This chapter does not apply to:

(a) (1) A person employed exclusively and regularly by one employer in connection with the affairs of the employer only and if there exists an employer-employee relationship, except as provided in paragraph (2).

(2) After a declared state of emergency, as defined in Section 8558 of the Government Code, or other emergency declared by a public official, a person licensed under this chapter or a qualified manager shall require that all nonlicensed adjusters under the supervision of that person or manager read and understand the most recent notice and adjuster handbook prepared by the department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 14046 no later than 15 calendar days from the date on which the nonlicensed adjuster began claims adjusting activity in California.

(3) In enforcing this chapter, the department shall not be required to investigate whether a person is employed exclusively and regularly by one employer pursuant to paragraph (1).

(b) An officer or employee of the United States of America, or of this state or a political subdivision thereof, while that officer or employee is engaged in the performance of official duties.

(c) A person engaged exclusively in the business of obtaining and furnishing information as to the financial rating of persons.

(d) A charitable philanthropic society or association duly incorporated under the laws of this state, which is organized and maintained for the public good and not for private profit.

(e) An attorney performing the duties of an attorney.

(f) A licensed collection agency or an employee thereof acting within the scope of employment, while making an investigation incidental to the business of the agency, including an investigation of the location of a debtor or the debtor’s property if the contract with an assignor creditor is for the collection of claims owed or due or asserted to be owed or due or the equivalent thereof.

(g) Admitted insurers and agents and insurance brokers licensed by the state, performing duties in connection with insurance transacted by them.

(h) The legal owner of personal property that has been sold under a conditional sales agreement or a mortgagee under the terms of a chattel mortgage.

(i) A bank subject to the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of the State of California under Division 1 (commencing with Section 99) of the Financial Code or the Comptroller of the Currency of the United States.

(j) A person engaged solely in the business of securing information about persons or property from public records.

(k) A building contractor, engineer, technical expert, or other person who is engaged by an insurer or licensed adjuster to provide an expert or professional evaluation of the extent, cause, or origin of damage to the insured property, but who does not otherwise participate in the process of adjusting claims.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 502, Sec. 3. (SB 240) Effective October 3, 2019.)