(a) A home protection company proposing to issue a contract bearing the name of itself as well as another name which is the name of a person, persons, or organization of persons licensed pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 10000) of Division 4 of the Business and Professions Code, or a franchised name therefor, shall first file an application with the commissioner for approval of the other name. The commissioner may reject any name so submitted when it is an interference with, or too similar to, one already appropriated or when it is likely to mislead the public in any respect. However, the name shall not be rejected, except pursuant to subdivision (b), if the name was used by the same entity for a similar offering in this state prior to May 3, 1978. In case of any rejection of a name pursuant to this subdivision, the application may be amended to submit another or other names.
(b) No such name shall be approved unless all power to transact home protection business (except as authorized in Section 771.1) and other powers specified by the commissioner by regulation, are specifically retained by the home protection company and the home protection contracts prominently disclose that fact.
The commissioner, pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, may adopt reasonable regulations to implement this section.
(Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 106, Sec. 93.)