AL Code § 27-29-7 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 27 - Insurance.|Chapter 29 - Insurance Holding Company Systems.|Section 27-29-7 - Confidentiality of Documents, Materials, or Other Information; Powers of Commissioner; Disclosure and Sharing of Documents, Etc.

Section 27-29-7Confidentiality of documents, materials, or other information; powers of commissioner; disclosure and sharing of documents, etc. (a) All documents, materials, or other information, and copies thereof, in the possession or control of the department that are obtained by or disclosed to the commissioner or any other person in the course of an examination or investigation made pursuant to Section 27-29-6 and all information reported pursuant to paragraphs l. and m. of subdivision (l) of subsection (b) of Section 27-29-3, Section 27-29-4, Section 27-29-5, and Section 27-29-6.2 shall be confidential by law and privileged, shall not be subject to any open records, freedom of information, sunshine or other public record disclosure laws, and shall not be subject to subpoena. The commissioner may use the documents, materials, and other information in the furtherance of any regulatory or legal action in the course of the commissioner's official duties. The documents, materials, and other information shall not be made public by the commissioner or any other person without the prior written consent of the insurer to which it pertains unless the commissioner determines that the interests of policyholders, shareholders, or the public will be served by the publication thereof, in which event the commissioner may publish all, or any part thereof, in such manner as the commissioner may deem appropriate. Prior to making this determination, the commissioner shall give the insurer and its affiliates who would be affected thereby no less than 10 days' written notice of the opportunity to request a hearing on the matter. (b) Neither the commissioner nor any person who received documents, materials, or other information while acting under the authority of the commissioner or with whom such documents, materials, or other information are shared pursuant to this chapter shall be permitted or required to testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential documents, materials, or information subject to subsection (a). (c) In order to assist in the performance of the commissioner's duties, the commissioner: (1) May share documents, materials, or other information, including the confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information subject to subsection (a), with other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies, with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and its affiliates and subsidiaries, and with state, federal, and international law enforcement authorities, including members of any supervisory college described in Section 27-29-6.1, provided that the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the document, material, or other information, and has verified in writing the legal authority to maintain confidentiality. (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1) above, may share confidential and privileged documents, material, or information reported pursuant to subsection (l) of Section 27-29-4 only with commissioners of states having statutes or regulations substantially similar to subsection (a) and who have agreed in writing not to disclose such information. (3) May receive documents, materials, or information, including otherwise confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and its affiliates and subsidiaries and from regulatory and law enforcement officials of other foreign or domestic jurisdictions, and shall maintain as confidential or privileged any document, material, or information received with notice or the understanding that it is confidential or privileged under the laws of the jurisdiction that is the source of the document, material, or information. (4) Shall enter into written agreements with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners governing sharing and use of information provided pursuant to this chapter consistent with this subsection that shall: a. Specify procedures and protocols regarding the confidentiality and security of information shared with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and its affiliates and subsidiaries pursuant to this chapter, including procedures and protocols for sharing by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners with other state, federal, or international regulators. b. Specify that ownership of information shared with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and its affiliates and subsidiaries pursuant to this chapter remains with the commissioner and the use of the information by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners is subject to the direction of the commissioner. c. Require at least 10 days' notice to be given to an insurer whose confidential information in the possession of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners pursuant to this chapter is subject to a request or subpoena to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for disclosure or production. d. Require the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and its affiliates and subsidiaries to consent to intervention by an insurer in any judicial or administrative action in which the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and its affiliates and subsidiaries may be required to disclose confidential information about the insurer shared with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and its affiliates and subsidiaries pursuant to this chapter. (d) The sharing of information by the commissioner pursuant to this chapter shall not constitute a delegation of regulatory authority or rulemaking, and the commissioner is solely responsible for the administration, execution, and enforcement of this chapter. (e) No waiver of any applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality in the documents, materials, or information shall occur as a result of disclosure to the commissioner under this section or as a result of sharing as authorized in subsection (c). (f) Documents, materials, or other information in the possession or control of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners pursuant to this chapter shall be confidential by law and privileged, shall not be subject to open records, freedom of information, sunshine or other public records disclosure laws, shall not be subject to subpoena, and shall not be subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action. (Acts 1973, No. 1042, p. 1636, §8; Act 2014-324, p. 1151, §1; Act 2017-228, §1; Act 2019-97, §2.)