Effective: August 8, 1991
Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 137 - 119th General Assembly
(A) No person acting in the capacity of a managing general agent shall place business with an insurer, unless there is in force a written contract between the parties that sets forth the responsibilities of each party, specifies the division of responsibilities where both parties share responsibility for a particular function, and contains at a minimum the substance of the requirements and conditions set forth in divisions (B) to (L) of this section.
(B) The insurer may immediately terminate the contract for cause upon giving written notice to the managing general agent. Upon giving written notice to the managing general agent, the insurer may immediately suspend the underwriting authority of the managing general agent during the pendency of any dispute regarding the cause for termination.
(C) The managing general agent shall render accounts to the insurer detailing all transactions and remit all funds due under the contract to the insurer on not less than a monthly basis.
(D) The managing general agent shall hold all funds collected for the account of an insurer in a fiduciary capacity in a bank that is a member of the federal reserve system. The managing general agent shall use this account for all payments on behalf of the insurer. If the managing general agent represents more than one insurer, the managing general agent shall maintain separate accounts for each insurer. The managing general agent may retain no more than three months' estimated claims payments and allocated loss adjustment expenses in each account. The managing general agent shall not commingle the funds in an account with the funds in any other account held by the managing general agent.
(E) The managing general agent shall maintain separate records of business written by the managing general agent. The insurer shall have access to and the right to copy, in a form usable by the insurer, all accounts and records related to its business. The superintendent of insurance shall have access to and the right to copy, in a form usable to the superintendent, all books, bank accounts, records, contracts, and other documents, including the contract required by division (A) of this section, of the managing general agent.
(F) The managing general agent shall not assign the contract in whole or part.
(G) The contract shall contain appropriate underwriting guidelines, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) The maximum annual premium volume;
(2) The basis of the rates to be charged;
(3) The types of risks that may be written;
(4) Maximum limits of liability;
(5) Applicable exclusions;
(6) Territorial limitations;
(7) Policy cancellation provisions;
(8) The maximum policy period.
(H) The insurer may cancel or refuse to renew any policy of insurance subject to applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
(I) If the contract permits the managing general agent to settle claims on behalf of the insurer, all of the following apply:
(1) The managing general agent shall report every claim to the insurer no later than thirty days after the claim is reported to the managing general agent.
(2) The managing general agent shall send a copy of the claim file to the insurer as soon as any of the following becomes known, or at any time earlier upon the request of the insurer:
(a) The claim has the potential to exceed one per cent of the policyholder surplus of the insurer as of the thirty-first day of December of the last completed calendar year or exceeds the limit set by the insurer, whichever is less.
(b) The claim involves a coverage dispute.
(c) The claim may exceed the managing general agent's claims settlement authority.
(d) The claim is open for more than six months.
(e) The claim is closed by payment of one per cent of the policyholder surplus of the insurer or an amount set by the insurer, whichever is less.
(3) All claim files are the joint property of the insurer and managing general agent, except upon an order of rehabilitation or liquidation of the insurer, at which time the files become the sole property of the insurer or its estate. If the insurer is subject to an order of rehabilitation or liquidation, the managing general agent shall have reasonable access to and the right to copy the files on a timely basis.
(4) Any settlement authority granted to the managing general agent may immediately be terminated for cause upon the provision of written notice by the insurer to the managing general agent. The settlement authority shall immediately terminate upon the termination of the contract, unless otherwise specified in writing by the insurer. Upon giving written notice to the managing general agent, the insurer may immediately suspend the settlement authority during the pendency of any dispute regarding the cause for termination.
(J) Where electronic claim files are in existence, the contract shall address the timely transmission of the data.
(K) If the contract provides for a sharing of interim profits by the managing general agent and if the managing general agent has the authority to determine the amount of the interim profits by establishing loss reserves, controlling claim payments, or in any other manner, the interim profits shall not be paid to the managing general agent until the profits have been verified by an on-site review pursuant to division (C) of section 3905.74 of the Revised Code and until one year after the profits are earned for property and health insurance business and five years after they are earned for casualty insurance business.
