Bill Text: NJ S2624 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: "Certificates of Insurance Act."
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-04 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee [S2624 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S2624-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator NIA H. GILL
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
Senator CHRISTOPHER "KIP" BATEMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
"Certificates of Insurance Act."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certificates of insurance and supplementing Title 17 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Certificates of Insurance Act."
2. As used in this act:
"Certificate of insurance" means a document or instrument, regardless of how titled or described, that is prepared or issued by an insurer or insurance producer as evidence of property or casualty insurance coverage. The term shall not include a policy of insurance, insurance binder, policy endorsement, or automobile insurance identification or information card.
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance.
"Insurance producer" means a person required to be licensed pursuant to the "New Jersey Insurance Producer Licensing Act of 2001," P.L.2001, c.210 (C.17:22A-26 et seq.).
"Insurer" means an organization that issues property or casualty insurance.
3. a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, a person shall not prepare, issue, request, or require the issuance of a certificate of insurance on property, operations, or risks located in this State unless:
(1) the certificate of insurance form has been filed with and approved by the commissioner; or
(2) the specific content and wording of the certificate of insurance form are established by any federal law or regulation or any law or regulation of this State.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section, the current edition of standard certificate of insurance forms promulgated by the following organizations are approved and authorized for use in this State on and after the date that the forms are filed with the commissioner:
(1) the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD);
(2) the American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS);
(3) the Insurance Services Office (ISO).
c. The commissioner shall disapprove the use of a certificate of insurance form if the form is:
(1) unfair, misleading, or deceptive, or violates public policy; or
(2) in violation of the provisions of any law, including any regulation promulgated by the commissioner.
4. A certificate of insurance shall not be considered to be a policy of insurance and shall not have the effect of amending, extending, or altering the coverage provided for in the referenced policy of insurance. A certificate of insurance shall not confer new or additional rights to any person beyond those provided for in the referenced policy of insurance.
5. a. A person shall not:
(1) Alter or modify a certificate of insurance form filed with the commissioner;
(2) Prepare, issue, request, or require the issuance of a certificate of insurance that contains any false or misleading information concerning the referenced policy of insurance; or
(3) Prepare, issue, request, or require the issuance of a certificate of insurance that purports to alter, amend, or extend the coverage provided by the referenced policy of insurance.
b. A certificate of insurance shall not warrant that the policy of insurance referenced in the certificate complies with the insurance or indemnification requirements of a contract. The inclusion of a contract number or description within a certificate of insurance shall not be interpreted as providing such a warranty.
6. A person shall not be entitled to a notice of a cancellation, a nonrenewal, or a material change, or any similar notice concerning a policy of insurance, unless the person has a right to that notice under the terms of the policy of insurance or an endorsement to the policy, or pursuant to any applicable State law. The terms and conditions of the notice shall be governed by the policy of insurance or endorsement and shall not be altered by a certificate of insurance.
7. a. The provisions of this act shall apply to all certificates of insurance issued in connection with property, operations, or risks located in this State, regardless of where the policyholder, insurer, insurance producer, or person requesting or requiring the issuance of a certificate of insurance is located.
b. A certificate of insurance or any other document or correspondence prepared, issued, requested, or required in violation of any provision of this act shall be null and void.
8. a. The commissioner shall have the authority to examine and investigate the activities of any person that the commissioner reasonably believes has been or is engaged in an act or practice prohibited by this act.
b. The commissioner shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this act, including the authority to issue orders to cease and desist and impose other sanctions as provided in the "New Jersey Insurance Producer Licensing Act of 2001," P.L.2001, c. 210 (C.17:22A-26 et seq.), or in P.L.1947, c.379 (C.17:29B-1 et seq.), as the commissioner determines to be applicable.
c. The commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
9. This act shall take effect on the 90th day next following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill, entitled the "Certificates of Insurance Act," is based on the Certificates of Insurance Model Act adopted by the National Conference of Insurance Legislators.
A certificate of insurance is provided by an insurer or an insurance producer and indicates that a property or casualty insurance policy has been issued to the insured and that the policy contains certain coverages and limits. The certificates are typically used by contractors to demonstrate that they have coverages required to enter into construction contracts.
The bill provides that a person shall not prepare, issue, request, or require the issuance of a certificate of insurance on property, operations, or risks located in this State unless: (1) the certificate of insurance form has been filed with and approved by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance; or (2) the specific content and wording of the certificate of insurance form are established by any federal law or regulation or any law or regulation of this State. The bill deems to be approved certificate of insurance forms that are filed with the commissioner if the forms are issued by certain organizations: the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD); the American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS); and the Insurance Services Office (ISO).
The bill requires the commissioner to disapprove the use of a certificate of insurance form if the form is unfair, misleading, or deceptive, or violates public policy, or is in violation of the provisions of any law, including any regulation promulgated by the commissioner.
The bill provides that a certificate of insurance shall not be considered to be a policy of insurance and shall not have the effect of amending, extending, or altering the coverage provided for in the referenced policy of insurance. A certificate of insurance shall not confer new or additional rights to any person beyond those provided for in the referenced policy of insurance.
The bill also provides that a person shall not: (1) alter or modify a certificate of insurance form filed with the commissioner; (2) prepare, issue, request, or require the issuance of a certificate of insurance that contains any false or misleading information concerning the referenced policy of insurance; or (3) prepare, issue, request, or require the issuance of a certificate of insurance that purports to alter, amend, or extend the coverage provided by the referenced policy of insurance.
The bill provides that a certificate of insurance shall not warrant that the policy of insurance referenced in the certificate complies with the insurance or indemnification requirements of a contract. The inclusion of a contract number or description within a certificate of insurance shall not be interpreted as providing such a warranty.
The bill provides that a person shall not be entitled to a notice of a cancellation, a nonrenewal, or a material change, or any similar notice concerning a policy of insurance, unless the person has a right to that notice under the terms of the policy of insurance or an endorsement to the policy. The terms and conditions of the notice shall be governed by the policy of insurance or endorsement and shall not be altered by a certificate of insurance.
The bill's provisions apply to all certificates of insurance issued in connection with property, operations, or risks located in this State, regardless of where the policyholder, insurer, insurance producer, or person requesting or requiring the issuance of a certificate of insurance is located. A certificate of insurance or any other document or correspondence prepared, issued, requested, or required in violation of any provision of the bill shall be null and void.
Finally, the bill provides the commissioner with enforcement powers, including those provided for in existing statutes governing insurers and insurance producers as determined to be applicable by the commissioner, and provides that the commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the bill's provisions.
