[Carry_Okie]

Dollars to donuts, the insurance companies were there first, demanding the state pass laws saying everyone must buy their products.

I don't have the history, but I don't have so much respect for insurance companies as to think it's likely. What seems more realistic to me is that the trial lawyers started making realistic actuarial estimation of a potential loss such a crapshoot that the insurance companies ended up running to the nanny state for protection.

[Leisler]

Yes and yet another varible.

I have never read any history of the insure/state/lawyer cycle. Of course lawyers are creatures and creations of the state, same as most insurance co's.