reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  8-467 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 8 - Entities That Act as Insurers|Subtitle 4 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Part VI - Enforcement and Penalties|Section 8-467 - Discrimination and Rebates Prohibited

    (a)    A society doing insurance business in the State may not make or allow unfair discrimination between insured members of the same class and equal life expectancy in:        (1)    the premiums charged for certificates of insurance;        (2)    the dividends or other benefits payable on certificates of insurance; or        (3)    any other terms and conditions of the contracts the society makes.    (b)    (1)    This subsection applies to:            (i)    a society;            (ii)    a person acting for the society;            (iii)    an insurance producer that acts on behalf of a fraternal benefit society; and            (iv)    a person acting for an insurance producer that acts on behalf of a fraternal benefit society.        (2)    A person may not offer, promise, allow, give, set off, or pay, directly or indirectly, any valuable consideration or inducement to or for insurance on any risk authorized to be taken by a society that is not specified in the certificate.    (c)    A society member may not receive or accept, directly or indirectly:        (1)    a rebate of all or part of a premium payable on a certificate;        (2)    a rebate of a fraternal benefit agent’s commission on a premium payable on a certificate;        (3)    any favor, advantage, or share in the dividends or other benefits to accrue on the insurance contract; or        (4)    any other valuable consideration or inducement not specified in the insurance contract.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  8-468 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 8 - Entities That Act as Insurers|Subtitle 4 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Part VI - Enforcement and Penalties|Section 8-468 - Misrepresentation About Society or Insurance Contract Prohibited

    (a)    A person may not cause or allow to be made, issued, or circulated in any form:        (1)    a misrepresentation or false or misleading statement about the terms, benefits, or advantages of a fraternal insurance contract issued or to be issued in the State;        (2)    a misrepresentation or false or misleading statement about the financial condition of a society;        (3)    a false or misleading estimate or statement about the dividends or shares of surplus paid or to be paid by a society on an insurance contract or policy; or        (4)    an incomplete comparison of an insurance contract of one society with an insurance contract of another society or insurer for the purpose of inducing the lapse, forfeiture, or surrender of an insurance contract.    (b)    A comparison of insurance contracts is incomplete if:        (1)    the comparison does not compare in detail:            (i)    the gross rates, and the gross rates less any dividend or other reduction allowed at the date of the comparison; and            (ii)    any increase in cash values, and all the benefits provided by each contract for the possible duration of the contract as determined by the life expectancy of the insured; or        (2)    the comparison omits from consideration:            (i)    any benefit or value provided in the contract;            (ii)    any differences as to amount or period of rates; or            (iii)    any differences in limitations, conditions, or provisions that directly or indirectly affect the benefits under the contract.    (c)    In making a determination of the incompleteness or misleading character of a comparison or statement, it is presumed that the insured did not know the contents of the contract involved.    (d)    (1)    A person that violates subsection (a) of this section or knowingly receives compensation or a commission as a result of a violation of subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or both.        (2)    (i)    In addition to the penalties provided by paragraph (1) of this subsection, a person that violates subsection (a) of this section is liable for a civil penalty of three times the sum received by the violator as compensation or commission from the violation.            (ii)    A person or society aggrieved by the violation may file a civil action for the person’s or society’s own use and benefit to recover a civil penalty under this paragraph.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-201 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part I - General Provisions|Section 11-201 - Purposes, Intent, and Interpretation of Subtitle

    (a)    The purposes of this subtitle are:        (1)    to promote the public welfare by regulating insurance rates so that they are not excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory; and        (2)    to authorize and regulate cooperative action among insurers in rate making and in other matters within the scope of this subtitle.    (b)    This subtitle is not intended:        (1)    to prohibit or discourage reasonable competition; or        (2)    to prohibit or, except to the extent necessary to accomplish the purposes stated in subsection (a) of this section, to encourage uniformity in insurance rates, rating systems, rating plans, or rating practices.    (c)    This subtitle shall be interpreted liberally to carry out the provisions of this section.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-202 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part I - General Provisions|Section 11-202 - Scope of Subtitle

