§ 27-7.1-5.1. Rate filings. (a)(1) Every insurer shall file with the director every manual, minimum premium, class rate, rating schedule, or rating plan and every other rating rule, and every modification of any of the foregoing which it proposes to use. An insurer may file its rates either by filing its final rates or by filing a multiplier to be applied to prospective loss costs that have been filed by an advisory organization on behalf of an insurer as permitted by § 27-9-8.1. Every filing shall state the proposed effective date of the filing.

(2) Every insurer shall file or incorporate by reference material which has been approved by the director, at the same time as the filing of the rate, and all supplementary rating and supporting information to be used in support of or in conjunction with a rate. The information furnished for support of a filing may include or consist of a reference to: (i) the experience or judgment of the insurer or information filed by the advisory organization on behalf of the insurer as permitted by § 27-9-8.1; (ii) the interpretation of the insurer or advisory organization of any statistical data it relies upon; (iii) the experience of other insurers or advisory organizations; or (iv) any other relevant factors. A filing and any supporting information shall be open to public inspection upon receipt of the filing.

(3) When a filing is not accompanied by the information upon which the insurer supports the filing, the director may require the insurer to furnish the information upon which it supports the filing and, in that event, the waiting period shall commence as of the date the information is furnished. Until the requested information is provided, the filing shall not be deemed complete. If the requested information is not filed within a reasonable time, the filing may be returned to the insurer as not filed and not available for use.

(4) After reviewing an insurer's filing, the director may require that the insurer's rates be based upon the insurer's own loss, special assessment, and expense information. If the insurer's loss or allocated loss adjustment expense information is not actuarially credible, as determined by the director, the insurer may use or supplement its experience with information filed with the director by an advisory organization.

(5) Insurers utilizing the services of an advisory organization must provide with their rate filing, at the request of the director, a description of the rationale for that use, including its own information and method of utilization of the advisory organization's information.

(b) The director shall review filings as soon as reasonably possible after they have been made in order to determine whether they meet the requirements of this chapter.

(c) Subject to the exception specified in § 27-7.1-6.2, each filing shall be on file for a waiting period of thirty (30) days before it becomes effective, which period may be extended by the director for an additional period not to exceed thirty (30) days if written notice is given within the waiting period to the insurer or advisory organization which made the filing that additional time is needed for the consideration of the filing. Upon written application by the insurer, the director may authorize a filing that has been reviewed to become effective before the expiration of the waiting period or any extension of the waiting period. A filing shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this chapter unless disapproved by the director within the waiting period or any extension of the waiting period.

(d) No insurer shall make or issue a contract or policy except in accordance with the filings which have been approved and are in effect for that insurer as provided in this chapter or in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.

(e) Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the director from holding a hearing on a rate filing pursuant to the provisions of chapter 35 of title 42 and regulations adopted by the department.

History of Section. (P.L. 1998, ch. 148, § 3; P.L. 1999, ch. 46, § 1.)