Guides for the Mail Order Insurance Industry

The Guides for the Mail Order Insurance Industry were adopted in 1964 to prevent deception of purchasers of insurance and maintenance of fair competition by out-of-state mail order sellers of insurance. Since issuance of the Guides, state insurance laws have changed significantly. The states, through their licensing powers, now regulate out-of-state mail order sellers of insurance. Those regulations cover most, if not all, of the substantive areas addressed by the Guides. These facts appear to make the Guides unnecessary. Because of these changed circumstances, the Commission has determined that it is in the public interest to eliminate the Guides for the Mail Order Insurance Industry. The Commission further has determined that, because the reasons to revoke the Guides are ample and not in controversy, it is unnecessary to seek comment. This action is not to be understood as a statement that the principles announced in the Guides do not reflect the requirements of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. 45.