Florida § 626.897 - Application for authorization to act as service company; bond.

§ 626.897. Application for authorization to act as service company; bond.

(1) An application by any business for approval to provide underwriting and claims adjusting services to self-insurers or multiple-employer welfare arrangements shall be made on appropriate forms. Applications shall be approved pursuant to s. 120.60. (2) Any business desiring to act as a service company for individual self-insurers or multiple-employer welfare arrangements shall be approved by the office. Any business acting as a service company prior to October 1, 1983, will be approved as a service company upon complying with the filing requirements of this section and s. 626.898. The failure of any person to obtain such approval while acting as a service company shall subject such person to a fine of not less than $5,000 or more than $10,000 for each violation. (3) Any business making application to qualify as a service company shall provide proof that it meets the following conditions before approval may be granted: (a) The owners of the business, including members of a copartnership, the officers of a corporation, and any person exercising control or influence over the affairs of the service company, must not have been convicted of felonies or of crimes involving fraud, embezzlement, or theft or have been materially responsible for the insolvency of any self-funded plan. (b) The business must have a sufficient number of experienced and qualified claims personnel employed full time to meet the needs of all self-insurers or multiple-employer welfare arrangements with which it intends to contract. (c) The business must have a sufficient number of experienced and qualified personnel employed full time in the area of underwriting to meet the needs of all self-insurers or multiple-employer welfare arrangements with which it intends to contract. In this context, the term “underwriting” includes, but is not limited to, the overall planning and coordinating of a self-insurance program or a multiple-employer welfare arrangement, the ability to procure bonds and excess insurance, the ability to provide summary data regarding the cost to the self-insurer or multiple-employer welfare arrangement of providing benefits, including the frequency and distribution by type and cause, and the skill to make recommendations to individual self-insurers and multiple-employer welfare arrangements regarding the correction of any deficiencies that arise in the self-insurance programs. (4) In support of its application, the business shall submit summary information concerning its organization and staff sufficient to establish fulfillment of the requirements of this section. (5) Any service company which seeks authorization must certify that it has the record-keeping capabilities specified before any authorization may be granted. (6) Any business applying to be a service company which business is owned by or affiliated with an authorized insurance company may provide proof of its ability to deliver claims adjusting and underwriting services by certifying that employees of the service company or employees of the affiliated insurance company will deliver such services. (7) The service company shall have and keep in full force and effect a fidelity bond equal to 10 percent of the claims processed annually and coverage for errors and omissions in an equal amount not to exceed $250,000 for each.