If there was a single theme in April’s insurance regulatory activity, it was acceleration. State-level legislative output surged 82% from March, with 155 bills enacted compared to 85 the prior month. But the substance of what regulators and legislators are focused on was just as notable as the volume.
A few important trends are shaping the road ahead. First, artificial intelligence is moving from a topic of general industry conversation into the regulatory apparatus itself. Washington became the first state to require AI disclosure in insurance product filings, a development that other states are almost certainly watching. Second, regulators are investing in data-driven market oversight at a scale we haven’t seen before, as evidenced by the most comprehensive homeowners insurance data call in U.S. history. Third, the annuity best interest standard, which achieved 50-state adoption in April 2025 when New Jersey came on board, now presents a fully nationwide training compliance burden that firms must manage on an ongoing basis. And finally, state-by-state licensing and continuing education requirements continue to evolve in ways that create real operational complexity for firms managing producers and adjusters across multiple jurisdictions.
For carriers, agencies, and compliance teams, the message from April is clear: the regulatory surface area is growing, and firms that invest in scalable, technology-driven compliance processes will be better positioned to manage the pace of change without sacrificing thoroughness or auditability.
A Surge in State Legislative Activity
The raw numbers tell a compelling story. Enacted insurance bills rose from 85 in March to 155 in April, an 82% increase. That kind of month-over-month jump is a reminder of just how dynamic the state regulatory landscape can be, and how quickly a compliance team’s workload can expand. For firms still relying on manual tracking methods, this level of volume creates real risk that critical changes are missed or addressed too late.
Washington Requires AI Disclosure in Insurance Filings
Washington state’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner broke new ground by amending its SERFF filing procedures to require disclosure of artificial intelligence usage. Beginning May 1, 2026, all new SERFF rate and form filings must indicate whether AI tools, including generative AI, machine learning, or AI embedded in vendor tools, were used to create or review the filing or to develop supporting work. Filers who used AI must identify the system and provide a brief description of its impact.
Washington’s new questions do not change existing rate or form review standards, but they represent an early effort by state regulators to establish transparency around AI’s role in insurance product development. Other states are likely watching closely. Compliance teams should be monitoring for similar requirements in other jurisdictions, the kind of emerging, cross-state regulatory trend that is easy to miss without a systematic regulatory change management process in place.
Nationwide Homeowners Market Data Call
During the NAIC’s 2026 Spring National Meeting, state insurance regulators announced the most comprehensive homeowners insurance data call in U.S. history. The initiative will collect ZIP code-level data on premiums, claims and losses by peril, deductibles, cancellations, non-renewals, coverage limits, replacement cost and actual cash value information, and mitigation discounts. The data call covers policy years 2018–2025, applies to insurers writing at least $50,000 in relevant premium, and has a June 15, 2026 submission deadline. A public report is expected in early 2027.
For insurers, the operational task of compiling this level of granular, multi-year data is substantial. The initiative signals regulators’ intent to deepen their understanding of market dynamics, particularly around coverage availability, pricing, and resilience, at a time when climate-related losses and market volatility continue to reshape the property insurance landscape.
Connecticut Re-Implements Flood Insurance Training Requirements
Effective April 15, 2026, Connecticut re-implemented training requirements for producers selling flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Any newly licensed Connecticut resident producer with Property/Casualty or Personal Lines authority must now complete a one-time, three-credit NFIP Flood Insurance Course approved by the Connecticut Insurance Department. The three credits apply toward the licensee’s total General CE requirement. Failure to comply could jeopardize a producer’s authority to write insurance through the NFIP.
This reinstatement underscores the importance of tracking state-specific CE requirements closely, particularly for firms operating across multiple jurisdictions. Automated CE tracking tools that match each producer’s license profile against jurisdiction-specific requirements can flag new obligations like this as soon as they take effect, ensuring no one falls out of compliance.
Iowa Continues to Modify Independent Adjuster Licensing Requirements
Iowa enacted H 2582 on April 9, adding appointed producers with claim authority to the list of individuals who are exempt from individual adjuster licensing requirements. The law also eliminates the statutory bond requirement in favor of financial responsibility standards set by the Iowa Department of Insurance. Currently, Iowa is following financial responsibility options listed in Bulletin 25-08. The most impactful financial responsibility change: individuals may now use financial responsibility held by a business entity adjuster rather than maintaining a separate personal bond, meaningful cost savings for adjusters and firms alike.
Additionally, Iowa has indicated that individuals applying for a nonresident independent or staff adjuster will have their fingerprint reciprocity based on their state of residence instead of their DHS state.
For firms managing adjuster licensing across many states, changes like Iowa’s are a reminder that licensing rules are not static. Platforms that centralize adjuster licensing management and automatically reflect rule changes by jurisdiction can help firms avoid compliance gaps and reduce the administrative burden on internal teams. RegEd’s Adjuster Licensing solution, including its recently launched Smart Licensing capability for automated nonresident licensing, is designed to address exactly this challenge.
