2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 27 - Insurance › Chapter 27-2.4 - Producer Licensing Act › Section 27-2.4-16. - Notification to insurance commissioner of termination.

§ 27-2.4-16. Notification to insurance commissioner of termination.
(a)
Termination for cause.
An insurer or authorized representative of the insurer that terminates the employment contract or other insurance business relationship with an insurance producer shall notify the insurance commissioner within thirty (30) days following the effective date of the termination, using a format prescribed by the insurance commissioner, if the reason for termination is one of the reasons set forth in § 27-2.4-14 or the insurer has knowledge the insurance producer was found by a court, government body, or self-regulatory organization authorized by law to have engaged in any of the activities in § 27-2.4-14. Upon the written request of the insurance commissioner, the insurer shall provide additional information, documents, records or other data pertaining to the termination or activity of the insurance producer.
(b)
Ongoing notification requirement.
The insurer or the authorized representative of the insurer shall promptly notify the insurance commissioner in a format acceptable to the insurance commissioner if, upon further review or investigation, the insurer discovers additional information that would have been reportable to the insurance commissioner in accordance with subsection (a) of this section had the insurer then known of its existence.
(c)
Copy of notification to be provided to the insurance producer.
(1)
Within fifteen (15) days after making the notification required by subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the insurer shall mail a copy of the notification to the insurance producer at his or her last known address. If the insurance producer is terminated for cause for any of the reasons listed in § 27-2.4-14, the insurer shall provide a copy of the notification to the insurance producer at his or her last known address by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid or by overnight delivery using a nationally recognized carrier.
(2)
Within thirty (30) days after the insurance producer has received the original or additional notification, the insurance producer may file written comments concerning the substance of the notification with the insurance commissioner. The insurance producer shall, by the same means, simultaneously send a copy of the comments to the reporting insurer, and the comments shall become a part of the insurance commissioner’s file and accompany every copy of a report distributed or disclosed for any reason about the insurance producer as permitted under subsection (e) of this section.
(d)
Immunities.
(1)
In the absence of actual malice, an insurer, the authorized representative of the insurer, an insurance producer, the insurance commissioner, or an organization of which the insurance commissioner is a member and that compiles the information and makes it available to other insurance commissioners or regulatory or law enforcement agencies shall not be subject to civil liability, except as provided in this section, and a civil cause of action of any nature shall not arise against these entities or their respective agents or employees, except as provided in this section, as a result of any statement or information required by or provided pursuant to this section or any information relating to any statement that may be requested in writing by the insurance commissioner, from an insurer or insurance producer; or a statement by a terminating insurer or insurance producer to an insurer or insurance producer limited solely and exclusively to whether a termination for cause under subsection (a) of this section was reported to the insurance commissioner, provided that the propriety of any termination for cause under subsection (a) of this section is certified in writing by an officer or authorized representative of the insurer or insurance producer terminating the relationship.
(2)
In any action brought against a person that may have immunity under this chapter for making any statement required by this section or providing any information relating to any statement that may be requested by the insurance commissioner, the party bringing the action shall plead specifically in any allegation that subdivision (d)(1) of this section does not apply because the person making the statement or providing the information did so with actual malice.
(3)
This chapter shall not abrogate or modify any existing statutory or common law privileges or immunities.
(e)
Confidentiality.
(1)
Any documents, materials or other information in the control or possession of the department that is furnished by an insurer, insurance producer or an employee or agent of the insurer or insurance producer acting on behalf of the insurer or insurance producer, or obtained by the insurance commissioner in an investigation pursuant to this section, shall be confidential by law and privileged, shall not be subject to chapter 2 of title 38, shall not be subject to subpoena, and shall not be subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action. The insurance commissioner is authorized to use the documents, materials or other information in the furtherance of any regulatory or legal action brought as a part of the insurance commissioner’s duties.
(2)
Neither the insurance commissioner nor any person who received documents, materials or other information while acting under the authority of the insurance commissioner shall be permitted or required to testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential documents, materials, or information subject to this chapter.
(3)
In order to assist in the performance of the insurance commissioner’s duties under this chapter, the insurance commissioner:
(i)
May share documents, materials or other information, including the confidential and privileged documents, materials or information subject to this chapter, with other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies, with the NAIC, its affiliates or subsidiaries, and with state, federal, and international law enforcement authorities, provided that the recipient agrees to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the document, material or other information;
(ii)
May receive documents, materials or information, including confidential and privileged documents, materials or information, from the NAIC, its affiliates or 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;
(iii)
May enter into agreements governing sharing and use of information consistent with this subsection;
(iv)
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 this chapter;
(v)
Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the insurance commissioner from releasing final, adjudicated actions including for cause terminations that are open to public inspection pursuant to chapter 2 of title 38 to a database or other clearinghouse service maintained by the NAIC, its affiliates or subsidiaries; and
(vi)
If the department releases to an unauthorized third party any documents, materials or other information provided to the department pursuant to this section, then the department shall be subject to a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) after a hearing on this violation brought in the Superior Court.
(f)
Penalties for failing to report.
An insurer, the authorized representative of the insurer, or insurance producer that fails to report as required under the provisions of this section or that is found to have reported with actual malice by a court of competent jurisdiction may, after notice and hearing, have its license or certificate of authority suspended or revoked and may be fined in accordance with § 42-14-16.
History of Section.
P.L. 2001, ch. 14, § 3; P.L. 2001, ch. 15, § 3; P.L. 2013, ch. 31, § 2; P.L. 2013, ch. 36, § 2; P.L. 2021, ch. 395, § 6, effective July 14, 2021.