Commissioner Poizner Wants Providers to Divest Iranian Holdings
December 2, 2009 – California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner claims that a probe he conducted suggest that insurance companies have a total of around $12 billion in Iranian investments, investments he would like to see them drop.
He intends to ask insurance companies who do business in the state of California to divest themselves of all financial holdings in Iran within 120 days, according to an initial report. If the companies do not comply in that amount of time, Poizner says, he will attempt to force them to divest their holdings.
The quarterly meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners takes place this coming weekend, at which this matter will most likely be discussed. Poizner intends to present the figures he has to the body, in order to rally support. The initial report suggests that even prior to the meeting, some other insurance commissioners are considering similar plans.
Pennsylvania’s insurance commissioner is considering a plan similar to Poizner’s, and other state commissioner wish to discuss the matter and seek opinions of their peers. Insurance companies suggest that a state-by-state approach to divestment may contradict U.S. foreign policy, and could be overturned by a higher body.
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