(a) The commissioner shall require the name or any changed name of every insurer (including reciprocal or interinsurance exchanges), every attorney in fact, every motor club, and every underwritten title company to be submitted to him or her by written application and approved by him or her before the name is used in this state for business purposes. If approved, the commissioner shall issue his or her official certificate approving the name, and when appropriate, reserving the name for the following time periods, which shall commence on the date of the approval:

(1) One year if the applicant is newly formed, or if the application is filed on behalf of an entity to be formed, under the laws of this state.

(2) One hundred eighty days and during the pendency in good faith of an application for certificate of authority in the case of a foreign or alien applicant.

(3) Ninety days in the case of an admitted entity requesting authority to change the name under which it will conduct its business with the public in this state.

(b) Except in the case in which an applicant has already paid a fee on a pending application for admission, the commissioner shall collect a one-hundred-thirty-six-dollar ($136) fee for filing each application for name approval and reservation. An application for name approval may contain not more than three names in the order of applicant’s preference and the commissioner’s approval shall be limited to only one name submitted by any one application.

(c) The certificate of approval shall be attached to the articles of incorporation before the Secretary of State shall file the articles or any amended articles. The commissioner may reject any name 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. In the event of a rejection, the applicant shall legally change its name to one approved by the commissioner or, if a foreign or alien insurer, may arrange to conduct any business it may do with the public in California under an approved name as an operating name, identifying itself under both its true name and operating name in the conduct of all official business with the commissioner.

(d) Notwithstanding Section 1282, this section shall apply to reciprocal insurers, including their attorneys in fact, and shall apply to motor clubs.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 534, Sec. 12. (AB 1699) Effective January 1, 2018.)