Sec. 5. (a) The following procedure shall be used in determining the Flesch reading ease score:

(1) First, a sample of the text of the policy shall be chosen for analysis:

(A) For policy forms containing ten thousand (10,000) or less words of text, the entire policy form shall be analyzed.

(B) For policy forms containing ten thousand and one (10,001) or more words of text, two (2) samples of two hundred (200) words from each page, with each sample separated by at least twenty (20) lines, may be analyzed instead of the entire form.

(2) Second, the number of words and sentences in the text shall be counted and the total number of words shall be divided by the total number of sentences. The figure obtained shall be multiplied by a factor of one and fifteen thousandths (1.015).

(3) Third, the total number of syllables shall be counted and divided by the total number of words. The figure obtained shall be multiplied by a factor of eighty-four and six tenths (84.6).

(4) Fourth, the sum of the figures computed under subdivisions (2) and (3) when subtracted from two hundred six and eight hundred thirty-five thousandths (206.835) equals the Flesch reading ease score for the policy form.

(b) For the purposes of subsections (a)(2) through (4), the following rules of construction shall be used:

(1) A contraction, hyphenated word, or numbers and letters, when separated by spaces, shall be treated as one (1) word.

(2) A unit of words ending with a period, semicolon, or colon, but excluding headings and captions, shall be counted as a sentence.

(3) The term "syllable" means a unit of spoken language consisting of one (1) or more letters of a word as divided by a dictionary approved by the commissioner.

(4) When a dictionary approved by the commissioner shows two (2) or more equally acceptable pronunciations of a word, the pronunciation containing fewer syllables may be used.

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.245, SEC.1.