(a) Within 30 days following the effective date of this chapter, the association shall submit to the commissioner, for his or her review, a proposed plan of operation, consistent with the provisions of this chapter, creating an association consisting of all insurers licensed to write and engaged in writing in this state, on a direct basis, basic property insurance or any component of basic property insurance in homeowners or other dwelling multiperil policies. An insurer described in this subdivision shall be a member of the association and shall remain a member as a condition of its authority to transact those kinds of insurance in this state.

(b) The proposed plan shall authorize the association to assume and cede reinsurance on risks written by insurers in conformity with the program.

(c) Under the plan, an insurer shall participate in the writings, expenses, and profits and losses of the association in the proportion that its premiums written during the second preceding calendar year bear to the aggregate premiums written by all insurers in the program, excluding that portion of the premiums written attributable to the operation of the association. Premiums written on a policy of basic residential earthquake insurance issued by the California Earthquake Authority pursuant to Section 10089.6 shall be attributed to the insurer that writes the underlying policy of residential property insurance.

(d) The plan shall provide for administration by a governing committee under rules to be adopted by the governing committee with the approval of the commissioner. Voting on administrative questions of the association and facility shall be weighted in accordance with each insurer’s premiums written during the second preceding calendar year as disclosed in the reports filed by the insurer with the commissioner.

(e) The plan shall provide for a plan to encourage persons to secure basic property insurance through normal channels from an admitted insurer or a licensed surplus line broker by informing those persons what steps they must take in order to secure the insurance through normal channels.

(f) The plan shall be subject to the approval of the commissioner and shall go into effect upon the tentative approval of the commissioner. The commissioner may, at any time, withdraw his or her tentative approval or he or she may, at any time after he or she has given his or her final approval, revoke that approval if he or she feels it is necessary to carry out the purposes of the chapter. The withdrawal or revocation of that approval shall not affect the validity of any policies executed prior to the date of the withdrawal. If the commissioner disapproves or withdraws or revokes his or her approval to all or any part of the plan of operation, the association shall, within 30 days, submit for review an appropriately revised plan or part of a revised plan, and, if the association fails to do so, or if the revised plan is unacceptable, the commissioner shall promulgate a plan of operation or part of a plan as he or she may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(g) The association may, on its own initiative or at the request of the commissioner, amend the plan of operation, subject to approval by the commissioner, who shall have supervision of the inspection bureau, the facility, and the association. The commissioner or any person designated by him or her, shall have the power of visitation of and examination into the operation and free access to all the books, records, files, papers, and documents that relate to operation of the facility and association, and may summon, qualify, and examine as witnesses all persons having knowledge of those operations, including officers, agents, or employees thereof.

(h) An insurer member of the plan shall provide to an applicant who is denied coverage, or a policyholder whose policy is canceled or not renewed, the Internet Web site address and statewide toll-free telephone number for the plan established pursuant to Section 10095.5 for the purpose of obtaining information and assistance in obtaining basic property insurance.

(i) This section shall become operative March 1, 2017.

(Repealed (in Sec. 1) and added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 543, Sec. 2. (SB 1302) Effective September 23, 2016. Section operative March 1, 2017, by its own provisions.)