(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, for the purposes of Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 520) through Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 675), inclusive of Part 1 of Division 1, the obligation of an insurer to furnish any notice to its insured required by law may be carried out by an insurer’s general agent, provided, however, that an insurer’s delegation of a notice obligation to a general agent shall not limit or negate the insurer’s responsibility or liability if the general agent fails to provide the required notice.
(b) As used in this section, “general agent” means an individual licensed as a property broker-agent and licensed as a casualty broker-agent who, pursuant to a written contract with an admitted insurer, manages the transaction of one or more classes of insurance written by the insurer and has the power to (1) appoint, supervise, and terminate local agents, (2) accept or decline risks, and (3) collect premium moneys from producing broker-agents.
(c) Nothing in this section shall provide an exemption from Article 5.4 (commencing with Section 769.80) to any property broker-agent and casualty broker-agent who is otherwise subject to that article.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 411, Sec. 4. (AB 1416) Effective January 1, 2012.)