(a) Insurance policies or certificates of disability insurance sold to persons age 65 or older shall return to policyholders or certificate holders benefits that have a minimum loss ratio of 60 percent for individual policies and 75 percent for group policies. The loss ratio shall be on the basis of incurred claims experience and earned premiums.
(b) The commissioner shall require every entity providing insurance policies or certificates of disability insurance sold to persons age 65 or older in this state to maintain detailed experience data for policies and certificates subject to this section and require them to make an annual filing with the commissioner disclosing the loss ratio for each policy form or certificate subject to this section. The annual filing shall, at a minimum, include rates, rating schedules, and supporting documentation including ratios of incurred losses to earned premiums by number of years of policy duration. That information shall demonstrate that each policy form or certificate is in compliance with the applicable loss ratio standards.
(c) The commissioner shall assure that reserves are reasonable and based on sound actuarial principles with respect to the aggregate dollar amount of reserves for claims that are incurred but not yet paid, and for claims that are incurred but not yet reported.
(d) Policy forms or certificates shall be deemed to comply with the purposes of this section if the expected losses in relation to premiums over the entire period for which the policy form or certificate is rated comply with the requirements of this section and either of the following applies:
(1) For policies or certificates that have been in force for three years or more, for the most recent year the ratio of incurred losses to earned premiums is greater than or equal to the minimum loss ratios established by this section.
(2) For policies or certificates that have been in force for three years or less, the expected third year loss ratio can be demonstrated to be greater than or equal to the minimum loss ratio.
(e) If the annual filing or other information received by the commissioner indicates that the actual loss ratio for a policy or certificate is less than the minimum loss ratio established by this section, the commissioner shall require that the insurer or entity providing the insurance file and implement a corrective plan. This plan shall include the utilization of premium reductions, dividends, benefit increases, or any combination of these or other methods so that the minimum loss ratio can be reasonably expected to be achieved. Any corrective plan shall be reviewed and approved by the commissioner prior to implementation.
(f) If, in the opinion of the commissioner, a policy’s or certificate’s failure to meet the minimum loss ratio requirements is due to unusual reserve fluctuations, economic conditions, or other nonrecurring conditions, the commissioner may exempt the policy or certificate from the need for a corrective plan for that year. Any exemption shall be in writing and shall specify the reasons for the granting of the exemption.
(g) If the insurer or other entity providing disability insurance to persons 65 years of age or older in this state fails to file and implement a corrective plan in a timely manner, the commissioner shall withdraw approval of the policy or certificate according to the procedures set forth in Section 10293. This remedy is in addition to any remedy available in that section or under other laws of this state. Any report, plan, exemption, or other document prepared pursuant to this section shall be accessible to the public as a public record.
(h) The commissioner may adopt regulations to implement or administer this article.
(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 427, Sec. 111. Effective January 1, 1993.)