    (a)    (1)    This subtitle applies to all types of insurers.        (2)    Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this subtitle applies to:            (i)    property insurance;            (ii)    casualty insurance;            (iii)    surety insurance;            (iv)    marine insurance; and            (v)    wet marine and transportation insurance.    (b)    This subtitle does not apply to:        (1)    reinsurance, except as provided in § 11–222 of this subtitle;        (2)    insurance of vessels or craft or their cargoes, marine protection and indemnity insurance, or insurance of other risks commonly insured under policies of marine insurance, as distinguished from inland marine insurance;        (3)    insurance against loss of or damage to aircraft including their accessories and equipment, or insurance against liability, other than workers’ compensation insurance or employer’s liability insurance, arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of aircraft; or        (4)    title insurance, except for §§ 11–218 through 11–227 of this subtitle.    (c)    If a kind of insurance, subdivision or combination of kinds of insurance, or type of coverage is subject to this subtitle and is also subject to regulation by another rate regulatory provision of the statutes of the State, an insurer to which both provisions are otherwise applicable shall file with the Commissioner a designation as to which rate regulatory provision is applicable to it with respect to that kind of insurance, subdivision or combination of kinds of insurance, or type of coverage.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-205 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part II - Rate Making -- in General|Section 11-205 - Rate Making Principles Generally

    (a)    All rates shall be made in accordance with the principles set forth in this section.    (b)    Uniformity among insurers in matters within the scope of this subtitle is neither required nor prohibited.    (c)    Due consideration shall be given to:        (1)    past and prospective loss experience within and outside the State;        (2)    conflagration and catastrophe hazards, if any;        (3)    past and prospective expenses, both countrywide and those specially applicable to the State;        (4)    underwriting profits;        (5)    contingencies;        (6)    investment income from unearned premium reserve and reserve for losses;        (7)    dividends, savings, or unabsorbed premium deposits allowed or returned by insurers to policyholders; and        (8)    all other relevant factors within and outside the State.    (d)    Rates may not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory.    (e)    The systems of expense provisions included in the rates for use by an insurer or group of insurers may differ from those of other insurers or groups of insurers to reflect the requirements of the operating methods of the insurer or group with respect to a kind of insurance, or with respect to a subdivision or combination of kinds of insurance for which separate expense provisions are applicable.    (f)    (1)    Risks may be grouped by classifications for the establishment of rates and minimum premiums.        (2)    Classification rates may be modified to produce rates for individual risks in accordance with rating plans that establish standards for measuring variations in hazards or expense provisions, or both.        (3)    The standards may measure any difference among risks that are demonstrated objectively to the Commissioner to have had a direct and substantial effect on losses or expenses.        (4)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, a rate may not be based wholly or partly on geographic area itself, as opposed to underlying risk considerations, even though expressed in geographic terms.    (g)    For fire insurance rates, consideration shall be given to experience during a period of not less than the most recent 5-year period for which experience is available.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-207 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part II - Rate Making -- in General|Section 11-207 - Suspension or Modification of Filing Requirements

    (a)    (1)    By written order, the Commissioner may suspend or modify the filing requirement for a kind of insurance, subdivision or combination of kinds of insurance, or for classes of risks, for which it is not practicable to file rates before they are used.        (2)    The Commissioner shall adopt regulations for the suspension or modification of filing requirements.    (b)    A regulation adopted or order issued under this section shall be made known to the insurers and rating organizations affected by the regulation or order.    (c)    The Commissioner may make any examination that the Commissioner considers advisable to determine if the rates affected by an order issued under this section meet the standards set forth in § 11-205 of this subtitle.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-209 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part II - Rate Making -- in General|Section 11-209 - Reduction of Approved Rates

    (a)    (1)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, an insurer may reduce its rates previously approved by the Commissioner by filing the reduced rates with the Commissioner within 30 days after the reduced rates become effective.        (2)    An insurer that has reduced its rates in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection may withdraw the reduction wholly or partly by filing revised rates at a level not higher than the level approved by the Commissioner before the reduction within 30 days after they become effective.    (b)    If, after notice and a hearing, the Commissioner finds that the rates produced are in violation of this subtitle, the Commissioner may revoke a reduction of rates made in accordance with this section.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-210 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part II - Rate Making -- in General|Section 11-210 - Excess Rate for Specific Risk

