject to the laws of the several States which relate to the regulation or taxation of such business.

(b) Federal regulation

No Act of Congress shall be construed to invalidate, impair, or supersede any law enacted by any State for the purpose of regulating the business of insurance, or which imposes a fee or tax upon such business, unless such Act specifically relates to the business of insurance: Provided, That after June 30, 1948, the Act of July 2, 1890, as amended, known as the Sherman Act, and the Act of October 15, 1914, as amended, known as the Clayton Act, and the Act of September 26, 1914, known as the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended [15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.], shall be applicable to the business of insurance to the extent that such business is not regulated by State Law.

(Mar. 9, 1945, ch. 20, §2, 59 Stat. 34; July 25, 1947, ch. 326, 61 Stat. 448.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Act of July 2, 1890, as amended, known as the Sherman Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is classified to sections 1 to 7 of this title.

Act of October 15, 1914, as amended, known as the Clayton Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Oct. 15, 1914, ch. 323, 38 Stat. 730, as amended, which is classified generally to sections 12, 13, 14 to 19, 21, and 22 to 27 of this title and to sections 52 and 53 of Title 29, Labor. For further details and complete classification of this Act to the Code, see References in Text note set out under section 12 of this title and Tables.

Act of September 26, 1914, known as the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, referred to in subsec. (b), is classified generally to subchapter I (§41 et seq.) of chapter 2 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 58 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1947—Act July 25, 1947, substituted "June 30, 1948" for "January 1, 1948".

§1013. Suspension until June 30, 1948, of application of certain Federal laws; Sherman Act applicable to agreements to, or acts of, boycott, coercion, or intimidation

(a) Until June 30, 1948, the Act of July 2, 1890, as amended, known as the Sherman Act, and the Act of October 15, 1914, as amended, known as the Clayton Act, and the Act of September 26, 1914, known as the Federal Trade Commission Act [15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.], and the Act of June 19, 1936, known as the Robinson-Patman Anti-Discrimination Act, shall not apply to the business of insurance or to acts in the conduct thereof.

(b) Nothing contained in this chapter shall render the said Sherman Act inapplicable to any agreement to boycott, coerce, or intimidate, or act of boycott, coercion, or intimidation.

(c)(1) Nothing contained in this chapter shall modify, impair, or supersede the operation of any of the antitrust laws with respect to the business of health insurance (including the business of dental insurance and limited-scope dental benefits).

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to making a contract, or engaging in a combination or conspiracy—

(A) to collect, compile, or disseminate historical loss data;

(B) to determine a loss development factor applicable to historical loss data;

(C) to perform actuarial services if such contract, combination, or conspiracy does not involve a restraint of trade; or

(D) to develop or disseminate a standard insurance policy form (including a standard addendum to an insurance policy form and standard terminology in an insurance policy form) if such contract, combination, or conspiracy is not to adhere to such standard form or require adherence to such standard form.

(3) For purposes of this subsection—

(A) the term "antitrust laws" has the meaning given it in subsection (a) of section 12 of this title, except that such term includes section 45 of this title to the extent that such section 45 applies to unfair methods of competition;

(B) the term "business of health insurance (including the business of dental insurance and limited-scope dental benefits)" does not include—

(i) the business of life insurance (including annuities); or

(ii) the business of property or casualty insurance, including but not limited to—

(I) any insurance or benefits defined as "excepted benefits" under paragraph (1), subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (2), or paragraph (3) of section 9832(c) of title 26 whether offered separately or in combination with insurance or benefits described in paragraph (2)(A) of such section; and

(II) any other line of insurance that is classified as property or casualty insurance under State law;

(C) the term "historical loss data" means information respecting claims paid, or reserves held for claims reported, by any person engaged in the business of insurance; and

(D) the term "loss development factor" means an adjustment to be made to reserves held for losses incurred for claims reported by any person engaged in the business of insurance, for the purpose of bringing such reserves to an ultimate paid basis.

