Insurer Travelers spent $1.66 million in fourth quarter lobbying federal government

Travelers spent $1.66 million lobbying gov’t in 4Q

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Insurer Travelers Cos. spent $1.66 million in the fourth quarter to lobby the federal government on global warming issues, workers compensation, consumer protection rights and other issues, according to a recent disclosure report.

That’s up from the $1.43 million it spent in the year-ago period and the $790,000 it spent in the 2009 third quarter.

The New York-based commercial and property insurer continues to seek customers at a time when employers have fewer workers and less valuable property to insure.

Travelers also lobbied on issues including the National Insurance Consumer Protection Act, coastal wind zone proposals, bankruptcy issues and asbestos-related legislation.

In the October-December period, the company lobbied Congress, the Treasury Department, the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission, the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the White House Office, according to the report filed Jan. 19 with the House clerk’s office.