17:23-45 Third-party consultants.

8. a. The commissioner may retain, at the insurer's expense, third-party consultants, including attorneys, actuaries, accountants and other experts not otherwise a part of the commissioner's staff as may be reasonably necessary to assist the commissioner in reviewing the disclosure and related information or the insurer's compliance with this act.

b. Any persons retained under subsection a. of this section shall be under the direction and control of the commissioner and shall act in a purely advisory capacity.

c. The NAIC and third-party consultants shall be subject to the same confidentiality standards and requirements as the commissioner.

d. As part of the retention process, a third-party consultant shall verify to the commissioner, with notice to the insurer, that it is free of a conflict of interest and that it has internal procedures in place to monitor compliance with a conflict and to comply with the confidentiality standards and requirements of this act.

e. A written agreement with the NAIC or a third-party consultant governing sharing and use of information provided pursuant to this act shall contain the following provisions and expressly require the written consent of the insurer prior to making public information provided under this act:

(1) Specific procedures and protocols for maintaining the confidentiality and security of disclosure-related information shared with the NAIC or a third-party consultant pursuant to this act;

(2) Procedures and protocols for sharing by the NAIC only with other state regulators from states in which the insurance group has domiciled insurers. The agreement shall provide that the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the disclosure-related documents, materials or other information and has verified in writing the legal authority to maintain confidentiality;

(3) A provision specifying that ownership of the disclosure-related information shared with the NAIC or a third-party consultant remains with the department and the NAIC's or third-party consultant's use of the information is subject to the direction of the commissioner;

(4) A provision that prohibits the NAIC or a third-party consultant from storing the information shared pursuant to this act in a permanent database after the underlying analysis is completed;

(5) A provision requiring the NAIC or third-party consultant to provide prompt notice to the commissioner and to the insurer or insurance group regarding any subpoena, request for disclosure, or request for production of the insurer's disclosure-related information; and

(6) A requirement that the NAIC or a third-party consultant to consent to intervention by an insurer in any judicial or administrative action in which the NAIC or a third-party consultant may be required to disclose confidential information about the insurer shared with the NAIC or a third-party consultant pursuant to this act.

L.2019, c.350, s.8.