10235.16. (a) Long-term care insurance application forms shall include a question designed to elicit information as to whether the proposed insurance is intended to replace any other accident and sickness or long-term care insurance presently in force. A supplementary application or other form to be signed by the applicant containing such a question may be used.
(b) Upon determining that a sale will involve replacement, an insurer, other than an insurer using direct response solicitation methods, or its agent shall furnish the applicant, prior to issuance or delivery of a policy or certificate, a notice regarding replacement of accident and sickness or long-term care coverage. One copy of this notice shall be retained by the applicant and an additional copy signed by the applicant shall be retained by the insurer. The required notice shall be provided in the following form:
“NOTICE TO APPLICANT REGARDING REPLACEMENT OF ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS OR LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE
According to (your application) (information you have furnished), you intend to lapse or otherwise terminate existing accident and sickness or long-term care insurance and replace it with long-term care insurance coverage to be issued by (company name) Insurance Company. Your new coverage provides thirty (30) days within which you may decide, without cost, whether you desire to keep the coverage. For your own information and protection, you should be aware of and seriously consider certain factors which may affect the insurance protection available to you under the new coverage.
(1) Health conditions which you may presently have (preexisting conditions), may not be immediately or fully covered under the new coverage. This could result in denial or delay in payment of benefits under the new coverage, whereas a similar claim might have been payable under your present coverage.
(2) You may wish to secure the advice of your present insurer or its agent regarding the proposed replacement of your present coverage. This is not only your right, but it is also in your best interest to make sure you understand all the relevant factors involved in replacing your present coverage.
(3) If, after due consideration, you still wish to terminate your present coverage and replace it with new coverage, be certain to truthfully and completely answer all questions on the application concerning your medical health history. Failure to include all material medical information on an application may provide a basis for the company to deny any future claims and to refund your premium as though your coverage had never been in force. After the application has been completed and before you sign it, reread it carefully to be certain that all the information has been properly recorded.
The above “Notice to Applicant” was delivered to me on:
(Date)
(Applicant’s Signature)”
(c) For group coverage not subject to the 30-day return provision of Section 10232.7, the notice shall be modified to reflect the appropriate time period in which the policy may be returned and premium refunded.
(d) The replacement notice shall include the following statement except when the replacement coverage is group insurance as described in subdivision (a) of Section 10231.6:
COMPARISON TO YOUR CURRENT COVERAGE: I have reviewed your current long-term care coverage. To the best of my knowledge, the replacement of insurance involved in this transaction materially improves your position for the following reasons:
____ Additional or different benefits
(please specify) ______.
____ No change in benefits, but lower premiums.
____ Fewer benefits and lower premiums.
____ Other (please specify) ______.
(Signature of Agent and Name of Insurer)
(Signature of Applicant)
(Date)
(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1132, Sec. 32. Effective January 1, 1993.)
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