Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-102

§1013 Suspension Until June 30, 1948, of Application of Certain Federal Laws; Sherman Act Applicable to Agreements To, or Acts Of, Boycott, Coercion, or Intimidation

Title 15 › CHAPTER 20 — REGULATION OF INSURANCE › § 1013

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Stops the Sherman Act (July 2, 1890), the Clayton Act (October 15, 1914), the Federal Trade Commission Act (September 26, 1914), and the Robinson-Patman Act (June 19, 1936) from applying to the business of insurance or acts in running that business until June 30, 1948. The Sherman Act still applies to any agreement or act to boycott, coerce, or intimidate. Keeps antitrust laws in force for health insurance (including dental and limited-scope dental). But antitrust rules do not bar certain cooperative actions: collecting or sharing historical loss data; setting a loss development factor for that data; doing actuarial work if it does not restrain trade; or creating or sharing a standard policy form if there is no agreement to force using it. "Antitrust laws" means the term in subsection (a) of section 12 of this title and also includes section 45 for unfair competition. "Business of health insurance" excludes life insurance (including annuities) and property/casualty lines (including lines treated as "excepted benefits" under section 9832(c) of title 26). "Historical loss data" means claims paid or reserves for reported claims. "Loss development factor" means an adjustment to reserves to bring them to the ultimate paid amount.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §1013

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Until June 30, 1948, the Act of July 2, 1890, as amended, known as the Sherman Act, and the Act of October 15, 1914, as amended, known as the Clayton Act, and the Act of September 26, 1914, known as the Federal Trade Commission Act [15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.], and the Act of June 19, 1936, known as the Robinson-Patman Anti-Discrimination Act, shall not apply to the business of insurance or to acts in the conduct thereof.
(b)Nothing contained in this chapter shall render the said Sherman Act inapplicable to any agreement to boycott, coerce, or intimidate, or act of boycott, coercion, or intimidation.
(c)(1)Nothing contained in this chapter shall modify, impair, or supersede the operation of any of the antitrust laws with respect to the business of health insurance (including the business of dental insurance and limited-scope dental benefits).
(2)Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to making a contract, or engaging in a combination or conspiracy—
(A)to collect, compile, or disseminate historical loss data;
(B)to determine a loss development factor applicable to historical loss data;
(C)to perform actuarial services if such contract, combination, or conspiracy does not involve a restraint of trade; or
(D)to develop or disseminate a standard insurance policy form (including a standard addendum to an insurance policy form and standard terminology in an insurance policy form) if such contract, combination, or conspiracy is not to adhere to such standard form or require adherence to such standard form.
(3)For purposes of this subsection—
(A)the term “antitrust laws” has the meaning given it in subsection (a) of section 12 of this title, except that such term includes section 45 of this title to the extent that such section 45 applies to unfair methods of competition;
(B)the term “business of health insurance (including the business of dental insurance and limited-scope dental benefits)” does not include—
(i)the business of life insurance (including annuities); or
(ii)the business of property or casualty insurance, including but not limited to—
(I)any insurance or benefits defined as “excepted benefits” under paragraph (1), subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (2), or paragraph (3) of section 9832(c) of title 26 whether offered separately or in combination with insurance or benefits described in paragraph (2)(A) of such section; and
(II)any other line of insurance that is classified as property or casualty insurance under State law;
(C)the term “historical loss data” means information respecting claims paid, or reserves held for claims reported, by any person engaged in the business of insurance; and
(D)the term “loss development factor” means an adjustment to be made to reserves held for losses incurred for claims reported by any person engaged in the business of insurance, for the purpose of bringing such reserves to an ultimate paid basis.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Act of
July 2, 1890, as amended, known as the Sherman Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is classified to sections 1 to 7 of this title. Act of
October 15, 1914, as amended, known as the Clayton Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act Oct. 15, 1914, ch. 323, 38 Stat. 730, which is classified generally to section 12, 13, 14 to 19, 21, and 22 to 27 of this title and to section 52 and 53 of Title 29, Labor. For further details and complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

References in Text

note set out under section 12 of this title and Tables. Act of
September 26, 1914, known as the Federal Trade Commission Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is generally classified to subchapter I (§ 41 et seq.) of chapter 2 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 58 of this title and Tables. Act of
June 19, 1936, known as the Robinson-Patman Anti-Discrimination Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act
June 19, 1936, ch. 592, 49 Stat. 1526, known as the Robinson-Patman Antidiscrimination Act and also as the Robinson-Patman Price Discrimination Act, which enacted section 13a, 13b, and 21a of this title and amended section 13 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 13 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–327 added subsec. (c). 1947—Act
July 25, 1947, substituted “
June 30, 1948” for “
January 1, 1948”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Related Provision Pub. L. 116–327, § 2(b), Jan. 13, 2021, 134 Stat. 5098, provided that: “For purposes of section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45) to the extent such section applies to unfair methods of competition, section 3(c) of the McCarran-Ferguson Act [15 U.S.C. 1013(c)] shall apply with respect to the business of health insurance without regard to whether such business is carried on for profit, notwithstanding the definition of ‘Corporation’ contained in section 4 of the Federal Trade Commission Act [15 U.S.C. 44].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 1013

Title 15, Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102