Ohio § 3951.01

§ 3951.01.

As used in sections 3951.01 to 3951.09, inclusive, of the Revised Code : (A) “ Lending institution ” means a lending institution, as defined in division (L) of section 175.01 of the Revised Code , that is not organized for the purpose of qualifying to do business as a public insurance

adjuster in this state, as determined by the superintendent, and that has been engaged

in business as a bona fide lending institution for at least five years, and any member

of an affiliated group, as defined by division (B)(3)(e) of section 5739.01 of the Revised Code , associated with a lending institution, which member has been a member of the affiliated

group for at least five years and which member is not organized or affiliated with

the lending institution for the purpose of qualifying to do business as a public insurance

adjuster in this state, as determined by the superintendent. (B) “ Public insurance adjuster ” means any person, firm, association, partnership, or corporation who, for compensation,

acts on behalf of or aids in any manner, an insurer or insured or another in negotiating

for, or effecting the settlement of a claim or claims for loss or damage under any

policy of insurance covering real or personal property, and any person, firm, association,

partnership, or corporation who advertises, solicits business, or holds itself out

to the public as an adjuster of such insurance claims, and any person who for compensation

investigates, settles, adjusts, advises, or assists an insurer or insured with reference

to claims for such losses, on behalf of any such public insurance adjuster. (C) “ Public insurance adjuster agent ” means any person who is a bona fide employee of a public insurance adjuster and

who aids in the adjustment, investigation, and in securing of any contract for the

adjustment of a loss. (D) “ Superintendent ” means the superintendent of insurance acting as director of the department of insurance. (E) Nothing contained in Chapter 3951. of the Revised Code shall apply to the following: (1) An attorney at law admitted to practice in this state who adjusts insurance losses

in the course of the practice of the attorney's profession and who does not hold the

attorney out by sign, advertisement, or otherwise as offering such services to the

general public; (2) An officer, agent, or regular salaried employee of an insurer, or underwriter, or

any attorney in fact of any reciprocal insurer of Lloyd's underwriter licensed to

do business in this state who adjusts losses arising under the employer's or principal's

own policies;  or an underwriter by whom a policy of insurance against loss or damage

or other causes has been written upon property within this state, in adjusting loss

or damage under such policy, nor to an agent or broker acting as adjuster for the

agent's or broker's own company; (3) An adjustment bureau or association owned and maintained by insurers to adjust or

investigate losses of such insurers, or any regularly salaried employee thereof who

devotes substantially all of the employee's time to the business of such bureau or

association; (4) Any licensed agent or employee or officer of such agent or agency of an authorized

insurer who adjusts losses for such insurer solely under policies issued through such

agency; (5) Any independent adjuster representing an insurer.