§ 2118. Excess line brokers; duties. (a) (1) Every licensee licensed pursuant to section two thousand one hundred five of this article shall be required to use due care in selecting the unauthorized insurer from whom policies are procured under his license.

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(2) (A) No policy of insurance may be procured by a licensee from any foreign or alien insurer which is controlled, by a foreign government or by a political subdivision thereof, or which is an agency of any such government or subdivision if the superintendent determines that: (i) such insurer receives a subsidy or other competitive advantage, as a result of such control or status, that would enable it to compete unfairly with similarly situated insurers which are not so controlled or constituted; (ii) such insurer is entitled to claim sovereign immunity as a result of such control and the insurer has not waived the sovereign immunity; or (iii) the use of such insurer would be detrimental to the interests of the people of this state.

(B) No licensee shall be deemed to be in noncompliance with this subsection unless: (i) the superintendent has made a prior determination that the foreign or alien insurer from which the licensee procured a policy of insurance should not be used as an excess line insurer in this state in accordance with the provisions of this subsection; or (ii) the licensee knew or should have known that such insurer should not be used as an excess line insurer in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The superintendent may promulgate regulations to provide guidance to the licensee.

(C) Every such insurer shall otherwise satisfy all applicable requirements for placement by an excess line broker.

* (b) (1) Within forty-five days after a policy is procured, a licensee shall submit the declarations page or cover note of every policy procured under his or her license to the excess line association established pursuant to section two thousand one hundred thirty of this article for recording and stamping. In the event that no declarations page or cover note is available to the licensee, within forty-five days after the policy is procured, the licensee shall submit a binder to the excess line association in lieu of such declarations page or cover note. In the event that a binder is submitted to the excess line association, the licensee shall submit the declarations page or cover note to the excess line association promptly upon receipt. Every insurance document submitted to the excess line association pursuant to this subsection shall set forth:

(A) the name and address of the insured;

(B) the gross premium charged;

(C) the name of the unauthorized insurer; and

(D) the kind of insurance procured.

(2) Subsequent endorsements which do not affect the premium charged are exempted from stamping.

(3) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (F) of this paragraph, submission of insurance documents to the excess line association shall be accompanied by a statement subscribed to, and affirmed by, the licensee or sublicensee as true under the penalties of perjury that, after diligent effort, the full amount of insurance required could not be procured, from authorized insurers, each of which is authorized to write insurance of the kind requested and which the licensee has reason to believe might consider writing the type of coverage or class of insurance involved, and further showing that the amount of insurance procured from an unauthorized insurer is only the excess over the amount procurable from an authorized insurer. The licensee, however, shall be excused from affirming that a diligent effort, as defined above, was made to procure the coverage from authorized insurers if the licensee's affidavit is accompanied by the affidavit of another broker involved in the placement affirming as true under the penalties of perjury that, after diligent effort by the affirming broker, the required insurance could not be procured from an authorized insurer which the affirming broker had reason to believe might consider writing the type of coverage or class of insurance involved. The licensee and the affirming broker shall be excused from affirming that a diligent effort was made if the superintendent determines, pursuant to paragraph four of this subsection, that no declinations are required.

(B) A licensee or affirming broker shall be considered to have the reason to believe required by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph if the decision to offer the risk to the authorized insurer was based on any of the following:

(i) Recent acceptance by the authorized insurer of a type of coverage or class of insurance similar to that for which coverage is presently being sought;

(ii) Advertising by the authorized insurer or its agent indicating that the authorized insurer is willing to consider acceptance of this or a similar type of coverage or class of insurance;

(iii) Media communications (i.e., newspaper or magazine articles, trade publications, television and radio programming) indicating that the authorized insurer is writing, or is considering writing, this type of coverage or class of insurance;

(iv) Communications with other insurance professionals, risk managers, trade associations, the excess line association or the department of financial services which indicates that the authorized insurer might consider writing this type of coverage or class of insurance; or

(v) Any other valid basis for making such decision.

