2023 California Code › Insurance Code - INS › DIVISION 1 - GENERAL RULES GOVERNING INSURANCE › PART 2 - THE BUSINESS OF INSURANCE › CHAPTER 5 - Production Agencies › ARTICLE 12 - Conduct of Licensee › Section 1724.5.

1724.5. Every individual and organization licensee and every applicant for a license shall file with the commissioner in writing the true name of the individual or organization and also all fictitious names under which an individual or organization conducts or intends to conduct business and after licensing shall file with the commissioner any change in or discontinuance of those names. The commissioner may in writing disapprove the use of any true or fictitious name (other than the bona fide natural name of an individual) by any licensee on any of the following grounds:
(a) The name is an interference with or is too similar to a name already filed and in use by another licensee;
(b) The use of the name may mislead the public in any respect;
(c) The name states, infers or implies that the licensee is an insurer, motor club, hospital service plan or entitled to engage in insurance activities not permitted under licenses held or applied for;
(d) The name states or implies that the licensee is an underwriter. This subdivision shall not prevent natural persons who are life licensees from describing themselves as an “underwriter” or from using the designation “Chartered Life Underwriter” if entitled thereto nor shall it prevent a natural person who is a fire and casualty licensee from using the designation “Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter” if entitled thereto nor a producers trade association each member of which is also separately licensed from having a name containing the word underwriter; or
(e) The licensee has already filed and not discontinued the use of more than two names including the true name. This subdivision shall not prevent a licensee who has lawfully purchased or succeeded to the business or businesses of other licensees from using for each business not more than two additional names, true or fictitious, consisting of names used by the licensee’s predecessors in the conduct of those businesses.
A licensee may not use a true or fictitious name after being notified by the commissioner in writing that the use is contrary to this section. If the commissioner determines that there are facts in mitigation in connection with the continued use of the name the commissioner may permit its use for a specified reasonable period of time if in connection therewith the commissioner imposes conditions that will protect the public and achieve the purposes of this section. The permission and conditions shall be written.
The grounds specified in subdivisions (a), (c), and (d) shall not be applicable to the true name of any organization licensee that on October 1, 1961, holds under that name any type of license issued under this chapter (commencing with Section 1621) or Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 1831) of this part nor to any fictitious name in use on October 1, 1961, by any individual or organization holding any type of license issued under this chapter or Chapter 8 of this part on that date, provided the fictitious name is filed with the commissioner on or before January 2, 1962.
The ground specified in subdivisions (b) and (e) shall not be applicable to any licensee who, or which, on October 1, 1961, holds a license issued under this chapter or Chapter 8 of this part until on and after January 2, 1964.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 16. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)