The Florida Senate

626.916  Eligibility for export.--

(1)  No insurance coverage shall be eligible for export unless it meets all of the following conditions:

(a)  The full amount of insurance required must not be procurable, after a diligent effort has been made by the producing agent to do so, from among the insurers authorized to transact and actually writing that kind and class of insurance in this state, and the amount of insurance exported shall be only the excess over the amount so procurable from authorized insurers. Surplus lines agents must verify that a diligent effort has been made by requiring a properly documented statement of diligent effort from the retail or producing agent. However, to be in compliance with the diligent effort requirement, the surplus lines agent's reliance must be reasonable under the particular circumstances surrounding the export of that particular risk. Reasonableness shall be assessed by taking into account factors which include, but are not limited to, a regularly conducted program of verification of the information provided by the retail or producing agent. Declinations must be documented on a risk-by-risk basis. If it is not possible to obtain the full amount of insurance required by layering the risk, it is permissible to export the full amount.

(b)  The premium rate at which the coverage is exported shall not be lower than that rate applicable, if any, in actual and current use by a majority of the authorized insurers for the same coverage on a similar risk.

(c)  The policy or contract form under which the insurance is exported shall not be more favorable to the insured as to the coverage or rate than under similar contracts on file and in actual current use in this state by the majority of authorized insurers actually writing similar coverages on similar risks; except that a coverage may be exported under a unique form of policy designed for use with respect to a particular subject of insurance if a copy of such form is filed with the department by the surplus lines agent desiring to use the same and is subject to the disapproval of the department within 10 days of filing such form exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays if it finds that the use of such special form is not reasonably necessary for the principal purposes of the coverage or that its use would be contrary to the purposes of this Surplus Lines Law with respect to the reasonable protection of authorized insurers from unwarranted competition by unauthorized insurers.

(d)  Except as to extended coverage in connection with fire insurance policies and except as to windstorm insurance, the policy or contract under which the insurance is exported shall not provide for deductible amounts, in determining the existence or extent of the insurer's liability, other than those available under similar policies or contracts in actual and current use by one or more authorized insurers.

(2)  The department may by rules and regulations declare eligible for export generally, and notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) of subsection (1), any class or classes of insurance coverage or risk for which it finds, after a hearing, that there is no reasonable or adequate market among authorized insurers. Any such rules and regulations shall continue in effect during the existence of the conditions upon which predicated, but subject to termination by the department.

(3)  Subsection (1) does not apply to wet marine and transportation or aviation risks which are subject to s. 626.917.

(4)  A reasonable per-policy fee, not to exceed $25, may be charged by the filing surplus lines agent for each policy certified for export.

History.--s. 355, ch. 59-205; s. 1, ch. 63-86; s. 1, ch. 67-380; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 91, ch. 79-40; s. 2, ch. 81-318; ss. 300, 318, 807, ch. 82-243; ss. 164, 206, 207, ch. 90-363; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 29, ch. 92-146.