(C) Every licensee, or affirming broker, in connection with the placement of each risk pursuant to this section, shall record on the affidavit required pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph the name, date of the declination, and national association of insurance commissioners code of each authorized insurer declining a risk and information relied upon that formed the basis of such licensee's or affirming broker's reason to believe that the authorized insurer might consider writing the type of coverage or class of insurance involved. A licensee or affirming broker shall not be required to record on the affidavit the name of the representative declining the risk, the representative's affiliation, or the reason for the declination.

(D) Declinations obtained from authorized insurers which are affiliates of, or, as defined in article fifteen of this chapter, under common control with, each other or the unauthorized insurer shall not meet the requirements of this subsection unless such related insurers operate as distinct and autonomous entities, and for underwriting purposes, compete with each other for the same type of coverage or class of insurance.

(E) The superintendent, in a regulation, may determine whether there are circumstances where it may be appropriate, due to the unavailability from an authorized insurer of the leading type of coverage or the leading class of insurance required by the insured, to waive the requirement in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph that a licensee may procure from an unauthorized insurer only the amount of insurance which is excess over the amount procurable from an authorized insurer, and to instead permit the licensee to procure from an unauthorized insurer the full amount of insurance required by the insured.

(F) A licensee seeking to procure or place insurance in this state for an exempt commercial purchaser shall not be required to satisfy any requirement of this state to make a due diligence search to determine whether the full amount or type of insurance sought by the exempt commercial purchaser can be obtained from authorized insurers if:

(i) the licensee procuring or placing the excess line insurance has disclosed to the exempt commercial purchaser that the insurance may or may not be available from the authorized market that may provide greater protection with more regulatory oversight; and

(ii) the exempt commercial purchaser has subsequently requested in writing that the licensee procure or place the insurance from an unauthorized insurer.

(4) The number of declinations constituting diligent effort in regard to placement of coverage with authorized insurers for purposes of paragraph three of this subsection shall be three, unless the superintendent after a hearing, on a record, upon findings and conclusions, determines that another number of such declinations is appropriate in regard to particular coverages. In making such determinations, the superintendent shall consider relevant market conditions, including unavailability of particular coverages from authorized insurers, and may conduct market surveys. Any such determination shall be reviewed at least annually by the superintendent.

(5) Before placing business with an unauthorized insurer, each licensee shall ascertain and verify the fact that such insurer is authorized in its domiciliary jurisdiction to write the insurance policy proposed to be procured from it by the licensee. No unauthorized insurer shall be deemed unacceptable for placement of business solely on the ground that it has been so authorized to write such business in its domiciliary jurisdiction for a period of less than three years preceding the placement of such risk by the licensee. In determining whether business may be placed with such unauthorized insurer, the superintendent shall consider such factors as: the interests of the public and policyholders, the length of time such insurer has been authorized in its domiciliary jurisdiction and elsewhere, its financial condition, and unavailability of particular coverages from authorized insurers.

(6) It shall be unlawful for a licensee as defined in section two thousand one hundred one of this article and pursuant to sections two thousand one hundred four and two thousand one hundred five of this article to deliver in this state any declarations page of an insurance policy or cover note evidencing insurance unless such insurance document is stamped by the excess line association or is exempt from such requirements; provided, however, that a licensee's failure to comply with the requirements of this subsection shall not affect the validity of the coverage.

(7) Compliance by a licensee with the requirements set forth in this section in connection with submitting for recording and stamping declarations pages, cover notes, binders, endorsements, affidavits, notices of excess line placement and other excess line insurance documents may be accomplished by means of electronic or other media transmission, provided the superintendent first approves such methods of submitting for recording and stamping.

* NB Effective until July 1, 2029

* (b) (1) When any policy of insurance is procured under the authority of a license issued pursuant to section two thousand one hundred five of this article, there shall be submitted, both by the licensee or sub-licensee and by the insured, statements subscribed and affirmed by them as true under the penalties of perjury setting forth facts showing that such insured and such licensee were unable after diligent effort to procure, from authorized insurers, each authorized to write coverages of the kind requested, the full amount of insurance required to protect the interest of such insured, and further showing that the amount of insurance procured from an unauthorized insurer or insurers is only the excess over the amount so procurable from authorized insurers; provided, however, that the licensee shall be excused from affirming that a diligent effort was made to procure the coverage from such authorized insurers if the licensee's affidavit is accompanied by the affidavit of another broker involved in the placement affirming as true under the penalties of perjury that, after diligent effort by the affirming broker, the required insurance could not be procured from such authorized insurers.