    On written application of the insured that states its reasons for requesting the rate, filed with and approved by the Commissioner, a rate in excess of that provided by a filing otherwise applicable may be used on a specific risk.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-211 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part II - Rate Making -- in General|Section 11-211 - Information to Insureds

    (a)    Within a reasonable time after a filer receives a written request for information about a filing and on payment of a reasonable charge, the filer shall provide all pertinent information about the filing to an insured affected by the filing or the authorized representative of the insured.    (b)    At the time of filing a proposed rate increase with the Commissioner, an insurer that provides professional liability insurance to a physician or other health care provider shall notify each policyholder in writing that:        (1)    the insurer has filed a proposed rate increase with the Commissioner;        (2)    a hearing may be requested with respect to the filing under § 11-208(e) of this subtitle; and        (3)    an order, hearing, or refusal of a hearing by the Commissioner may be appealed under Subtitle 5 of this title.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-212 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part II - Rate Making -- in General|Section 11-212 - Review of Application of Rating System

    (a)    Each filer shall provide reasonable means within the State by which a person aggrieved by the application of its rating system may be heard in person or by an authorized representative on the person’s written request to review the manner in which the rating system has been applied in connection with the insurance afforded the aggrieved person.    (b)    If the filer fails to grant or reject the aggrieved person’s request within 30 days after it is made, the applicant may proceed as if the application had been rejected.    (c)    Within 30 days after written notice of the action of a filer on a request for review, any person affected by the action may appeal to the Commissioner.    (d)    (1)    The Commissioner shall hold a hearing on the action of the filer.        (2)    The Commissioner shall give written notice of the hearing to the appellant and filer at least 10 days before the hearing.        (3)    After the hearing, the Commissioner may affirm or reverse the action.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-213 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part II - Rate Making -- in General|Section 11-213 - Special Rate Making Principles

    (a)    All homeowner’s insurance rates shall be made in accordance with the principles set forth in this section.    (b)    (1)    An insurer under a homeowner’s insurance policy may not classify or maintain an insured for a period longer than 3 years in a classification that entails a higher premium because of a specific claim.        (2)    For the purpose of determining whether to classify an insured in a classification that entails a higher premium, an insurer may review only a period not greater than 3 years before:            (i)    if the policy has not yet been issued:                1.    the date of the application; or                2.    the proposed effective date of the policy; or            (ii)    on renewal of a policy, the effective date of the renewal.        (3)    (i)    The removal of, reduction of, or refusal to apply a discount is not a violation of this subsection if the claim resulting in the removal of, reduction of, or refusal to apply the discount was filed not more than 5 years before the removal, reduction, or refusal.            (ii)    Subparagraph (i) of this paragraph may not be construed to prevent an insurer from granting a claim–free discount to an insured.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-214 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part III - Rate Making -- Automobile Insurance|Section 11-214 - Statement of Rate Classifications

    (a)    Each insurer that provides a private passenger automobile insurance policy shall provide to the policyholder at the time of issuance or renewal of the policy a statement that:        (1)    defines the policyholder’s rate classifications; and        (2)    if the insurer is an authorized insurer, includes a summary, in a form approved by the Commissioner, of the insurer’s approved surcharge plan or driver record point plan for that policy.    (b)    The statement must be sufficiently clear and specific so that an individual of average intelligence can identify the classifications without making further inquiry.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-216 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part III - Rate Making -- Automobile Insurance|Section 11-216 - Use of Territory as a Rate Determining Factor

    An insurer that uses territory as a factor in establishing automobile insurance rates shall submit a statement to the Commissioner certifying that:         (1)    the territories used by the insurer have been reviewed within the previous 3 years; and        (2)    use of the territories is actuarially justified.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-219 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part IV - Rating Organizations and Similar Organizations|Section 11-219 - Deviations From Rating Organization Rates

