Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 120 - OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE, SAFETY FIRE COMMISSIONER AND INDUSTRIAL LOAN COMMISSIONER › Chapter 120-2 - RULES OF COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE › Subject 120-2-42 - READABILITY STANDARDS FOR PERSONAL LINES POLICIES › Rule 120-2-42-.04 - Standards

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
Policies and forms subject to this Regulation shall meet the
				  following standards:
(a) The policy
				shall include a table of contents of important provisions.
(b) Each section shall be self-contained and
				independent. However, general provisions applicable to more than one section
				may be included in a common section.
(c) The policy, except for declarations
				pages, schedules, and tables, shall be printed in not less than ten-point type,
				one-point leaded.
(d) The policy
				shall be printed in a legible type-style with adequate contrast between ink and
				paper. Captions, headings, and spacing shall be used to increase overall
				legibility.
(e) The policy shall be
				written in everyday conversational language consistent with its standing as a
				contract. Short sentences and a personal style shall be used wherever
				possible.
(f) Technical terms and
				words with special meaning shall be avoided wherever possible.
(g) The policy text shall achieve a minimum
				score of forty (40) on the Flesch Reading Ease Test or an equivalent score on
				any other comparable test or a lower score on either if the Commissioner finds
				the policy reasonably easy to read. For purposes of this Regulation, a Flesch
				Reading Ease Test shall be scored by the following methods:
1. For a policy containing 10,000 words or
				less of text, the entire policy shall be analyzed. For a policy containing more
				than 10,000 words, the readability of two 100-word samples per page may be
				analyzed instead. The samples shall be separated by at least twenty (20)
				printed lines.
2. The total number
				of words in the text or sample shall be divided by the total number of
				sentences. The figure obtained shall be multiplied by 1.015.
3. The total number of syllables in the text
				or sample shall be divided by the total number of words. The figure obtained
				shall be multiplied by 84.6.
4. The
				sum of the figures computed under subparagraphs 2. and 3. subtracted from
				206.835 equals the Flesch Reading Ease Test score.
5. For purposes of this Regulation, the
				following procedures shall be used:
(i) A
				contraction, hyphenated word, number, or letter, when separated by spaces,
				shall be counted as one word;
(ii)
				A unit of text ending with a period, semicolon, or colon shall be counted as a
				sentence;
(iii) A syllable means a
				unit of spoken language consisting of one or more letters of a word as divided
				by an accepted dictionary. Where the dictionary shows two or more equally
				acceptable pronunciations of a word, the pronunciation containing fewer
				syllables may be used; and
(iv) At
				the option of the insurer, any form made a part of the policy may be scored
				separately or as part of the policy.
6. The term "text" as used in this Regulation
				includes all printed matter except the name and address of the insurer; the
				name, number or title of the policy or form; the table of contents or index;
				headings and captions; and declarations pages, schedules, or tables.
7. The Commissioner may authorize a lower
				score than the Flesch reading score required in subparagraph (g) of Rule
				120-2-42-.04 if such lower score is
				caused by certain language which is drafted to conform to the requirements of
				any state or federal law, regulation or agency interpretation.