(a) The provisions of this chapter limiting the insurance that may be placed with nonadmitted insurers and requiring any report thereof shall not apply to:
(1) Reinsurance of the liability of an admitted insurer.
(2) Insurance against perils of navigation, transit, or transportation upon hulls, freights or disbursements, or other shipowner interests; upon goods, wares, merchandise, and all other personal property and interests therein, in the course of exportation from or importation into any country, or transportation coastwise, including transportation by land or water from point of origin to final destination and including war risks; and marine builder’s risks, drydocks, and marine railways, including insurance of ship repairer’s liability, and protection and indemnity insurance, but excluding insurance covering bridges or tunnels.
(3) Aircraft or spacecraft insurance.
(4) Insurance on property or operations of railroads engaged in interstate commerce.
(b) The insurance specified in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (a) may be placed with a nonadmitted insurer for a home state insured only by and through a special lines’ surplus line broker. The license of a special lines’ surplus line broker shall be applied for and procured and shall be subject to the same fees for filing on issuance in the same manner as the license of a surplus line broker, except that in lieu of the bond required by Section 1765, there shall be delivered to the commissioner a bond in the form, amounts, and conditions specified in Sections 1663 and 1665 for an insurance broker and only one fee shall be collected from one person for both licenses. The licensee in respect to the business shall be subject to all the provisions of this chapter except Sections 1761, 1763, 1765.1, 1765.2, and 1775.5.
(c) The commissioner may address to any licensed special lines’ surplus line broker a written request for full and complete information respecting the financial stability, reputation, and integrity of any nonadmitted insurer with whom the licensee has dealt or proposes to deal in the transaction of insurance specified in paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of subdivision (a). The licensee so addressed shall promptly furnish in written or printed form so much of the information requested as he or she can produce together with a signed statement identifying the same and giving reasons for omissions, if any. After due examination of the information and accompanying statement, the commissioner may, if he or she believes it to be in the public interest, order in writing the licensee to place no further insurance business for home state insureds with that nonadmitted insurer on behalf of any person. Any placement with that nonadmitted insurer made by a licensee after receipt of the order is a violation of this chapter. The commissioner may issue an order if he or she finds that a nonadmitted insurer with whom the licensee has dealt or proposes to deal in the transaction of insurance is in an unsound financial condition, is disreputable, or is lacking in integrity. The order shall also include notice of a hearing to be held at a time and place fixed therein, which shall be not less than 20 nor more than 30 days from service of the order upon the licensee.
(d) The commissioner may, in respect to business written or placed under the provisions of this section, require information and reports thereof that the commissioner considers necessary, convenient, or advisable.
(e) Each placing of insurance in violation of this chapter is a misdemeanor.
(f) The commissioner may revoke, suspend, or deny any license granted pursuant to this code in accordance with the procedure provided in Article 13 (commencing with Section 1737) of Chapter 5, or any certificate of authority granted pursuant to this code in accordance with the procedure provided in Section 704 whenever the commissioner finds that the licensee or holder of the certificate has committed a violation of this section.
(g) The premium for insurance placed by or through a special lines’ surplus line broker pursuant to this section shall not be subject to the tax imposed upon the broker based upon gross premiums paid for insurance placed under authority conferred by the license.
(h) Special lines’ surplus line brokers may advertise and solicit in conformity with Section 1773, except that they are not subject to the limitation that any nonadmitted insurer’s name appearing in the advertisements or solicitations must be eligible under Section 1765.1.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 83, Sec. 11. (AB 315) Effective July 15, 2011. Operative July 21, 2011, by Sec. 34 of Stats. 2011, Ch. 83.)