2013 -- S 0715 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC01421/SUB A

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE

     Introduced By: Senators Jabour, Crowley, Picard, and Doyle

     Date Introduced: March 13, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Commerce

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 27-76-1 and 27-76-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-76

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entitled "Weather Related Losses" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     27-76-1. Applicability. -- The Except for the provisions of section 27-76-6, the

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provisions of this chapter shall be applicable only to personal lines residential property insurance

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on dwelling houses.

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     27-76-6. State of emergency; effect upon insurance policies; rules. -- (a) The

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department of business regulation may promulgate regulations to take effect upon the declaration

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of a catastrophe, as declared by a nationally recognized catastrophe loss index provider, that

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address any of the following or other matters related to the catastrophe for insurance policies

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issued in this state:

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      (1) Reporting requirements for claims related to the emergency;

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      (2) Grace periods for payment of insurance premiums and performance of other duties

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by insureds (other than the duty to mitigate); and/or

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      (3) Temporary postponement of cancellations and nonrenewals of insurance policies.

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     (b) Subdivisions (a)(2) and (3) above apply to all insurance policies, regardless of the line

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of insurance, issued to residents of this state displaced as a result of the catastrophe. The

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regulations shall require the insurer to make reasonable efforts to contact the policyholder and

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provide the accommodations requested by the policyholder, within the limits of accommodations

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detailed in the regulation, upon confirmation that the policyholder has been displaced by the

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catastrophe.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01421/SUB A

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE

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     This act would expand the requirements to provide accommodations to a policyholder

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affected by a catastrophe for all lines of insurance.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01421/SUB A

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