reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 175a § 13 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175a - Regulation of Rates for Certain Casualty Insurance, Including Fidelity, Surety and Guaranty Bonds, and for All Other Forms of Motor Vehicle Insurance, and Regulation of Rating Organizations|Section 13 - Joint Reinsurance; Regulations

Section 13. (a) Every group, association or other organization of insurers which engages in joint underwriting or joint reinsurance shall be subject to regulation with respect thereto as herein provided, subject, however, with respect to joint underwriting, to all other provisions of this chapter and, with respect to joint reinsurance, to sections fourteen and eighteen and nineteen.  (b) If, after due notice and a hearing, the commissioner finds that any activity or practice of any such group, association or other organization is unfair or unreasonable or otherwise inconsistent with any provision or provisions of this chapter, he may issue a written order specifying in what respects such activity or practice is unfair or unreasonable or otherwise inconsistent with such provision or provisions, and requiring the discontinuance of such activity or practice.
MA Gen L ch 175a § 15 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175a - Regulation of Rates for Certain Casualty Insurance, Including Fidelity, Surety and Guaranty Bonds, and for All Other Forms of Motor Vehicle Insurance, and Regulation of Rating Organizations|Section 15 - Rating Organizations; Regulations; Commissioner's Power to Promulgate Rules

Section 15. (a) The commissioner shall promulgate reasonable rules and statistical plans, reasonably adapted to each of the rating systems on file with him, which may be modified from time to time and which shall be used thereafter by each insurer in the recording and reporting of its loss and countrywide expense experience, in order that the experience of all insurers may be made available at least annually in such form and detail as may be necessary to aid him in determining whether rating systems comply with the standards set forth in section five. Such rules and plans may also provide for the recording and reporting of expense experience items which are specially applicable to this commonwealth and are not susceptible of determination by a prorating of countrywide expense experience. In promulgating such rules and plans, the commissioner shall give due consideration to the rating systems on file with him and, in order that such rules and plans may be as uniform as is practicable among the several states, to the rules and to the form of the plans used for such rating systems in other states. No insurer shall be required to record or report its loss experience on a classification basis that is inconsistent with the rating system filed by it. The commissioner may designate one or more rating organizations or other agencies to assist him in gathering such experience and making compilations thereof, and such compilations shall be made available, subject to reasonable rules promulgated by the commissioner, to insurers and rating organizations.  (b) Reasonable rules and plans may be promulgated by the commissioner for the interchange of data necessary for the application of rating plans.  (c) In order to further uniform administration of rate regulatory laws, the commissioner and every insurer and rating organization may exchange information and experience data with insurance supervisory officials, insurers and rating organizations in other states and may consult and co-operate with them with respect to rate making and the application of rating systems.  (d) The commissioner may make reasonable rules and regulations necessary to effect the purpose of this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 175a § 16 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175a - Regulation of Rates for Certain Casualty Insurance, Including Fidelity, Surety and Guaranty Bonds, and for All Other Forms of Motor Vehicle Insurance, and Regulation of Rating Organizations|Section 16 - False or Misleading Information

Section 16. No person or organization shall wilfully withhold information from, or knowingly give false or misleading information to, the commissioner, any statistical agency designated by the commissioner, any rating organization, or any insurer, which will affect the rates or premiums chargeable under this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 175a § 17 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175a - Regulation of Rates for Certain Casualty Insurance, Including Fidelity, Surety and Guaranty Bonds, and for All Other Forms of Motor Vehicle Insurance, and Regulation of Rating Organizations|Section 17 - Agreements and Rate Modifications; Commissioner's Approval

Section 17. Agreements may be made among insurers with respect to the equitable apportionment among them of insurance which may be afforded applicants who are in good faith entitled to, but who are unable to, procure such insurance through ordinary methods and such insurers may agree among themselves on the use of reasonable rate modifications for such insurance, such agreements and rate modifications to be subject to the approval of the commissioner.
MA Gen L ch 175a § 18 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175a - Regulation of Rates for Certain Casualty Insurance, Including Fidelity, Surety and Guaranty Bonds, and for All Other Forms of Motor Vehicle Insurance, and Regulation of Rating Organizations|Section 18 - Violation of This Chapter; Penalty

