Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 49, December 7, 2024
Section 73.133 - Claims and examination procedures(a)Claim procedures. Every insurer shall be responsible for the settlement, adjustment and payment of all claims and shall establish and maintain adequate claim files.(b)Claim reporting. (1) Claims shall be promptly reported by the group policyholder or its representatives to the insurer or its designated claim representative, and all claims shall be settled as soon as practical and in accordance with the terms of the insurance contract.(2) In the case where both A and H insurance benefit and life insurance with TPD benefit coverages are provided in connection with the same indebtedness, the group policyholder shall report the claim to the insurer for the appropriate coverage prior to or at the end of any applicable elimination period, subject to the group policyholder having received appropriate claim information from the insured debtor.(c)Payment of claims. In addition to the payment of a claim by a draft drawn upon the insurer or by a check of the insurer, claims may also be paid by electronic transfer drawn by the insurer to the order of the claimant to whom payment of the claim is due. If the amount of the insurance payable exceeds the balance which the debtor is obligated to pay to the creditor, the creditor shall pay the excess directly to the beneficiary designated by the debtor or the estate entitled to the excess.(d)Settlement of claims. If a group policyholder has made arrangements with an insurer to draw drafts or checks or make electronic transfers for payment of claims due to the group policyholder, the parties making the draws or electronic transfers may not be directly involved in making loans for the policyholder.(e)Creditor examination. An insurer shall be responsible for conducting a thorough examination of creditors with respect to its credit insurance business during the first policy year and at least annually thereafter to assure compliance with this chapter and other applicable insurance laws and regulations of the Commonwealth. The examination shall verify the accuracy of premiums or other identifiable insurance charges, premium refunds, claim payments which have been reported to the insurer and any other pertinent information necessary for the insurer to determine that debtors are being afforded proper coverage. Examinations performed by an insurer shall be subject to review by the Department. The group policy shall contain a provision explaining that the account will be examined annually.(f)Inspection of examination procedures. Each insurer shall make available for Department inspection upon request its creditor examination procedures.(g)Record of examination. The insurer shall establish and maintain a written record of each creditor examination. This record shall be maintained for at least 3 years from the date of examination or until the conclusion of the next succeeding regular examination by the Department of its domicile, whichever is later.(h)Record of coverage. An insurer or, at the option of the insurer, the creditor shall establish and maintain adequate credit insurance records for at least 2 years after the termination of an individual debtor's insurance coverage. The records shall identify each individual debtor, the amount insured, the term of the insurance, the charge for the insurance and any refunds of unearned premiums. The records shall be made available for Department review upon request.