(1) An unauthorized insurer may be sued upon any cause of action arising in this state under any surplus lines insurance contract issued by it or any certificate, cover note, or other confirmation of such insurance issued by the surplus lines agent, pursuant to the same procedure as is provided in s. 624.423 as to authorized insurers.

(2) The unauthorized insurer accepting the risk or issuing the policy shall be deemed thereby to have authorized service of process against it in the manner and to the effect as provided in this section, and to have appointed the Chief Financial Officer as its agent for service of process issuing upon any cause of action arising in this state under any such policy, contract, or insurance.

(3) Each unauthorized insurer requesting eligibility pursuant to s. 626.918 shall file with the department its appointment of the Chief Financial Officer, on a form as furnished by the department, as its attorney to receive service of all legal process issued against it in any civil action or proceeding in this state, and agreeing that process so served shall be valid and binding upon the insurer. The appointment shall be irrevocable, shall bind the insurer and any successor in interest as to the assets or liabilities of the insurer, and shall remain in effect as long as there is outstanding in this state any obligation or liability of the insurer resulting from its insurance transactions therein.

(4) At the time of such appointment of the Chief Financial Officer as its process agent, the insurer shall file with the department designation of the name and address of the person to whom process against it served upon the Chief Financial Officer is to be forwarded. The insurer may change the designation at any time by a new filing.

(5) This section shall be cumulative to any other methods which may be provided by law for service of process upon the insurer.

History.—s. 376, ch. 59-205; s. 8, ch. 63-86; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 2, ch. 81-318; ss. 318, 807, ch. 82-243; ss. 206, 207, ch. 90-363; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 311, ch. 97-102; s. 1025, ch. 2003-261.