Often referred to as “the assigned risk plan” the Kansas Automobile Insurance Plan is the state’s residual market for individuals or businesses who are unable to obtain coverage through the regular voluntary insurance markets.

The KAIP was established by the Kansas Legislature on November 20, 1950 under KSA 40-2102 to provide private passenger auto liability insurance to those unable to find coverage in the voluntary markets.  Physical damage coverage was added to the Plan later as the need arose.  Today, KAIP provides insurance coverage for private passenger autos, motor homes, motorcycles, non-owners, and many other personal lines risks.

The Plan was amended in 1984 to provide coverage for commercial autos.  KAIP now insures commercial autos and trucks, long-haul truckers, buses, taxis, limos, garage risks such as auto dealers and service operations, drive-away contractors, pizza delivery and other hired or non-owned risks.

Commercial risks are assigned to a servicing carrier under contract with the Plan to process the business, issue the policies, and pay the claims.  Costs are then assessed to all Kansas member companies under a pooling arrangement based upon commercial volume written in Kansas.

Private passenger auto assignments are direct to the insurance company and become that company’s book of business.  The volume of applications assigned to a company and the costs assessed annually to that company for KAIP operations are based upon that company’s voluntary liability writings in Kansas to the state’s total voluntary writings.

The Plan accepts applications from any agent licensed to write property and casualty insurance in Kansas.  Persons needing personal or commercial insurance should be able to rely on any Kansas agent (also referred to as Producer) for help securing insurance through the Plan.  Agents are expected to maintain an up-to-date manual of KAIP rules and rates and KAIP application forms.  The producing agent is expected to assist the insured with policy changes, claim reporting, and all normal duties expected of an agent.

The Plan is administered by a nine member Governing Board appointed by the Commissioner of Insurance.  Five members are representatives of insurance companies admitted and writing in Kansas, two members are licensed independent insurance agents, and two members represent the general public.  A Plan manager is employed by the Governing Committee (Board) to manage the daily affairs of the Plan.  The Committee meets three times each year with the fall meeting designated as the annual meeting.

Member companies are assessed a share of the Plan’s annual operating budget which is prepared by the Plan manager and approved by the Governing Committee during the fall annual meeting.  The assessment is determined as a percentage of the member company’s private passenger auto liability writings to the state’s total writings with a minimum fee assessed to all admitted members.

HISTORY OF THE PLAN

Known initially as the Kansas Automobile Assigned Risk Plan, the Plan officially began business in 1951 under KSA 40-2102.  The Act empowered the Kansas Insurance Commissioner to establish a plan of involuntary insurance for persons unable to find coverage in the voluntary markets.  The Act required insurers licensed and writing auto liability in Kansas to provide an involuntary plan of insurance for the otherwise uninsurable and that those member companies be assessed for the financial operation of the Plan based upon the volume of voluntary auto liability insurance written compared to the state’s total voluntary writings.  Thus, this non-profit entity is looked upon as a quasi governmental agency/private enterprise undertaking.

All admitted companies were required to subscribe to the Plan through Insurance Commissioner Frank Sullivan’s office by September 8, 1950.

Initially, Kansas statutes required liability insurance limits of $5,000/$10,000 bodily injury and $5,000 property damage on all registered autos.

Notable Events in KAIP History:  

January 1, 1958
The state’s Financial Responsibility Law went into effect.

July 1, 1965
The Kansas legislature raised mandatory bodily injury and property damage limits to $10,000/20,000/5,000.  Pickup trucks were defined as private passenger autos.

July 1, 1968
Uninsured motorists coverage was authorized by statute on a voluntary basis.

January 1, 1974
The Kansas Automobile Injury Reparations Act, commonly known as “the No-Fault law”, was enacted by the Kansas legislature as a means for compensating persons promptly for accidental bodily injury arising out of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle in Kansas.  This act also defined the conditions under which a lawsuit could be filed for pain and suffering.  Personal Injury Protection (PIP) were defined.

Mandatory bodily injury and property damage limits of $25,000/50,000/10,000 became law.

July 1, 1981
Uninsured motorists coverage was made mandatory.

January 1, 1984
The Kansas Automobile Insurance Plan was amended to provide coverage for commercial risks.

Plan Managers:

E.S. Vincent
January 1, 1951 to July 1, 1960

Charles Vance
July 1, 1960 to July 1, 1973

James Short
July 1, 1973 to January 1, 1977

Larry Hochstetler
January 1, 1977 to December 1, 1978

Clarence Hufft
December 1, 1978 to March 15, 1991

Donald Boyd
February 11, 1991 to May 5, 2006

Gary Domer
May 6, 2006 to present