(a) The commissioner shall preserve in permanent form records and reports of the commissioner’s proceedings, hearings, investigations, and examinations, and shall file the records in the commissioner’s office.
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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 431:2-209

  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • 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.
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
(b) The records of the commissioner and insurance filings in the commissioner’s office shall be open to public inspection, except as otherwise provided in this code.
(c) One year after conclusion of the transactions to which they relate, the commissioner may destroy any correspondence, void or obsolete filings relating to rates, certificate of authority applications, self-insurance applications, registrations, foreign or alien insurers’ annual statements, valuation reports, certificates of compliance and deposits, cards, and expired bonds. Three years after the conclusion of the transactions to which they relate, the commissioner may destroy any claim files, working papers of examinations, reports of examination by insurance supervisory officials of other states, void or obsolete filings relating to license applications, records of hearings and investigations, and any similar records, documents, or memoranda now or hereafter in the commissioner’s possession.
(d) Three years after the date filed or within three years of the due date prescribed for the filing of the tax report, whichever is later, the commissioner may destroy the tax reports of any foreign or alien insurers, surplus lines brokers, or independently procured insureds, or similar records or reports now or hereafter in the commissioner’s possession.
(e) The following records and reports on file with the commissioner shall be confidential and protected from discovery, production, and disclosure for so long as the commissioner deems prudent:

(1) Complaints and investigation reports;
(2) Working papers of examinations, complaints, and investigation reports;
(3) Proprietary information, including trade secrets, commercial information, and business plans, which, if disclosed may result in competitive harm to the person providing the information; and
(4) Any documents or information received from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the federal government, insurance regulatory agencies of foreign countries, or insurance departments of other states, territories, and commonwealths that are confidential in other jurisdictions. The commissioner may share information, including otherwise confidential information, with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the federal government, insurance regulatory agencies of foreign countries, or insurance departments of other states, territories, and commonwealths so long as the statutes or regulations of the other jurisdictions permit them to maintain the same level of confidentiality as required under Hawaii law.
(f) The commissioner shall:

(1) Treat and maintain an applicant’s fingerprints and any criminal history record information obtained under this code as confidential;
(2) Apply security measures consistent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Services Division’s standards for the electronic storage of fingerprints and necessary identifying information; and
(3) Limit the use of the records solely to purposes authorized by law.

Fingerprints and criminal history record information shall not be subject to subpoena, other than subpoenas issued in criminal actions or investigations, and shall be confidential by law and privileged and not subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action.

(g) The commissioner shall not disclose any information that is exempt from disclosure by federal or Hawaii statutes.

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