    (a)    An insurer may deviate from the rates filed by a rating organization if:        (1)    the insurer has filed the deviation to be applied with the rating organization and Commissioner;        (2)    the deviation is uniform in its application to all risks in the State of the class of insurance to which the deviation is to apply; and        (3)    the deviation is approved by the Commissioner.    (b)    The Commissioner may approve or disapprove a deviation as if the deviation filing were a rate filing and specify the period of time during which an approval will be effective.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-220 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part IV - Rating Organizations and Similar Organizations|Section 11-220 - Appeal by Member or Subscriber

    (a)    (1)    A member of or subscriber to a rating organization may appeal to the Commissioner from the action or decision of the rating organization in approving or rejecting a proposed change in or addition to the filings of the rating organization.        (2)    The Commissioner:            (i)    shall issue an order that approves the action or decision of the rating organization or directs it to give further consideration to the proposal; or            (ii)    if the appeal is from the action or decision of the rating organization in rejecting a proposed addition to its filings and the Commissioner finds that the action or decision was unreasonable, may issue an order that directs the rating organization to make, within a reasonable time after issuance of the order, an addition to its filings on behalf of its members and subscribers in a manner consistent with the Commissioner’s findings.        (3)    The Commissioner shall hold a hearing before issuing an order under paragraph (2) of this subsection.        (4)    The Commissioner shall give written notice of the hearing to the appellant and rating organization at least 10 days before the hearing.    (b)    (1)    If the appeal is based on the failure of a rating organization to make a filing on behalf of the member or subscriber that is based on a system of expense provisions that differs from the system of expense provisions included in a filing made by the rating organization, as authorized under § 11-205(e) of this subtitle, and the Commissioner grants the appeal, the Commissioner shall issue an order that requires the rating organization to make the requested filing for use by the appellant.        (2)    In deciding the appeal, the Commissioner shall apply the standards set forth in this subtitle.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-221 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part IV - Rating Organizations and Similar Organizations|Section 11-221 - Advisory Organizations

    (a)    Each advisory organization shall file with the Commissioner:        (1)    a copy of its constitution, articles of agreement or association, or certificate of incorporation and its bylaws, rules, and regulations that govern its activities;        (2)    a list of its members;        (3)    the name and address of a resident of the State on whom may be served notices or orders of the Commissioner or process issued at the direction of the Commissioner; and        (4)    an agreement that the Commissioner may examine the advisory organization in accordance with § 11-225 of this subtitle.    (b)    If, after a hearing, the Commissioner finds that the provision of information or help by an advisory organization involves an act or practice that is unfair, unreasonable, or otherwise inconsistent with this subtitle, the Commissioner may issue a written order that specifies the ways in which the act or practice is unfair, unreasonable, or otherwise inconsistent with this subtitle and requires that the act or practice be discontinued.    (c)    (1)    An insurer that makes its own filings or a rating organization may not support its filings by statistics or adopt rate making recommendations provided to it by an advisory organization that has failed to comply with:            (i)    this section; or            (ii)    an order of the Commissioner issued under subsection (b) of this section that involves the statistics or recommendations.        (2)    If the Commissioner finds that an insurer or rating organization has violated this subsection, the Commissioner may issue an order that requires that the violation be discontinued.
MD. Insurance Code Ann. §  11-222 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Insurance|Title 11 - Insurance Rating Law|Subtitle 2 - Prior Approval Rate Making|Part IV - Rating Organizations and Similar Organizations|Section 11-222 - Groups Engaged in Joint Underwriting or Joint Reinsurance

    (a)    Each group, association, or other organization of insurers that engages in joint underwriting or joint reinsurance is subject to this subtitle with respect to its joint underwriting or joint reinsurance activities.    (b)    If, after a hearing, the Commissioner finds that an activity or practice of a group, association, or other organization that engages in joint underwriting or joint reinsurance is unfair, unreasonable, or otherwise inconsistent with this subtitle, the Commissioner may issue a written order that specifies the ways in which the activity or practice is unreasonable, unfair, or otherwise inconsistent with this subtitle and requires that the activity or practice be discontinued.