It’s crucial for every business owner to be aware that both the national and most state Chambers of Commerce are controlled by the insurance industry. In the event of a dispute between an insurance company and a business, the Chamber of Commerce will side with the insurance company and the overall insurance industry.

To illustrate this point, let’s consider a recent case involving damage to a yacht owned by a Pennsylvania business. The insurer, operating under the name “Great Lakes Insurance Company,” is based in London, England, despite the absence of any Great Lakes in England. The yacht suffered approximately $300,000 worth of damage when it ran aground. During the claims investigation, Great Lakes discovered that the yacht’s fire extinguishers hadn’t been inspected within the specified time frame, even though they were working, and the grounding incident had no connection to the fire. Exploiting this technicality, the London-based insurer denied the claim.

Consequently, the boat owner filed a lawsuit, citing breach of contract and bad faith under Pennsylvania law. However, the insurer argued that the policy’s choice-of-law provision applied New York law and that Pennsylvania’s bad faith protection statutes didn’t apply. The boat owner contended that Pennsylvania had a strong public policy aimed at punishing insurers that acted in bad faith to protect its citizens, which should take precedence over the choice-of-law provision. Additionally, the insured business pointed out that the agent was located in Pennsylvania and that Great Lakes had sued the insured business in a Pennsylvania court.

The dispute has now reached the United States Supreme Court, centering around the choice-of-law provision. In response, the Chamber of Commerce of the United States has submitted an amicus brief. 

Does the Chamber of Commerce support the business from the United States or the one from London, England? Does it advocate for bad faith laws to protect policyholders from unscrupulous insurers?

Regrettably, the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, much like a Benedict Arnold, supports the London-based insurance company. In fact, its brief is jointly filed with the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. The Chamber of Commerce’s affiliation with the insurance industry is evident. It is essential for every business owner in the United States, regardless of their size, to reflect upon this when the Chamber of Commerce claims to be assisting businesses.

Most business owners are unaware of the extent of this cozy relationship between the insurance industry and the Chamber of Commerce. Back in 2011, I published a blog titled “Political Courage and Standing Up to The Insurance Lobby,” where I highlighted the following:

Following an interview with Megyn Kelly of FoxNews on the topic of ‘Who Will Take the Lead in Deficit Debate,’ I contemplated the issue of courage. Specifically, I questioned whether our elected leaders and politicians possessed enough courage to confront the insurance industry and its political lobby. 

The insurance industry has effectively taken control of insurance policy determinations within the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries. Their substantial campaign contributions in the form of ‘soft money’ are unparalleled. Those of us with the knowledge and capability to challenge these powerful interests have a responsibility to educate our elected officials and raise awareness of intentional deceptive debates facilitated by these entities.

In a successful RICO case against State Farm, I emphasized the Chamber of Commerce as the primary affiliated group (as noted in ‘Did State Farm Buy Its Way Out of a Billion Dollar Judgment?‘ and State Farm Buys Its Way Out of a Billion Dollar Judgment for $250 Million).

The Chamber of Commerce is under the influence of the insurance industry, prioritizing the creation of laws that promote insurance industry interests, all while pretending to support local small business owners. Commercial policyholders must wake up to the various ways the insurance industry digs into their pockets, utilizing the Chamber of Commerce as a conduit.

Thought For The Day

A fox is a wolf who sends flowers.

—Ruth Brown