A. Upon determining that an examination should be conducted, the superintendent or the superintendent's designee shall issue an order appointing one or more examiners to perform the examination and instructing them as to the scope of the examination. In conducting the examination, the examiner shall observe those guidelines and procedures set forth in the examiners' handbook adopted by the national association of insurance commissioners. The superintendent may also employ such other guidelines or procedures as the superintendent may deem appropriate.

B. Every company or person from whom information is sought, its officers, directors and agents must provide to the examiners appointed under Subsection A of this section timely, convenient and free access at all reasonable hours at its offices to all books, records, accounts, papers, documents and any or all computer or other recordings relating to the property, assets, business and affairs of the company being examined. The officers, directors, employees and agents of the company or person shall facilitate the examination and aid in the examination so far as it is in their power to do so. The refusal of any company, by its officers, directors, employees or agents, to submit to examination or to comply with any reasonable written request of the examiners shall be grounds for suspension or refusal of, or nonrenewal of, any license or authority held by the company to engage in an insurance or other business subject to the superintendent's jurisdiction.

C. The superintendent or any of his examiners shall have the power to issue subpoenas, to administer oaths and to examine under oath any person as to any matter pertinent to the examination. Upon the failure or refusal of any person to obey a subpoena, the superintendent may petition a court of competent jurisdiction, and upon proper showing, the court may enter an order compelling the witness to appear and testify or produce documentary evidence. Failure to obey the court order shall be punishable as contempt of court.

D. If the superintendent or examiner finds any accounts or records to be inadequate or inadequately or improperly kept or posted, the superintendent may employ experts to reconstruct, rewrite, post or balance them at the expense of the person being examined if such person has failed to maintain, complete or correct such records or accounting after the superintendent or examiner has given written notice and reasonable opportunity to do so.

E. Any individual giving false testimony or information as to any matter material to the examination with knowledge of such falsity, shall upon conviction thereof be guilty of a fourth degree felony and shall be punished by a fine not to exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000). Any individual who willfully refuses or fails to attend at the examination, or to produce books, records, accounts or files requested, or to give the superintendent or the examiner full and truthful information in writing in response to any written inquiry of the superintendent or examiner in regard to matters under examination, or to appear and testify under oath before the superintendent or examiner when so requested and given reasonable opportunity to do so, or who willfully obstructs or interferes with the superintendent or examiner in the conduct of the examination, shall upon conviction thereof be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each such offense.

F. Nothing contained in Chapter 59A, Article 4 NMSA 1978 shall be construed to limit the superintendent's authority to terminate or suspend any examination in order to pursue other legal or regulatory action pursuant to the insurance laws of this state. Findings and conclusions made pursuant to any examination shall be prima facie evidence in any legal or regulatory action.

G. Nothing contained in Chapter 59A, Article 4 NMSA 1978 shall be construed to limit the superintendent's authority to use and, if appropriate, to make public any final or preliminary examination report, any examiner or company workpapers or other documents or any other information discovered or developed during the course of any examination in the furtherance of any legal or regulatory action which the superintendent may, in his sole discretion, deem appropriate.

History: 1978 Comp., § 59A-4-7, enacted by Laws 1993, ch. 320, § 5.

Repeals and reenactments. — Laws 1993, ch. 320, § 5 repealed former 59A-4-7 NMSA 1978, as amended by Laws 1987, ch. 259, § 2, and enacted a new section, effective June 18, 1993.