SB 1161

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law establishes the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, which regulates insurers and insurance practices. Existing law requires an admitted insurer with written California premiums totaling $10,000,000 or more, on or before April 1, 2020, and every 2 years thereafter, as specified, to submit a report to the commissioner with specified fire risk information on its residential property policies. Existing law subjects an admitted insurer that fails to submit a report to a civil penalty to be fixed by the commissioner, not to exceed $5,000, or $10,000 if the act was willful. This bill would require an admitted insurer with written California premiums totaling $5,000,000 or more to submit an additional report to the commissioner, on or before March 1, 2021, and every year thereafter, for the prior year on policies of residential property insurance written on risks located in California. The bill would require the report to contain information reported by ZIP code on the number of new policies, the number of policies renewed, and the number of policies nonrenewed. The bill would subject an admitted insurer that fails to submit a report to the civil penalties described above. The bill would provide that the information submitted to the commissioner in a report is confidential and not subject to subpoena, as specified. The bill would require the commissioner, on or before May 15, 2021, and every year thereafter, to submit to the insurance committees of the Senate and Assembly a report on policy renewal and nonrenewals compiled from the data collected by insurers and to post the report on the department's internet website. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.