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Idaho Statutes
Idaho Statutes are updated to the website July 1 following the legislative session.
INSURANCE
CHAPTER 18
THE INSURANCE CONTRACT
41-1842. Commercial insurance — Cancellation — Nonrenewal. (1) Applicability. The provisions of this section apply only to:
(a) Commercial property insurance policies;
(b) Commercial liability insurance policies other than aviation and employer’s liability insurance policies;
(c) Commercial multiperil insurance policies.
The provisions of this section do not apply to: block cancellations or block nonrenewals as provided in section 41-1841, Idaho Code, reinsurance, excess and surplus lines insurance, residual market risks, worker’s compensation insurance, multistate location risks, policies subject to retrospective rating plans, excess or umbrella policies and such other policies that are exempted by the director of the department of insurance.
(2) Definitions. For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Cancellation" means termination of a policy at a date other than its expiration date.
(b) "Expiration date" means the date upon which coverage under a policy ends. It also means, for a policy written for a term longer than one (1) year or with no fixed expiration date, each annual anniversary date of such policy.
(c) "Nonpayment of premium" means the failure or inability of the named insured to discharge any obligation in connection with the payment of premiums on a policy of insurance subject to this section, whether such payments are payable directly to the insurer or its agent or indirectly payable under a premium finance plan or extension of credit.
(d) "Nonrenewal" or "not to renew" means termination of a policy at its expiration date.
(e) "Renewal" or "to renew" means the issuance, or the offer so to issue, by an insurer of a policy succeeding a policy previously issued and delivered by the same insurer or an insurer within the same group of insurers, or the issuance of a certificate or notice extending the term of an existing policy for a specified period beyond its expiration date.
(3) Notice of cancellation.
(a) Permissible cancellations. If coverage under a policy has not been in effect for sixty (60) days and the policy is not a renewal, cancellation of such policy shall be effected by mailing or delivering a written notice to the first-named insured at the last known mailing address shown on the policy at least thirty (30) days before the effective date of the cancellation, provided however, if such cancellation is for the reason stated in subsection (3)(a)(i) of this section, the time such cancellation may be effective following notice shall be as provided in subsection (3)(b)(i) of this section. A cancellation requested by the insured shall be effective on the later of the date requested by the insured or the date it is received by the insurer. After coverage has been in effect for more than sixty (60) days or after the effective date of a renewal policy, whichever is earlier, no insurer shall cancel a policy unless the cancellation is based on at least one (1) of the following reasons:
(i) Nonpayment of premium.
(ii) Fraud or material misrepresentation made by or with the knowledge of the named insured in obtaining the policy, continuing the policy, or in presenting a claim under the policy.
(iii) Activities or omissions on the part of the named insured which increase any hazard insured against, including a failure to comply with loss control recommendations.
(iv) Change in the risk which materially increases the risk of loss after insurance coverage has been issued or renewed including, but not limited to, an increase in exposure to regulation, legislation or court decision.
(v) Loss or decrease of the insurer’s reinsurance covering all or part of the risk or exposure by the policy.
(vi) Determination by the director that the continuation of the policy would jeopardize an insurer’s solvency or would place the insurer in violation of the insurance laws of this state or any other state.
(vii) Violation or breach by the insured of any policy terms or conditions other than nonpayment of premium.
(b) Notification of cancellation.
(i) A notice of cancellation of insurance coverage by an insurer shall be in writing and shall be mailed or delivered to the first-named insured at the last known mailing address as shown on the policy. Notices of cancellation based on subsections (3)(a)(ii) through (a)(vii) of this section shall be mailed or delivered at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of the cancellation. Notices of cancellation for the reason stated in subsection (3)(a)(i) of this section without regard to when such cancellation shall be effected shall be mailed or delivered at least ten (10) days prior to the effective date of cancellation. If delivered via United States mail, the ten (10) day notification period shall begin to run five (5) days following the date of postmark. The notice shall state the effective date of the cancellation.
(ii) The insurer shall provide the first-named insured with a written statement setting forth the reason(s) for the cancellation if: (1) the insured requests such a statement in writing; and (2) the named insured agrees in writing to hold the insurer harmless from liability for any communication giving notice of or specifying the reasons for a cancellation or for any statement made in connection with an attempt to discover or verify the existence of conditions which would be a reason for a cancellation under this section.
(4) Notice of nonrenewal.
(a) An insurer may decline to renew a policy if the insurer delivers or mails to the first-named insured, at the last known mailing address, written notice that the insurer will not renew the policy. Such notice shall be mailed or delivered at least forty-five (45) days before the expiration date. If the notice is mailed less than forty-five (45) days before expiration, coverage shall remain in effect until forty-five (45) days after notice is mailed or delivered. Earned premium for any period of coverage that extends beyond the expiration date shall be considered pro rata based upon the previous year’s rate. For purposes of this section, the transfer of a policyholder between companies within the same insurance group is not a nonrenewal or a refusal to renew. In addition, changes in deductibles, changes in premium, and changes in the amount of insurance or reductions in policy limits or coverage shall not be deemed to be nonrenewals or refusals to renew. Notice of nonrenewal is not required if:
(i) The insurer or a company within the same insurance group has offered to issue a renewal policy; or
(ii) Where the named insured has obtained replacement coverage or has agreed in writing to obtain replacement coverage.
(b) If an insurer provides the notice described in subsection (4) of this section and thereafter the insurer extends the policy for ninety (90) days or less, an additional notice of nonrenewal is not required with respect to the extension.
(5) Notice of premium or coverage changes. An insurer shall mail or deliver to the named insured, at the last known mailing address, written notice of a total premium increase greater than ten percent (10%) which is the result of a comparable increase in premium rates, changes in deductibles, reductions in limits, or reductions in coverages at least thirty (30) days prior to the expiration date of the policy. If the insurer fails to provide such thirty (30) day notice, the coverage provided to the named insured shall remain in effect until thirty (30) days after such notice is given or until the effective date of replacement coverage obtained by the named insured, whichever first occurs. For the purposes of this section, notice is considered given thirty (30) days following date of mailing or delivery of the notice to the named insured. If the insured elects not to renew, any earned premium for the period of extension of the terminated policy shall be calculated pro rata at the lower of the current or previous year’s rate. If the insured accepts the renewal, the premium increase, if any, and other changes shall be effective on and after the first day of the renewal term.
(6) Proof of notice. Proof of mailing of notice of cancellation, or of nonrenewal or of premium or coverage changes, to the named insured at the last known mailing address showing on the policy, shall be sufficient proof of notice.
(7) Application, effective date and termination. The provisions of this section shall apply only to policies with coverage effective dates after the effective date of this section.
(8) Rules. The director may promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section. Every rule promulgated within the authority conferred by this act shall be of temporary effect and shall become permanent only by enactment by statute at the regular session of the legislature first following adoption of the rule. Rules not approved in the above manner shall be rejected, null, void and of no force and effect on July 1, following submission of the rules to the legislature.
History: