1.    Termination for cause. An insurer or authorized representative of the insurer that terminates the appointment, employment, contract, or other insurance business relationship with an insurance producer shall notify the commissioner within thirty days following the effective date of the termination, using a format prescribed by the commissioner, if the reason for termination is one of the reasons set forth in section 26.1-26-42 or the insurer has knowledge the insurance producer was found by a court, government body, or self-regulatory organization authorized by law to have engaged in any of the activities in section 26.1-26-42. Upon the written request of the commissioner, the insurer shall provide additional information, documents, records, or other data pertaining to the termination or activity of the insurance producer.

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2.    Termination without cause. An insurer or authorized representative of the insurer that terminates the appointment, employment, or contract with an insurance producer for any reason not set forth in section 26.1-26-42 shall notify the commissioner within thirty days following the effective date of the termination, using a format prescribed by the commissioner. Upon written request of the commissioner, the insurer shall provide additional information, documents, records, or other data pertaining to the termination.

3.    Ongoing notification requirement. The insurer or the authorized representative of the insurer shall promptly notify the commissioner in a format acceptable to the commissioner if, upon further review or investigation, the insurer discovers additional information that would have been reportable to the commissioner in accordance with subsection 1 had the insurer then known of the information’s existence.

4.    Copy of notification to be provided to insurance producer.

a.    Within fifteen days after making the notification required by subsections 1, 2, and 3, the insurer shall mail a copy of the notification to the insurance producer at the insurance producer’s last-known address. If the insurance producer is terminated for cause for any of the reasons listed in section 26.1-26-42, the insurer shall provide a copy of the notification to the insurance producer at the insurance producer’s last-known address by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid or by overnight delivery using a nationally recognized carrier.

b.    Within thirty days after the insurance producer has received the original or additional notification, the insurance producer may file written comments concerning the substance of the notification with the commissioner. The     insurance producer shall, by the same means, simultaneously send a copy of the comments to the reporting insurer, and the comments become a part of the commissioner’s file and must accompany every copy of a report distributed or disclosed for any reason about the insurance producer as permitted under subsection 6.

5.    Immunities.

a.    In the absence of actual malice, an insurer, the authorized representative of the insurer, an insurance producer, the commissioner, or an organization of which the commissioner is a member and that compiles the information and makes it available to other insurance commissioners or regulatory or law enforcement agencies is not subject to civil liability, and a civil cause of action of any nature does not arise against these entities or their respective agents or employees, as a result of any statement or information required by or provided pursuant to this section or any information relating to any statement that may be requested in writing by the commissioner, from an insurer or insurance producer; or a statement by a terminating insurer or insurance producer to an insurer or insurance producer limited solely and exclusively to whether a termination for cause under subsection 1 was reported to the commissioner, provided that the propriety of any termination for cause under subsection 1 is certified in writing by an officer or authorized representative of the insurer or insurance producer terminating the relationship.

b.    In any action brought against a person who may have immunity under subdivision a for making any statement required by this section or providing any information relating to any statement that may be requested by the commissioner, the party bringing the action shall plead specifically in any allegation that subdivision a does not apply because the person making the statement or providing the information did so with actual malice.

c.    Subdivision a or b does not abrogate or modify any existing statutory or common-law privileges or immunities.

6.    Confidentiality.

a.    Any documents, materials, or other information in the control or possession of the insurance department that is furnished by an insurer, insurance producer, or an employee or agent thereof acting on behalf of the insurer or insurance producer, or obtained by the commissioner, in an investigation pursuant to this section is confidential and privileged, is not subject to subpoena, and is not subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action. However, the commissioner may use the documents, materials, or other information in the furtherance of any regulatory or legal action brought as a part of the commissioner’s duties.

b.    Neither the commissioner nor any person who receives documents, materials, or other information while acting under the authority of the commissioner may be permitted or required to testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential documents, materials, or information subject to subdivision a.

c.    In order to assist in the performance of the commissioner’s duties under this chapter, the commissioner:

(1) May share documents, materials, or other information, including the confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information subject to subdivision a, with other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies, with the national association of insurance commissioners, its affiliates or subsidiaries, and with state, federal, and international law enforcement authorities, provided that the recipient agrees to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the document, material, or other information; (2) May receive documents, materials, or information, including otherwise confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information from the national association of insurance commissioners, its affiliates or    subsidiaries, and from regulatory and law enforcement officials of other foreign or domestic jurisdictions, and shall maintain as confidential or privileged any document, material, or information received with notice or the understanding that it is confidential or privileged under the laws of the jurisdiction that is the source of the document, material, or information; and

(3) May enter into agreements governing sharing and use of information consistent with this subsection.

(4) A privilege or claim of confidentiality in the documents, materials, or information shall not be waived as a result of disclosure to the commissioner under this section or as a result of sharing as authorized in paragraph 3.

(5) Nothing in this chapter prohibits the commissioner from releasing final, adjudicated actions, including for-cause terminations that are open to public inspection to a database or other clearinghouse service maintained by the national association of insurance commissioners, its affiliates, or subsidiaries of the national association of insurance commissioners.

7.    Penalties for failing to report. An insurer, the authorized representative of the insurer, or insurance producer that fails to report as required under the provisions of this section or that is found to have reported with actual malice by a court of competent jurisdiction may, after notice and hearing, have its license or certificate of authority suspended or revoked and may be fined in accordance with sections 26.1-26-42, 26.1-26-43, and 26.1-26-50.