Senate Bill 2010

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2010

    By Senator Campbell





    33-1398-00

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to insurance rates; amending s.

  3         627.062, F.S.; exempting certain insurers from

  4         specified rate and form filing requirements for

  5         policies issued to large commercial risks;

  6         authorizing surplus lines agents to purchase

  7         insurance from eligible unauthorized insurers

  8         under certain circumstances for certain

  9         purposes; requiring certain policies to contain

10         a notice; amending s. 627.171, F.S.;

11         authorizing insurers to use a rate less than

12         the applicable filed rate on any specified risk

13         under certain circumstances; exempting specific

14         lines of insurance; providing an effective

15         date.

16

17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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19         Section 1.  Subsection (7) is added to section 627.062,

20  Florida Statutes, to read:

21         627.062  Rate standards.--

22         (7)(a)  Except for medical malpractice, workers'

23  compensation, and employers' liability insurance, insurers are

24  exempt from the rate and form filing requirements of this

25  section, s. 627.0651, and s. 627.410 for policies issued to

26  large commercial risks, which risks include insureds that meet

27  any two of the following criteria:

28         1.  Possess a net worth in excess of $25 million;

29         2.  Generate annual revenues in excess of $50 million;

30         3.  Employ more than 50 individuals in this state on a

31  full-time basis;

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2010
    33-1398-00




  1         4.  Pay annual aggregate insurance premiums, excluding

  2  workers' compensation and employers' liability insurance

  3  premiums, in excess of $100,000 in this state; or

  4         5.  Is a not-for-profit organization or public entity

  5  generating annual budget expenditures of at least $25 million.

  6

  7  However, an insurer must file policies issued to such large

  8  commercial risks with the department for information purposes

  9  only.

10         (b)  A surplus lines agent seeking to obtain or provide

11  insurance for a large commercial risk may purchase from any

12  eligible unauthorized insurer without making a diligent search

13  of authorized insurers as required by s. 626.916 or s.

14  626.917.

15         (c)  All policies issued under this subsection must

16  contain a notice to the insured that the rate and the policy

17  forms are not subject to the filing and approval requirements

18  of this state.

19         (d)  An insurance company that insures an exempt large

20  commercial risk must maintain at least:

21         1.  A "B+" rating by A.M. Best; or

22         2.  An equivalent rating by another independent

23  insurance rating organization.

24         Section 2.  Section 627.171, Florida Statutes, is

25  amended to read:

26         627.171  Excess or reduced rates.--

27         (1)  With written consent of the insured signed prior

28  to the policy inception date and filed with the insurer, the

29  insurer may use a rate in excess of, or, except for medical

30  malpractice, workers' compensation, and employers' liability

31  insurance, less than the otherwise applicable filed rate on

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2010
    33-1398-00




  1  any specific risk.  The signed consent form must include the

  2  filed rate as well as the excess or reduced rate for the risk

  3  insured and a copy of the form must be maintained by the

  4  insurer for 3 years and be available for review by the

  5  department.

  6         (2)  An insurer may not use excess or reduced rates

  7  pursuant to this section for more than 10 percent of its

  8  commercial insurance policies written or renewed in each

  9  calendar year for any line of commercial insurance or for more

10  than 5 percent of its personal lines insurance policies

11  written or renewed in each calendar year for any line of

12  personal insurance.

13         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.

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16                          SENATE SUMMARY

17    Exempts insurers, except for medical malpractice,
      workers' compensation, or employers' liability insurers,
18    from certain rate and form filing requirements on
      policies issued to specified large commercial risks.
19    Authorizes surplus lines agents to purchase such coverage
      from certain eligible unauthorized insurers. Requires a
20    notice to be included in such policies. Establishes
      minimum requirements for such insurers. Authorizes
21    insurers to use a rate that is less than the filed rate
      under certain circumstances. (See bill for details.)
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