Chapter 10. California Residential Property Insurance Disclosure of California Insurance Code >> Division 2. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 10.

On and after July 1, 1993, no policy of residential property insurance may be first issued or, with respect to policies already in effect on January 1, 1994, initially renewed in this state by any insurer unless the named insured is provided a copy of the California Residential Property Insurance disclosure statement as contained in Section 10102.

(a) The disclosure required by Section 10101 shall be in no less than 10-point typeface and shall be provided prior to or concurrent with, the application for a policy of residential property insurance. In the event that an application is made by telephone, an insurer that mails a copy of the disclosure within three business days shall be in compliance with this section. For policies issued on or after July 1, 1993, the agent or insurer shall obtain the applicant's signature acknowledging receipt of the disclosure form within 60 days of the date of the application. When the insurer or agent establishes delivery of the disclosure form by obtaining the signature of the applicant or insured, or when an insurer or agent provides the applicant with the disclosure form and the applicant does not return a signed acknowledgment of receipt within 60 days of the date it was provided, there shall be a conclusive presumption that the insurer or agent has complied with the disclosure requirement of this chapter. The insurer or agent shall have the burden of demonstrating in accordance with California Rules of Evidence that the disclosure was provided to the applicant or insured. A signature shall not be required at the time of renewal. If the disclosure is mailed to the named insured or applicant, it shall be mailed to the mailing address shown on the policy of residential property insurance or to the address requested by the applicant. First-class mail shall be deemed adequate for proof of mailing. The insurer shall have the burden of demonstrating in accordance with California Rules of Evidence that the disclosure was mailed to the applicant or insured. The disclosure shall contain the following language:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE TEXT: The Residential Dwellings Coverage disclosure form appears in the hard-copy publication of the chaptered bill. See Sec. 2, Chapter 589 (pp. 7-8), Statutes of 2010.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
  (b) The agent or insurer shall indicate on the disclosure form which coverages the applicant or insured has selected or purchased.
  (c) The disclosure statement may contain additional provisions not conflicting with, annulling, or detracting from the foregoing.
  (d) Following the issuance of the policy of residential property insurance, the insurer shall provide the disclosure statement to the insured on an every-other-year basis at the time of renewal. The disclosure required by this section may be transmitted with the material required by Section 10086.1.
  (e) No policy of residential property insurance may be initially issued on and after January 1, 1993, as guaranteed replacement cost coverage if it contains any maximum limitation of coverage based on any set dollar limits, percentage amounts, construction cost limits, indexing, or any other preset maximum limitation for covered damage to the insured dwelling. The limitations referred to in this section are solely applicable to dwelling structure coverages. Endorsements covering additional risks to the insurer's dwelling structure coverage may have internal limits as long as those endorsements are not called guaranteed replacement cost coverage.
  (f) On and after July 1, 1993, no policy of residential property insurance may be renewed as guaranteed replacement cost coverage if it contains any maximum limitation of coverage based on any set dollar limits, percentage amounts, construction cost limits, indexing, or any other preset maximum limitation for covered damage to the insured dwelling. The limitations referred to in this section are solely applicable to dwelling structure coverages. Endorsements covering additional risks to the insurer's dwelling structure coverage may have internal limits as long as those endorsements are not called guaranteed replacement cost coverage.
  (g) Coverage provided for building code upgrades by a policy of residential property insurance shall be applicable to building codes, ordinances, standards, or laws only to the extent that those codes, ordinances, standards, or laws do not impose stricter standards on the property on the basis of the level of insurance coverage applicable to the property.
  (h) The disclosure required by Section 10101 shall also be provided to the mortgagor in the event that a policy is forced placed by an insurer at the request of a mortgagee. In those cases, neither the insurer nor the mortgagee shall be required to obtain a signature from the mortgagor. No disclosure shall be required to be provided with respect to blanket policies issued to a mortgagee, and designed to provide interim coverage for losses occurring prior to the mortgagee obtaining knowledge of the lapse of the policy and prior to placement of a policy on behalf of the mortgagor.
  (i) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2011.

