507B.7 Orders and penalties.
1. If, after hearing, the commissioner determines that a person has engaged in an unfair method of competition or an unfair or deceptive act or practice, the commissioner shall reduce the findings to writing and shall issue and cause to be served upon the person charged with the violation a copy of such findings, an order requiring such person to cease and desist from engaging in such method of competition, act, or practice, and the commissioner may at the commissioner’s discretion order any one or more of the following:
a. Payment of a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each act or violation of this subtitle, but not to exceed an aggregate of ten thousand dollars, unless the person knew or reasonably should have known the person was in violation of this subtitle, in which case the penalty shall be not more than five thousand dollars for each act or violation, but not to exceed an aggregate penalty of fifty thousand dollars in any one six-month period. If the commissioner finds that a violation of this subtitle was directed, encouraged, condoned, ignored, or ratified by the employer of the person or by an insurer, the commissioner shall also assess a penalty to the employer or insurer.
b. Suspension or revocation of the license of a person as defined in section 507B.2, subsection 1, if the person knew or reasonably should have known the person was in violation of this subtitle.
c. Payment of interest at the rate of ten percent per annum if the commissioner finds that the insurer failed to pay interest as required under section 507B.4, subsection 3, paragraph “p”.
2. Until the expiration of the time allowed under section 507B.8 for filing a petition for review if no such petition has been duly filed within such time, or, if a petition for review has been filed within such time, then until the transcript of the record in the proceeding has been filed in the district court, the commissioner may at any time, upon such notice and in such manner as the commissioner may deem proper, modify or set aside in whole or in part any order issued by the commissioner under this section.
3. After the expiration of the time allowed for filing such a petition for review if no such petition has been duly filed within such time, the commissioner may at any time, after notice and opportunity for hearing, reopen and alter, modify, or set aside, in whole or in part, any order issued by the commissioner under this section, whenever in the commissioner’s opinion conditions of fact or of law have so changed as to require such action, or if the public interest shall so require.
4. Any person who violates an order of the commissioner, and while such order is in effect, may, after notice and hearing and upon order of the commissioner, be subject at the discretion of the commissioner to any one or more of the following:
a. A monetary penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars for each and every act or violation. A penalty collected under this lettered paragraph shall be deposited as provided in section 505.7.
b. Suspension or revocation of such person’s license.
[C58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §507B.7; 81 Acts, ch 165, §3]
2001 Acts, ch 69, §10, 39; 2004 Acts, ch 1110, §24; 2009 Acts, ch 181, §65; 2012 Acts, ch 1021, §97; 2012 Acts, ch 1023, §152; 2020 Acts, ch 1063, §270; 2021 Acts, ch 181, §2
Referred to in §505.8, 507B.7A, 510.21, 510.23, 510B.3
Section amended
Structure Iowa Code
Chapter 507B - INSURANCE TRADE PRACTICES
Section 507B.1 - Declaration of purpose.
Section 507B.3 - Unfair competition or unfair and deceptive acts or practices prohibited.
Section 507B.4 - Unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices defined.
Section 507B.4A - Duty to respond to inquiries and prompt payment of claim.
Section 507B.4B - Suitability.
Section 507B.4C - Unclaimed life insurance.
Section 507B.5 - Favored agent or insurer — coercion of debtors.
Section 507B.6A - Summary orders.
Section 507B.7 - Orders and penalties.
Section 507B.7A - Administrative hearings.
Section 507B.8 - Judicial review of cease and desist orders.
Section 507B.9 - Sale of duplicate coverage prohibited.