(2) The number of declinations constituting diligent effort in regard to placement of coverage with authorized insurers for purposes of paragraph one of this subsection shall be three, unless the superintendent after a hearing, on a record, upon findings and conclusions, determines that another number of such declinations is appropriate in regard to particular coverages. In making such determinations, the superintendent shall consider relevant market conditions, including unavailability of particular coverages from authorized insurers, and may conduct market surveys. Any such determination shall be reviewed at least annually by the superintendent.

(3) Before placing business with an unauthorized insurer, each licensee shall ascertain and verify the fact that such insurer is authorized in its domiciliary jurisdiction to write the insurance policy proposed to be procured from it by the licensee. No unauthorized insurer shall be deemed unacceptable for placement of business solely on the ground that it has been so authorized to write such business in its domiciliary jurisdiction for a period of less than three years preceding the placement of such risk by the licensee. In determining whether business may be placed with an unauthorized insurer, the superintendent shall consider such factors as: the interests of the public and policyholders, the length of time such insurer has been authorized in its domiciliary jurisdiction and elsewhere, its financial condition, and unavailability of particular coverages from authorized insurers.

(4) The statements required pursuant to paragraph one of this subsection shall be filed by such licensee with the superintendent within thirty days after such policies have been procured.

* NB Effective July 1, 2029

* (c) (1) The licensee shall keep a complete and separate record of all policies procured from unauthorized insurers under such license. The licensee shall also maintain files supporting declinations by authorized insurers. An authorized insurer need not maintain underwriting submissions or other records with respect to any declination, unless the superintendent, after a hearing on a record, finds substantial abuses of the provisions of this section and determines that recordkeeping or reporting requirements in regard to authorized insurers are necessary to redress or eliminate such abuses.

(2) Such records shall be open to examination by the excess line association as provided for in section two thousand one hundred thirty of this article and by the superintendent, as provided in section three hundred ten of this chapter, at all reasonable times and shall show:

(A) the exact amount of each kind of insurance permitted under this section which has been procured for each insured;

(B) the gross premiums charged by the insurers for each kind of insurance permitted under this section;

(C) the amount of each kind of premiums of insurance permitted by this section which were returned to each insured;

(D) the name of the insurer or insurers which issued each of said policies;

(E) the effective dates of such policies;

(F) the terms for which they were issued; and

(G) the cities and villages within this state in which the insured risks, respectively, are located.

* NB Effective until July 1, 2029

* (c)(1) The licensee shall keep a complete and separate record of all policies procured from unauthorized insurers under such license. The licensee shall also maintain files supporting declinations by authorized insurers. An authorized insurer need not maintain underwriting submissions or other records with respect to any declination, unless the superintendent, after a hearing on a record, finds substantial abuses of the provisions of this section and determines that recordkeeping or reporting requirements in regard to authorized insurers are necessary to redress or eliminate such abuses. The superintendent shall review recordkeeping requirements applicable to this section and, by October first, nineteen hundred eighty-six, shall take measures in order to simplify forms and other aspects of compliance with such requirements.

(2) Such records shall be open to examination by the superintendent, as provided in section three hundred ten of this chapter, at all reasonable times and shall show:

(A) the exact amount of each kind of insurance permitted under this section which has been procured for each insured;

(B) the gross premiums charged by the insurers for each kind of insurance permitted under this section;

(C) the amount of each kind of premiums of insurance permitted by this section which were returned to each insured;

(D) the name of the insurer or insurers which issued each of said policies;

(E) the effective dates of such policies;

(F) the terms for which they were issued; and

(G) the cities and villages within this state in which the insured risks, respectively, are located.

* NB Effective July 1, 2029

(d) (1) Where this state is the insured's home state, a person, firm, association or corporation licensed pursuant to the provisions of section two thousand one hundred five of this article shall pay to the superintendent a sum equal to three and six-tenths percent of the gross premiums charged the insureds by the insurers for insurance procured by such licensee pursuant to such license, less the amount of such premiums returned to such insureds.

