(a) Each limited liability company, at the time of licensing pursuant to this chapter and, with respect to surplus line brokers, Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 1760), and at all times during which the company holds an active license, is required to provide security for claims against it as follows:

(1) For claims based upon acts, errors, or omissions arising out of the practice of insurance agency, brokerage, or surplus line brokerage, a licensed limited liability company providing insurance agency, brokerage, or surplus line brokerage services shall comply with the requirements of subparagraph (A) or (B), or pursuant to subdivision (b), some combination of those requirements.

(A) (i) Maintain a policy or policies of insurance against liability imposed on or against it by law for damages arising out of claims in an amount for each claim of at least one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) multiplied by the number of licensees rendering professional services on behalf of the company, with a minimum required amount of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000); however, the maximum amount of insurance is not required to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000) for claims initially asserted in any one calendar year, less amounts paid in defending, settling, or discharging those claims. In addition, the policy shall contain, at a minimum, a provision that the policy cannot be nonrenewed, canceled, or terminated, without providing written notice to the commissioner within 10 days.

(ii) An applicant who wishes to satisfy the requirements of this section wholly, or in part, by maintaining a policy or policies of insurance as set forth in clause (i) shall submit to the commissioner a certification of coverage pursuant to subdivision (d). If a license is automatically issued or renewed without providing this certification, the license may be inactivated by the commissioner upon discovery of the lack of compliance with this paragraph.

(iii) If the policy specified in clause (i) contains a deductible or self-insured retention and the policy provides that the insurer is ultimately responsible for payment of the total amount of the claim up to the policy limits, including the deductible or retention, the policyholder shall not be required to maintain security for payment of its deductible limit or self-insured retention liability under the terms set forth in subparagraph (B).

(iv) If the policy specified in clause (i) contains a deductible limit or self-insured retention and does not provide that the insurer is responsible for payment of the total amount of the claim up to the policy limits, the policyholder shall maintain security for payment of its deductible limit or self-insured retention under the terms set forth in subparagraph (B).

(B) Maintain in trust or bank escrow, cash, bank certificates of deposit, United States Treasury obligations, bank letters of credit, or bonds of insurance companies as security for payment of liabilities imposed by law for damages arising out of all claims in an amount of at least one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) multiplied by the number of licensees rendering professional services on behalf of the company, with a minimum required amount of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000); however, the maximum amount of security is not required to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000) for claims initially asserted in any one calendar year, less amounts paid in defending, settling, or discharging those claims.

(b) For purposes of satisfying the security requirements of this section, a limited liability company may aggregate the security provided by it pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).

(c) At the time of licensing pursuant to this article, limited liability companies shall file with the commissioner information, in the manner prescribed by the commissioner, and accompanied by all documentation requested by the commissioner, demonstrating compliance with the financial security requirements of this section. Limited liability companies shall also file an annual confirmation with the commissioner, at a time and in a manner, and with documentation, prescribed by the commissioner, demonstrating continuing compliance with the financial security requirements of this section.

(d) If the security requirements of this section are satisfied wholly, or in part, with an insurance policy, then a certification of coverage shall be submitted to the commissioner by the licensee or applicant, and signed by an authorized agent or employee of the insurer. The certification of coverage shall be in the following form:

(e) The commissioner may summarily deny or decline to act upon an application for the issuance or renewal of a license, or may summarily inactivate an existing license, for failure to comply with the requirements of this section.

(1) If the commissioner inactivates a license for failure to comply with the requirements of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), the effective date of the inactivation shall be the date on which the insurance policy or policies used to satisfy that requirement expire or are canceled, as indicated by the expiration date specified on the certification of coverage filed pursuant to subdivision (d) or by a notification received from the insurer of termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of coverage.

(2) If the commissioner inactivates a license for failure to comply with the requirements of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), or with the requirements of subdivision (b), the effective date of the inactivation shall be the date set by the commissioner as the deadline for demonstrating compliance with those provisions.

(3) Within 10 working days of the date of inactivation under this section, the commissioner shall send by certified mail to the licensee’s address, as reflected in the commissioner’s records, a notice to the licensee of the inactivation of the license.

(4) A license that has been inactivated pursuant to this section shall be reactivated if, within 30 days of the date of inactivation, the licensee demonstrates, in the manner prescribed by the commissioner, satisfaction of the requirements of subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), or the requirements of subdivision (b), and includes any fees, penalties, and any other required licensing documents necessary to reactivate the license, including new company appointment forms, bonds, and any new business entity endorsements as required. If a certification of coverage is provided to demonstrate compliance with these requirements, and the certification indicates that the insurance policy or policies have been in effect continuously from the date of the inactivation, the license shall be reactivated retroactive to and including the date of inactivation. If the certification of coverage shows an effective date for the insurance policy or policies later than the date of inactivation, the license shall be reactivated as of the effective date of the policy or policies.

(f) Any licensee who, acting alone or in concert with others, willfully or knowingly causes or allows to be filed with the commissioner for the purpose of demonstrating compliance with this section a certification of coverage described in subdivision (d), or any other document required by this section, that is false, fraudulent, or misleading, shall be subject to administrative penalty, including suspension or revocation of the licensee’s license, after notice and hearing as provided for in the Administrative Procedure Act. However, nothing in this section shall entitle a licensee to notice or hearing on the summary denial of an application or the summary inactivation of a license pursuant to subdivision (e).

(g) The commissioner may disclose on the department’s Internet Web site the names and license numbers of those licensees whose licenses have been inactivated or who have been penalized due to noncompliance with this section. The commissioner may also report that information to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

(h) The commissioner may adopt regulations as necessary to implement this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 312, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2006.)