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H.B. 342 Enrolled
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INSURANCE CODE AMENDMENTS
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2008 GENERAL SESSION
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STATE OF UTAH
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Chief Sponsor: James A. Dunnigan
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Senate Sponsor:
Sheldon L. Killpack
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LONG TITLE
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General Description:
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This bill modifies the Insurance Code to make various amendments.
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Highlighted Provisions:
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This bill:
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. modifies definition provisions;
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. addresses the timing of examinations;
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. changes the requirements for appointments to the Title and Escrow Commission;
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. addresses requirements to conduct an insurance business in Utah;
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. addresses filing of evidence of preemption;
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. addresses service contract providers and service contract reimbursement insurance
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policies including:
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. requiring registration;
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. requiring disclosures; and
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. addressing prohibited acts;
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. addresses how to calculate monies paid a beneficiary in certain circumstances where
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a suicide occurs;
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. addresses certain circumstances related to annuity payments;
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. provides for the payment of interest on life insurance proceeds;
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. provides for special enrollment for individuals receiving premium assistance;
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. addresses the Basic Health Care Plan;
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. clarifies language related to catastrophic coverage of mental health conditions;
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. clarifies circumstances when the commissioner can prohibit a policy, contract,
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certificate, or form;
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. requires submission to criminal background checks in certain circumstances;
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. modifies the contents of a form used in a license;
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. addresses grounds involving a viatical settlement for action against a licensee;
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. makes technical changes regarding delinquency proceedings;
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. expands the purposes of the Individual, Small Employer, and Group Health
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Insurance Act; and
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. makes additional technical amendments.
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Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
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None
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Other Special Clauses:
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None
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Utah Code Sections Affected:
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AMENDS:
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31A-1-301, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 307
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31A-2-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 309
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31A-2-403, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 325
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31A-4-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1998, Chapter 293
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31A-4-106, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2003, Chapter 298
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31A-6a-103, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 124
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31A-6a-104, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1992, Chapter 203
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31A-6a-105, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1992, Chapter 203
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31A-22-404, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2002, Chapter 308
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31A-22-409, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 125
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31A-22-613.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 307
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31A-22-625, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2002, Chapter 308
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31A-22-807, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2001, Chapter 116
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31A-23a-105, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 307
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31A-23a-110, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2003, Chapter 298
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31A-23a-111, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 312
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31A-23a-116, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2003, Chapter 298
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31A-25-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 312
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31A-26-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 312
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31A-27a-513, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 309
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31A-27a-515, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 309
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31A-27a-516, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 309
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31A-30-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1997, Chapter 265
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31A-30-112, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 307
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ENACTS:
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31A-22-428, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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31A-22-610.6, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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Section 1.
Section
31A-1-301
is amended to read:
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31A-1-301. Definitions.
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As used in this title, unless otherwise specified:
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(1) (a) "Accident and health insurance" means insurance to provide protection against
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economic losses resulting from:
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(i) a medical condition including:
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(A) a medical care [expenses] expense; or
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(B) the risk of disability;
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(ii) accident; or
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(iii) sickness.
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(b) "Accident and health insurance":
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(i) includes a contract with disability contingencies including:
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(A) an income replacement contract;
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(B) a health care contract;
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(C) an expense reimbursement contract;
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(D) a credit accident and health contract;
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(E) a continuing care contract; and
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(F) a long-term care contract; and
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(ii) may provide:
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(A) hospital coverage;
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(B) surgical coverage;
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(C) medical coverage; [or]
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(D) loss of income coverage[.];
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(E) prescription drug coverage;
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(F) dental coverage; or
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(G) vision coverage.
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(c) "Accident and health insurance" does not include workers' compensation insurance.
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(2) "Actuary" is as defined by the commissioner by rule, made in accordance with Title
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63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
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(3) "Administrator" is defined in Subsection [(157)] (159).
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(4) "Adult" means a natural person who has attained the age of at least 18 years.
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(5) "Affiliate" means [any] a person who controls, is controlled by, or is under common
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control with, another person. A corporation is an affiliate of another corporation, regardless of
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ownership, if substantially the same group of natural persons manages the corporations.
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(6) "Agency" means:
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(a) a person other than an individual, including a sole proprietorship by which a natural
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person does business under an assumed name; and
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(b) an insurance organization licensed or required to be licensed under Section
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31A-23a-301
.
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(7) "Alien insurer" means an insurer domiciled outside the United States.
