BILL NUMBER: AB 1214	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 26, 2009
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 15, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Nava

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to add Section 16031 to the Insurance Code, relating to
fire insurance.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1214, as amended, Nava. Fire insurance: underwriters' corps:
liability.
   Existing law authorizes any domestic corporation of insurance
underwriters to maintain an underwriter's corps. Under existing law,
an underwriter's corps is defined as a group of persons with officers
and equipment, maintained to discover and prevent fires and to save
life and property from fire.
   This bill would specify that any privately owned or operated
resources hired by an insurer for the purpose of protecting
structures endangered by fire or performing firefighting duties shall
report to the incident commander or his or her designee immediately
upon arriving at the site of a fire. This bill would also require
those resources to obey all directions, including evacuation orders,
given by the incident commander or his or her designee.  This
bill would also state that an insurance adjuster with special
training or equipment relative to fire protection or firefighting
services as certified by the Insurance Commissioner shall report to
the incident commander or his or her designee immediately upon
arriving at the site of a fire. This bill would require that, after
reporting to the incident commander and as soon as operationally
practical, the insurance adjuster be allowed into an evacuated fire
area. 
   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 16031 is added to the Insurance Code, to read:
   16031.   (a)    Any privately
owned or operated resources hired by an insurer for the purpose of
protecting structures endangered by fire or performing firefighting
duties shall report to the incident commander or his or her designee
immediately upon arriving at the site of a fire. Those resources must
obey all directions, including evacuation orders, given by the
incident commander or his or her designee. 
   (b) An insurance adjuster with special training or equipment
relative to fire protection or firefighting services as certified by
the Insurance Commissioner shall report to the incident commander or
his or her designee immediately upon arriving at the site of a fire.
After reporting to the incident commander, and as soon as
operationally practical, the insurance adjuster shall be allowed into
an evacuated fire area.