South Carolina Moves Toward Adjuster CE and Fingerprint Requirements
South Carolina S 196, pending the Governor’s signature at month’s end. will establish the standard 24 hours with 3 ethics adjuster CE requirement. Three of the 24 hours must be in workers’ compensation for individuals holding a casualty or workers’ compensation license. Additionally, applicants will be required to submit fingerprints for licensure. This would add South Carolina to the growing list of states with formal adjuster continuing education mandates, another area where centralized CE tracking is becoming essential for firms managing large adjuster populations across state lines.
Illinois Reverses Course on CE Proctoring
In a quick reversal, Illinois eliminated a recently announced requirement that CE self-study courses be monitored by a disinterested third party. The proctor requirement has since been disabled in the course system.
The result is no change, but the episode highlights a common compliance challenge: regulatory guidance can shift rapidly, sometimes within weeks. Firms that depend on periodic manual reviews of state rules are especially vulnerable to acting on outdated guidance or missing a reversal entirely. Real-time regulatory intelligence, delivered by experts who maintain direct relationships with state regulators, is the most reliable way to stay current.
Arizona Opens Temporary Staff Adjuster Licensing Window
Arizona has enacted S 1415, effective 90 days after legislative adjournment. opened a The bill is expected to open a temporary licensing window for AZ Arizona residents holding a Designated Home State in another state to obtain an Arizona staff adjuster license. The long-term implications for staff adjusters are still being determined.
Utah: Long-Term Care Training Requirement Eliminated
Utah has removed its Long-Term Care (LTC) training requirements, effective May 6, 2026. This change eliminates both the 3-hour initial and 3-hour ongoing training previously required for producers selling LTC products in the state.
The Regulatory Affairs department is closely monitoring similar long-term care training developments across other jurisdictions and is positioned to provide pertinent updates as changes occur.
Annuity Best Interest: A Nationwide Compliance Reality
With New Jersey’s adoption in April 2025, all 50 states now have a best interest standard and training requirement in place for annuity sales. The District of Columbia remains the only holdout; it originally proposed its rule in October 2025 and is expected to re-propose with edits to align more closely with the NAIC’s Model Regulation.
While this milestone is now a year old, the compliance implications are ongoing and growing. Every producer selling annuities must have completed the required best interest training, and firms need to track compliance across all 50 states, with DC expected to add to that burden when it finalizes its rule. RegEd, in partnership with the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), delivers annuity best interest training and tracking to close to 200,000 producers representing more than 80% of annuities carriers, making it the industry’s most widely adopted solution for meeting this requirement at scale.
Paid Family Leave Systems Continue to Expand
Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have now established mandatory state paid family leave systems, and nine others have adopted voluntary systems allowing the benefit through the private insurance market. This growing patchwork of requirements creates increasing complexity for carriers and employers navigating multi-state compliance.
Federal Insurance Developments
At the federal level, several developments are worth tracking:
- New electronic transaction standards for health care claims attachments (medical records, x-rays, notes, etc.) are being implemented.
- CMS announced 2027 Medicare Advantage capitation rates, along with risk adjustment factors for each payment area.
- Final rules revised Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D), and Medicare cost plan regulations, implementing changes related to Star Ratings, marketing and communications, drug coverage, enrollment processes, special needs plans, and other programmatic areas.
- CMS published its proposed 2027 HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment parameters in February 2026. Included in the proposed notice are changes to cost-sharing parameters, tighter eligibility verification, and allowing certification of “non-network” plans as QHPs. Changes to state defrayal requirements for mandated benefits are also proposed. The final Notice is expected in the coming weeks.
Line-of-Business Highlights
Across state insurance markets, notable regulatory actions emerged in several lines:
- Health: Washington enacted a new annual coverage assessment tied to exchange enrollees. Several states addressed dental provider contracts and direct payment requirements. Virginia issued guidance on Plan Year 2027 filings for Qualified Health Plans.
- Property & Casualty: California warned companies against modifying proprietary Department formulas in rate filings. Several states addressed post-loss assignment of benefits under residential property policies. Colorado issued guidance on wildfire risk score disclosure, including mitigation discounts and appeal rights.
- Life: Nebraska and Iowa enacted new financial exploitation laws for eligible adults, including training requirements. Alabama updated its “slayer statute” to address elder abuse and financial exploitation. Wisconsin enacted laws addressing Insurance Security Fund assessments for long-term care and associated tax credits.
- Workers’ Compensation: Oregon established a tiered wage replacement formula for temporary and permanent total disability benefits. Multiple states amended laws targeting ground ambulance reimbursement, medically necessary anesthesia coverage, and attorney fees.
How RegEd Can Help
RegEd’s Regulatory Change Management solution continuously monitors, identifies, and analyzes regulatory changes across all 50 states and lines of business, with more than 40,000 regulatory items vetted annually by a team of regulatory experts with 450+ years of combined experience. Plain-language summaries, relevance filtering, and closed-loop task management ensure firms can move from awareness to implementation efficiently and with full documentation.
Complementary solutions, including CE Central for tracking producer and adjuster continuing education, the Annuities Training Platform for best interest compliance, Smart Licensing for automated nonresident licensing, and Adjuster Licensing for centralized credentialing, help firms operationalize regulatory requirements across the full producer compliance lifecycle.