AB 1131: Insurance: electronic transmission.

Existing law generally requires that any required notice related to insurance transactions be made by mail. Existing law authorizes an insurer, under specified conditions, to provide by electronic transmission the required offer of renewal for automobile insurance, the required offer of renewal or conditional renewal for property insurance, the required offer of coverage or renewal or any disclosure required regarding earthquake insurance, and the offer of renewal for a workers compensation policy.

Existing law also generally requires that, a record, signature, or contract may not be denied legal effect or enforceability because it is in electronic form. Existing law exempts from this requirement disability insurance and life insurance policies and certificates offered for sale to individuals 65 years of age or older, notice of an increase in premiums on an individual life insurance policy, individual life insurance policies with a face value of less than $10,000, a policy of individual life insurance that is initially delivered or issued for delivery in the state on and after January 1, 1990, applications for life insurance or annuity, and a policy replacement notice.

This bill would, for life insurance records, authorize additional persons to send records by electronic transmission by providing that an insurer, agent, broker, or any other person licensed by the Department of Insurance may send electronic records. This bill would expand the scope of electronic notice provisions by allowing the above licensees to send any written record by electronic transmission if not specifically excluded and if the licensee meets specified requirements. The bill would also require the commissioner to submit a report, as specified. The bill would exempt an insurance agent or broker from civil liability for any deficiency in the electronic procedures agreed to by the parties if the insurance agent or broker meets various requirements, as specified.

This bill would make conforming changes.

This bill would incorporate changes to Section 1633.3 of the Civil Code proposed by both this bill and AB 1097, which would become operative only if both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last.