Wisconsin Statutes 622.15 – Confidentiality
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Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 622.15
- 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.
- Following: when used by way of reference to any statute section, means the section next following that in which the reference is made. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols or figures. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: includes all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- State: when applied to states of the United States, includes the District of Columbia, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the several territories organized by Congress. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
- Testify: Answer questions in court.
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(1) Confidential treatment. Documents, materials, or other information, including summary reports, in the possession or control of the commissioner that are obtained by, created by, or disclosed to the commissioner or any other person under this chapter, are confidential and privileged, are not subject to inspection or copying under s. 19.35 (1), are not subject to subpoena, and are not subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action. The commissioner is authorized to use the documents, materials, or other information in the commissioner’s regulation of the insurer or insurance holding company system but may not make the documents, materials, or other information public without the prior written consent of the insurer.
(2) Prohibition on testimony. Neither the commissioner nor any person who received documents, materials, or other information related to own risk and solvency assessments, through examination or otherwise, while acting under the authority of the commissioner or with whom such documents, materials, or other information are shared in accordance with this chapter, may testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential documents, materials, or information subject to sub. (1).
(3) Permitted disclosures. In furtherance of the performance of the commissioner’s regulatory duties, all of the following apply:
(a) The commissioner may, upon request, share documents, materials, or other information related to own risk and solvency assessments, including the confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information subject to sub. (1), including proprietary and trade secret documents and materials, with other state, federal, and international financial regulatory agencies, including members of any supervisory college as described in s. 617.215, with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and with any 3rd-party consultants designated by the commissioner, provided that the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the documents, materials, or other information required by this section related to own risk and solvency assessments and has verified in writing its legal authority to maintain confidentiality.
(b) The commissioner may receive documents, materials, or other information related to own risk and solvency assessments, including otherwise confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information, including proprietary and trade secret information or documents, from regulatory officials of other jurisdictions, including members of any supervisory college as described in s. 617.215, and from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 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.
(c) The commissioner shall enter into a written agreement with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any 3rd party consulted formally or informally by the commissioner governing the sharing and use of information provided under this chapter, consistent with this subsection, that does all of the following:
1. Specifies procedures and protocols regarding the confidentiality and security of information shared with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or 3rd-party consultants in accordance with this chapter, including procedures and protocols for sharing by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners with other state regulators from states in which the insurance holding company system has domiciled insurers. The agreement shall provide that the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the documents, materials, or other information related to own risk and solvency assessments and has verified in writing its legal authority to maintain confidentiality.
2. Specifies that ownership of information shared with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or 3rd-party consultants in accordance with this chapter remains with the commissioner and that the use of the information by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, regulatory officials, or 3rd-party consultants is subject to the direction of the commissioner.
3. Prohibits the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or a 3rd-party consultant from storing the information shared under this chapter in a permanent database after the underlying analysis is completed, and provides that the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or 3rd-party consultant will either destroy or return the information to the insurer within 2 years of completion of the underlying analysis.
4. Requires prompt notice to be given to an insurer whose confidential information in the possession of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or a 3rd-party consultant under this chapter is subject to a request or subpoena to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or 3rd-party consultant for disclosure or production.
5. Requires the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or a 3rd-party consultant to consent to intervention by an insurer in any judicial or administrative action in which the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or 3rd-party consultant may be required to disclose confidential information about the insurer shared with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or 3rd-party consultant under this chapter.
6. In the case of an agreement involving a 3rd-party consultant, provides for the insurer’s written consent before sharing any of the insurer’s information with the 3rd-party consultant.
(d) The sharing of information and documents by the commissioner under this chapter does not constitute a delegation of regulatory authority or rule making, and the commissioner is solely responsible for the administration, execution, and enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
(e) No waiver of any applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality in the documents, proprietary and trade secret materials, or other information related to own risk and solvency assessments obtained or developed under this chapter shall occur as a result of disclosure of such information or documents to the commissioner under this section or as a result of the commissioner sharing such information or documents as authorized in this section.
(f) Documents, materials, or other information in the possession or control of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or 3rd-party consultants under this chapter are confidential and privileged, are not subject to inspection or copying under s. 19.35 (1), are not subject to subpoena, and are not subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action.