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(8) "Amendment" means an endorsement to an insurance policy or certificate.
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(9) "Annuity" means an agreement to make periodical payments for a period certain or
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over the lifetime of one or more natural persons if the making or continuance of all or some of
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the series of the payments, or the amount of the payment, is dependent upon the continuance of
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human life.
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(10) "Application" means a document:
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(a) (i) completed by an applicant to provide information about the risk to be insured;
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and
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(ii) that contains information that is used by the insurer to evaluate risk and decide
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whether to:
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(A) insure the risk under:
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(I) the [coverages] coverage as originally offered; or
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(II) a modification of the coverage as originally offered; or
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(B) decline to insure the risk; or
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(b) used by the insurer to gather information from the applicant before issuance of an
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annuity contract.
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(11) "Articles" or "articles of incorporation" means:
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(a) the original articles[,];
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(b) a special [laws, charters, amendments,] law;
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(c) a charter;
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(d) an amendment;
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(e) restated articles[,];
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(f) articles of merger or consolidation[, trust instruments, and other constitutive
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documents for trusts and other entities that are not corporations, and amendments to any of
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these.];
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(g) a trust instrument;
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(h) another constitutive document for a trust or other entity that is not a corporation;
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and
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(i) an amendment to an item listed in Subsections (11)(a) through (h).
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(12) "Bail bond insurance" means a guarantee that a person will attend court when
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required, up to and including surrender of the person in execution of [any] a sentence imposed
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under Subsection
77-20-7
(1), as a condition to the release of that person from confinement.
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(13) "Binder" is defined in Section
31A-21-102
.
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(14) "Blanket insurance policy" means a group policy covering [classes] a defined class
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of persons:
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(a) without individual underwriting[, where the persons insured are] or application; and
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(b) that is determined by definition [of the class] with or without designating [the
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persons] each person covered.
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(15) "Board," "board of trustees," or "board of directors" means the group of persons
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with responsibility over, or management of, a corporation, however designated.
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(16) "Business entity" means:
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(a) a corporation[,];
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(b) an association[,];
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(c) a partnership[,];
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(d) a limited liability company[,];
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(e) a limited liability partnership[,]; or [other]
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(f) another legal entity.
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(17) "Business of insurance" is defined in Subsection [(84)] (85).
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(18) "Business plan" means the information required to be supplied to the commissioner
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under Subsections
31A-5-204
(2)(i) and (j), including the information required when these
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subsections [are applicable] apply by reference under:
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(a) Section
31A-7-201
;
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(b) Section
31A-8-205
; or
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(c) Subsection
31A-9-205
(2).
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(19) (a) "Bylaws" means the rules adopted for the regulation or management of a
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corporation's affairs, however designated [and].
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(b) "Bylaws" includes comparable rules for [trusts and other entities that are not
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corporations] a trust or other entity that is not a corporation.
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(20) "Captive insurance company" means:
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(a) an [insurance company] insurer:
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(i) owned by another organization; and
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(ii) whose exclusive purpose is to insure risks of the parent organization and an
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affiliated [companies] company; or
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(b) in the case of [groups and associations, an insurance organization] a group or
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association, an insurer:
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(i) owned by the insureds; and
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(ii) whose exclusive purpose is to insure risks of:
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(A) a member [organizations] organization;
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(B) a group [members; and] member; or
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(C) [affiliates] an affiliate of:
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(I) a member [organizations] organization; or
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(II) a group [members] member.
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(21) "Casualty insurance" means liability insurance as defined in Subsection [(96)] (97).
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(22) "Certificate" means evidence of insurance given to:
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(a) an insured under a group insurance policy; or
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(b) a third party.
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(23) "Certificate of authority" is included within the term "license."
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(24) "Claim," unless the context otherwise requires, means a request or demand on an
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insurer for payment of [benefits] a benefit according to the terms of an insurance policy.
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(25) "Claims-made coverage" means an insurance contract or provision limiting
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coverage under a policy insuring against legal liability to claims that are first made against the
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insured while the policy is in force.
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(26) (a) "Commissioner" or "commissioner of insurance" means Utah's insurance
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commissioner.
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(b) When appropriate, the terms listed in Subsection (26)(a) apply to the equivalent
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supervisory official of another jurisdiction.
