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The Florida Senate

2012 Florida Statutes

Title XXXVII INSURANCE
Chapter 624 INSURANCE CODE: ADMINISTRATION AND GENERAL PROVISIONS Entire Chapter
SECTION 418
Suspension, revocation of certificate of authority for violations and special grounds.
F.S. 624.418
624.418 Suspension, revocation of certificate of authority for violations and special grounds.—
(1) The office shall suspend or revoke an insurer’s certificate of authority if it finds that the insurer:
(a) Is in unsound financial condition.
(b) Is using such methods and practices in the conduct of its business as to render its further transaction of insurance in this state hazardous or injurious to its policyholders or to the public.
(c) Has failed to pay any final judgment rendered against it in this state within 60 days after the judgment became final.
(d) No longer meets the requirements for the authority originally granted.
(2) The office may, in its discretion, suspend or revoke the certificate of authority of an insurer if it finds that the insurer:
(a) Has violated any lawful order or rule of the office or commission or any provision of this code.
(b) Has refused to be examined or to produce its accounts, records, and files for examination, or if any of its officers have refused to give information with respect to its affairs or to perform any other legal obligation as to such examination, when required by the office.
(c) Has for any line, class, or combination thereof, with such frequency as to indicate its general business practice in this state, without just cause refused to pay proper claims arising under its policies, whether any such claim is in favor of an insured or is in favor of a third person with respect to the liability of an insured to such third person, or without just cause compels such insureds or claimants to accept less than the amount due them or to employ attorneys or to bring suit against the insurer or such an insured to secure full payment or settlement of such claims.
(d) Is affiliated with and under the same general management or interlocking directorate or ownership as another insurer which transacts direct insurance in this state without having a certificate of authority therefor, except as permitted as to surplus lines insurers under part VIII of chapter 626.
(e) Has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony relating to the transaction of insurance, in this state or in any other state, without regard to whether adjudication was withheld.
(f) Has a ratio of net premiums written to surplus as to policyholders that exceeds 4 to 1, and the office has reason to believe that the financial condition of the insurer endangers the interests of the policyholders. The ratio of net premiums written to surplus as to policyholders shall be on an annualized actual or projected basis. The ratio shall be based on the insurer’s current calendar year activities and experience to date or the insurer’s previous calendar year activities and experience, or both, and shall be calculated to represent a 12-month period. However, the provisions of this paragraph do not apply to any insurance or insurer exempted from s. 624.4095.
(g) Is under suspension or revocation in another state.
(3) The insolvency or impairment of an insurer constitutes an immediate serious danger to the public health, safety, or welfare; and the office may, at its discretion, without prior notice and the opportunity for hearing immediately suspend the certificate of authority of an insurer upon a determination that:
(a) The insurer is impaired or insolvent; or
(b) Receivership, conservatorship, rehabilitation, or other delinquency proceedings have been initiated against the insurer by the public insurance supervisory official of any state.
History.—s. 62, ch. 59-205; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 71-320; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 17, ch. 77-468; s. 21, ch. 78-95; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 53, 64, 809(1st), ch. 82-243; s. 7, ch. 85-245; s. 11, ch. 87-226; s. 2, ch. 90-119; ss. 187, 188, ch. 91-108; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 797, ch. 2003-261.