Section 1760.5 Of Chapter 6. Surplus Line Brokers From California Insurance Code >> Division 1. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 6.
1760.5
. (a) The provisions of this chapter limiting the insurance
that may be placed with nonadmitted insurers and requiring any report
thereof shall not apply to:
(1) Reinsurance of the liability of an admitted insurer.
(2) Insurance against perils of navigation, transit, or
transportation upon hulls, freights or disbursements, or other
shipowner interests; upon goods, wares, merchandise, and all other
personal property and interests therein, in the course of exportation
from or importation into any country, or transportation coastwise,
including transportation by land or water from point of origin to
final destination and including war risks; and marine builder's
risks, drydocks, and marine railways, including insurance of ship
repairer's liability, and protection and indemnity insurance, but
excluding insurance covering bridges or tunnels.
(3) Aircraft or spacecraft insurance.
(4) Insurance on property or operations of railroads engaged in
interstate commerce.
(b) The insurance specified in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of
subdivision (a) may be placed with a nonadmitted insurer for a home
state insured only by and through a special lines' surplus line
broker. The license of a special lines' surplus line broker shall be
applied for and procured and shall be subject to the same fees for
filing on issuance in the same manner as the license of a surplus
line broker, except that in lieu of the bond required by Section
1765, there shall be delivered to the commissioner a bond in the
form, amounts, and conditions specified in Sections 1663 and 1665 for
an insurance broker and only one fee shall be collected from one
person for both licenses. The licensee in respect to the business
shall be subject to all the provisions of this chapter except
Sections 1761, 1763, 1765.1, 1765.2, and 1775.5.
(c) The commissioner may address to any licensed special lines'
surplus line broker a written request for full and complete
information respecting the financial stability, reputation, and
integrity of any nonadmitted insurer with whom the licensee has dealt
or proposes to deal in the transaction of insurance specified in
paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of subdivision (a). The licensee so
addressed shall promptly furnish in written or printed form so much
of the information requested as he or she can produce together with a
signed statement identifying the same and giving reasons for
omissions, if any. After due examination of the information and
accompanying statement, the commissioner may, if he or she believes
it to be in the public interest, order in writing the licensee to
place no further insurance business for home state insureds with that
nonadmitted insurer on behalf of any person. Any placement with that
nonadmitted insurer made by a licensee after receipt of the order is
a violation of this chapter. The commissioner may issue an order if
he or she finds that a nonadmitted insurer with whom the licensee has
dealt or proposes to deal in the transaction of insurance is in an
unsound financial condition, is disreputable, or is lacking in
integrity. The order shall also include notice of a hearing to be
held at a time and place fixed therein, which shall be not less than
20 nor more than 30 days from service of the order upon the licensee.
(d) The commissioner may, in respect to business written or placed
under the provisions of this section, require information and
reports thereof that the commissioner considers necessary,
convenient, or advisable.
(e) Each placing of insurance in violation of this chapter is a
misdemeanor.
(f) The commissioner may revoke, suspend, or deny any license
granted pursuant to this code in accordance with the procedure
provided in Article 13 (commencing with Section 1737) of Chapter 5,
or any certificate of authority granted pursuant to this code in
accordance with the procedure provided in Section 704 whenever the
commissioner finds that the licensee or holder of the certificate has
committed a violation of this section.
(g) The premium for insurance placed by or through a special lines'
surplus line broker pursuant to this section shall not be subject to
the tax imposed upon the broker based upon gross premiums paid for
insurance placed under authority conferred by the license.
(h) Special lines' surplus line brokers may advertise and solicit
in conformity with Section 1773, except that they are not subject to
the limitation that any nonadmitted insurer's name appearing in the
advertisements or solicitations must be eligible under Section
1765.1.