Florida Administrative Code
69 - DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
69B - Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services
Chapter 69B-150 - LIFE AND HEALTH ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS
Section 69B-150.206 - Marketing Communications of Benefits Payable, Losses Covered, and Premiums Payable
Universal Citation: FL Admin Code R 69B-150.206
Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Deceptive Words, Phrases, or Illustrations Prohibited.
(a) A marketing communication shall not omit
information or use words, phrases, statements, references, or illustrations
that have the capacity, tendency, or effect of misleading or deceiving
purchasers or prospective purchasers as to the nature or extent of any health
benefit payable, loss covered, or premium payable. The fact that the plan
offered is made available to the prospective plan purchaser for inspection
prior to consummation of the sale, or that an offer is made to refund the
premium if the purchaser is not satisfied, does not remedy misleading
statements.
(b) A marketing
communication shall not contain or use words or phrases such as "all," "full,"
"complete," "comprehensive," "unlimited," "up to," "high as," "this plan will
help pay your hospital and surgical bills," "this plan will help fill some of
the gaps that your present insurance leaves out," or similar words and phrases,
in a manner that exaggerates any benefits beyond the terms of the
plan.
(c) A marketing communication
shall not contain descriptions of a plan limitation or exclusion worded in a
positive manner to imply that it is a benefit, such as, "even pre-existing
conditions are covered after a limited period of time." Words and phrases used
in a marketing communication to describe plan limitations and exclusions shall
fairly and accurately describe the negative features of the limitations and
exclusions of the plan offered.
(d)
A marketing communication of a benefit for which payment is conditional upon
confinement in a hospital or similar facility shall not use words or phrases
such as "tax free," "extra cash," "extra income," "extra pay," or substantially
similar words or phrases in a manner that would have the capacity, tendency, or
effect of misleading the public into believing that the plan marketed will in
some way enable them to make a profit from being hospitalized or
disabled.
(e) When the plan
marketed contains a limit on the number of days of coverage provided, the limit
must appear in the marketing communication.
(f) A marketing communication of a plan
covering only one disease or a list of specified diseases shall not imply
coverage beyond the terms of the plan. Synonymous terms shall not be used to
refer to any disease in order to imply broader coverage than is the
fact.
(g) A marketing communication
that is an invitation to contract and is intended to be used in the marketing
of a standard, basic, or limited health benefit plan in this state must contain
the disclosures stated in section 627.6699(9)(d)1., F.S.
(h)
1. A
marketing communication for a plan providing benefits for either a basic or
standard health benefit plan shall state clearly and conspicuously in a
prominent type the kind of plan marketed.
2. A marketing communication for a health
benefit plan providing limited benefits, such as specified diseases or
specified accidents, shall state clearly and conspicuously in prominent type
the limited nature of the plan.
3.
The statement shall be worded in language identical to, or substantially
similar to the following: "THIS IS A LIMITED SMALL EMPLOYER HEALTH BENEFIT
PLAN", "THIS IS A BASIC SMALL EMPLOYER HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN", "THIS IS A
STANDARD SMALL EMPLOYER HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN", whichever is
applicable.
(i) A
marketing communication of a health benefit plan sold by direct response shall
not use in a misleading manner the phrases, "no salesman will call", "no agent
will call", "by eliminating the agent and/or commission, we can offer this low
cost plan" or similar wording.
(2) Exclusions and Limitations.
(a) A marketing communication that is an
invitation to contract shall disclose those exclusions and limitations that
affect the benefit provisions of the plan.
(b) A marketing communication shall not use
the words "only," "just," "merely," "minimum," or similar words or phrases to
describe the applicability of any exclusions, reductions, or limitations, such
as, "This plan is subject to the following minimum exclusions and
reductions."
(3) Pre-Existing Conditions.
(a) A marketing
communication that is an invitation to contract for health benefits shall, in
negative terms, disclose the extent to which any loss is not covered if the
cause of the loss is traceable to a condition existing prior to the effective
date of the plan. The term "pre-existing condition" without an appropriate
definition or description shall not be used.
(b) When coverage is in any way limited for
pre-existing conditions, any application attached to the marketing
communication shall contain immediately preceding the blank space for the
applicant's signature a statement of the pre-existing condition provisions of
the plan.
Rulemaking Authority 624.308(1), 626.9611, 627.6699(12) FS. Law Implemented 624.307(1), 626.9541(1)(a), (b), (e), (k), (l), 626.9641(1), 627.6699(9)(d)1., 4. FS.
New 2-25-93, Formerly 4-150.206.
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