Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Purpose. The purpose of this rule section
is to require licensed insurers, managed care entities, agents, brokers,
third-party administrators, adjusters, and other licensees of the Department to
submit to the Department information of which they become aware concerning
unlicensed insurance activity in this State. Such information will assist the
Department in identifying unlicensed insurance activity in advance of its
occurrence and will therefore aid in protecting the public from such
activity.
(2) Definitions. For
purposes of this rule, the following definitions shall apply.
(a) "Agent" means and includes any person
holding any type and class of licensure, whether limited or unlimited, issued
by the Department under Chapter 626, F.S. The term also includes any person
licensed or registered by the Department as an agent, sales representative,
sales agent, salesperson, runner, or bail bondsman, under any of the following
statutes: Section 632.634, F.S., (fraternal
benefit agents); Section
634.031, F.S., (warranty
association sales person); Section
635.051, F.S., (mortgage
guaranty insurance agent); Section
637.141, F.S., (optometric
service plan sales representative); Section
637.301, F.S., (pharmaceutical
service plan sales representative); Section
638.181, F.S., (ambulance
service association or insurer sales representative); Section
639.185, F.S., (pre-need funeral
merchandise or services contract sales agent); Section
641.386, F.S., (health
maintenance organization sales agent); Section
642.036, F.S., (legal expense
insurance sales representative); or Section
648.30, F.S., (bail bondsman or
bail runner). The term includes such persons whether residents of Florida or
not.
(b) "Arrangement" means a
fund, trust, plan, instrument, program, association, union, or other entity or
mechanism, any portion of which does, or purports to, provide for the transfer
of the risk of loss, damage, or expense resulting from a fortuitous event, from
the person or entity having incurred the loss, damage, or expense, to
another.
(c) "Collectively
bargained arrangement" means an arrangement (as defined in paragraph (2)(b),
hereof), that exists pursuant to one or more bona fide labor agreements,
including arrangements that are sponsored by a union or a union local. For
purposes of the reporting requirements of this rule, the term also includes
arrangements in which both union members and non-members do or may participate.
For purposes of this rule, a collectively bargained arrangement does not
include an arrangement which is fully insured by a licensed insurer for so long
as the arrangement stays fully insured.
(d) "Department" means the Florida Department
of Financial Services.
(e)
"Employee" means any individual employed by an employer.
(f) "Employee leasing" means a relationship
whereby an employee leasing company assigns its employees to a client and
allocates the direction of and control over the leased employees between the
leasing company and the client. The definition includes, and is subject to the
conditions, exclusions and limitations of Chapter 468, Part XI, F.S., and rules
promulgated in accordance therewith. Notwithstanding, for as long as an
employee leasing company makes available insurance benefits only through
licensed insurers, such employee leasing company shall not be a subject of the
reporting requirements of this rule.
(g) "Welfare benefit plan" means any plan,
fund or program maintained by an employer or by an employee organization, or by
both, to the extent that such plan, fund or program was established or is
maintained in whole or in part for the purpose of providing for its
participants or their beneficiaries, through the purchase of insurance or
otherwise, medical, surgical or hospital care or benefits, or benefits in the
event of sickness, accident, disability, death or unemployment.
(h) "Employee organization" means any labor
union or any organization of any kind, or any agency or employee representation
committee, association, group, or plan, in which employees participate and
which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers
concerning an employee benefit plan, or other matters incidental to employment
relationships; or any employees' beneficiary association organized for the
purpose in whole or in part, of establishing such a plan.
(i) "Employer" means any person acting
directly as an employer, or indirectly in the interest of an employer, in
relation to an employee benefit plan; and includes a group or association of
employers acting for an employer in such capacity.
(j) "Reportable MEWA," for purposes of this
rule, means a person that provides or offers insurance benefits or coverage to
the employees of two or more employers, whether alone or with other benefits.
"Reportable MEWA" does not include:
1. A
licensed insurer;
2. An arrangement
which is fully insured by a licensed insurer for so long as the arrangement
stays fully insured;
3. An employee
welfare benefit plan established or maintained by a rural electric cooperative
or a rural telephone cooperative; or
4. A MEWA licensed by the
Department.
(k) "Third
party administrator" or "TPA" means "administrator" under Section
626.88, F.S., and includes, but
is not limited to, all persons licensed by the department as
administrators.
(l) "Unlicensed
insurer" is any insurer as defined in Section
624.03, F.S., including
self-insurers, which has not been licensed to transact insurance by the
Department under the provisions of the Florida Insurance Code; except that any
person or group authorized to self-insure for workers' compensation coverage
pursuant to Sections 440.38(1),
440.57, and
440.575, F.S., and the rules of
the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Workers'
Compensation, is not an "unlicensed insurer" for purposes of this rule. The
term includes any plan required to be licensed under the provisions of Chapter
632 or 634-651, F.S.
(3)
Information Required to Be Reported.
(a) Any
agent, third party administrator or insurer with knowledge of an unlicensed
insurer doing business in the State of Florida, shall report the activities of
the insurer to the Department and, if known, shall provide the following
information:
1. Organizational information
concerning the reportable MEWA, employee leasing arrangement, welfare benefit
plan, employee organization, collectively bargained arrangement, or other
unlicensed insurer;
2. Information
on any insurance or reinsurance contracts, benefits or coverage offered by the
reportable MEWA, employee leasing arrangement, welfare benefit plan, employee
organization, collectively bargained arrangement, or other unlicensed
insurer;
3. The names, addresses,
and phone numbers of any officers or agents of the reportable MEWA, employee
leasing arrangement, welfare benefit plan, employee organization, collectively
bargained arrangement, or other unlicensed insurer;
4. The names, addresses, and phone numbers of
any employers, employees, or individuals who may be enrolled by, or who will be
receiving services from the reportable MEWA, employee leasing arrangement,
welfare benefit plan, employee organization, collectively bargained
arrangement, or other unlicensed insurer;
(4) The report shall be made with the
Department at the following address: Attn: Unlicensed Entity Coordinator,
Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud. The
report can be made by phone, (850)413-4000, or by mail to 2020 Capital Circle,
S.E., Alexander Building, Tallahassee, FL 32301.
Rulemaking Authority
624.308(1),
624.33(2),
624.401(1),
624.4431,
626.989(6) FS.
Law Implemented 624.09,
624.44,
624.307,
624.317,
624.437,
624.442,
624.446,
626.901,
626.910,
626.9571,
626.9581,
626.9591,
626.9601 FS.
New 6-15-92, Amended 9-7-93, 7-23-01, Formerly
4-230.033.