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(27) (a) "Continuing care insurance" means insurance that:
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(i) provides board and lodging;
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(ii) provides one or more of the following [services]:
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(A) a personal [services] service;
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(B) a nursing [services] service;
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(C) a medical [services] service; or
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(D) any other health-related [services] service; and
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(iii) provides the coverage described in Subsection (27)(a)(i) under an agreement
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effective:
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(A) for the life of the insured; or
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(B) for a period in excess of one year.
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(b) Insurance is continuing care insurance regardless of whether or not the board and
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lodging are provided at the same location as [the services] a service described in Subsection
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(27)(a)(ii).
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(28) (a) "Control," "controlling," "controlled," or "under common control" means the
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direct or indirect possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management
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and policies of a person. This control may be:
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(i) by contract;
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(ii) by common management;
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(iii) through the ownership of voting securities; or
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(iv) by a means other than those described in Subsections (28)(a)(i) through (iii).
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(b) There is no presumption that an individual holding an official position with another
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person controls that person solely by reason of the position.
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(c) A person having a contract or arrangement giving control is considered to have
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control despite the illegality or invalidity of the contract or arrangement.
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(d) There is a rebuttable presumption of control in a person who directly or indirectly
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owns, controls, holds with the power to vote, or holds proxies to vote 10% or more of the
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voting securities of another person.
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(29) "Controlled insurer" means a licensed insurer that is either directly or indirectly
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controlled by a producer.
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(30) "Controlling person" means [any] a person that directly or indirectly has the power
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to direct or cause to be directed, the management, control, or activities of a reinsurance
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intermediary.
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(31) "Controlling producer" means a producer who directly or indirectly controls an
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insurer.
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(32) (a) "Corporation" means an insurance corporation, except when referring to:
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(i) a corporation doing business:
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(A) as:
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(I) an insurance producer;
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(II) a limited line producer;
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(III) a consultant;
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(IV) a managing general agent;
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(V) a reinsurance intermediary;
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(VI) a third party administrator; or
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(VII) an adjuster; and
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(B) under:
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(I) Chapter 23a, Insurance Marketing - Licensing Producers, Consultants, and
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Reinsurance Intermediaries;
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(II) Chapter 25, Third Party Administrators; or
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(III) Chapter 26, Insurance Adjusters; or
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(ii) a noninsurer that is part of a holding company system under Chapter 16, Insurance
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Holding Companies.
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(b) "Stock corporation" means a stock insurance corporation.
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(c) "Mutual" or "mutual corporation" means a mutual insurance corporation.
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(33) "Creditable coverage" has the same meaning as provided in federal regulations
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adopted pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L.
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104-191, 110 Stat. 1936.
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(34) "Credit accident and health insurance" means insurance on a debtor to provide
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indemnity for payments coming due on a specific loan or other credit transaction while the
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debtor is disabled.
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(35) (a) "Credit insurance" means insurance offered in connection with an extension of
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credit that is limited to partially or wholly extinguishing that credit obligation.
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(b) "Credit insurance" includes:
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(i) credit accident and health insurance;
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(ii) credit life insurance;
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(iii) credit property insurance;
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(iv) credit unemployment insurance;
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(v) guaranteed automobile protection insurance;
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(vi) involuntary unemployment insurance;
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(vii) mortgage accident and health insurance;
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(viii) mortgage guaranty insurance; and
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(ix) mortgage life insurance.
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(36) "Credit life insurance" means insurance on the life of a debtor in connection with
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an extension of credit that pays a person if the debtor dies.
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(37) "Credit property insurance" means insurance:
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(a) offered in connection with an extension of credit; and
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(b) that protects the property until the debt is paid.
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(38) "Credit unemployment insurance" means insurance:
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(a) offered in connection with an extension of credit; and
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(b) that provides indemnity if the debtor is unemployed for payments coming due on a:
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(i) specific loan; or
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(ii) credit transaction.
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(39) "Creditor" means a person, including an insured, having [any] a claim, whether:
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(a) matured;
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(b) unmatured;
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(c) liquidated;
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(d) unliquidated;
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(e) secured;
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(f) unsecured;
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(g) absolute;
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(h) fixed; or
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(i) contingent.
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(40) (a) "Customer service representative" means a person that provides an insurance
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[services] service and insurance product information:
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(i) for the customer service representative's:
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(A) producer; or
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(B) consultant employer; and
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(ii) to the customer service representative's employer's:
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(A) customer;
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(B) client; or
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(C) organization.
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(b) A customer service representative may only operate within the scope of authority of
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the customer service representative's producer or consultant employer.
