Any advertisement or other device designed to produce leads based on a response from a potential insured that is directed towards persons 65 years of age or older shall prominently disclose that an agent may contact the applicant if that is the fact. In addition, an agent who makes contact with a person as a result of acquiring that person’s name from a lead generating device shall disclose that fact in the initial contact with the person.
(a) An insurer, agent, broker, solicitor, or other person or other entity shall not solicit persons 65 years of age and older in this state for the purchase of disability insurance, life insurance, or annuities through the use of a true name or fictitious name that is deceptive or misleading with regard to the status, character, or proprietary or representative capacity of the entity or person, or to the true purpose of the advertisement.
(b) For the purposes of this section, an advertisement includes envelopes, stationery, business cards, worksheets, questionnaires, or other materials designed to describe and encourage the purchase of a policy or certificate of disability insurance, life insurance, or an annuity, or to collect personal or financial information about a prospective insured or purchaser of an annuity.
(c) Advertisements shall not employ words, letters, initials, symbols, or other devices that are so similar to those used by governmental agencies, a nonprofit or charitable institution, veterans organization or agency, senior organization, or other insurer that they could have the capacity or tendency to mislead the public. Examples of misleading materials include, but are not limited to, those which imply any of the following:
(1) The advertised coverages are somehow provided by or are endorsed by any governmental agencies, nonprofit or charitable institutions, veterans organizations or agencies, or senior organizations.
(2) The advertiser is the same as, is connected with, or is endorsed by governmental agencies, nonprofit or charitable institutions, veterans organizations or agencies, or senior organizations.
(d) An advertisement may not use the name of a state or political subdivision thereof in a policy name or description.
(e) An advertisement may not use any name, service mark, slogan, symbol, or any device in any manner that implies that the insurer, or the policy or certificate advertised, or that any agency that may call upon the consumer in response to the advertisement, is connected with a governmental agency, such as the federal Social Security Administration or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
(f) An advertisement may not imply that the reader may lose a right, or privilege, or benefits under federal, state, or local law if he or she fails to respond to the advertisement.
(g) An insurer, agent, broker, or other entity may not use an address so as to mislead or deceive as to the true identity, location, or licensing status of the insurer, agent, broker, or other entity.
(h) An insurer may not use, in the trade name of its insurance policy or certificate, any terminology or words so similar to the name of a governmental agency, governmental program, or veterans organization or agency as to have the capacity or the tendency to confuse, deceive, or mislead a prospective purchaser.
(i) All advertisements used by agents, producers, brokers, solicitors, or other persons for a policy of an insurer shall have written approval of the insurer before they may be used.
(j) An insurer, agent, broker, or other entity may not solicit a particular class by use of advertisements which state or imply that the occupational or other status as members of the class entitles them to reduced rates on a group or other basis when, in fact, the policy or certificate being advertised is sold on an individual basis at regular rates.
(k) In addition to any other prohibition on untrue, deceptive, or misleading advertisements, no advertisement for an event where insurance products will be offered for sale at, or as a result of, the event may use the terms “seminar,” “class,” “informational meeting,” “benefits assistance,” “qualification information,” or substantially equivalent terms to characterize the purpose of the public gathering or event unless it adds the words “and insurance sales presentation” immediately following those terms in the same type size and font as those terms.
(l) Any advertisement for an event, presentation, seminar, workshop, or other public gathering regarding veterans’ benefits or entitlements is required to comply with the requirements of paragraph (25) of subdivision (a) of Section 1770 of the Civil Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 653, Sec. 3. (SB 1170) Effective January 1, 2013.)