(1) The office may, in its discretion, suspend or revoke the license of any motor vehicle service agreement company if it finds that the company has violated any lawful order of the office or any provision of this part.
(2) The office shall suspend or revoke the license of a motor vehicle service agreement company if it finds that the company:
(a) Is impaired or insolvent as defined in s. 631.011 or in unsound condition, or in a condition, or using methods and practices in the conduct of its business, as to render its further transaction of service agreements in this state hazardous or injurious to its service agreement holders or to the public.
(b) Has refused to be examined or to produce its accounts, records, and files for examination, or if any of its officers have refused to give information with respect to its affairs or to perform any other legal obligation as to the examination, when required by the office.
(c) Has failed to pay any fees, taxes, or other assessments within 90 days after their due date.
(d) Has failed to pay any final judgment rendered against it in this state within 90 days after the judgment became final.
(e) With a frequency as to indicate its general business practice in this state, has without just cause refused to pay proper claims arising under its service agreements, or without just cause compels service agreement holders to accept less than the amount due them or to employ attorneys or to bring suit against the service agreement company to secure full payment or settlement of proper claims.
(f) Is affiliated with, or under the same general management or interlocking directorate or ownership of, another motor vehicle service agreement company or person who transacts service agreements in or from this state without a subsisting license.
(g) Fails to affirm or deny coverage of a claim upon written request of the agreement holder within a reasonable time after notification of the claim.
(h) Fails to promptly provide a reasonable explanation in writing if requested by the agreement holder of the basis in the service agreement in relation to the facts or applicable law for denial of a claim or for the offer of a compromise settlement.
(3) The office may, in its discretion, suspend the license of any motor vehicle service agreement company as to which a proceeding for receivership, conservatorship, or rehabilitation or other delinquency proceeding has been commenced against it or its affiliate in any state.
(4) A violation of this act by an insurer is grounds for suspension or revocation of the insurer’s certificate of authority in this state.
(5) The office shall suspend or revoke the license of a company if it finds that the ratio of gross written premiums written to net assets exceeds 10 to 1 unless the company has in excess of $750,000 in net assets and is utilizing contractual liability insurance which cedes 100 percent of the service agreement company’s claims liabilities to the contractual liability insurer or is utilizing contractual liability insurance which reimburses the service agreement company for 100 percent of its paid claims. However, if a service agreement company has been licensed by the office in excess of 10 years, is in compliance with all applicable provisions of this part, and has net assets at all times in excess of $3 million that comply with the provisions of part II of chapter 625, such company may not exceed a ratio of gross written premiums written to net assets of 15 to 1.
History.—s. 8, ch. 59-110; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 21, ch. 78-95; s. 7, ch. 78-231; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 8, 32, 33, ch. 82-234; s. 133, ch. 83-216; s. 3, ch. 89-125; ss. 16, 68, ch. 91-106; ss. 6, 20, ch. 93-195; s. 2, ch. 95-245; s. 1424, ch. 2003-261.