SENATE BILL No. 988

 

 

January 24, 2006, Introduced by Senators THOMAS, SCOTT, JACOBS, BRATER, PRUSI, BASHAM, SCHAUER, CLARK-COLEMAN, OLSHOVE, CHERRY, EMERSON, LELAND and CLARKE and referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1956 PA 218, entitled

 

"The insurance code of 1956,"

 

by amending section 2105 (MCL 500.2105) and by adding section

 

2111f.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 2105. (1)  No  A policy of automobile insurance or home

 

insurance shall not be offered, bound, made, issued, delivered, or

 

renewed in this state on and after January 1, 1981, except in

 

conformity with this chapter. This chapter  shall  does not apply

 

to policies of automobile insurance or home insurance offered,

 

bound, made, issued, delivered, or renewed in this state before

 

January 1, 1981.

 

     (2)  This  Except as otherwise provided in section 2111f, this

 


chapter  shall  does not apply to insurance written on a group,

 

franchise, blanket policy, or similar basis  which  that offers

 

home insurance or automobile insurance to all members of the group,

 

franchise plan, or blanket coverage who are eligible persons.

 

     Sec. 2111f. (1) By not later than 90 days after the effective

 

date of the amendatory act that added this section, each insurer

 

shall file rates for automobile insurance that reflect for all

 

coverages an overall average rate reduction of not less than 20% of

 

the average rate charged for all coverages by the automobile

 

insurer on October 1, 2005. The rate reduction or premium for a

 

specified insured may vary due to discounts, surcharges,

 

application of rating factors, and coverage selection.

 

     (2) By not later than 90 days after the effective date of the

 

amendatory act that added this section, each insurer shall file

 

rates for home insurance that reflect for all coverages an overall

 

rate reduction of not less than 20% of the average rate charged for

 

all coverages by the home insurer on October 1, 2005. The rate

 

reduction or premium for a specified insured may vary due to

 

discounts, application of rating factors, and coverage selection.

 

     (3) By not sooner than 30 days after the effective date of the

 

amendatory act that added this section, an insurer may petition the

 

commissioner for relief from all or part of the percentage set in

 

subsection (1) or (2). In its petition, an insurer shall

 

demonstrate such reduction could result in an undue financial

 

hardship to the insurer.

 

     (4) By not later than 30 days after receipt of a petition

 

under subsection (3), the commissioner by order shall deny or grant

 


the insurer's request for regulatory relief if the commissioner

 

finds a condition exists for which the commissioner may act

 

pursuant to section 436 or 436a and the commissioner determines

 

that relief from all or a part of the percentage set in subsection

 

(1) or (2) would be in the best interests of the public, the

 

insurer, and the insurer's policyholders.

 

     (5) An insurer aggrieved by the commissioner's order under

 

subsection (4) may request a hearing pursuant to the administrative

 

procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328. The

 

costs associated with a hearing shall be paid for by the insurer.

 

     (6) Nothing in this section prohibits an insurer from reducing

 

rates by more than the percentage set in subsection (1) or (2).

 

     (7) This section applies to all policies of automobile

 

insurance or home insurance offered, bound, made, issued,

 

delivered, or renewed in this state, including automobile or home

 

insurance written on a group, franchise, blanket policy, or similar

 

basis.