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H.B. 342 Enrolled

             1     

INSURANCE CODE AMENDMENTS

             2     
2008 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: James A. Dunnigan

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Sheldon L. Killpack

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies the Insurance Code to make various amendments.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    modifies definition provisions;
             13          .    addresses the timing of examinations;
             14          .    changes the requirements for appointments to the Title and Escrow Commission;
             15          .    addresses requirements to conduct an insurance business in Utah;
             16          .    addresses filing of evidence of preemption;
             17          .    addresses service contract providers and service contract reimbursement insurance
             18      policies including:
             19              .    requiring registration;
             20              .    requiring disclosures; and
             21              .    addressing prohibited acts;
             22          .    addresses how to calculate monies paid a beneficiary in certain circumstances where
             23      a suicide occurs;
             24          .    addresses certain circumstances related to annuity payments;
             25          .    provides for the payment of interest on life insurance proceeds;
             26          .    provides for special enrollment for individuals receiving premium assistance;
             27          .    addresses the Basic Health Care Plan;
             28          .    clarifies language related to catastrophic coverage of mental health conditions;
             29          .    clarifies circumstances when the commissioner can prohibit a policy, contract,


             30      certificate, or form;
             31          .    requires submission to criminal background checks in certain circumstances;
             32          .    modifies the contents of a form used in a license;
             33          .    addresses grounds involving a viatical settlement for action against a licensee;
             34          .    makes technical changes regarding delinquency proceedings;
             35          .    expands the purposes of the Individual, Small Employer, and Group Health
             36      Insurance Act; and
             37          .    makes additional technical amendments.
             38      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             39          None
             40      Other Special Clauses:
             41          None
             42      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             43      AMENDS:
             44          31A-1-301, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 307
             45          31A-2-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 309
             46          31A-2-403, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 325
             47          31A-4-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1998, Chapter 293
             48          31A-4-106, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2003, Chapter 298
             49          31A-6a-103, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 124
             50          31A-6a-104, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1992, Chapter 203
             51          31A-6a-105, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1992, Chapter 203
             52          31A-22-404, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2002, Chapter 308
             53          31A-22-409, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 125
             54          31A-22-613.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 307
             55          31A-22-625, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2002, Chapter 308
             56          31A-22-807, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2001, Chapter 116
             57          31A-23a-105, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 307


             58          31A-23a-110, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2003, Chapter 298
             59          31A-23a-111, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 312
             60          31A-23a-116, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2003, Chapter 298
             61          31A-25-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 312
             62          31A-26-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 312
             63          31A-27a-513, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 309
             64          31A-27a-515, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 309
             65          31A-27a-516, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 309
             66          31A-30-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1997, Chapter 265
             67          31A-30-112, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 307
             68      ENACTS:
             69          31A-22-428, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             70          31A-22-610.6, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             71     
             72      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             73          Section 1. Section 31A-1-301 is amended to read:
             74           31A-1-301. Definitions.
             75          As used in this title, unless otherwise specified:
             76          (1) (a) "Accident and health insurance" means insurance to provide protection against
             77      economic losses resulting from:
             78          (i) a medical condition including:
             79          (A) a medical care [expenses] expense; or
             80          (B) the risk of disability;
             81          (ii) accident; or
             82          (iii) sickness.
             83          (b) "Accident and health insurance":
             84          (i) includes a contract with disability contingencies including:
             85          (A) an income replacement contract;


             86          (B) a health care contract;
             87          (C) an expense reimbursement contract;
             88          (D) a credit accident and health contract;
             89          (E) a continuing care contract; and
             90          (F) a long-term care contract; and
             91          (ii) may provide:
             92          (A) hospital coverage;
             93          (B) surgical coverage;
             94          (C) medical coverage; [or]
             95          (D) loss of income coverage[.];
             96          (E) prescription drug coverage;
             97          (F) dental coverage; or
             98          (G) vision coverage.
             99          (c) "Accident and health insurance" does not include workers' compensation insurance.
             100          (2) "Actuary" is as defined by the commissioner by rule, made in accordance with Title
             101      63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
             102          (3) "Administrator" is defined in Subsection [(157)] (159).
             103          (4) "Adult" means a natural person who has attained the age of at least 18 years.
             104          (5) "Affiliate" means [any] a person who controls, is controlled by, or is under common
             105      control with, another person. A corporation is an affiliate of another corporation, regardless of
             106      ownership, if substantially the same group of natural persons manages the corporations.
             107          (6) "Agency" means:
             108          (a) a person other than an individual, including a sole proprietorship by which a natural
             109      person does business under an assumed name; and
             110          (b) an insurance organization licensed or required to be licensed under Section
             111      31A-23a-301 .
             112          (7) "Alien insurer" means an insurer domiciled outside the United States.
             113          (8) "Amendment" means an endorsement to an insurance policy or certificate.


