H.R. 2493 · 117th Congress · House

Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2021

Active· Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Introduced
Apr 13, 21
Passed House
Pending
Passed Senate
Pending
Sent to President
Pending
Signed into Law
Pending

Executive Summary

Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2021

This bill allows a beneficiary (or an heir of a beneficiary) of certain insurance policies in effect during the Holocaust to sue in U.S. district court to enforce rights under such policies.

An insurance policy covered under this bill must have been (1) in effect at any time between January 31, 1933, and December 31, 1945, and (2) issued to a policyholder domiciled in Nazi-controlled territory or Switzerland.

A court shall award to a prevailing beneficiary (1) the amount due under a policy, (2) prejudgment interest of 6% a year, (3) attorney's fees and costs, and (4) treble damages if the insurer acted in bad faith. 

An action under this bill or state law related to a covered insurance policy shall be considered timely if filed within 10 years of this bill's enactment.

Judgments and agreements entered before this bill's enactment shall not preclude a claim brought under the bill, with certain exceptions. Neither executive agreements between the United States and a foreign government nor U.S. executive foreign policies shall (1) affect or preclude claims brought under this bill, or (2) supersede or preempt any state laws relating to insurance policies covered by this bill.

Action Timeline

5
  1. OCT 19, 2021Committee

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.

  2. APR 13, 2021IntroReferral

    Introduced in House

  3. APR 13, 2021IntroReferral

    Introduced in House

  4. APR 13, 2021IntroReferral

    Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  5. APR 13, 2021IntroReferral

    Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Committees

3

Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee

hsju03

Referred: Oct 19, 2021

Active

Judiciary Committee

hsju00

Referred: Apr 13, 2021

Active

Foreign Affairs Committee

hsfa00

Referred: Apr 13, 2021

Active