Section 12340.3 Of Article 1. Definitions From California Insurance Code >> Division 2. >> Part 6. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 1.
12340.3
. "Business of title insurance" includes:
(a) Issuing or proposing to issue any title policy as insurer,
guarantor, or indemnitor;
(b) Transacting or proposing to transact any phase of title
insurance, including solicitation, negotiation preliminary to
execution, or execution of a title policy, insuring and transacting
matters subsequent to the execution of a title policy and arising out
of such policy, excluding reinsurance;
(c) The performance by a title insurer, an underwritten title
company or a controlled escrow company of any service in conjunction
with the issuance or contemplated issuance of a title policy
including but not limited to the handling of any escrow, settlement
or closing in connection therewith; or the doing of or proposing to
do any business, which is in substance the equivalent of any of the
above.
(d) The issuance, by a title insurer, of a letter of indemnity.
Any such letter of indemnity shall be limited to and issued solely
for the purpose of indemnifying the commissioner on behalf of any
member of the public who transacts an escrow with an underwritten
title company, with whom the title insurer has an underwriting
agreement. A title insurer may charge a reasonable fee in connection
with the issuance of any such letter. No rate or form filing shall be
required with respect to any such letter of indemnity.
(e) The act of an insurer in furnishing in writing to a
prospective purchaser of the insurer's title policy a statement which
assures, and assumes the liability for, the proper performance of
services necessary to the conduct of a real estate closing performed
by an underwritten title company with whom the insurer maintains an
underwriting agreement. A title insurer may charge a reasonable fee
in connection with the furnishing of any such statement. No rate or
form filing shall be required with respect to any such statement.