(L) No managing general agent shall do any of the following:
(1) Bind reinsurance or retrocessions on behalf of the insurer, except that the managing general agent may bind facultative reinsurance contracts pursuant to obligatory facultative agreements if the contract with the insurer contains reinsurance underwriting guidelines including, for both reinsurance assumed and ceded, a list of reinsurers with which the automatic agreements are in effect, the coverages and amounts or percentages that may be reinsured, and commission schedules;
(2) Commit the insurer to participate in insurance or reinsurance syndicates;
(3) Appoint any producer without assuring that the producer is lawfully licensed to transact the type of insurance for which he is appointed;
(4) Without prior written approval of the insurer, pay or commit the insurer to pay a claim over a specified amount, net of reinsurance, which amount shall not exceed one per cent of the policyholder surplus of the insurer as of the thirty-first day of December of the last completed calendar year;
(5) Without prior written approval of the insurer, collect any payment from a reinsurer or commit the insurer to any claim settlement with a reinsurer. A report of any such payment or claim settlement shall be forwarded promptly to the insurer.
(6) Permit its producers to serve on the board of directors of the insurer;
(7) Jointly employ an individual who is employed by the insurer;
(8) Appoint a submanaging general agent or other person to act as an agent on its behalf.
Structure Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 3905 | Insurance Producers Licensing Act
Section 3905.01 | Insurance Producers Licensing Act Definitions.
Section 3905.02 | License Required.
Section 3905.03 | Exceptions to Licensing Requirement.
Section 3905.04 | Written Examination of Applicant for Agent License.
Section 3905.041 | Exceptions to Program of Insurance Education or Examination Requirement.
Section 3905.05 | Application for Resident Insurance Agent License.
Section 3905.051 | Criminal Records Check; Fingerprinting; Confidentiality.
Section 3905.06 | Issuance and Contents of License - Lines of Authority.
Section 3905.061 | Agent to File of Change of Address.
Section 3905.062 | Portable Electronics Insurance.
Section 3905.063 | Self-Service Storage Insurance; License Required.
Section 3905.064 | Travel Insurance Definitions.
Section 3905.065 | Travel Insurance Agent License; Travel Protection Plans; Policy Requirements.
Section 3905.066 | Travel Retailers.
Section 3905.067 | Unfair and Deceptive Acts or Practices.
Section 3905.068 | Tax on Travel Insurance Premiums.
Section 3905.069 | Travel Administrators.
Section 3905.0610 | Classification of Travel Insurance; Eligibility and Underwriting Standards.
Section 3905.07 | Nonresident Insurance Agent or Surplus Lines Broker License; Renewal.
Section 3905.071 | Nonresident to File Change of Address.
Section 3905.072 | Nonresident Limited Lines Insurance Agent License.
Section 3905.08 | Reciprocity.
Section 3905.09 | Temporary Insurance Agent License.
Section 3905.11 | Agent's Use of Assumed Name.
Section 3905.14 | Disciplinary Actions.
Section 3905.15 | Hearing to Determine Administrative Action Modification.
Section 3905.16 | Surrender of License.
Section 3905.18 | Paying Unlawful Consideration.
Section 3905.181 | Accepting Consideration Without License.
Section 3905.182 | Sale of Shares of Capital Stock of Life Insurance Company or Agency.
Section 3905.20 | Appointment of Insurance Agent to Act as Agent of Insurer.
Section 3905.201 | Limited Line Credit Insurance Program of Instruction.
Section 3905.21 | Notice of Terminating Relationship With Insurance Agent.
Section 3905.24 | Confidentiality of Records and Information - Exceptions.
Section 3905.26 | Centralized Agent License Registry.
Section 3905.29 | Mutual Protective Associations Exempted.
Section 3905.30 | Resident and Nonresident Surplus Lines Broker's License.
Section 3905.31 | Prohibitions.
Section 3905.32 | License Fees.
Section 3905.331 | Exempt Commercial Purchasers; Qualifications; Qualified Risk Managers.
Section 3905.332 | Designation as Domestic Surplus Lines Insurer.
Section 3905.34 | Separate Accounts.
Section 3905.37 | Prohibited Acts.
Section 3905.39 | Continuation of Certificates and Licenses.