Section 18. Any person or organization wilfully violating any provision of this chapter shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars for each such violation. Such penalty may be in addition to any other penalty provided by law.  The commissioner may suspend the license of any rating organization or insurer which fails to comply with an order of the commissioner within the time limited by such order, or any extension thereof which the commissioner may grant. The commissioner shall not suspend the license of any rating organization or insurer for failure to comply with an order until the time prescribed for an appeal therefrom has expired or, if an appeal has been taken, until such order has been affirmed. The commissioner may determine when a suspension of license shall become effective and it shall remain in effect for the period fixed by him, unless he modifies or rescinds such suspension, or until the order upon which such suspension is based is modified, rescinded or reversed. No license shall be suspended or revoked except upon a written order of the commissioner, stating his findings, made after a hearing held upon not less than ten days' written notice to such organization specifying the alleged violation.
MA Gen L ch 175a § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175a - Regulation of Rates for Certain Casualty Insurance, Including Fidelity, Surety and Guaranty Bonds, and for All Other Forms of Motor Vehicle Insurance, and Regulation of Rating Organizations|Section 19 - Aggrieved Insurer or Rating Organization; Hearing Before Commissioner; Appeal

Section 19. (a) Any insurer or rating organization aggrieved by any order or decision of the commissioner made without a hearing, may, within thirty days after notice of the order to the insurer or organization, make written request to the commissioner for a hearing thereon. The commissioner shall hear such party or parties within thirty days after receipt of such request and shall give not less than fifteen days' written notice of the time and place of the hearing. Within thirty days after such hearing the commissioner shall affirm, reverse or modify his previous action, specifying his reasons therefor. Pending such hearing and decision thereon the commissioner may suspend or postpone the effective date of his previous action.  (b) Nothing contained in this chapter shall require the observance at any hearing held under authority thereof of formal rules of pleading or evidence.  (c) Any order or decision of the commissioner under authority of this chapter shall be subject to review, which shall be on the basis of the record of the proceedings before the commissioner, by appeal to the supreme judicial court at the instance of any party in interest. The order or decision shall be reviewed in accordance with the standards for review provided in paragraph (8) of section fourteen of chapter thirty A.  The court shall determine whether the filing of the appeal shall operate as a stay of any such order or decision of the commissioner. The court may, in disposing of the issue before it, modify, affirm or reverse the order or decision of the commissioner in whole or in part.
MA Gen L ch 175a § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175a - Regulation of Rates for Certain Casualty Insurance, Including Fidelity, Surety and Guaranty Bonds, and for All Other Forms of Motor Vehicle Insurance, and Regulation of Rating Organizations|Section 20 - Severability

Section 20. If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence or clause of this chapter is held invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the remaining portions of this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 175b § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175b - Unauthorized Insurer's Process Act|Section 1 - Purpose

Section 1. The purpose of this chapter is to subject certain insurers to the jurisdiction of courts of the commonwealth in suits by or on behalf of insureds or beneficiaries under insurance contracts. The legislature declares that it is a subject of concern that many residents of this commonwealth hold policies of insurance issued or delivered in this commonwealth by insurers while not authorized to do business in the commonwealth, thus presenting to such residents the often insuperable obstacle of resorting to distant forums for the purpose of asserting legal rights under such policies. In furtherance of such state interest, the legislature herein provides a method of substituted service of process upon such insurers and declares that in so doing it exercises its power to protect its residents and to define, for the purpose of this statute, what constitutes doing business in this commonwealth, and also exercises powers and privileges available to the commonwealth by virtue of Public Law 15, 79th Congress of the United States, chapter 20, 1st Sess., S. 340, as amended, which declares that the business of insurance and every person engaged therein shall be subject to the laws of the several states.
MA Gen L ch 175b § 3 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175b - Unauthorized Insurer's Process Act|Section 3 - Suits Against Certain Unauthorized Insurers; Restriction on Pleadings