(Mar. 9, 1945, ch. 20, §3, 59 Stat. 34; July 25, 1947, ch. 326, 61 Stat. 448; Pub. L. 116–327, §2(a), Jan. 13, 2021, 134 Stat. 5097.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Act of July 2, 1890, as amended, known as the Sherman Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is classified to sections 1 to 7 of this title.

Act of October 15, 1914, as amended, known as the Clayton Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act Oct. 15, 1914, ch. 323, 38 Stat. 730, as amended, which is classified generally to sections 12, 13, 14 to 19, 21, and 22 to 27 of this title and to sections 52 and 53 of Title 29, Labor. For further details and complete classification of this Act to the Code, see References in Text note set out under section 12 of this title and Tables.

Act of September 26, 1914, known as the Federal Trade Commission Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is generally classified to subchapter I (§41 et seq.) of chapter 2 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 58 of this title and Tables.

Act of June 19, 1936, known as the Robinson-Patman Anti-Discrimination Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act June 19, 1936, ch. 592, 49 Stat. 1526, known as the Robinson-Patman Antidiscrimination Act and also as the Robinson-Patman Price Discrimination Act, which enacted sections 13a, 13b, and 21a of this title and amended section 13 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 13 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–327 added subsec. (c).

1947—Act July 25, 1947, substituted "June 30, 1948" for "January 1, 1948".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Related Provision

Pub. L. 116–327, §2(b), Jan. 13, 2021, 134 Stat. 5098, provided that: "For purposes of section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45) to the extent such section applies to unfair methods of competition, section 3(c) of the McCarran-Ferguson Act [15 U.S.C. 1013(c)] shall apply with respect to the business of health insurance without regard to whether such business is carried on for profit, notwithstanding the definition of 'Corporation' contained in section 4 of the Federal Trade Commission Act [15 U.S.C. 44]."

§1014. Effect on other laws

Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to affect in any manner the application to the business of insurance of the Act of July 5, 1935, as amended, known as the National Labor Relations Act [29 U.S.C. 151 et seq.], or the Act of June 25, 1938, as amended, known as the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 [29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.], or the Act of June 5, 1920, known as the Merchant Marine Act, 1920.

(Mar. 9, 1945, ch. 20, §4, 59 Stat. 34.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Act of July 5, 1935, as amended, known as the National Labor Relations Act, referred to in text, is act July 5, 1935, ch. 372, 49 Stat. 449, as amended which is classified generally to subchapter II (§151 et seq.) of chapter 7 of Title 29, Labor. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 167 of Title 29 and Tables.

Act of June 25, 1938, as amended, known as the Fair Labor Standards Act, referred to in text, is classified generally to chapter 8 (§201 et seq.) of Title 29. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 201 of Title 29 and Tables.

Act of June 5, 1920, known as the Merchant Marine Act, 1920, referred to in text, is ch. 250, 41 Stat. 988, which was classified principally to chapter 24 (§861 et seq.) of former Title 46, Shipping, which became chapter 24 of the former Appendix to Title 46. The Act was substantially repealed and the provisions thereof restated in Title 46, Shipping, by Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 500, and Pub. L. 109–304, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1485. Section 29 of the Act was transferred and is now classified to section 38 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. For disposition of sections of former Title 46 and of the former Appendix to Title 46, see Disposition Table preceding section 101 of Title 46.

§1015. "State" defined

As used in this chapter, the term "State" includes the several States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the District of Columbia.

(Mar. 9, 1945, ch. 20, §5, 59 Stat. 34; Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 852, §4, 70 Stat. 908.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1956—Act Aug. 1, 1956, included "Guam" in definition of State.

Executive Documents

Admission of Alaska and Hawaii to Statehood

Alaska was admitted into the Union on Jan. 3, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3269, Jan. 3, 1959, 24 F.R. 81, 73 Stat. c16, and Hawaii was admitted into the Union on Aug. 21, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3309, Aug. 21, 1959, 24 F.R. 6868, 73 Stat. c74. For Alaska Statehood Law, see Pub. L. 85–508, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 339, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions. For Hawaii Statehood Law, see Pub. L. 86–3, Mar. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 4, set out as a note preceding section 491 of Title 48.