In recent years there have been brought to the attention of members of the General Assembly of Virginia an increasing number of complaints regarding policies of certain types of casualty insurance. With respect to policies of accident and sickness insurance, which includes insurance against hospitalization costs, many persons have felt that the coverage afforded by their policies did not measure up to that which they thought that they had when the policy was purchased. Complaint has been also made that some insurers have made too frequent use of certain technical defenses. As to policies covering operation of motor vehicles, there have been complaints of cancellations and failures to renew, or the offering of policies only at increased rates, which the insureds felt were not warranted.

As a result of these complaints, two resolutions were introduced in the General Assembly during the 1964 Regular Session dealing with these subjects. They were combined into a single resolution by which the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council was directed to consider these problems.

Pursuant to this resolution the Council selected William F. Stone, of Martinsville, attorney and member of the Senate of Virginia, as Chairman of a Committee to make the initial study and report to it. Selected to serve with Senator Stone as members of the Committee were the following: Fred W. Bateman, of Newport News, attorney and member of the Senate of Virginia; Nathan Bushnell, III, of Martinsville, Administrator, Martinsville General Hospital; Dr. Thomas S. Edwards, of Charlottesville, physician; Robert V. Hatcher, Jr., of Richmond, a partner in the Baker-Cockrell Insurance Agency; Rieves S. Hodnett, of Martinsville, insurance agent; Nathan B. Hutcherson, Jr., of Rocky Mount, attorney and member of the House of Delegates; David B. Kinney, of Arlington, attorney; J. Sloan Kuykendall, of Winchester, attorney; Charles L. McCormick, III, of Halifax, attorney; Eugene Meyung, Jr., of Charlottesville, attorney and Division Manager, State Farm Insurance Company; Garnett S. Moore, of Pulaski; attorney and member of the House of Delegates; William T. Muse, of Richmond, Dean, University of Richmond Law School; Robert L. Riggs, of Hopewell, Plant Manager, Allied Chemical Corporation; Sydney S. Small, of Roanoke, former Vice-President, Norfolk and Western Railway Company; Gordon R. Trapnell, of Arlington, actuary; and Caleb D. West, Jr., of Newport News, insurance agent.

The Committee organized by selecting Messrs. Hutcherson and Moore as Co-Vice-Chairmen of the Committee. John B. Boatwright, Jr. and G. M. Lapsley served as Secretary and Recording Secretary, respectively, to the Committee.

The Committee held public hearings in Richmond, Roanoke, and Arlington County. It solicited from the public information as to instances in which individuals believed they had been unfairly treated by insurance companies and checked with these companies as to the facts in each case. It reviewed the practices of the Bureau of Insurance of the State Corporation Commission with respect to the policing of the issuance and sale of such policies and the investigation of complaints.