(a) The department shall adopt regulations setting forth standards governing the training of insurance adjusters in evaluating damage caused by earthquakes. For purposes of this section, the California Earthquake Authority shall make available to the Department of Insurance the standards used by the authority in order for the department to develop regulations that are consistent with the authority’s standards. On or before December 31, 2004, insurers shall train and accredit adjusters in accordance with these standards. Thereafter, an insurer using one or more adjusters who are not trained and accredited in accordance with those standards shall submit the names of those adjusters to the department, along with the claim number of the claim adjusted by that adjuster. An adjuster trained and accredited by one insurer pursuant to this section shall not be required to receive training and accreditation again in order to adjust claims for a different insurer. An insurer using an adjuster who has been trained and accredited by another insurer pursuant to this section shall not be required to submit the name of that adjuster to the department.

(b) For purposes of this section, “insurance adjuster” shall include the following persons:

(1) Persons licensed pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 14000) of Division 5.

(2) Employees of persons licensed pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 14000) of Division 5 who perform insurance adjusting activities as defined in Section 14021.

(3) Employees of an insurer who perform insurance adjusting activities as defined in Section 14021.

(Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 727, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2002.)