(a) No policy of residential property insurance may be issued or renewed in this state unless it provides the following information on the declarations page of the policy:
  (1) The limits of liability for the structure.
  (2) The following statement regarding the valuation of the structure: "The limit of liability for this structure (Coverage A) is based on an estimate of the cost to rebuild your home, including an approximate cost for labor and materials in your area, and specific information that you have provided about your home."
  (3) Limits of liability for personal property.
  (4) Deductibles.
  (5) Whether the policy provides coverage for the increased costs of repairing or replacing damage to the insured dwelling caused by a covered loss because of building ordinances or laws regulating the repair. In the event that no coverage is provided for repairs that result from new building ordinances or laws, the insurer shall include in no less than 10-point typeface the following statement: "THIS POLICY DOES NOT INCLUDE BUILDING CODE UPGRADE COVERAGE."
  (b) In the event that the policy does include code upgrade coverage, it shall either:
  (1) State this on the declaration page, and denote any applicable limits.
  (2) State this on a separate disclosure form attached to the declarations page, if the separate disclosure form meets the following standards:
  (A) It is printed in not less than 10-point typeface.
  (B) It denotes any applicable limits on the amount of coverage.
  (C) It denotes restrictions, if any, on coverage for compliance with applicable building codes which take effect after the date of loss but prior to the issuance of required building permits.
  (c) The provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) are not required for policies purchased by tenants or unit owners that do not cover the structure of the premises.

(a) Every California Residential Property Insurance Disclosure shall be accompanied by a California Residential Property Insurance Bill of Rights. If the insurer provides the insured with an electronic copy of a policy, the bill of rights may also be transmitted electronically.
  (b) The California Residential Property Insurance Bill of Rights shall be plainly prepared in no less than 10-point type. The Bill of Rights shall contain the following:

"California Residential Property Insurance Bill of Rights A consumer is entitled to receive information regarding homeowner's insurance. The following is a limited overview of information that your insurance company can provide: ^ The insurance company's customer service telephone number for underwriting, rating, and claims inquiries. ^ A written explanation for any cancellation or nonrenewal of your policy. ^ A copy of the insurance policy. ^ An explanation of how your policy limits were established. ^ In the event of a claim, an itemized, written scope of loss report prepared by the insurer or its adjuster within a reasonable time period. ^ In the event of a claim, a copy of the Unfair Practices Act and, if requested, a copy of the Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations. ^ In the event of a claim, notification of a consumer's rights with respect to the appraisal process for resolving claims disputes. ^ An offer of coverage and premium quote for earthquake coverage, if eligible. A consumer is also entitled to select a licensed contractor or vendor to repair, replace, or rebuild damaged property covered by the insurance policy. The information provided herein is not all inclusive and does not negate or preempt existing California law. If you have any concerns or questions, contact your agent, broker, insurance company, or the California Department of Insurance consumer information line at (800) 927-HELP (4357) or at www.insurance.ca.gov for free insurance assistance."

(c) (1) The bill of rights shall be distributed by all insurers licensed to sell residential property insurance in this state.
  (2) If the insurer under a personal lines residential property insurance policy reports claims history or loss experience of insureds under those policies to an insurance-support organization, the insurer shall include the following disclosure in the California Residential Property Insurance Bill of Rights:

"This insurer reports claim information to one or more claims information databases. The claim information is used to furnish loss history reports to insurers. If you are interested in obtaining a report from a claims information database, you may do so by contacting:
  (Insert the name, toll-free telephone number, and, if applicable, Internet Web site address of each claims information database to which the insurer reports the information covered by this section)"

(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2011.

(a) As used in this chapter, "policy of residential property insurance" shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 10087, except that it shall not include a tenant's policy, a policy covering individually owned mobilehomes and their contents, a renter's policy, or a policy insuring individually owned condominium units, when those policies do not provide dwelling structure coverage. If a policy insuring an individually owned condominium does provide dwelling structure coverage, an insurer is required to provide the disclosure required in this chapter.
  (b) As used in this chapter, "insurer" shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 10091.

Nothing in this chapter is intended to expand, contract, modify, or otherwise affect the coverage provided under any policy of residential property insurance issued and in effect prior to July 1, 1993. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to those policies upon the first renewal of those policies following January 1, 1994.

The Insurance Commissioner may modify a disclosure statement as contained in Section 10102, 10103, or 10103.5 only upon request of an insurer. The modification shall only be for the purpose of adding new or clarifying existing language describing any form of dwelling coverage offered by an insurer. The commissioner's authority to modify the disclosure statement shall be limited solely to determining the clarity and accuracy of the information provided in the disclosure to ensure that the disclosure accurately reflects a new or existing product. It is the intent of the Legislature that the disclosure form be kept as brief as clarity and accuracy permit. Any modification to the disclosure statement shall be approved in writing by the commissioner.

Except as provided in subdivisions (e) and (i) of Section 10102, this chapter shall apply to all policies newly issued on or after July 1, 1993, and to all policies renewed after January 1, 1994.