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Bad Policies
A state lawmaker wants to come down
on insurance companies that benefited from
Nazi-era persecution °Pews.
FREE PHONE*
JULIE EDGAR
With or without documentation,
however, there are ways of tracking old
insurance policies — for example,
state lawmaker has pro-
through "insurance archaeologists" who
posed that Michigan join an
specialize in finding them, he added.
investigation of insurance
Senn got involved in the issue after
companies that fraudulently
reading about a class-action lawsuit
sold policies to Jews during the Nazi
filed in New York State on behalf of
era and never paid off on them.
Holocaust survivors against European
Rep. John Freeman, D-Madison
insurance companies who sold insur-
Heights, has formally asked Michigan
ance policies to Jews in Nazi-era
Insurance Commissioner Dominic
Europe. She also was influenced by
D'Annunzio to participate in a work-
other factors, like the Swiss banking
ing group of the National Association
scandal and the breakup of the Soviet
of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
Union, which have led to a willingness_
that is investigating European insur-
to right wrongs that were committed
ance companies with subsidiaries or
during the period, Stevenson said.
associate companies in the United
"There are up to 200,000 Holo-
States. Washington State Insurance
caust survivors who are still alive in
Commissioner Deborah Senn spear-
the United States. They're old and the
headed the investigation and
clock is ticking. And that isr\>
is chairing the working group.
the reason for seeing that
Freeman, a third-term leg-
justice occurs," he said.
islator, explained that insur-
The NAIC can compel
ance companies sold policies
insurance companies to pay
to Jewish families between
up, either by threat of liti-
1933 and 1945, "knowing
gation or by suspension of
full well that many would not
their ability to practice.
live to collect." He estimates
At the very least, Free-
there are close to 1,000 Holo-
man noted, the investiga-
caust survivors in Michigan
tion would put "public
and many more heirs who
State Rep . John
pressure" on the insurance
may be able to cash in on out- Freeman hopes
firms to find records they
Michigan joins an
standing policies.
have historically claimed
Because Michigan "is at the investig,at ion of
are lost or were destroyed.
forefront of social and cultural Nazi-era insurance Freeman ties in his request
issues, it ought to join 20 other practices.
to D'Annunzio with the
states that are participating in
class-action lawsuit in New
the NAIC investigation," Freeman said.
York. The suit alleges that policyholder
And, "I make the argument that
assets were withheld, concealed and
because there are [European] sub-
converted to cash-values and that poli-
sidiary or associate firms, it's legitimate
cy monies were used by the Nazis to
for Michigan's commissioner to be
finance their war effort.
involved," he added.
While the lawsuit and its conclu-
Jim Stevenson, public affairs officer
sion has little connection to the
for Commissioner Senn, said the
NAIC, Freeman said they both repre-
investigation, which formally began in
sent a "historical situation that is
September, has already uncovered evi-
being explored in the greatest detail
dence that Washington-certified insur-
that it's ever been done."
ance firms are connected European
Freeman's request to D'Annunzio
firms which have "immense holdings"
also went to Rep. David Gubow, D-
in the U.S.
Huntington Woods. Gubow chairs the
Of the 200 Holocaust survivors who
House Insurance Committee and is
have been contacted in that state, a
interested in holding hearings on the
third of them "have a clear recollection
matter, Freeman said.
of coverage that existed and there was
Gubow could not be reached for
never a benefit paid," Stevenson said.
comment.
News Editor
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12/26
1997
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