Connecticut General Statutes 38a-324 – Cancellation of commercial risk insurance policies. Notice requirements. Applicable to surplus lines insurers
(a) After a policy of commercial risk insurance, other than workers’ compensation insurance and automobile insurance issued under a residual market mechanism as described in section 38a-329, has been in effect for more than sixty days, or after the effective date of a renewal policy, no insurer may cancel any policy unless the cancellation is based on the occurrence, after the effective date of the policy or renewal, of one or more of the following conditions: (1) Nonpayment of premium; (2) conviction of a crime arising out of acts increasing the hazard insured against; (3) discovery of fraud or material misrepresentation by the insured in obtaining the policy or in perfecting any claim thereunder; (4) discovery of any wilful or reckless act or omission by the insured increasing the hazard insured against; (5) physical changes in the property which increase the hazard insured against; (6) a determination by the commissioner that continuation of the policy would violate or place the insurer in violation of the law; (7) a material increase in the hazard insured against; or (8) a substantial loss of reinsurance by the insurer affecting this particular line of insurance. If the basis for cancellation is nonpayment of premium, at least ten days’ advance notice shall be given and the insured may continue the coverage and avoid the effect of the cancellation by payment in full at any time prior to the effective date of cancellation. If the basis for cancellation is conviction of a crime arising out of acts increasing the hazard insured against, discovery of fraud or material misrepresentation by the insured in obtaining the policy or in perfecting any claim thereunder, discovery of any wilful or reckless act or omission by the insured increasing the hazard insured against or a determination by the commissioner that continuation of the policy would violate or place the insurer in violation of the law, at least ten days’ advance notice shall be given. In all other cases, at least sixty days’ advance notice shall be given. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the advance notice period for cancellation of any professional liability policy, as defined in section 38a-393, shall be at least ninety days. No notice of cancellation shall be required if such policy is transferred from an insurer to an affiliate of such insurer for another policy with no interruption of coverage and contains the same terms, conditions and provisions, including policy limits, as the transferred policy, except that the insurer to which the policy is transferred shall not be prohibited from applying its rates and rating plans at the time of renewal. No notice of cancellation shall be effective unless it is sent, by registered or certified mail, mail evidenced by a United States Post Office certificate of mailing or, if agreed between the insurer and the named insured, by electronic means evidenced by a delivery receipt, or delivered by the insurer to the named insured by the required date.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 38a-324
- another: may extend and be applied to communities, companies, corporations, public or private, limited liability companies, societies and associations. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
- Commissioner: means the Insurance Commissioner. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- Insurance: means any agreement to pay a sum of money, provide services or any other thing of value on the happening of a particular event or contingency or to provide indemnity for loss in respect to a specified subject by specified perils in return for a consideration. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
- Insured: means a person to whom or for whose benefit an insurer makes a promise in an insurance policy. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
- Policy: means any document, including attached endorsements and riders, purporting to be an enforceable contract, which memorializes in writing some or all of the terms of an insurance contract. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
- United States: means the United States of America, its territories and possessions, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
(b) No surplus lines insurer shall be deemed to be eligible to write coverage for risks as provided in sections 38a-741 to 38a-744, inclusive, and 38a-794, unless such insurer complies with the requirements of subsection (a) of this section.