Section 38.5 Of General Provisions From California Insurance Code
38.5
. (a) Any written notice required to be given or mailed to any
person by an insurer relating to any insurance on risks or on
operations in this state not excepted by Section 1851 from the
coverage of Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 1850.4) of Part 2 of
Division 1 of this code may, if not excluded by subdivision (b) or
(c) of Section 1633.3 of the Civil Code, be provided by electronic
transmission pursuant to Title 2.5 (commencing with Section 1633.1)
of Part 2 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, if each party has agreed
to conduct the transaction by electronic means pursuant to Section
1633.5 of the Civil Code. The affidavit of the person who initiated
the electronic transmission, stating the facts of that transmission
into an information processing system outside of the control of the
sender or of any person that sent the electronic record on behalf of
the sender, is prima facie evidence that the notice was transmitted
and shall be sufficient proof of notice. Any notice provided by
electronic transmission shall be treated as if mailed or given for
the purposes of any provision of this code, except as provided by
subdivision (g) of Section 1633.15 of the Civil Code. The insurance
company shall maintain a system for confirming that any notice or
document that is to be provided by electronic means has been sent in
a manner consistent with Section 1633.15 of the Civil Code. A valid
electronic signature shall be sufficient for any provision of law
requiring a written signature. The insurance company shall retain a
copy of the confirmation and electronic signature, when either is
required, with the policy information so that they are retrievable
upon request by the Department of Insurance while the policy is in
force and for five years thereafter.
(b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2019.