Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 176H, sec. 5 — MA Code / Part I / Title XXII / Chapter 176H / Section 5
Group insurance policy or insurance certificate contract; filing copies; approval; hearing
Status: in_force

Section 5. No insurer shall issue a group insurance policy providing benefits for legal services or an insurance certificate which is a contract, or any amendment to such group policy provisions or insurance certificate previously approved and issued without prior approval of the commissioner, and prior to such approval the insurer shall file a copy of the group insurance policy or the insured legal services plan and insurance certificate contract to be issued thereunder with the commissioner and shall provide copies thereof to the advisory committee on prepaid legal services. The advisory committee on prepaid legal services shall review the group insurance policy or the insured legal services plan and insurance certificate contract and advise the commissioner in writing whether such group policy provisions or plan and certificate are in conformity with rules of the supreme judicial court governing the practice of law. After the filing of any such plan, certificate, or group insurance policy provisions the commissioner shall either approve the plan in writing or hold a public hearing upon such plan, upon not less than fifteen days written notice to all interested parties, otherwise, after thirty days after such filing, the plan, certificate, or group insurance policy shall be deemed approved. The advisory committee on prepaid legal services shall be a party with respect to any plan, certificate or group policy filed under this section, shall have the right to participate in any hearing held hereunder, and shall receive notice of the approval by the commissioner of any plan, certificate or group policy under the provisions of this section. Any such plan, certificate or group policy shall be approved unless the commissioner finds that the plan, certificate or group policy contains a provision which is unfair, inequitable, misleading, or deceptive, or that the plan, certificate or group policy does not comply with the provisions of this chapter or any other applicable provision of law, or rule of the supreme judicial court.

Section 5. No insurer shall issue a group insurance policy providing benefits for legal services or an insurance certificate which is a contract, or any amendment to such group policy provisions or insurance certificate previously approved and issued without prior approval of the commissioner, and prior to such approval the insurer shall file a copy of the group insurance policy or the insured legal services plan and insurance certificate contract to be issued thereunder with the commissioner and shall provide copies thereof to the advisory committee on prepaid legal services. The advisory committee on prepaid legal services shall review the group insurance policy or the insured legal services plan and insurance certificate contract and advise the commissioner in writing whether such group policy provisions or plan and certificate are in conformity with rules of the supreme judicial court governing the practice of law.

After the filing of any such plan, certificate, or group insurance policy provisions the commissioner shall either approve the plan in writing or hold a public hearing upon such plan, upon not less than fifteen days written notice to all interested parties, otherwise, after thirty days after such filing, the plan, certificate, or group insurance policy shall be deemed approved. The advisory committee on prepaid legal services shall be a party with respect to any plan, certificate or group policy filed under this section, shall have the right to participate in any hearing held hereunder, and shall receive notice of the approval by the commissioner of any plan, certificate or group policy under the provisions of this section. Any such plan, certificate or group policy shall be approved unless the commissioner finds that the plan, certificate or group policy contains a provision which is unfair, inequitable, misleading, or deceptive, or that the plan, certificate or group policy does not comply with the provisions of this chapter or any other applicable provision of law, or rule of the supreme judicial court.