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24 J. Ins. Regul. 1 (2005-2006)

handle is hein.journals/jloins24 and id is 1 raw text is: Editors' Perspective As the new co-editors of the Journal of Insurance Regulation (JIR), we are excited about this responsibility and the challenges that are ahead. As the premier peer-reviewed journal that focuses on the regulation of insurance, articles published in the JIR serve several important purposes: educating regulators, industry, consumers and other stakeholders; providing balanced and timely information about issues that can be and are at times controversial; disseminating research based on solid analysis and methodology; and, importantly, informing public policy. Articles published in the JIR help achieve some or all of these goals. Through commentaries published in the JIR, we hope to allow authors with a particular viewpoint to inform public policy. These commentaries will create a forum for debate, as well as provide different and opposing perspectives on current public policy questions. Whether through articles or commentaries, we are fully committed to continuing the JIR's tradition of excellence, enhancing its role and helping it achieve even greater prominence. We invite our readers to provide us with feedback and suggestions. The Fall 2005 issue of the JIR is transitional; it includes articles accepted and/or recommended for publication by Mike Barth, the JIR's outgoing editor, as well as articles we (the new co-editors) have selected. In one article, researchers offer timely advice to public policymakers in the wake of damage caused by recent hurricanes. Although it is uncertain whether and to what extent insurers will continue to provide coverage for damage from hurricanes in the future, it is certain that consumers may not be able to buy the type of coverage needed after such natural disasters. It will be up to public policymakers to find ways to assist people and help protect them from catastrophic losses due to natural disasters. This article offers one option, by examining ways state and federal legislators have tried to help consumers recover financially from damage and catastrophic losses caused by perils not covered by private insurers. Through an examination of existing and past quasi-government single peril programs - including programs for losses caused by mine subsidence, flood, hurricane and earthquakes - researchers identify important issues for policymakers to consider when establishing similar such programs. Another article looks at how health insurance sold through associations is regulated by the states. This article discusses how, depending on the type of association one purchases through, applicable standards can be less stringent than for individual health insurance or job-based coverage. The article notes that when such coverage is sold through national associations, in many states almost no consumer protections apply. This article is the third and final article in a series the JIR has published examining different aspects of multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs), of which association health plans are one type.