Study: Little practical interest in selling insurance across state lines

{mosads}Insurance is regulated primarily at the state level. Supporters of selling across state lines say the policy would expand consumers’ access to a wider range of options.

Opponents say insurers would flock to the state with the loosest regulations, effectively undermining regulations in other states where customers buy an out-of-state policy.

But at least so far, insurers don’t seem especially interested in breaking out of the state-by-state mold, the Georgetown paper says.

“Further, there was no evidence that these initiatives actually bring down costs or increase consumer options,” the researchers said in a blog post. “In fact, such proposals could put consumers at risk by limiting state officials’ ability to respond to the needs of their residents and eliminating important state-based protections.”

— This post was updated at 3:34 p.m.