(2) The amount of such payments which represents a sum equal to three percent of fire insurance premiums shall be distributed by the superintendent as prescribed in section nine thousand one hundred five of this chapter, and the balance thereof shall be paid over by the superintendent to the state treasurer.

(3) Such licensee shall be required to make such payments to the superintendent on the fifteenth day of March of each year for the taxes on all policies procured by such licensee, pursuant to such license, during the next preceding calendar year, and on such date such licensee shall also file with the superintendent a return in the form prescribed by the superintendent, showing such information as may be necessary for the proper distribution of such payments.

(e)(1) Except as provided in paragraph two of this subsection, no licensee shall be required to obtain a declination from an association established pursuant to article fifty-four or fifty-five of this chapter, or to apply for insurance through a plan established pursuant to article fifty-three of this chapter, as a condition of procuring insurance pursuant to this section.

(2) (A) Unless the licensee obtains a declination from the appropriate association, or from an insurer pursuant to an application for coverage through a plan, no diligent effort shall be considered to have been made if the insurance is available from the plan or association in connection with the placement of:

(i) a policy of non-commercial motor vehicle liability insurance;

(ii) medical malpractice insurance for a general hospital, as defined in subdivision ten of § 2801 of the public health law, a physician or dentist; or

(iii) insurance which by law must be provided by an authorized insurer.

(B) In connection with the placement of any other kind of insurance, a declination from the appropriate association, or from an insurer pursuant to an application for coverage through a plan, shall be required unless prior to the placement the insured has been advised of the availability of insurance from the plan or association.

(C) The affirming broker shall provide written notice to the insured that the placement was made with an unauthorized insurer. A copy of this notice shall be attached to the affirming broker's affidavit. The affidavits required by this section to be completed by the affirming broker shall include a statement that the affirming broker advised the insured in writing:

(i) that the unauthorized insurer with which the coverage is being placed is not authorized to do an insurance business in this state and is not subject to supervision by this state;

(ii) that in the event of the insolvency of the unauthorized insurer, losses will not be covered by any New York state insolvency fund;

(iii) that the policy may not be subject to all of the regulations of the superintendent pertaining to policy forms; and

(iv) such other information as the superintendent may, by regulation, require.

(f) (1) An excess line broker licensed pursuant to section two thousand one hundred five of this article may execute an authority to bind coverage and may exercise binding authority on behalf of an insurer not licensed or authorized to do business in this state pursuant to the provisions of this subsection.

(2) As used in this subsection:

(A) an "authority to bind coverage" means the written agreement between an excess line broker and an insurer not licensed or authorized to do business in this state and shall set forth the terms, conditions, and limitations governing the exercise of binding authority by the excess line broker;

(B) a "binder" means written evidence of a temporary insurance contract; and

(C) "binding authority" means the authority to issue and deliver binders, and to issue and deliver insurance policies on behalf of an insurer not licensed or authorized to do business in this state.

(3) (A) Every excess line broker who exercises binding authority shall have filed an authority to bind coverage, the contents of which shall not be public, with the excess line association established pursuant to section two thousand one hundred thirty of this article.

(B) Such authority shall be valid until (i) terminated by the appointing insurer after termination in accordance with the contract between the broker and the insurer; (ii) the excess line license is suspended or revoked by the superintendent; or (iii) the excess line license expires and is not renewed.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the execution or filing of an authority to bind coverage and the exercise of binding authority by an authorized excess line broker shall not constitute the doing of insurance business by an insurer not licensed or authorized to do business in this state.

(5) Any coverage so written must be in compliance with this section.

(6) Every binder shall contain a description and location of the subject of insurance, coverage, conditions and term of insurance, the premium, the name and address of the excess line broker, the name and address of the producing broker, the name of the insurer and the name and address of the insured.

(7) Any binding authority agreement made and filed pursuant to this section may authorize an excess line broker to bind coverage for risks located within or outside of the state of New York, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter.

(8) Any binding authority agreement made and filed pursuant to this section may authorize an excess line broker to issue notice of cancellation of any insurance policy bound pursuant to such agreement (A) for non-payment of premium, (B) for a material increase in the hazard insured, or (C) upon discovery of a material misrepresentation in the application for insurance. The excess line broker shall not be deemed an agent of the insurer solely for issuing such notice of cancellation.