Rule 69O-137.010, F.A.C., was transferred from the Office of Insurance Regulation to the Department of Financial Services as Rule 69J-137.010, F.A.C. The proposed rule amendments will implement the changes made by Chapter 2013-149, Laws of Florida, ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

Division of Consumer Services

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

69J-137.010Holocaust Victims Assistance Report and Standards of Proof

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Rule 69O-137.010, F.A.C., was transferred from the Office of Insurance Regulation to the Department of Financial Services as Rule 69J-137.010, F.A.C. The proposed rule amendments will implement the changes made by Chapter 2013-149, Laws of Florida, to Section 626.9543, F.S., known as the Holocaust Victims Assistance Act.

SUMMARY: The proposed amendments will update the rule and incorporate the changes made by Chapter 2013-149, Laws of Florida.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: The Department conducted an economic analysis of the potential impact of the proposed changes and determined that there will be no adverse economic impact or regulatory increases that would require legislative ratification.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 624.308(1), 626.9543(11) FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 624.307(1), 626.9543 FS.

IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE,TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW(IF NOT REQUESTED, THIS HEARING WILL NOT BE HELD):

DATE AND TIME: March 17, 2014, 10:00 a.m.

PLACE: Room 143, Larson Building, 200 E. Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 5 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Lynn Grossman at [phone] or [e-mail]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Lynn Grossman, Holocaust Coordinator, 200 E. Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0322, [phone] or [e-mail]

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

69J-137.010 Holocaust Victims Assistance Report and Standards of Proof.

(1) Purpose and Scope. This rule implements Section 626.9543, F.S. The “Holocaust Victims Assistance Insurance Act” was established to ensure that the potential and actual insurance claims, actual financial claims, and the assets and property of holocaust victims and their heirs and beneficiaries be expeditiously identified and properly paid, compensated, or returned. This rule by establishing establishes the procedure by which:

(a) An insurer must file a report relating to the insurance claims of Holocaust victims or insureds, or their heirs, descendants, or beneficiaries with the Department Office;

(b) The method by which the Department Office will monitor and verify compliance with the provisions of subsections (7) and (8) of Section 626.9543, F.S.; and

(c) The standards of proof necessary to substantiate a claim against an insurer pursuant to paragraph Section 626.9543(5)(b), F.S.

(2) For the purposes of this rule unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) “Department” means the Department of Financial Services “Office” means the Office of Insurance Regulation.

(b) “Insurer” means an insurer doing business in this state, not excluding an authorized insurer or an eligible surplus lines insurer.

(c) “Eligible surplus lines insurer” shall have the meaning set forth in subsection 626.914(2), F.S.

(d) “Authorized” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 624.09, F.S.

(e) “Report” shall mean the written document described as set forth in subsection (4) and submitted to the Department in the format set forth in subsection (5) of this rule. “Holocaust victim” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 626.9543, F.S.

(f) “International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims” is that entity established in 1998 to identify, settle, and pay individual Holocaust era insurance claims at no cost to claimants and that ceased operations in 2007. “Insurance policy shall have the meaning set forth in Section 626.9543, F.S.

(g) “Legal relationship” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 626.9543, F.S., not excluding a legal relationship arising by merger or acquisition.

(h) “Proceeds” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 626.9543, F.S.

(3)(a) Each insurer shall file a report with the Department Office no later than December 31st of the year in which: each year, beginning December 31, 1999. The report shall reflect the best effort by the insurer to provide the required information.

1. An insurer begins conducting business in this state, or

2. An insurer who has previously filed a report, takes any action or discovers any information that changes information filed in a previous report, or (b) In subsequent years, if an insurer has no change or no additional information to report, the insurer may report “no change” in letter form.

3. An insurer is notified by the Department that it has previously failed to file a report or that the Department is requesting a new or updated report.

(b) (c) A holding company may file a report for all members insurers of the holding company system; however, the holding company must supply the Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) for each member insurer company for which it is making the required reporting.

(d) If an insurer’s report to the International Commission investigating unpaid World War II era claims complies with the reporting requirements of Section 626.9543, F.S., and this rule, and a copy of such report is filed with the Office, the report will be accepted as satisfaction of the reporting requirements herein.

(e) If an insurer’s report to another state regarding unpaid World War II ear claims complies with the reporting requirements of Section 626.9543, F.S., and this rule, and a copy of such report is filed with the Office, the report will be accepted as satisfaction of the reporting requirements herein.

(4) No change.

(5) The report shall be submitted in English and either on paper or in an Adobe PDF or other digital format compatible with Microsoft Word a spreadsheet format compatible with Microsoft Excel. The report shall be submitted on diskette to the Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services Office of Insurance Regulation, 200 East Gaines Street, Room 524B 121, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0317 0326, or via e-mail to [e-mail] [e-mail]. An insurer that has no information to report may submit its report stating that fact in letter form.

(6) To achieve statutorily required restitution, an insurer shall pay in full on behalf of, or cause to be paid in full by, an insurance company with which it has a legal relationship, the amount due with respect to any substantiated insurance claim made by policyholders who are Holocaust victims or insureds, from or by their heirs, descendants, or beneficiaries. Payment shall include interest from January 1, 1946 to the date of the claim payment to be calculated pursuant to Section 55.03, F.S., or calculated pursuant to the interest rate adopted by the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims based upon the Guide to Valuation Procedures: Edition Dated 22-10-02 and Annex D thereto. The Guide to Valuation Procedures and Annex D thereto are hereby incorporated by reference and available on the website of the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims at: http://www.icheic.org/claims.html. The amount due will be calculated based on the value of U.S. dollars at the time of payment. Payment shall include interest from January 1, 1946 to the date of the claim payment to be calculated pursuant to Section 55.03, F.S., or calculated pursuant to the interest rate adopted by the International Commission investigating the unpaid World War II era claims.

(7) For purposes of this rule and pursuant to paragraph Section 626.9643(5)(b), F.S., a claim shall be considered adequately substantiated by one of the following:

(a) through (c) No change.

(d) Other evidence, including parole evidence, that a reasonable person would accept as reliable in the conduct of his or her affairs, as contemplated by paragraph Section 626.9543(5)(b), F.S.

Insurers shall not reject any evidence as being insufficiently probative of any fact necessary to establish the claim if the evidence provided is plausible in the light of all the special circumstances involved, including but not limited to the destruction caused by World War II, the Holocaust, and the lengthy period of time that has passed since the insurance policy under consideration was obtained.

Specific Authority 624.308(1), 624.424(1) (c), 626.9543(11), FS. Law Implemented 624.307(1), 626.9543 FS. History–New 5-12-99, Formerly 4-137.010, 69O-137.010, Amended __________.

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Lynn Grossman, Holocaust Coordinator

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Jeff Atwater, Chief Financial Officer

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: February 18, 2014

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: December 23, 2013