HB-5891, As Passed House, September 27, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUBSTITUTE FOR

 

HOUSE BILL NO. 5891

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1956 PA 218, entitled

 

"The insurance code of 1956,"

 

by amending sections 2112, 2116, 3109, and 3109a (MCL 500.2112,

 

500.2116, 500.3109, and 500.3109a), sections 2112 and 2116 as

 

amended by 1980 PA 461.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 2112. (1) At least annually, in conjunction with a

 

renewal notice, a bill, or other notice of payment due issued to a

 

policyholder in conjunction with an automobile and or home

 

insurance contracts contract, an insurer shall send to each the

 

policyholder a written notice of that all of the following

 

information is available and will be provided to the policyholder

 

on request:

 

     (a) A description of the specific rating classifications by

 


which the rates and premiums for the policy have been determined.

 

The notice shall be of sufficient detail and clarity so that the

 

policyholder can reasonably verify the applicability and accuracy

 

of the rating classifications.

 

     (b) A general explanation of the extent to which rates or

 

premiums vary among insureds policyholders on the basis of the

 

rating classifications used by the insurer.

 

     (c) Sources and reasonable procedures by which the individual

 

policyholder can obtain from the insurer additional information

 

sufficient for the individual policyholder to calculate and confirm

 

the accuracy of his or her specific premium.

 

     (d) Relevant information regarding the rights of an insured

 

the policyholder, under sections 2113 and 2114, to appeal the

 

application of the insurer's rating plan in determining his or her

 

premium, to obtain documentation from the insurer regarding the

 

determination of the rate, to appeal the application of the

 

insurer's underwriting rules to the person policyholder, to request

 

an informal conference with the insurer, and to file with the

 

commissioner a complaint as an aggrieved person.

 

     (e) A description of all of the insurer's underwriting rules

 

based upon on insurance eligibility points and a description of all

 

of the underwriting rules of the insurer's affiliates based upon on

 

insurance eligibility points.

 

     (f) A suggestion that the insured policyholder contact his or

 

her agent to determine if he or she is eligible for insurance from

 

an affiliate of the insurer or under a different rating plan of the

 

insurer which that would provide to the insured policyholder

 


insurance at a more favorable premium.

 

     (2) In a written notice provided under subsection (1), the

 

insurer shall provide the policyholder with a telephone number and

 

an internet address, by either of which the policyholder may

 

contact the insurer to request the information listed in subsection

 

(1). On request of the policyholder, the insurer shall provide the

 

policyholder with the requested information in either a written or

 

electronic format, as requested by the policyholder.

 

     Sec. 2116. (1) A duly licensed insurance agent licensed to

 

represent 1 or more insurers shall, as a condition of licensure, do

 

all of the following:

 

     (a) Provide each eligible person seeking automobile insurance

 

or home insurance the lowest available a premium quotation for the

 

forms or types of insurance coverages which that are offered by the

 

insurers represented by the agent and which that are sought by the

 

eligible person.

 

     (b) Inform the eligible person of the number of insurers that

 

he or she represents. If the agent represents additional insurers

 

from which the eligible person may obtain insurance, the agent

 

shall may provide additional premium quotations as requested by the

 

eligible person.

 

     (c) Not attempt to channel an eligible person away from an

 

insurer or insurance coverage with the purpose or effect of

 

avoiding an agent's obligation to submit an application or an

 

insurer's obligation to accept an eligible person.

 

     (d) Upon On request, submit an application of the eligible

 

person for automobile insurance or home insurance to the insurer

 


selected by the eligible person.

 

     (e) For automobile insurance only, at least annually, supply,

 

with the renewal of a policy, to each insured, unless such the

 

information has been provided by the insurer, all of the following:

 

     (i) An explanation of the insurance eligibility point system.

 

     (ii) A statement that if the insured is an eligible person he

 

or she may qualify for insurance from more than 1 insurer, and

 

possibly at a lower rate.

 

     (iii) A statement that the agent will, upon on request, furnish

 

to the insured a set of quotations from insurers represented by the

 

agent from whom the insured may obtain insurance, as required in

 

this subsection.

 

     (2) With respect to automobile insurance or home insurance, an

 

insurer shall not penalize an individual agent by paying less than

 

normal commissions or normal compensation or salary because of the

 

expected or actual experience produced by the agent's business or

 

because of the geographic location of business written by the

 

agent.

 

     Sec. 3109. (1) Benefits provided or required to be provided

 

under the laws of any state or the federal government shall be

 

subtracted from the personal protection insurance benefits

 

otherwise payable for the injury under this chapter.

 

     (2) An injured person is a natural person suffering accidental

 

bodily injury.

 

     (3) An insurer providing personal protection insurance

 

benefits under this chapter may offer, at appropriately reduced

 

premium rates, a deductible of a specified dollar amount. which

 


does not exceed $300.00 per accident. This deductible may be

 

applicable to all or any specified types of personal protection

 

insurance benefits, but shall apply only to benefits payable to the

 

person named in the policy, his or her spouse, and any relative of

 

either domiciled in the same household. Any other deductible

 

provisions require the prior approval of the commissioner.

 

     Sec. 3109a. An insurer providing personal protection insurance

 

benefits shall under this chapter may offer, at appropriately

 

reduced premium rates, deductibles and exclusions reasonably

 

related to other health and accident coverage on the insured. The

 

Any deductibles and exclusions required to be offered by under this

 

section shall be are subject to prior approval by the commissioner

 

and shall apply only to benefits payable to the person named in the

 

policy, the spouse of the insured, and any relative of either

 

domiciled in the same household.