On February 17, 2011, California Insurance Commissioner David Jones announced in a press release that the California Department of Insurance had contacted several unnamed medical malpractice insurers to raise concerns about excessive rates and request that these insurers submit rate filings with the CDI to reduce their rates.

California Insurance Code sections 1861.01 and 1861.05, enacted in 1988 as part of Proposition 103, specifically grants the CDI the authority to regulate the rates of certain property and casualty lines of insurance, including medical malpractice insurance. It requires these insurers to apply to the CDI for prior approval of rates and prohibits the use of excessive rates.

The CDI noted in its press release that it has employed these provisions in the past to regulate the rates of medical malpractice insurers, including reducing rate increases.