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Cliston Brown
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Phone:
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202-639-0497
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cliston.brown@pciaa.net
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PCI Supports Bipartisan Building Codes Legislation
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WASHINGTON—The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) supports
legislation under consideration by the House Transportation Committee that
would encourage the adoption and enforcement of statewide building codes
throughout the nation. The bipartisan measure, originally introduced in May by
Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Michael Arcuri (D-N.Y.) as H.R. 2592, will
move to the House floor as part of H.R. 3377, the Disaster Response, Recovery
and Mitigation Enhancement Act, after today’s markup.
“Enforcing effective building codes is one of the most efficient ways to
mitigate losses caused by natural catastrophes,” said David A. Sampson, PCI’s
president and CEO. “We know how to construct and retrofit buildings to minimize
the losses that individuals and communities face from natural disasters, and we
know that mitigation techniques are cost- effective. A study conducted by the
National Institute of Building Sciences in 2005 found that every dollar spent
on mitigation at the federal level saves American taxpayers four dollars in
disaster assistance. In short, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,
and this preventive legislation is a wise investment that will save taxpayers
money in the future.”
While PCI believes that the costs of establishing,
administering, and enforcing an effective building code program should be the
responsibility of the communities and the states, PCI also recognizes that lack
of funding is one of the primary impediments keeping communities from enacting
these programs. Effective building codes lower the risk of loss and protect not
only the safety, health and welfare of individuals, but also sustain the
economic viability of communities. Every loss that is minimized also reduces
the costs of replacing, restoring and rebuilding communities damaged by
disasters.
“In addition to saving taxpayer dollars, improved
mitigation efforts will help contain premiums for insurance consumers,” Sampson
said. “We urge Congress to pass this important legislation, and commend
Congressmen Diaz-Balart and Arcuri for their bipartisan work on this important
measure, as well as Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) for his leadership in
shepherding this bill through committee.”
PCI is composed of more than 1,000 member
companies, representing the broadest cross-section of insurers of any national
trade association. PCI members write over $180 billion in annual premium, 37.4
percent of the nation’s property casualty insurance. Member companies write 44
percent of the U.S. automobile insurance market, 30.7 percent of the
homeowners market, 35.1 percent of the commercial property and liability
market, and 41.7 percent of the private workers compensation market.
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