AL Code § 27-14-8 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 27 - Insurance.|Chapter 14 - The Insurance Contract.|Section 27-14-8 - Forms - Filing and Approval or Disapproval.

Section 27-14-8Forms - Filing and approval or disapproval. (a) No basic insurance policy or annuity contract form or application form where written application is required and is to be made a part of the policy, or contract, or printed rider, or endorsement form or form of renewal certificate shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state unless the form has been filed with, and approved by, the commissioner. This subsection shall not apply to surety bonds or to specially rated inland marine risks, nor to policies, riders, endorsements, or forms of unique character designed for, and used with, relation to insurance upon a particular subject or which relate to the manner of distribution of benefits or to the reservation of rights and benefits under life or disability insurance policies and are used at the request or with the consent of the individual policyholder, contract holder, or certificate holder. As to group insurance policies effectuated and delivered outside this state, but covering persons resident in this state, the group certificates to be delivered or issued for delivery in this state shall be filed, for the commissioner's information only, with the commissioner at his request. As to forms for use in property, marine, other than wet marine and transportation insurance, casualty and surety insurance coverages, the filing required by this subsection may be made by rating organizations on behalf of its members and subscribers; but this subsection shall not be deemed to prohibit any such member or subscriber from filing any such forms on its own behalf. (b) Every such filing shall be made not less than 30 days in advance of any such delivery. At the expiration of such 30 days, the form so filed shall be deemed approved unless prior thereto it has been affirmatively approved or disapproved by order of the commissioner. Approval of any such form by the commissioner shall constitute a waiver of any unexpired portion of such waiting period. The commissioner may extend, by not more than an additional 30 days, the period within which he may so affirmatively approve or disapprove any such form, by giving notice of such extension before expiration of the initial 30-day period. At the expiration of any such period as so extended, and in the absence of such prior affirmative approval or disapproval, any such form shall be deemed approved. The commissioner may, at any time, after notice and for cause shown, withdraw any such approval. (c) Any order of the commissioner disapproving any such form or withdrawing a previous approval shall state the grounds therefor and the particulars thereof in such detail as reasonably to inform the insurer thereof. (d) The commissioner may, by order, exempt from the requirements of this section for so long as he deems proper any insurance document or form, or type thereof, as specified in such order, to which, in his opinion, this section may not practicably be applied or the filing and approval of which are, in his opinion, not desirable or necessary for the protection of the public. (e) Appeals from orders of the commissioner disapproving any such form or withdrawing a previous approval may be taken as provided in Section 27-2-32. (Acts 1971, No. 407, p. 707, §321.)