(a)(1) Each third-party administrator shall maintain and make available to the insurer or other person utilizing the services of the third-party administrator complete books and records of all transactions performed on behalf of the insurer or other person utilizing the services of the third-party administrator. Each third-party administrator shall (A) maintain such books and records in accordance with prudent standards of insurance record keeping, and (B) retain such books and records for a period of not less than five years from the date of their creation.

(2) The insurer or other person utilizing the services of a third-party administrator shall own any records generated by such third-party administrator pertaining to such insurer or other person utilizing the services of such third-party administrator. The third-party administrator shall retain the right to maintain continued access to books and records to permit the third-party administrator to fulfill all of its contractual obligations to the insurer, other person utilizing the services of the third-party administrator, insureds or claimants.

(b) An insurer that is affiliated with a business entity as set forth in subparagraph (M) of subdivision (11) of section 38a-720 shall be responsible for the acts of such business entity to the extent of such business entity's activities as a third-party administrator for such insurer. Such insurer shall be responsible for furnishing the books and records of all transactions performed on behalf of the insurer to the commissioner upon the commissioner's request.

(c) The commissioner shall have access for the purposes of examination, audit and inspection to books and records maintained by a third-party administrator. Any documents, materials or other information in the possession or control of the commissioner that are obtained by the commissioner from a third-party administrator, insurer, insurance producer or employee or agent thereof acting on behalf of such third-party administrator, insurer or insurance producer, in an investigation, examination or audit shall (1) be confidential by law and privileged; (2) not be subject to disclosure under section 1-210; (3) not be subject to subpoena; and (4) not be subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any civil action. The commissioner may use such documents, materials or other information in the furtherance of any regulatory or legal action brought as a part of the commissioner's official duties.

(d) Neither the commissioner nor any person who receives documents, materials or other information as set forth in subsection (c) of this section while acting under the authority of the commissioner shall testify or be required to testify in any civil action concerning such documents, materials or information.

(e) To assist the commissioner in the performance of the commissioner's duties, the commissioner may:

(1) Share documents, materials or other information, including documents, materials or other information deemed confidential and privileged pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, with other state, federal and international regulatory agencies, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or its affiliates or subsidiaries and state, federal and international law enforcement authorities, provided the recipient of such documents, materials or other information agrees to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of such documents, materials or other information;

(2) Receive documents, materials or other information, including confidential and privileged documents, materials or other information from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or its affiliates or subsidiaries and from regulatory and law enforcement officials of foreign or domestic jurisdictions. The commissioner shall maintain as confidential or privileged any documents, materials or other information received with notice or the understanding that such documents, materials or other information are confidential or privileged under the laws of the jurisdiction that is the source of such documents, materials or other information; and

(3) Enter into agreements governing the sharing and use of information consistent with this subsection.

(f) No waiver of any applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality in any documents, materials or other information shall occur as a result of disclosure to the commissioner or of sharing in accordance with subsection (e) of this section.

(g) Nothing in sections 38a-720 to 38a-720n, inclusive, shall prohibit the commissioner from releasing final, adjudicated actions, including for cause terminations of licenses issued to third-party administrators, to a database or other clearinghouse service maintained by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or its affiliates or subsidiaries.

(h) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section, if a written agreement set forth in subsection (c) of this section is terminated, the third-party administrator may, by a separate written agreement with the insurer or other person utilizing the services of the third-party administrator, transfer all books and records to a new third-party administrator. Such new third-party administrator shall acknowledge to the insurer or other person utilizing the services of the new third-party administrator, in writing, that the new third-party administrator shall be responsible for retaining the books and records of the prior third-party administrator as required under subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section.

(P.A. 11-58, S. 23; P.A. 13-134, S. 25.)

History: P.A. 13-134 amended Subsecs. (c) and (d) to delete “private” re civil action.