Florida Statutes 627.9407 – Disclosure, advertising, and performance standards for long-term care insurance
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(1) STANDARDS.–The commission shall adopt rules that include standards for full and fair disclosure setting forth the manner, content, and required disclosures of the sale of long-term care insurance policies, terms of renewability, initial and subsequent conditions of eligibility, nonduplication of coverage provisions, coverage of dependents, preexisting conditions, termination of insurance, continuation or conversion, probationary periods, limitations, exceptions, reductions, elimination periods, requirements for replacement, recurrent conditions, disclosure of tax consequences, benefit triggers, prohibition against post-claims underwriting, reporting requirements, standards for marketing, and definitions of terms.
(2) ADVERTISING.–The commission shall adopt rules establishing standards for the advertising, marketing, and sale of long-term care insurance policies in order to protect applicants from unfair or deceptive sales or enrollment practices. An insurer shall file with the office any long-term care insurance advertising material intended for use in this state and may immediately begin using such material upon filing, subject to subsequent disapproval by the office. Following receipt of a notice of disapproval or a withdrawal of approval, the insurer must immediately cease use of the disapproved material. The office may also disapprove an advertisement at any time and enter an immediate order requiring that the use of the advertisement be discontinued if it determines that the advertisement violates this part, part IX of chapter 626, or any rule of the commission.
(3) RESTRICTIONS.–A long-term care insurance policy may not:
(a) Be canceled, nonrenewed, or otherwise terminated on the grounds of the age or the deterioration of the mental or physical health of the insured individual or certificateholder; however, the office may authorize nonrenewal for an insurer on a statewide basis on terms and conditions determined to be necessary by the office to protect the interests of the insureds, if the insurer demonstrates that renewal will jeopardize the insurer’s solvency or that substantial and unexpected loss experience cannot reasonably be mitigated or remedied.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 627.9407
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
(b) Contain a provision establishing a new waiting period in the event existing coverage is converted to or replaced by a new or other form within the same insurer or any affiliated insurer, except with respect to an increase in benefits voluntarily selected by the insured individual or group policyholder.
(c) Restrict its coverage to care only in a nursing home licensed pursuant to part II of chapter 400 or provide significantly more coverage for such care than coverage for lower levels of care. The commission shall adopt rules defining what constitutes significantly more coverage in nursing homes licensed pursuant to part II of chapter 400 than for lower levels of care.
(d) Contain an elimination period in excess of 180 days. As used in this paragraph, the term “elimination period” means the number of days at the beginning of a period of confinement for which no benefits are payable.
(4) PREEXISTING CONDITION.–
(a) A long-term care insurance policy or certificate, other than a policy or certificate issued to a group referred to in s. 627.9405(1)(a), may not use a definition of “preexisting condition” which is more restrictive than the following: “Preexisting condition” means a condition for which medical advice or treatment was recommended by or received from a provider of health care services within 6 months preceding the effective date of coverage of an insured person.
(b) A long-term care insurance policy or certificate, other than a policy or certificate issued to a group referred to in s. 627.9405(1)(a), may not exclude coverage for a loss or confinement which is the result of a preexisting condition unless such loss or confinement begins within 6 months following the effective date of coverage of an insured person.
(c) The office may extend the limitation periods set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) as to specific age group categories in specific policy forms upon findings that the extension is in the best interest of the public.
(d) The definition of “preexisting condition” specified in paragraph (a) does not prohibit an insurer from using an application form designed to elicit the complete health history of an applicant, and, on the basis of the answers on that application, from underwriting in accordance with that insurer’s established underwriting standards. Unless otherwise provided in the policy or certificate, a preexisting condition, regardless of whether it is disclosed on the application, need not be covered until the waiting period described in paragraph (b) expires. A long-term care insurance policy or certificate may not exclude or use waivers or riders of any kind to exclude, limit, or reduce coverage or benefits for specifically named or described preexisting diseases or physical conditions beyond the waiting period described in paragraph (b).
(5) PRIOR INSTITUTIONALIZATION.–
(a) A long-term care insurance policy may not be delivered or issued for delivery in this state if the policy:
1. Conditions eligibility for any benefits on a prior hospitalization requirement;
2. Conditions eligibility for benefits provided in an institutional care setting on the receipt of a higher level of institutional care; or
3. Conditions eligibility for any benefits other than waiver of premium, postconfinement, postacute care, or recuperative benefits on a prior institutionalization requirement.
(b)1. A long-term care insurance policy containing postconfinement, postacute care, or recuperative benefits must clearly specify, in a separate paragraph of the policy or certificate entitled “Limitations or Conditions on Eligibility for Benefits,” the applicable limitations or conditions, including any required number of days of confinement.
2. A long-term care insurance policy or rider that conditions eligibility for noninstitutional benefits on the prior receipt of institutional care may not require a prior institutional stay of more than 30 days.