Section 3905.40 | Fees Paid to Superintendent of Insurance.
Section 3905.401 | Valuation Fee Not Applicable to Reinsurance Ceded to Affiliated Companies.
Section 3905.41 | Accounts for Fees.
Section 3905.42 | Insurance Business Must Be Authorized.
Section 3905.421 | Vehicle Protection Product Warranty.
Section 3905.422 | Homes Service Contract Are Consumer Transactions.
Section 3905.423 | Consumer Goods Contracts to Be Covered by Reimbursement Insurance.
Section 3905.424 | Waiver of Customer Obligation Not Insurance Matter.
Section 3905.426 | Requirements for Ancillary Product Protection Contracts.
Section 3905.43 | Advertising Limitations.
Section 3905.44 | Limitation Upon Domestic Companies.
Section 3905.45 | Payment of Funeral or Burial Expenses Policy.
Section 3905.451 | Funeral or Burial Goods or Services Coverage Not Subject to Preneed Provisions.
Section 3905.46 | Application of Law.
Section 3905.47 | Agent Training Programs.
Section 3905.471 | Insurance Navigator Certification.
Section 3905.472 | Qualified Health Benefit Plans.
Section 3905.473 | Exchange Listings.
Section 3905.474 | Qualifications for In-Person Assisters.
Section 3905.481 | Continuing Education Requirements.
Section 3905.484 | Establishing Criteria for Course or Program of Study for License Examination.
Section 3905.486 | Adoption of Rules.
Section 3905.49 | Prohibiting False Representation as Independent Agent.
Section 3905.50 | Terminating Independent Insurance Agent Contract.
Section 3905.53 | Effect of Child Support Default on License.
Section 3905.56 | Compensation by Public Entity for Placement of Insurance.
Section 3905.61 | Controlled Insurers Definitions.
Section 3905.62 | Application of Sections.
Section 3905.63 | Limits on Business Placed With Controlled Insurer by Controlling Producer.
Section 3905.64 | Notice to Prospective Insured by Controlling Producer.
Section 3905.65 | Remedies for Noncompliance.
Section 3905.71 | Managing General Agent Definitions.
Section 3905.72 | Managing General Agent License Requirement.
Section 3905.73 | Responsibilities of Managing General Agent.
Section 3905.74 | Independent Financial Examination of Each Managing General Agent.
Section 3905.75 | Acts of Agent Deemed Acts of Insurer - Examinations.
Section 3905.76 | Prohibition.
Section 3905.77 | Penalties for Violations.
Section 3905.78 | Rights Not Limited or Restricted.
Section 3905.81 | Reinsurance Intermediary-Broker or Intermediary-Manager License Required - Rules.
Section 3905.83 | Surety Bail Bond Agent Definitions.
Section 3905.84 | Surety Bail Bond Agent to Be Qualified, Licensed, and Appointed.
Section 3905.841 | Persons or Classes of Persons Not to Act as Agents.
Section 3905.85 | Surety Bail Bond Agent License.
Section 3905.851 | No Imposition of Local Licensing Fees.
Section 3905.86 | Appointment of Agent by Insurer.
Section 3905.861 | Extending Appointments to Affiliated Agents.
Section 3905.862 | Expiration or Cancellation of Appointment; Fee.
Section 3905.88 | Continuing Education.
Section 3905.89 | Notice of Change of Principal Business Address or Telephone Number.
Section 3905.90 | Records of Surety Bonds to Be Maintained - Furnishing of Information.
Section 3905.901 | Determination of Direct Written Premiums for Bail Bonds.
Section 3905.91 | Build-Up Funds.
Section 3905.92 | Requirements for Acceptance of Collateral Security or Other Indemnity.
Section 3905.921 | Discharge of Bond Where Collateral Security or Other Indemnity Accepted.
Section 3905.93 | Bail Bond - Charges and Fees.
Section 3905.931 | Furnishing of Forms and Other Supplies.
Section 3905.932 | Prohibited Acts.
Section 3905.933 | Signing or Countersigning Agent's Name to a Bond.
Section 3905.934 | Advertising Requirements.
Section 3905.94 | License Suspension or Revocation.