Section 3. (a) Before any unauthorized foreign or alien insurer shall file or cause to be filed any pleading other than a plea in bar, in abatement, to the jurisdiction, or a motion to dismiss in any action, suit or proceeding instituted against it, such unauthorized insurer shall either (1) deposit with the clerk of the court in which such action, suit or proceeding is pending, cash or securities, or file with such clerk a bond with good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the court, in an amount to be fixed by the court sufficient to secure the payment of any final judgment which may be rendered in such action; provided, however, that the court may in its discretion make an order dispensing with such deposit or bond where the insurer makes a showing satisfactory to such court that it maintains in a state of the United States funds or securities, in trust or otherwise, sufficient and available to satisfy any final judgment which may be entered in such action, suit or proceeding; or (2) procure a certificate of authority to transact the business of insurance in the commonwealth.  (b) The court in any action, suit or proceeding, in which service is made in the manner provided in subsections (b) or (c) of section two may, in its discretion, order such postponement as may be necessary to afford the defendant reasonable opportunity to comply with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section and to defend such action.  (c) Nothing in subsection (a) of this section is to be construed to prevent an unauthorized foreign or alien insurer from filing a motion to quash a writ or to set aside service thereof made in the manner provided in subsections (b) or (c) of section two hereof, on the ground either (1) that such unauthorized insurer has not done any of the acts enumerated in subsection (a) of section two, or (2) that the person on whom service was made pursuant to subsection (c) of section two was not doing any of the acts therein enumerated.
MA Gen L ch 175b § 3a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175b - Unauthorized Insurer's Process Act|Section 3a - Unauthorized Companies; Non-Applicability of This Chapter

Section 3A. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any suit, action or proceeding against any foreign company not lawfully admitted to transact business in the commonwealth arising out of any contract of insurance effectuated in accordance with section one hundred and sixty-eight of chapter one hundred and seventy-five, or to any contract of reinsurance, provided that such contract contains a provision designating the commissioner of insurance or his successor in office its true and lawful attorney upon whom may be served all lawful process in any action, suit or proceeding instituted by or on behalf of an insured or beneficiary arising out of such contract of insurance.
MA Gen L ch 175b § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175b - Unauthorized Insurer's Process Act|Section 4 - Attorney's Fees; Allowance

Section 4. In any action against an unauthorized foreign or alien insurer upon a contract of insurance issued or delivered in the commonwealth to a resident thereof or to a corporation authorized to do business therein, if the insurer has failed for thirty days after demand prior to the commencement of the action to make payment in accordance with the terms of the contract, and it appears to the court that such refusal was vexatious and without reasonable cause, the court may allow to the plaintiff a reasonable attorney fee and include such fee in any judgment that may be rendered in such action. Such fee shall not exceed twelve and one half per cent of the amount which the court or jury finds the plaintiff is entitled to recover against the insurer, but in no event shall such fee be less than twenty-five dollars. Failure of an insurer to defend on the merits any such action shall be deemed prima facie evidence that its failure to make payment was vexatious and without reasonable cause.
MA Gen L ch 175b § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175b - Unauthorized Insurer's Process Act|Section 5 - Severability

Section 5. If any provision of this chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable.
MA Gen L ch 175b § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175b - Unauthorized Insurer's Process Act|Section 6 - Citation

Section 6. This chapter may be cited as the unauthorized insurer's process act.
MA Gen L ch 175c § 3 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175c - Urban Area Insurance Placement|Section 3 - Solicitation of Business; Inspection of Records; Compensation of Agents

