Sec. 9. (a) Upon determining that an examination should be conducted, the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee shall issue an examination warrant appointing one (1) or more examiners to perform the examination and instructing them as to the scope of the examination. In conducting the examination, the examiner shall observe those guidelines and procedures set forth in the Financial Condition Examiner’s Handbook and the Market Regulation Handbook. The commissioner may also employ such other guidelines or procedures as the commissioner considers appropriate. The commissioner is not required to issue an examination warrant for a data call.

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Terms Used In Indiana Code 27-1-3.1-9

  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • commissioner: refers to the insurance commissioner appointed under IC 27-1-1-2. See Indiana Code 27-1-3.1-1
  • company: means any person engaging in or proposing or attempting to engage in any transaction or kind of insurance or surety business and any person or group of persons who may otherwise be subject to the administrative, regulatory, or taxing authority of the commissioner. See Indiana Code 27-1-3.1-2
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • examiner: means any individual or firm authorized by the commissioner to conduct an examination under this chapter. See Indiana Code 27-1-3.1-4
  • Insurance: means a contract of insurance or an agreement by which one (1) party, for a consideration, promises to pay money or its equivalent or to do an act valuable to the insured upon the destruction, loss or injury of something in which the other party has a pecuniary interest, or in consideration of a price paid, adequate to the risk, becomes security to the other against loss by certain specified risks; to grant indemnity or security against loss for a consideration. See Indiana Code 27-1-2-3
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: means any individual, aggregation of individuals, trust, association, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, or any affiliate of these entities. See Indiana Code 27-1-3.1-7
  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
     (b) Every company or person from whom information is sought, and the officers, directors, and agents of the company or person, must provide to the examiners appointed under subsection (a) timely, convenient, and free access at all reasonable hours at its offices to all books, records, accounts, papers, documents, and any or all computer or other recordings relating to the property, assets, business, and affairs of the company being examined. The officers, directors, employees, and agents of the company or person must facilitate the examination and aid in the examination so far as it is in their power to do so. The refusal of any company, by its officers, directors, employees, or agents within the company’s control, to submit to examination or to comply with any reasonable written request of the examiners, or the failure of any company to make a good faith effort to require compliance with such a request, is grounds for:

(1) suspension;

(2) refusal; or

(3) nonrenewal;

of any license or authority held by the company to engage in an insurance or other business subject to the commissioner’s jurisdiction. The commissioner may proceed to suspend or revoke a license or authority upon the grounds set forth in this subsection under IC 27-1-3-10 or IC 27-1-3-19.

     (c) The commissioner and the commissioner’s examiners may issue subpoenas, administer oaths, and examine under oath any person as to any matter pertinent to an examination conducted under this chapter. Upon the failure or refusal of any person to obey a subpoena, the commissioner may petition a court of competent jurisdiction, and upon proper showing, the court may enter any order compelling the witness to appear and testify or produce documentary evidence. Failure to obey the court order is punishable as contempt of court.

     (d) When making an examination under this chapter, the commissioner may retain attorneys, appraisers, independent actuaries, independent certified public accountants, or other professionals and specialists as examiners. The cost of retaining these examiners shall be borne by the company that is the subject of the examination.

     (e) This chapter does not limit the commissioner’s authority to terminate or suspend any examination in order to pursue other legal or regulatory action pursuant to this title. Findings of fact and conclusions made pursuant to any examination shall be prima facie evidence in any legal or regulatory action.

As added by P.L.26-1991, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.130-1994, SEC.8; P.L.116-1994, SEC.12; P.L.111-2008, SEC.1; P.L.124-2018, SEC.5.

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