(a) A corporation, an unincorporated association, a partnership, or a person, whether located inside or outside this state, may make application to the director for license as a rating organization for the kinds of insurance, or subdivision or class of risk or a part or combination thereof as are specified in its application and shall file with the application (1) a copy of its constitution, its articles of agreement or association, or its certificate of incorporation, and of its bylaws and regulations governing the conduct of its business; (2) a list of its members and subscribers; (3) the name and address of a resident of this state upon whom notices or orders of the director or process affecting the rating organization may be served; and (4) a statement of its qualifications as a rating organization. If the director finds that the applicant is competent, trustworthy, and otherwise qualified to act as a rating organization and that its constitution, articles of agreement or association or certificate of incorporation, and its bylaws and regulations governing the conduct of its business conform to the requirements of law, the director shall issue a license specifying the kinds of insurance, or subdivisions or classes or risks or parts or combinations of them for which the applicant is authorized to act as a rating organization. Each application shall be granted or denied in whole or in part by the director within 60 days after the date of its filing. Licenses issued under this section shall remain in effect for three years unless suspended or revoked by the director. The fee for the license is set under AS 21.06.250. Licenses issued under this section may be suspended or revoked by the director, after hearing upon notice, if the rating organization ceases to meet the requirements of this subsection and (b) of this section.
(b) Each rating organization shall notify the director promptly of every change in
(1) its constitution, its articles of agreement or association, or its certificate of incorporation, and its bylaws and regulations governing the conduct of its business;
(2) its list of members and subscribers; and
(3) the name and address of the resident of this state designated by it upon whom notices or orders of the director or process affecting the rating organization may be served.
(c) Subject to regulations that have been approved by the director as reasonable, each rating organization shall permit an insurer that is not a member to be a subscriber to its rating services for the kind of insurance, subdivision, or class of risk or a part or combination of them for which it is authorized to act as a rating organization. Notice of proposed changes in the regulations shall be given to subscribers. Each rating organization shall furnish its rating service without discrimination to its members and subscribers. The reasonableness of a regulation in its application to subscribers, or the refusal of a rating organization to admit an insurer as a subscriber, shall, at the request of a subscriber or an insurer, be reviewed by the director at a hearing held upon at least 10 days' written notice to the rating organization and to the subscriber or insurer. If the director finds that the regulation is unreasonable in its application to subscribers, the director shall order that the regulation shall not be applicable to subscribers. If the rating organization fails to grant or reject an insurer's application for subscribership within 30 days after it was made, the insurer may request a review by the director as if the application had been rejected. If the director finds that the insurer has been refused admittance to the rating organization as a subscriber without justification, the director shall order the rating organization to admit the insurer as a subscriber. If the director finds that the action of the rating organization was justified, the director shall make an order affirming the action.
(d) A rating organization may not adopt a regulation that would prohibit or regulate the payment of dividends, savings, or unabsorbed premium deposits allowed or returned by insurers to their policyholders, members, or subscribers.
(e) Cooperation among rating organizations or among rating organizations and insurers in rate making or other matters within the scope of this chapter is authorized. The filings resulting from the cooperation are subject to the provisions of this chapter that are applicable to filings generally. The director may review the cooperative activities and practices, and if, after a hearing, the director finds that the activity or practice is unfair or unreasonable or inconsistent with this chapter, the director may issue a written order specifying in what respects the activity or practice is unfair or unreasonable or otherwise inconsistent with this chapter, and requiring the discontinuance of the activity or practice.
(f) A rating organization may provide for the examination of policies, daily reports, binders, renewal certificates, endorsements, or other evidences of insurance, or the cancellation of them, and may make reasonable rules governing their submission. The rules must contain a provision that in the event an insurer does not within 60 days furnish satisfactory evidence to the rating organization of the correction of an error or omission previously called to its attention by the rating organization, it shall be the duty of the rating organization to notify the director. All information submitted for examination shall be confidential.
(g) A rating organization may subscribe for or purchase actuarial, technical, or other service. The services shall be available to all members and subscribers without discrimination.