(a) A licensed rating organization shall make available, in writing, to an employer insured under a workers’ compensation policy, all policyholder information contained in its records upon request of the employer and after notice to the employer’s insurer.
(b) As used in this section, “policyholder information” means all information relating to the employer’s loss experience, claims, classification assignments, and policy contracts. Policyholder information also includes information relating to rating plans, rating systems, manual rules, and any other information that impacts the policyholder’s pure premium rates.
(c) If a licensed rating organization rejects an employer’s request for policyholder information, the rating organization shall notify the employer in writing of the reasons for the rejection. An employer whose request has been rejected in whole or in part may appeal to the commissioner in accordance with Section 11753.1. If the commissioner finds that the reasons for the rejection are not justified, he or she may order the rating organization to furnish that information to the employer.
(d) No licensed rating organization or member of the organization, or member of a committee of a licensed rating organization when acting in its capacity as a member of the committee, or officer or employee of a licensed rating organization, when acting within the scope of his or her employment, is liable to any person for injury, personal or otherwise, or damages caused or alleged to have been caused, either directly or indirectly, by the disclosure of information to an employer under this section or for the accuracy or completeness of the information disclosed.
(e) This section does not imply the existence of liability in circumstances not defined in this section, nor does it imply a legislative recognition that, except for enactment of this section, a liability has existed or would exist in the circumstances stated in this section.
(f) This section does not limit any authority of a licensed rating organization to disclose information contained in its records to others.
(g) There shall be established in all licensed rating organizations a policyholder ombudsman. The policyholder ombudsman shall be a person with sufficient knowledge of the workers’ compensation ratemaking process to provide information and assistance to policyholders in obtaining and evaluating the information provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 11730) and this article, and in Sections 3761 and 3762 of the Labor Code. Every rating organization licensed in this state shall provide compensation for the ombudsman and necessary staff and other necessary resources to allow the ombudsman to provide prompt and complete service to workers’ compensation policyholders of this state. The policyholder ombudsman may advise the policyholder in any dispute with insurers or the rating organization that the ombudsman serves, or on appeal to the commissioner as provided in Section 11737.
(h) For all policies of insurance issued or renewed on or after January 1, 1994, the insurer shall advise the policyholder in writing of the following:
(1) The policyholder’s right to request a written report containing the information set forth in this section from the licensed rating organization of which the insurer is a member, and the policyholder’s right to contact the policyholder ombudsman to assist in obtaining and evaluating information relating to rates, together with the telephone number and address of the ombudsman, as well as the policyholder’s right to contact the department to resolve a dispute with an insurer, as provided in this section and Section 11737.
(2) If a participating policy, that upon payment or nonpayment of a dividend the policyholder shall be provided a written explanation, in clear and understandable language, setting forth the basis of the calculation and expressing any dividend in both dollar amount and as a percentage of earned premium under the policy.
(3) The date when the insurer is required to file the first unit statistical report with the licensed rating organization designated by the commissioner.
(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 582, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1996.)