A. In the event of a catastrophe, the Insurance Commission may declare an emergency to exist, and in the event of such a declaration, the Commissioner may issue a license as an emergency adjuster to any resident or nonresident applicant. Such declaration of emergency may be made per zip code or on a county-by-county basis, or any combination thereof. An individual licensed as an emergency adjuster pursuant to this section may only adjust claims related to the catastrophe. The applicant shall not have to be a licensed adjuster. An applicant for this license shall be certified in the manner prescribed by the Commissioner by an adjuster licensed in this state or by an insurer who maintains an office in this state and is licensed to do business in this state. A licensed adjuster or insurer who certifies an applicant for this license shall be responsible for any losses caused by the applicant or for any improper claim handling practices committed by the applicant. The employer of this applicant shall certify the application for license as an emergency adjuster to the Commissioner within five (5) days after the applicant begins working as an emergency adjuster for the employer. The license as an emergency adjuster shall remain in force for not more than ninety (90) days from the date the Commissioner issues an emergency declaration order. The emergency declaration order may be extended an additional ninety (90) days at the Commissioner's discretion. An emergency adjuster may only adjust claims resulting from the particular catastrophe for which the emergency declaration order is issued.

B. The Commissioner may suspend or revoke the right of any person acting as an adjuster or an emergency adjuster in this state pursuant to the authority derived from the provisions of the Insurance Adjusters Licensing Act to continue to adjust claims in this state after a hearing on the suspension or revocation if the Commissioner finds that said person has engaged in any of the practices forbidden to a licensed adjuster. Notice of the hearing on said suspension or revocation shall be given personally or shall be sent by mail to the address stated in the registration. A duplicate copy of the notice shall be given to the insurer.

C. No public adjuster shall charge, agree to or accept as compensation or reimbursement any payment, commission, fee or other thing of value equal to more than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the insurance settlement claim paid by the insurer on any claim resulting from a catastrophe declared by the Commissioner to be an emergency pursuant to subsection A of this section. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a public adjuster providing public adjuster services on behalf of a for-profit commercial entity.

Added by Laws 1973, c. 178, § 18. Amended by Laws 1983, c. 129, § 17, eff. Nov. 1, 1983; Laws 1997, c. 418, § 114, eff. Nov. 1, 1997; Laws 2015, c. 297, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 2015.