Arizona Department of Insurance

LICENSING/REGISTRATION: Rate Service Organization

Thu, 07/24/2014 - 07:30
Tue, 09/10/2019 - 14:27

Warning - Phishing Scam

We are aware of a phishing scam targeting insurance professionals claiming that the National Association of Insurance Commissioners received a complaint that the professional submitted a falsified claim. This fraudulent email displays the NAIC and CIPR logos, can originate from what appears to be an naic.org or gmail.com email account, and instructs the recipient to click on a link to download the complaint notification.

Certain antivirus products will detect this as a malicious email.  If you receive a similar email and have any concerns, contact the NAIC Service Desk at (816) 783-8500 or [email protected].

WHAT IS A RATE SERVICE ORGANIZATION

A rate service organization is a person other than a single insurer who assists insurers by compiling and furnishing loss or expense statistics and recommending, making or filing rates, forms or supplementary rate information. Rate service organization does not include a joint underwriting association, any actuarial or legal consultant, any employee of an insurer or insurers under common control or management, or their employees or manager.  ARS § 20-381.

WHO MUST BE LICENSED?

An entity cannot provide an insurer with the services defined for a rate services organization, and an insurer cannot utilize an entity to provide services defined for a rate service organization, unless the entity is licensed as a rate services organization. A licensed rate services organization cannot refuse to provide services to an Arizona-authorized insurer that offers to pay the fair and usual price for the services. ARS § 20-389.

ARS § 41-1030(G) requires most Arizona government agencies to prominently print the provisions of ARS § 41-1030(B), (D), (E) and (F) on all license applications.  The following is the language in ARS § 41-1030(B), (D), (E) and (F):

B.        An agency shall not base a licensing decision in whole or in part on a licensing requirement or condition that is not specifically authorized by statute, rule or state tribal gaming compact. A general grant of authority in statute does not constitute a basis for imposing a licensing requirement or condition unless a rule is made pursuant to that general grant of authority that specifically authorizes the requirement or condition.

D.        This section may be enforced in a private civil action and relief may be awarded against the state.  The court may award reasonable attorney fees, damages and all fees associated with the license application to a party that prevails in an action against the state for a violation of this section.

E.        A state employee may not intentionally or knowingly violate this section.  A violation of this section is cause for disciplinary action or dismissal pursuant to the agency’s adopted personnel policy.

F.         This section does not abrogate the immunity provided by section 12-820.01 or 12-820.02.