Section 3. No insurance company shall direct any agent or other producer not to solicit business through the association; no insurance agent shall direct any other agent in his employ or any broker or other producer not to solicit business through the association; and no agent, broker or other producer shall be penalized in any way by an insurance company or employer producer for submitting applications to the association.  No insurance agent or broker licensed to sell basic property insurance shall be allowed to refuse a request for inspection from an eligible applicant for basic property insurance unless such applicant is:  (a) Then indebted to any agent, broker or company for coverage requested;  (b) Then unwilling to make satisfactory payment arrangements for the coverage requested.  Agents and brokers submitting applications to the association shall be compensated by commissions upon the original issuance of coverage, each installment payment if any, and each renewal thereof and shall be entitled to no other compensation.  Commissions to licensed insurance agents and brokers from the association established in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall be set by the commissioner from time to time at such percentage of the average commission rate customarily paid by those insurance companies who customarily compensate agents by commissions, as the commissioner, after appropriate hearing, shall find to be sufficiently attractive to encourage agents and brokers to actively seek out risks and to assist property owners to obtain coverage while at the same time leaving a further incentive to the agent or broker to place such business through his customary markets when he finds that it is practicable.
MA Gen L ch 175c § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175c - Urban Area Insurance Placement|Section 6 - Liability for Operations of Association

Section 6. There shall be no liability on the part of, and no cause of action of any nature shall arise against insurance companies,, the association, or agents or employees thereof, or insurance agents or brokers using the, plan or association, or the commissioner or his authorized representatives, for any inspections undertaken, acts or omissions in connection therewith or statements made in any reports and communications concerning the insurability of the property, or at the time of any hearings conducted in connection therewith, or in the findings required by the provisions of this chapter. The reports and communications of the association shall not be considered public records.
MA Gen L ch 175c § 6a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175c - Urban Area Insurance Placement|Section 6a - Act or Omission Resulting in Damage or Injury; Liability of Director, Officer, Trustee or Agent

Section 6A. No person who serves as a director, officer, trustee or agent of the association shall be held liable solely by reason of such service as a director, officer, trustee or agent for any act or omission resulting in damage or injury to another, if such person was acting in good faith and within the scope of his official functions and duties, unless such damage or injury was caused by willful or wanton misconduct.
MA Gen L ch 175c § 7 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175c - Urban Area Insurance Placement|Section 7 - Denial of Association; Review

Section 7. The denial by the association of a part or all of the coverage requested by an eligible applicant, and any other decision requiring improvements to be made or loss prevention measures to be taken as a condition of providing basic property insurance shall be subject to review by the commissioner if an eligible applicant files an appeal with the commissioner within ten days of any such denial or decision. On receipt of any such appeal the commissioner shall cause an investigation of the facts to be made, shall grant all interested parties an opportunity to be heard and shall enter such finding, order or decision as he deems will best meet the purposes of this chapter.  Any person aggrieved by any such finding, order or decision and any person aggrieved by any other rule or regulation of the commissioner made pursuant to this chapter may, within ten days of the filing of any such finding, order, decision, rule or regulation in the office of the commissioner, appeal therefrom to the superior court, for the county in which the complainant resides. The court shall, after such notice to the parties as it deems reasonable, hold a summary hearing on such appeal and shall have jurisdiction in equity to review all questions of fact and law, and to affirm or reverse such finding or order and to make any appropriate decree. The decision of the court shall be final and binding on all parties and may include such order as to costs as the court deems equitable.
MA Gen L ch 175c § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 175c - Urban Area Insurance Placement|Section 8 - Assessment of Insurance Companies for Operating Expenses

Section 8. (a) In order to carry out the purpose of this chapter the commissioner is authorized to assess each insurance company an amount in the proportion that the premiums earned in the commonwealth during the preceding calendar year by each such company in those lines of insurance which are eligible for reinsurance by the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in the commonwealth during the current calendar year bear to the aggregate premiums earned in the commonwealth during such preceding calendar year by all such companies on such lines, sufficient to provide a fund to reimburse said secretary pursuant to the provisions of section 1223(a)(1) of the Federal Urban Property Protection and Reinsurance Act of 1968. Such assessment shall be made by the commissioner only after receipt and verification by him of a claim from said secretary and shall be due and payable to the commissioner on and after the forty-fifth day following the receipt by the commissioner of a claim from said secretary.  (b) Insurers may add to the premium rate applicable to such lines of insurance on policies issued to be effective after the date of such assessment an amount, to be approved by the commissioner, sufficient to recover within not more than three years any amounts assessed under subsection (a) of this section during the preceding calendar year plus costs and expenses reasonably attributable to such assessment and recovery.