Section 3451. Identity theft group insurance policies  


Latest version.
  • (a)(1) An identity
      theft group insurance policy, and certificates thereunder, may be issued
      or delivered in this state only in accordance  with  the  provisions  of
      this section.
        (2)  An  identity  theft  group  insurance  policy,  and  certificates
      thereunder, may be issued only by an authorized insurer.
        (3) The policy may be issued to:
        (A) an employer, or a trustee or trustees of the fund  established  by
      an employer, which employer or trustee shall be deemed the policyholder,
      where the policy insures the employees of the employer;
        (B) a labor union, or a trustee or trustees of a fund established by a
      labor   union,  which  labor  union  or  trustee  shall  be  deemed  the
      policyholder, where the policy insures the members of the labor union;
        (C) a trustee of a trust established, or participated in,  by  two  or
      more  employers  or labor unions, or by one or more employers and one or
      more labor unions, which the trustee shall be deemed  the  policyholder,
      where the policy insures the employees of the employers, and the members
      of the labor unions;
        (D)  a sponsor, where the policy insures account group members, as the
      terms are defined in subsection  (a)  of  section  three  thousand  four
      hundred forty-two of this article;
        (E) an association, or to a trustee or trustees of a fund established,
      created,  or  maintained  for  the  benefit of one or more associations,
      which the association or trustee shall be deemed the policyholder; where
      all the eligible members of the association  or  associations  have  the
      same   profession,   trade,   or  occupation,  and  the  association  or
      associations have been  organized  and  maintained  in  good  faith  for
      purposes  principally  other  than that of obtaining insurance, and have
      been in active existence for at least two years, and  where  the  policy
      insures the members of the associations;
        (F) a business that sells services or products designed to prevent, or
      to  minimize  the  effects of stolen identity events, which the business
      shall be deemed to be the policyholder, where  the  policy  insures  the
      persons that purchase the services or products;
        (G)  any  other  business  or  association  that has in its possession
      individuals'  personal  identification  information,  where  the  policy
      insures  the  individuals  whose information the business or association
      possesses; or
        (H) any other entity where the  superintendent  has  determined  in  a
      regulation  that the members are engaged in a common enterprise, or have
      an economic or social affinity or relationship, and that the issuance of
      the policy would not be contrary to the best interests of the public.
        (4) For purposes of this section, the term  "employer"  shall  include
      subsidiaries or affiliates of the employer.
        (b)  The  group  shall  consist  only  of natural persons, hereinafter
      referred to as  group  members,  as  specified  in  paragraph  three  of
      subsection  (a)  of  this  section, and may also include a member of the
      group member's  immediate  family  or  household  or,  where  the  group
      policyholder  is a sponsor, an authorized user, as the terms are defined
      in subsection (a) of section three thousand four  hundred  forty-two  of
      this chapter.
        (c)(1)  The policy shall cover losses and expenses incurred because of
      stolen identity events, as defined  in  subparagraph  (E)  of  paragraph
      seven  of subsection (a) of section one thousand one hundred thirteen of
      this chapter.
        (2) An insurer shall treat in a like manner all eligible group members
      of the same class.
    
        (3) Except for groups as described in subparagraph  (F)  of  paragraph
      three  of  subsection  (a)  of this section, a group member shall not be
      required to purchase any product or  service  to  be  eligible  for  the
      coverage.
        (d)  The  premium for the group policy, including certificates, may be
      paid by the group policyholder from funds contributed: (1) wholly by the
      group policyholder; (2) wholly by the group members; or (3)  jointly  by
      the group policyholder and the group members, except that with regard to
      subparagraph  (G)  of paragraph three of subsection (a) of this section,
      the premium for the group policy shall be paid  from  funds  contributed
      wholly by the group policyholder.
        (e)  A  group  identity  theft  insurance policy or certificate issued
      thereunder, shall not be subject to section three thousand four  hundred
      twenty-five  or  section  three thousand four hundred twenty-six of this
      article.  The  following  requirements  shall  apply  with   regard   to
      cancellation, nonrenewal, or conditional renewal of coverage:
        (1)  Unless  the group policy provides for a longer policy period, the
      policy shall be issued or renewed for a one-year policy period.
        (2) A group policy, or any certificate thereunder, may be cancelled by
      an insurer only if cancellation is based upon one or more of the reasons
      set forth in paragraph one of subsection (c) of section  three  thousand
      four  hundred twenty-six of this article, provided, however, that an act
      or omission by a  group  member  shall  not  constitute  the  basis  for
      cancellation  of  the  policy and provided further, that coverage for an
      individual group member shall terminate upon termination of the member's
      employment by, or other affiliation with, the  group  policyholder  that
      constitutes membership in the group.
        (3) An insurer's cancellation, nonrenewal, or conditional renewal of a
      group  policy,  or  any  certificate issued thereunder, shall not become
      effective until at least forty-five days, or twenty days if  based  upon
      non-payment  of  premium,  after  the  insurer mails or delivers written
      notice of the cancellation or nonrenewal to the  group  policyholder  at
      the  mailing  address  shown  in  the policy and to affected certificate
      holders at each certificate holder's last known mailing address.  If  so
      authorized  by  the  insurer, the group policyholder may mail or deliver
      the notice to the certificate holder  on  behalf  of  the  insurer.  For
      purposes  of  this  section, the term "conditional renewal" shall mean a
      renewal that is conditioned upon change of limits,  change  in  type  of
      coverage,  reduction or elimination of coverage, increased deductible or
      addition of exclusion, or increased premiums in excess  of  ten  percent
      (exclusive  of  any  premium increase generated as a result of increased
      exposure units or  as  a  result  of  experience  rating,  loss  rating,
      retrospective rating, or audit).
        (4)  Every  notice of cancellation, nonrenewal, or conditional renewal
      shall set  forth  the  specific  reason  or  reasons  for  cancellation,
      nonrenewal, or conditional renewal.
        (5)  A  group  policyholder may cancel the group policy for any reason
      upon thirty days written notice to the insurer and each  affected  group
      member.  A  group policyholder shall not be required to give notice to a
      group member if substantially similar coverage has  been  obtained  from
      another insurer without lapse of coverage.
        (6)  If  prior  to  the effective date of cancellation, nonrenewal, or
      conditional renewal of the group policy,  or  cancellation,  nonrenewal,
      conditional  renewal  or termination of a certificate, whether initiated
      by the insurer, group policyholder, or by the group member, with respect
      to the group member's certificate, a group member sustains  an  identity
      theft  loss,  the  loss  shall  remain  covered  in  accordance with the
    
      coverage provided under the policy,  notwithstanding  the  cancellation,
      nonrenewal, conditional renewal, or termination.
        (f)  The  superintendent  may  promulgate  regulations  pertaining  to
      identity  theft  group  insurance,  including   regulations   regarding:
      payments   of   dividends  or  retrospective  premium  refunds;  minimum
      provisions; minimum  number  of  group  members;  and  other  reasonable
      limitations.
        * NB There are 2 § 3451's