As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Apprentice public insurance adjuster” means a person who is qualified in all respects as a public adjuster, except as to experience, education, or training.

(b) “Business entity” means a corporation, association, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or other legal entity.

(c) “Catastrophic disaster” means an event that results in large numbers of deaths and injuries; causes extensive damage or destruction of facilities that provide and sustain human needs; produces an overwhelming demand on state and local response resources and mechanisms; causes a severe long-term effect on general economic activity; and severely affects state, local, and private sector capabilities to begin and sustain response activities. A catastrophic disaster shall be declared by the President of the United States or the Governor of the state or district in which the disaster occurred.

(d) “Commissioner” means the Insurance Commissioner.

(e) “Department” means the Department of Insurance.

(f) “Fingerprints” means an impression of the lines on the finger taken for the purposes of identification.

(g) “Home state” means the District of Columbia and any state or territory of the United States in which the public insurance adjuster’s principal place of residence or principal place of business is located. If neither the state in which the public insurance adjuster maintains the principal place of residence nor the state in which the public insurance adjuster maintains the principal place of business has a substantially similar law governing public insurance adjusters, the public insurance adjuster may declare another state in which it becomes licensed and acts as a public insurance adjuster to be the “home state.”

(h) “Licensee” means a person licensed under this chapter.

(i) “Person” includes any individual, firm, company, association, organization, partnership, limited liability company, and corporation.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 833, Sec. 4. (SB 488) Effective January 1, 2017.)