(6) LOSS RATIO AND RESERVE STANDARDS.–The commission shall adopt rules establishing loss ratio and reserve standards for long-term care insurance policies. The rules must contain a specific reference to long-term care insurance policies. Such loss ratio and reserve standards shall be established at levels at which benefits are reasonable in relation to premiums and that provide for adequate reserving of the long-term care insurance risk.
(7) RATE STRUCTURE.–
(a) A long-term care insurance policy may not be issued if the premiums to be charged are calculated to increase based solely on the age of the insured.
(b) Any long-term care insurance policy or certificate issued or renewed, at the option of the policyholder or certificateholder, shall make available to the insured the contingent benefit upon lapse as provided in the Long-Term Care Insurance Model Regulation adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in the second quarter of the year 2000.
(c) Any premium increase for existing insureds shall not result in a premium charged to the insureds that would exceed the premium charged on a newly issued insurance policy, except to reflect benefit differences. If the insurer is not currently issuing new coverage, the new business rate shall be as published by the office at the rate representing the new business rate of insurers representing 80 percent of the carriers currently issuing policies with similar coverage as determined by the prior calendar year earned premium.
(d) Compliance with the pooling provisions of s. 627.410(6)(e)3. shall be determined by pooling the experience of all affiliated insurers.
(8) RIGHT TO RETURN; FREE LOOK.–An individual long-term care insurance policyholder has the right to return the policy within 30 days after its delivery and to have the premium refunded if, after examination of the policy, the policyholder is not satisfied for any reason. An individual long-term care insurance policy must have a notice prominently printed on the first page of the policy or attached thereto stating in substance that the policyholder has the right to return the policy within 30 days after its delivery and to have the premium refunded directly to the policyholder if, after examination of the policy, the policyholder is not satisfied for any reason.
(9) STAMPED AS “LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE POLICY”; NOTICE TO BUYER.–A long-term care insurance policy must contain a stamp prominently displayed on the first page of the policy that the policy has been approved as a “Long-Term Care Insurance Policy” meeting the requirements of Florida law. In addition, the following statement shall be prominently displayed on the first page of the policy: “Notice to Buyer: This policy may not cover all of the costs associated with long-term care which may be incurred by the buyer during the period of coverage. The buyer is advised to periodically review this policy in relation to the changes in the cost of long-term care.”
(10) OUTLINE OF COVERAGE.–An outline of coverage shall be delivered to an applicant for an individual long-term care insurance policy at the time of application for an individual policy. In the case of direct response solicitations, the insurer shall deliver the outline of coverage upon the applicant’s request, but regardless of request shall make such delivery no later than at the time of policy delivery. Such outline of coverage shall include:
(a) A description of the principal benefits and coverage provided in the policy;
(b) A statement of the principal exclusions, reductions, and limitations contained in the policy;
(c) If the policy is not expected to cover 100 percent of the cost of services for which coverage is provided, a statement clearly describing any such limitation;
(d) A statement of the renewal provisions, including any reservation in the policy of a right to change premiums;
(e) A statement that the outline of coverage is a summary of the policy issued or applied for and that the policy should be consulted to determine governing contractual provisions; and
(f) A statement that the policy has been approved as a long-term care insurance policy meeting the requirements of Florida law.
(11) CERTIFICATE.–A certificate issued pursuant to a group long-term care insurance policy, which policy is delivered or issued for delivery in this state, shall include:
(a) A description of the principal benefits and coverage provided in the policy;
(b) A statement of the principal exclusions, reductions, and limitations contained in the policy; and
(c) A statement that the description of principal benefits is a summary of the policy and that the group master policy should be consulted to determine governing contractual provisions.
(12) DISCLOSURE.–A qualified long-term care insurance policy must include a disclosure statement within the policy and within the outline of coverage that the policy is intended to be a qualified long-term contract. A long-term care insurance policy that is not intended to be a qualified long-term care insurance contract must include a disclosure statement within the policy and within the outline of coverage that the policy is not intended to be a qualified long-term care insurance contract. The disclosure shall be prominently displayed and shall read as follows: “This long-term care insurance policy is not intended to be a qualified long-term care insurance contract. You need to be aware that benefits received under this policy may create unintended, adverse income tax consequences to you. You may want to consult with a knowledgeable individual about such potential income tax consequences.”
(13) ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURE.–A limited benefit policy qualified under s. 7702B of the Internal Revenue Code must include a disclosure statement within the policy and within the outline of coverage that the policy is intended to be a qualified limited benefit insurance contract. A limited benefit policy that is not intended to be a qualified limited benefit insurance contract must include a disclosure statement within the policy and within the outline of coverage that the policy is not intended to be a qualified limited benefit insurance contract. The disclosure must be prominently displayed and must read as follows: “This limited benefit insurance policy is not intended to be a qualified limited benefit insurance contract. You need to be aware that benefits received under this policy may create unintended, adverse income tax consequences to you. You may want to consult with a knowledgeable individual about such potential income tax consequences.”