BILL NUMBER: AB 2456	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Miller

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act to amend Section 769.55 of the Insurance Code, relating to
insurance agents.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2456, as introduced, Miller. Insurance: delegation of notice
obligation: agents.
   Existing law provides that the obligation of an insurer to furnish
any notice to its insured may be carried out by an insurer's general
agent, provided, however, that an insurer's delegation of a notice
obligation to a general agent shall not limit or negate the insurer's
responsibility or liability if the general agent fails to provide
the required notice. A "general agent" is a licensed fire and
casualty broker-agent who manages the transaction of one or more
classes of insurance written by the insurer.
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to this
provision.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 769.55 of the Insurance Code is amended to
read:
   769.55.   (a)    Notwithstanding any other
provision of this code, for the purposes of Chapter 6 (commencing
with Section 520) through Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 675),
inclusive  ,  of Part 1 of Division 1, the obligation of an
insurer to furnish any notice to its insured required by law may be
carried out by an insurer's general agent, provided, however, that an
insurer's delegation of a notice obligation to a general agent shall
not limit or negate the insurer's responsibility or liability if the
general agent fails to provide the required notice. 
   As 
    (b)     As  used in this section,
"general agent" means a licensed fire and casualty broker-agent who,
pursuant to a written contract with an admitted insurer  , 
manages the transaction of one or more classes of insurance written
by the insurer and has the power to (1) appoint, supervise, and
terminate local agents, (2) accept or decline risks, and (3) collect
premium moneys from producing broker-agents. 
   Nothing 
    (c)     Nothing  in this section shall
provide an exemption from Article 5.4 (commencing with Section
769.80) to  any   a  fire and casualty
broker-agent who is otherwise subject to that article.