17:48E-39. Penalties for violations

Any health service corporation of this or any other state, country or province which shall have violated any of the provisions of, or shall have neglected, failed or refused to comply with any of the requirements of, this act, except the failure to file an annual statement, shall be liable to a penalty of $500.00, to be sued for and collected by the commissioner in a summary manner in a civil action in the name of the State. The penalties when recovered shall be paid by the commissioner into the State Treasury for the use of the State. Any officer, agent, employee or member of any health service corporation doing business in this State who shall issue, circulate or cause or permit to be circulated, any estimate, illustration, or circular of any sort misrepresenting the terms of any contract issued by the health service corporation or any other such corporation, or misrepresent the benefits or advantages promised thereby, or use any name or title of any contract or class of contracts misrepresenting the true nature thereof, or who shall solicit, negotiate or effect the issue of any contract of any health service corporation which has neglected, failed, or refused to procure a certificate of authority as provided for by this act, or who accepts any premiums, dues, deposits, contributions, fees, assessments or things of value of any kind in consideration for a contract or certificate on behalf of the health service corporation, shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. The provisions of this section shall not preclude enforcement of chapter 30 of Title 17B of the New Jersey Statutes, concerning unfair trade practices and discrimination.

L. 1985, c. 236, s. 39, eff. July 15, 1985.