             114          (9) "Annuity" means an agreement to make periodical payments for a period certain or
             115      over the lifetime of one or more natural persons if the making or continuance of all or some of
             116      the series of the payments, or the amount of the payment, is dependent upon the continuance of
             117      human life.
             118          (10) "Application" means a document:
             119          (a) (i) completed by an applicant to provide information about the risk to be insured;
             120      and
             121          (ii) that contains information that is used by the insurer to evaluate risk and decide
             122      whether to:
             123          (A) insure the risk under:
             124          (I) the [coverages] coverage as originally offered; or
             125          (II) a modification of the coverage as originally offered; or
             126          (B) decline to insure the risk; or
             127          (b) used by the insurer to gather information from the applicant before issuance of an
             128      annuity contract.
             129          (11) "Articles" or "articles of incorporation" means:
             130          (a) the original articles[,];
             131          (b) a special [laws, charters, amendments,] law;
             132          (c) a charter;
             133          (d) an amendment;
             134          (e) restated articles[,];
             135          (f) articles of merger or consolidation[, trust instruments, and other constitutive
             136      documents for trusts and other entities that are not corporations, and amendments to any of
             137      these.];
             138          (g) a trust instrument;
             139          (h) another constitutive document for a trust or other entity that is not a corporation;
             140      and
             141          (i) an amendment to an item listed in Subsections (11)(a) through (h).


             142          (12) "Bail bond insurance" means a guarantee that a person will attend court when
             143      required, up to and including surrender of the person in execution of [any] a sentence imposed
             144      under Subsection 77-20-7 (1), as a condition to the release of that person from confinement.
             145          (13) "Binder" is defined in Section 31A-21-102 .
             146          (14) "Blanket insurance policy" means a group policy covering [classes] a defined class
             147      of persons:
             148          (a) without individual underwriting[, where the persons insured are] or application; and
             149          (b) that is determined by definition [of the class] with or without designating [the
             150      persons] each person covered.
             151          (15) "Board," "board of trustees," or "board of directors" means the group of persons
             152      with responsibility over, or management of, a corporation, however designated.
             153          (16) "Business entity" means:
             154          (a) a corporation[,];
             155          (b) an association[,];
             156          (c) a partnership[,];
             157          (d) a limited liability company[,];
             158          (e) a limited liability partnership[,]; or [other]
             159          (f) another legal entity.
             160          (17) "Business of insurance" is defined in Subsection [(84)] (85).
             161          (18) "Business plan" means the information required to be supplied to the commissioner
             162      under Subsections 31A-5-204 (2)(i) and (j), including the information required when these
             163      subsections [are applicable] apply by reference under:
             164          (a) Section 31A-7-201 ;
             165          (b) Section 31A-8-205 ; or
             166          (c) Subsection 31A-9-205 (2).
             167          (19) (a) "Bylaws" means the rules adopted for the regulation or management of a
             168      corporation's affairs, however designated [and].
             169          (b) "Bylaws" includes comparable rules for [trusts and other entities that are not


             170      corporations] a trust or other entity that is not a corporation.
             171          (20) "Captive insurance company" means:
             172          (a) an [insurance company] insurer:
             173          (i) owned by another organization; and
             174          (ii) whose exclusive purpose is to insure risks of the parent organization and an
             175      affiliated [companies] company; or
             176          (b) in the case of [groups and associations, an insurance organization] a group or
             177      association, an insurer:
             178          (i) owned by the insureds; and
             179          (ii) whose exclusive purpose is to insure risks of:
             180          (A) a member [organizations] organization;
             181          (B) a group [members; and] member; or
             182          (C) [affiliates] an affiliate of:
             183          (I) a member [organizations] organization; or
             184          (II) a group [members] member.
             185          (21) "Casualty insurance" means liability insurance as defined in Subsection [(96)] (97).
             186          (22) "Certificate" means evidence of insurance given to:
             187          (a) an insured under a group insurance policy; or
             188          (b) a third party.
             189          (23) "Certificate of authority" is included within the term "license."
             190          (24) "Claim," unless the context otherwise requires, means a request or demand on an
             191      insurer for payment of [benefits] a benefit according to the terms of an insurance policy.
             192          (25) "Claims-made coverage" means an insurance contract or provision limiting
             193      coverage under a policy insuring against legal liability to claims that are first made against the
             194      insured while the policy is in force.
             195          (26) (a) "Commissioner" or "commissioner of insurance" means Utah's insurance
             196      commissioner.
             197          (b) When appropriate, the terms listed in Subsection (26)(a) apply to the equivalent