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(41) "Deadline" means the final date or time:
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(a) imposed by:
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(i) statute;
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(ii) rule; or
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(iii) order; and
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(b) by which a required filing or payment must be received by the department.
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(42) "Deemer clause" means a provision under this title under which upon the
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occurrence of a condition precedent, the commissioner is [deemed] considered to have taken a
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specific action. If the statute so provides, [the] a condition precedent may be the
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commissioner's failure to take a specific action.
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(43) "Degree of relationship" means the number of steps between two persons
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determined by counting the generations separating one person from a common ancestor and
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then counting the generations to the other person.
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(44) "Department" means the Insurance Department.
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(45) "Director" means a member of the board of directors of a corporation.
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(46) "Disability" means a physiological or psychological condition that partially or
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totally limits an individual's ability to:
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(a) perform the duties of:
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(i) that individual's occupation; or
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(ii) any occupation for which the individual is reasonably suited by education, training,
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or experience; or
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(b) perform two or more of the following basic activities of daily living:
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(i) eating;
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(ii) toileting;
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(iii) transferring;
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(iv) bathing; or
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(v) dressing.
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(47) "Disability income insurance" is defined in Subsection [(75)] (76).
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(48) "Domestic insurer" means an insurer organized under the laws of this state.
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(49) "Domiciliary state" means the state in which an insurer:
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(a) is incorporated;
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(b) is organized; or
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(c) in the case of an alien insurer, enters into the United States.
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(50) (a) "Eligible employee" means:
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(i) an employee who:
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(A) works on a full-time basis; and
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(B) has a normal work week of 30 or more hours; or
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(ii) a person described in Subsection (50)(b).
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(b) "Eligible employee" includes, if the individual is included under a health benefit plan
341
of a small employer:
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(i) a sole proprietor;
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(ii) a partner in a partnership; or
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(iii) an independent contractor.
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(c) "Eligible employee" does not include, unless eligible under Subsection (50)(b):
346
(i) an individual who works on a temporary or substitute basis for a small employer;
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(ii) an employer's spouse; or
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(iii) a dependent of an employer.
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(51) "Employee" means [any] an individual employed by an employer.
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(52) "Employee benefits" means one or more benefits or services provided to:
351
(a) [employees] an employee; or
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(b) [dependents of employees] a dependent of an employee.
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(53) (a) "Employee welfare fund" means a fund:
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(i) established or maintained, whether directly or through [trustees] a trustee, by:
355
(A) one or more employers;
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(B) one or more labor organizations; or
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(C) a combination of employers and labor organizations; and
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(ii) that provides employee benefits paid or contracted to be paid, other than income
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from investments of the fund[,]:
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(A) by or on behalf of an employer doing business in this state; or
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(B) for the benefit of [any] a person employed in this state.
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(b) "Employee welfare fund" includes a plan funded or subsidized by a user [fees] fee or
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tax revenues.
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(54) "Endorsement" means a written agreement attached to a policy or certificate to
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modify one or more of the provisions of the policy or certificate.
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(55) "Enrollment date," with respect to a health benefit plan, means:
367
(a) the first day of coverage; or[,]
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(b) if there is a waiting period, the first day of the waiting period.
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(56) (a) "Escrow" means:
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(i) a real estate settlement or real estate closing conducted by a third party pursuant to
371
the requirements of a written agreement between the parties in a real estate transaction; or
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(ii) a settlement or closing involving:
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(A) a mobile home;
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(B) a grazing right;
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(C) a water right; or
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(D) other personal property authorized by the commissioner.
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(b) "Escrow" includes the act of conducting a:
378
(i) real estate settlement; or
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(ii) real estate closing.
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(57) "Escrow agent" means:
381
(a) an insurance producer with:
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(i) a title insurance line of authority; and
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(ii) an escrow subline of authority; or
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(b) a person defined as an escrow agent in Section
7-22-101
.
385
(58) (a) "Excludes" is not exhaustive and does not mean that [other things are] another
386
thing is not also excluded.
387
(b) The items listed in a list using the term "excludes" are representative examples for
388
use in interpretation of this title.
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(59) "Exclusion" means for the purposes of accident and health insurance that an insurer
390
does not provide insurance coverage, for whatever reason, for one of the following:
391
(a) a specific physical condition;
392
(b) a specific medical procedure;
393
(c) a specific disease or disorder; or
394