The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York will file legal action to stop a state Insurance Department regulation to require greater compensation transparency from taking effect.

The regulation, set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2011, would compel agents and brokers to give customers disclosure statements explaining their role in the process and how they are paid. If the customer asks how much commission the producer will get, and how much he or she would receive with other quoted policies, that information must also be provided.

The IIABNY, which is based near Syracuse, has worked with the Insurance Department for about five years to come up with a palatable regulation. The group's board concluded that the final rule, as written, would "place an undue burden upon its members for no justifiable reason."

The IIABNY is also challenging the Insurance Department's authority to promulgate the regulation.

"IIABNY has a responsibility to represent and to protect the interests of its members, and our members have unanimously and vociferously told us that this rule is unnecessary, ineffective and overly burdensome to their businesses," said IIABNY President and CEO Dick Poppa. "We cannot sit back idly and let the department impose an unnecessary rule that will only serve to add another time-consuming and costly requirement for our members, which in turn could also result in additional costs to consumers."