             198      supervisory official of another jurisdiction.
             199          (27) (a) "Continuing care insurance" means insurance that:
             200          (i) provides board and lodging;
             201          (ii) provides one or more of the following [services]:
             202          (A) a personal [services] service;
             203          (B) a nursing [services] service;
             204          (C) a medical [services] service; or
             205          (D) any other health-related [services] service; and
             206          (iii) provides the coverage described in Subsection (27)(a)(i) under an agreement
             207      effective:
             208          (A) for the life of the insured; or
             209          (B) for a period in excess of one year.
             210          (b) Insurance is continuing care insurance regardless of whether or not the board and
             211      lodging are provided at the same location as [the services] a service described in Subsection
             212      (27)(a)(ii).
             213          (28) (a) "Control," "controlling," "controlled," or "under common control" means the
             214      direct or indirect possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management
             215      and policies of a person. This control may be:
             216          (i) by contract;
             217          (ii) by common management;
             218          (iii) through the ownership of voting securities; or
             219          (iv) by a means other than those described in Subsections (28)(a)(i) through (iii).
             220          (b) There is no presumption that an individual holding an official position with another
             221      person controls that person solely by reason of the position.
             222          (c) A person having a contract or arrangement giving control is considered to have
             223      control despite the illegality or invalidity of the contract or arrangement.
             224          (d) There is a rebuttable presumption of control in a person who directly or indirectly
             225      owns, controls, holds with the power to vote, or holds proxies to vote 10% or more of the


             226      voting securities of another person.
             227          (29) "Controlled insurer" means a licensed insurer that is either directly or indirectly
             228      controlled by a producer.
             229          (30) "Controlling person" means [any] a person that directly or indirectly has the power
             230      to direct or cause to be directed, the management, control, or activities of a reinsurance
             231      intermediary.
             232          (31) "Controlling producer" means a producer who directly or indirectly controls an
             233      insurer.
             234          (32) (a) "Corporation" means an insurance corporation, except when referring to:
             235          (i) a corporation doing business:
             236          (A) as:
             237          (I) an insurance producer;
             238          (II) a limited line producer;
             239          (III) a consultant;
             240          (IV) a managing general agent;
             241          (V) a reinsurance intermediary;
             242          (VI) a third party administrator; or
             243          (VII) an adjuster; and
             244          (B) under:
             245          (I) Chapter 23a, Insurance Marketing - Licensing Producers, Consultants, and
             246      Reinsurance Intermediaries;
             247          (II) Chapter 25, Third Party Administrators; or
             248          (III) Chapter 26, Insurance Adjusters; or
             249          (ii) a noninsurer that is part of a holding company system under Chapter 16, Insurance
             250      Holding Companies.
             251          (b) "Stock corporation" means a stock insurance corporation.
             252          (c) "Mutual" or "mutual corporation" means a mutual insurance corporation.
             253          (33) "Creditable coverage" has the same meaning as provided in federal regulations


             254      adopted pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L.
             255      104-191, 110 Stat. 1936.
             256          (34) "Credit accident and health insurance" means insurance on a debtor to provide
             257      indemnity for payments coming due on a specific loan or other credit transaction while the
             258      debtor is disabled.
             259          (35) (a) "Credit insurance" means insurance offered in connection with an extension of
             260      credit that is limited to partially or wholly extinguishing that credit obligation.
             261          (b) "Credit insurance" includes:
             262          (i) credit accident and health insurance;
             263          (ii) credit life insurance;
             264          (iii) credit property insurance;
             265          (iv) credit unemployment insurance;
             266          (v) guaranteed automobile protection insurance;
             267          (vi) involuntary unemployment insurance;
             268          (vii) mortgage accident and health insurance;
             269          (viii) mortgage guaranty insurance; and
             270          (ix) mortgage life insurance.
             271          (36) "Credit life insurance" means insurance on the life of a debtor in connection with
             272      an extension of credit that pays a person if the debtor dies.
             273          (37) "Credit property insurance" means insurance:
             274          (a) offered in connection with an extension of credit; and
             275          (b) that protects the property until the debt is paid.
             276          (38) "Credit unemployment insurance" means insurance:
             277          (a) offered in connection with an extension of credit; and
             278          (b) that provides indemnity if the debtor is unemployed for payments coming due on a:
             279          (i) specific loan; or
             280          (ii) credit transaction.
             281          (39) "Creditor" means a person, including an insured, having [any] a claim, whether:


