(a) If certain insurance coverage cannot be procured from authorized insurers, such coverage, hereinafter designated “surplus lines,” may be procured from nonadmitted insurers, subject to the following conditions:
(1) Each insurer is an eligible surplus lines insurer; and
(2) Each insurer is authorized to write the type of insurance in its domiciliary jurisdiction; and
(3) The full amount of insurance required must not be procurable, after diligent effort has been made to do so, from among the insurers authorized to transact and actually writing that kind and class of insurance in this State, and the amount of insurance exported shall be only the excess over or other than the amount procurable from authorized insurers; and
(4) The insurance must not be so exported for the purpose of securing advantages either as to:
a. A lower premium rate than would be accepted by an authorized insurer; or
b. Terms of the insurance contract.
(5) All other requirements of this chapter are met.
(b) For purposes of this section, “type of insurance” means the hazard or combination of hazards covered by a contract of insurance.
(c) Each surplus line broker shall be responsible to ensure that a diligent effort is made among insurers that are admitted to transact and are actually writing the particular type of insurance in this State before procuring the insurance for a home state insured from a nonadmitted insurer.
(1) A diligent search shall only be performed by a surplus lines broker or a producer licensed in this State that holds an active property and casualty insurance producer license.
(2) An insurance producer or surplus lines broker is exempt from the diligent effort requirements of this section if the producer or surplus lines broker is procuring insurance for a risk purchasing group as provided in Chapter 80 of this title.
(d) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section and § 1914 of this title, the Commissioner shall by regulation establish the degree of effort required to comply with paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) of this section and the means to certify to the accuracy of the facts supporting the surplus line broker's diligent search effort.