§1945. Service upon unauthorized insurer

A.(1) Any of the following acts in this state, effected by mail or otherwise, by any such unauthorized foreign or alien insurer is equivalent to and shall constitute an appointment by such insurer of the secretary of state and his successor or successors in office, to be its true and lawful attorney:

(a) The issuance or delivery of contracts or insurance to residents of this state.

(b) The solicitation of applications for such contracts.

(c) The collection of premiums, membership fees, assessments, or other considerations for such contracts.

(d) Any other transaction of insurance business.

(2) The secretary of state may be served with all statements of charges, notices, and lawful process in any proceeding instituted in respect to the misrepresentations set forth in R.S. 22:1943 under the provisions of the Unfair Trade Practice Law, or in any action, suit, or proceeding for the recovery of any penalty therein provided, and any such act shall be signification of its agreement that such service of statement of charges, notices, or process is of the same legal force and validity as personal service of such statement of charges, notices, or process in this state, upon such insurer.

B. Service of a statement of charges and notices under the Unfair Trade Practice Law shall be made by any deputy or employee of the commissioner of insurance delivering to and leaving with the secretary of state or some person in apparent charge of his office, two copies thereof. Service of process issued by any court in any action, suit, or proceeding to collect any penalty under such law provided, shall be made by delivering and leaving with the secretary of state or some person in apparent charge of his office, two copies thereof. The secretary of state shall cause to be mailed by registered mail one of the copies of such statement of charges, notices, or process to the defendant at its last known principal place of business, and shall keep a record of all statements of charges, notices, and process so served. Such service of statement of charges, notices, or process shall be sufficient if they shall have been so mailed and the defendant's receipt or receipt issued by the post office with which the letter is registered, showing the name of the sender of the letter and the name and address of the person to whom the letter is addressed, and the affidavit of the person mailing such letter showing compliance with this Section are filed with the commissioner of insurance in the case of any statement of charges or notices, or with the clerk of the court in which such action is pending in the case of any process, on or before the date the defendant is required to appear or within such further time as may be allowed.

C.(1) Service of statement of charges, notices, and process in any such proceeding, action, or suit shall in addition to the manner provided in Subsection B of this Section be valid if served as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection upon any person within this state who on behalf of such insurer is doing any of the following:

(a) Soliciting insurance.

(b) Making, issuing, or delivering any contract of insurance.

(c) Collecting or receiving in this state any premium for insurance.

(2) A copy of such statement of charges, notices, or process shall be sent within ten days thereafter by registered mail by or on behalf of the commissioner to the defendant at the last known principal place of business of the defendant, and the defendant's receipt, or the receipt issued by the post office with which the letter is registered, showing the name of the sender of the letter, the name and address of the person to whom the letter is addressed, and the affidavit of the person mailing the same showing compliance with this Section shall be filed with the commissioner in the case of any statement of charges or notices, or with the clerk of the court in which such action is pending in the case of any process, on or before the date the defendant is required to appear or within such further time as the court may allow.

D. No cease or desist order or judgment by default or a judgment pro confesso under this Section shall be entered until the expiration of thirty days from the date of the filing of the affidavit of compliance.

E. Service of process and notice under the provisions of this Part shall be in addition to all other methods of service provided by law, and nothing in this Part shall limit or prohibit the right to serve any statement of charges, notices, or process upon any insurer in any other manner permitted by law.

Added by Acts 1966, No. 174, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 22:1235 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2012, No. 271, §1.