             282          (a) matured;
             283          (b) unmatured;
             284          (c) liquidated;
             285          (d) unliquidated;
             286          (e) secured;
             287          (f) unsecured;
             288          (g) absolute;
             289          (h) fixed; or
             290          (i) contingent.
             291          (40) (a) "Customer service representative" means a person that provides an insurance
             292      [services] service and insurance product information:
             293          (i) for the customer service representative's:
             294          (A) producer; or
             295          (B) consultant employer; and
             296          (ii) to the customer service representative's employer's:
             297          (A) customer;
             298          (B) client; or
             299          (C) organization.
             300          (b) A customer service representative may only operate within the scope of authority of
             301      the customer service representative's producer or consultant employer.
             302          (41) "Deadline" means the final date or time:
             303          (a) imposed by:
             304          (i) statute;
             305          (ii) rule; or
             306          (iii) order; and
             307          (b) by which a required filing or payment must be received by the department.
             308          (42) "Deemer clause" means a provision under this title under which upon the
             309      occurrence of a condition precedent, the commissioner is [deemed] considered to have taken a


             310      specific action. If the statute so provides, [the] a condition precedent may be the
             311      commissioner's failure to take a specific action.
             312          (43) "Degree of relationship" means the number of steps between two persons
             313      determined by counting the generations separating one person from a common ancestor and
             314      then counting the generations to the other person.
             315          (44) "Department" means the Insurance Department.
             316          (45) "Director" means a member of the board of directors of a corporation.
             317          (46) "Disability" means a physiological or psychological condition that partially or
             318      totally limits an individual's ability to:
             319          (a) perform the duties of:
             320          (i) that individual's occupation; or
             321          (ii) any occupation for which the individual is reasonably suited by education, training,
             322      or experience; or
             323          (b) perform two or more of the following basic activities of daily living:
             324          (i) eating;
             325          (ii) toileting;
             326          (iii) transferring;
             327          (iv) bathing; or
             328          (v) dressing.
             329          (47) "Disability income insurance" is defined in Subsection [(75)] (76).
             330          (48) "Domestic insurer" means an insurer organized under the laws of this state.
             331          (49) "Domiciliary state" means the state in which an insurer:
             332          (a) is incorporated;
             333          (b) is organized; or
             334          (c) in the case of an alien insurer, enters into the United States.
             335          (50) (a) "Eligible employee" means:
             336          (i) an employee who:
             337          (A) works on a full-time basis; and


             338          (B) has a normal work week of 30 or more hours; or
             339          (ii) a person described in Subsection (50)(b).
             340          (b) "Eligible employee" includes, if the individual is included under a health benefit plan
             341      of a small employer:
             342          (i) a sole proprietor;
             343          (ii) a partner in a partnership; or
             344          (iii) an independent contractor.
             345          (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;
             347          (ii) an employer's spouse; or
             348          (iii) a dependent of an employer.
             349          (51) "Employee" means [any] an individual employed by an employer.
             350          (52) "Employee benefits" means one or more benefits or services provided to:
             351          (a) [employees] an employee; or
             352          (b) [dependents of employees] a dependent of an employee.
             353          (53) (a) "Employee welfare fund" means a fund:
             354          (i) established or maintained, whether directly or through [trustees] a trustee, by:
             355          (A) one or more employers;
             356          (B) one or more labor organizations; or
             357          (C) a combination of employers and labor organizations; and
             358          (ii) that provides employee benefits paid or contracted to be paid, other than income
             359      from investments of the fund[,]:
             360          (A) by or on behalf of an employer doing business in this state; or
             361          (B) for the benefit of [any] a person employed in this state.
             362          (b) "Employee welfare fund" includes a plan funded or subsidized by a user [fees] fee or
             363      tax revenues.
             364          (54) "Endorsement" means a written agreement attached to a policy or certificate to
             365      modify one or more of the provisions of the policy or certificate.


             366          (55) "Enrollment date," with respect to a health benefit plan, means:
             367          (a) the first day of coverage; or[,]
             368          (b) if there is a waiting period, the first day of the waiting period.
             369          (56) (a) "Escrow" means:
             370          (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
             372          (ii) a settlement or closing involving:
             373          (A) a mobile home;
             374          (B) a grazing right;
             375          (C) a water right; or
             376          (D) other personal property authorized by the commissioner.
             377          (b) "Escrow" includes the act of conducting a:
             378          (i) real estate settlement; or
             379          (ii) real estate closing.
             380          (57) "Escrow agent" means:
             381          (a) an insurance producer with:
             382          (i) a title insurance line of authority; and
             383          (ii) an escrow subline of authority; or
             384          (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.
             389          (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