Section 881 Of Article 9. Registration Of Insurers’ Names From California Insurance Code >> Division 1. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 9.
881
. The commissioner shall require the name or any changed name of
every insurer (including reciprocal or interinsurance exchanges),
every attorney in fact, every motor club, and every underwritten
title company to be submitted to him or her by written application
and approved by him or her before the name is used in this state for
business purposes. If approved, the commissioner shall issue his or
her official certificate approving the name, and when appropriate,
reserving the name for the following time periods, which shall
commence on the date of the approval:
(1) One year if the applicant is newly formed, or if the
application is filed on behalf of an entity to be formed, under the
laws of this state.
(2) One hundred eighty days and during the pendency in good faith
of an application for certificate of authority in the case of a
foreign or alien applicant.
(3) Ninety days in the case of an admitted entity requesting
authority to change the name under which it will conduct its business
with the public in this state.
Except in the case in which an applicant has already paid a fee on
a pending application for admission, the commissioner shall collect
a fifty-eight dollar ($58) fee for filing each application for name
approval and reservation. An application for name approval may
contain not more than three names in the order of applicant's
preference and the commissioner's approval shall be limited to only
one name submitted by any one application.
The certificate of approval shall be attached to the articles of
incorporation before the Secretary of State shall file the articles
or any amended articles. The commissioner may reject any name
submitted when it is an interference with, or too similar to one
already appropriated, or when it is likely to mislead the public in
any respect. In the event of a rejection, the applicant shall legally
change its name to one approved by the commissioner or, if a foreign
or alien insurer, may arrange to conduct any business it may do with
the public in California under an approved name as an operating
name, identifying itself under both its true name and operating name
in the conduct of all official business with the commissioner.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 1282 and 12221, the
provisions of this section shall apply to reciprocal insurers,
including their attorneys in fact, and shall apply to motor clubs,
respectively.