(1) The office shall issue the license, unless it finds that the management of the premium finance company filing the application is so lacking in managerial experience as to make the proposed operation hazardous to the insurance-buying public or unless it has good reason to believe the management of the premium finance company is affiliated directly or indirectly through ownership, control, or in other business relations with any person whose business operations are or have been marked as detrimental to the public, policyholders, stockholders, investors, or creditors by manipulation of assets or of accounts or by bad faith.

(2) If the office refuses to issue a license, it shall notify the applicant of the denial and return to the applicant the sum paid as a license fee, but shall retain the investigation fee to cover the costs of investigating the applicant.

(3) Each license shall remain in force until September 30 of the year for which issued, unless earlier surrendered, suspended, or revoked, and may be renewed for the ensuing license year upon the filing of an application therefor. If an application for renewal is filed with the office before October 1 of any year, the license sought to be renewed shall be continued in force either until the issuance by the office of the renewal license applied for or until 5 days after the office refuses to renew the license.

History.—s. 1, ch. 63-16; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 21, ch. 78-95; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 596, 612, 809(2nd), ch. 82-243; s. 79, ch. 82-386; s. 48, ch. 85-321; s. 8, ch. 86-182; s. 114, ch. 92-318; s. 1216, ch. 2003-261.