The Florida Senate

626.742  Nonresident agents; service of process.--

(1)  Each licensed nonresident agent shall appoint the Insurance Commissioner and Treasurer as his or her attorney to receive service of legal process issued against the agent in this state, upon causes of action arising within this state out of transactions under the agent's license and appointment. Service upon the Insurance Commissioner and Treasurer as attorney shall constitute effective legal service upon the agent.

(2)  The appointment of the Insurance Commissioner and Treasurer for service of process shall be irrevocable for as long as there could be any cause of action against the agent arising out of his or her insurance transactions in this state.

(3)  Duplicate copies of such legal process against such agent shall be served upon the Insurance Commissioner and Treasurer by a person competent to serve a summons.

(4)  Upon receiving such service, the Insurance Commissioner and Treasurer shall forthwith send one of the copies of the process, by registered mail with return receipt requested, to the defendant agent at his or her last address of record with the department.

(5)  The Insurance Commissioner and Treasurer shall keep a record of the day and hour of service upon him or her of all such legal process.

History.--s. 266, ch. 59-205; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 3, ch. 81-282; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 230, 241, 807, 810, ch. 82-243; ss. 81, 206, 207, ch. 90-363; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 251, ch. 97-102.