California FAIR Plan Association: data., the official text

An act to amend Section 10095.5 of, and to add Section 10095.9 to, the Insurance Code, relating to insurance.

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Existing law creates the Department of Insurance to regulate the business of insurance. Existing law generally regulates residential property insurance, including homeowners’ insurance. Existing law establishes the California FAIR Plan Association, a joint reinsurance association in which all insurers licensed to write basic property insurance participate to administer a program for the equitable apportionment of basic property insurance for persons who are unable to obtain that coverage through normal channels. Existing law requires the association to establish and maintain an internet website and toll-free telephone number, requires the association to cause the toll-free telephone number to be published in all general distribution telephone directories in the state, and requires the association to include the internet website address and toll-free telephone number on all communications with an applicant or insured.
This bill would require the association to, each quarter, post on its internet website specified information, including the number of policies issued by the association in each ZIP Code and the risk exposure of the association. The bill would delete the requirement that the association cause its toll-free telephone number to be published in all general distribution telephone directories in the state.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 10095.5 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
10095.5.
(a) The association shall establish and maintain an internet website and a statewide toll-free telephone number through which a person may receive information and assistance in applying for insurance through the plan. The association shall include the toll-free telephone number and internet website address on all communications with an applicant or insured.
(b) An insurance agent or broker transacting basic property insurance shall assist a person seeking the agent’s or broker’s help in obtaining basic property insurance coverage by any one of the following methods:
(1) Making an application for insurance through the plan by submitting an application at the person’s request.
(2) Providing the person with the California FAIR Plan’s internet website address and the toll-free telephone number.
(3) Making an application for insurance, at the person’s request, and placing that person with or through an insurer that offers, or a surplus line broker that procures, basic property insurance coverage.

SEC. 2.
Section 10095.9 is added to the Insurance Code, to read:
10095.9.
The association shall, each quarter, post on its internet website the following information:
(a) Number of policies issued by the association in each ZIP Code.
(b) The risk exposure of the association.