Bill Text: CA AB2229 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 2229 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Residential property insurance: disclosures.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2018-07-09 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 75, Statutes of 2018. [AB2229 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB2229-Chaptered.html

Assembly Bill No. 2229

CHAPTER 75

An act to amend Section 10102 of the Insurance Code, relating to insurance.

[ Approved by Governor July 09, 2018. Filed with Secretary of State July 09, 2018. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2229, Wood. Residential property insurance: disclosures.

Existing law requires a named insured on a residential property insurance policy be provided with a copy of the California Residential Property Insurance Disclosure, which sets forth a description of certain types of insurance coverage, such as actual cash value coverage and guaranteed replacement cost coverage. Existing law also requires every California Residential Property Insurance Disclosure be accompanied by a California Residential Property Insurance Bill of Rights.

This bill would require a California Residential Property Insurance Disclosure that is provided on and after January 1, 2020, to include any fire safety-related discounts offered by the insurer.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 10102 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:

10102.

(a) The disclosure required by Section 10101 shall be in no less than 10-point typeface and shall be provided prior to or concurrent with, the application for a policy of residential property insurance. In the event that an application is made by telephone, an insurer that mails a copy of the disclosure within three business days shall be in compliance with this section. For policies issued on or after July 1, 1993, the agent or insurer shall obtain the applicant’s signature acknowledging receipt of the disclosure form within 60 days of the date of the application. When the insurer or agent establishes delivery of the disclosure form by obtaining the signature of the applicant or insured, or when an insurer or agent provides the applicant with the disclosure form and the applicant does not return a signed acknowledgment of receipt within 60 days of the date it was provided, there shall be a conclusive presumption that the insurer or agent has complied with the disclosure requirement of this chapter. The insurer or agent shall have the burden of demonstrating in accordance with California Rules of Evidence that the disclosure was provided to the applicant or insured. A signature shall not be required at the time of renewal.

If the disclosure is mailed to the named insured or applicant, it shall be mailed to the mailing address shown on the policy of residential property insurance or to the address requested by the applicant. First-class mail shall be deemed adequate for proof of mailing. The insurer shall have the burden of demonstrating in accordance with California Rules of Evidence that the disclosure was mailed to the applicant or insured.

The disclosure shall contain the following language:

PRINTER PLEASE NOTE: TIP-IN MATERIAL TO BE INSERTED

(b) The agent or insurer shall indicate on the disclosure form which coverages the applicant or insured has selected or purchased.

(c) The disclosure statement may contain additional provisions not conflicting with, annulling, or detracting from the foregoing.

(d) Following the issuance of the policy of residential property insurance, the insurer shall provide the disclosure statement to the insured on an every-other-year basis at the time of renewal. The disclosure required by this section may be transmitted with the material required by Section 10086.1.

(e) No policy of residential property insurance may be initially issued on and after January 1, 1993, as guaranteed replacement cost coverage if it contains any maximum limitation of coverage based on any set dollar limits, percentage amounts, construction cost limits, indexing, or any other preset maximum limitation for covered damage to the insured dwelling. The limitations referred to in this section are solely applicable to dwelling structure coverages. Endorsements covering additional risks to the insurer’s dwelling structure coverage may have internal limits as long as those endorsements are not called guaranteed replacement cost coverage.

(f) On and after July 1, 1993, no policy of residential property insurance may be renewed as guaranteed replacement cost coverage if it contains any maximum limitation of coverage based on any set dollar limits, percentage amounts, construction cost limits, indexing, or any other preset maximum limitation for covered damage to the insured dwelling. The limitations referred to in this section are solely applicable to dwelling structure coverages. Endorsements covering additional risks to the insurer’s dwelling structure coverage may have internal limits as long as those endorsements are not called guaranteed replacement cost coverage.

(g) Coverage provided for building code upgrades by a policy of residential property insurance shall be applicable to building codes, ordinances, standards, or laws only to the extent that those codes, ordinances, standards, or laws do not impose stricter standards on the property on the basis of the level of insurance coverage applicable to the property.

(h) The disclosure required by Section 10101 shall also be provided to the mortgagor in the event that a policy is forced placed by an insurer at the request of a mortgagee. In those cases, neither the insurer nor the mortgagee shall be required to obtain a signature from the mortgagor. No disclosure shall be required to be provided with respect to blanket policies issued to a mortgagee, and designed to provide interim coverage for losses occurring prior to the mortgagee obtaining knowledge of the lapse of the policy and prior to placement of a policy on behalf of the mortgagor.

(i) A disclosure required by Section 10101 that is provided on and after January 1, 2020, shall include any fire safety-related discounts offered by the insurer.