(a) Any company licensed to write insurance in this state that reasonably believes or knows that a fraudulent claim is being made shall, within 60 days after determination by the insurer that the claim appears to be a fraudulent claim, send to the Fraud Division, on a form prescribed by the department, the information requested by the form and any additional information relative to the factual circumstances of the claim and the parties claiming loss or damages that the commissioner may require. The Fraud Division shall review each report and undertake further investigation it deems necessary and proper to determine the validity of the allegations. Whenever the commissioner is satisfied that fraud, deceit, or intentional misrepresentation of any kind has been committed in the submission of the claim, he or she shall report the violations of law to the insurer, to the appropriate licensing agency, and to the district attorney of the county in which the offenses were committed, as provided by Sections 12928 and 12930. If the commissioner is satisfied that fraud, deceit, or intentional misrepresentation has not been committed, he or she shall report that determination to the insurer. If prosecution by the district attorney concerned is not begun within 60 days of the receipt of the commissioner’s report, the district attorney shall inform the commissioner and the insurer as to the reasons for the lack of prosecution regarding the reported violations.

(b) This section shall not require an insurer to submit to the Fraud Division the information specified in subdivision (a) in either of the following instances:

(1) The insurer’s initial investigation indicated a potentially fraudulent claim but further investigation revealed that it was not fraudulent.

(2) The insurer and the claimant have reached agreement as to the amount of the claim and the insurer does not have reasonable grounds to believe that claim to be fraudulent.

(c) Nothing contained in this article shall relieve an insurer of its existing obligations to also report suspected violations of law to appropriate local law enforcement agencies.

(d) Any police, sheriff, disciplinary body governed by the provisions of the Business and Professions Code, or other law enforcement agency shall furnish all papers, documents, reports, complaints, or other facts or evidence to the Fraud Division, when so requested, and shall otherwise assist and cooperate with the division.

(e) If an insurer, at the time the insurer, pursuant to subdivision (a) forwards to the Fraud Division information on a claim that appears to be fraudulent, has no evidence to believe the insured on that claim is involved with the fraud or the fraudulent collision, the insurer shall take all necessary steps to assure that no surcharge is added to the insured’s premium because of the claim.

(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 717, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2006.)