Rhode Island § 27-71-15 - Market Conduct Surveillance Act

§ 27-71-15. Cost of market analysis and examination.

(a) The total cost of market analysis and examinations performed pursuant to this chapter shall be borne by the companies analyzed and/or examined, including the total cost of all persons contracted by the commissioner pursuant to this chapter to supplement in-house staff, in accordance with the provisions of § 27-13.1-7(a)(1) or in § 27-13.1-4(d) as applicable.

(b) The commissioner shall maintain active management and oversight of examination costs and fees, including costs and fees associated with the use of department personnel and examiners and with retaining qualified contract examiners necessary to perform an examination. To the extent the commissioner retains outside assistance, the commissioner must have in writing protocols that:

(1) Clearly identify the types of functions to be subject to outsourcing;

(2) Provide specific timelines for completion of the outsourced review;

(3) Require disclosure of contract examiners’ recommendations;

(4) Establish and utilize a dispute resolution or arbitration mechanism to resolve conflicts with insurers regarding examination costs and fees; and

(5) Require disclosure of the terms of the contracts with the outside consultants that will be used specifically the costs and fees and/or hourly rates that can be charged.

(c) The commissioner shall review and affirmatively endorse detailed billings from the qualified contract examiner before summary billings are sent to the insurer.

(d) The commissioner may contract for such qualified contract examiners as the commissioner deems necessary, provided that the compensation and per diem allowances paid to such contract persons shall not exceed one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the compensation and per diem allowances for examiners set forth in the guidelines adopted by the NAIC, unless the commissioner demonstrates that one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) is inadequate under the circumstances of the examination. The commissioner may make an exception to this requirement for compensation paid to contracted persons with unique expertise, however, such compensation shall be reasonable and based on market conditions.