Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 27-44 - Casualty, Liability and Fire and Marine Insurance Rating
Section 27-44-2. - Definitions.

§ 27-44-2. Definitions.
(a) “Advisory organization” means any person or organization other than a rating organization which assists insurers in the authorized activities enumerated in § 27-44-11, except no advisory organization may make any filings on behalf of insurers.
(b) “Competitive market” means a market that has not been found to be noncompetitive pursuant to § 27-44-4.
(c) “Director” means the director of department of business regulation.
(d) “Market” means the interaction between buyers and sellers consisting of a product market component. A product market component consists of identical or readily substitutable products including, but not limited to, consideration of coverage, policy terms, rate classifications, and underwriting. A geographic market component is a geographical area in which buyers have a reasonable degree of access to the insurance product through sales outlets and other marketing mechanisms. Determination of a geographic market component shall consider existing marketing patterns.
(e) “Noncompetitive market” means a market for which there is a ruling in effect pursuant to § 27-44-4 that a reasonable degree of competition does not exist.
(f) “Pool” means a voluntary arrangement, established on an on-going basis, pursuant to which two (2) or more insurers participate in the sharing of risks on a predetermined basis. The pool may operate through an association, syndicate, or other pooling agreement.
(g) “Rating organization” means any entity which either has two (2) or more member insurers or is controlled either directly or indirectly by two (2) or more insurers and which assists insurers in ratemaking. Two (2) or more insurers having a common ownership or operating in this state under common management or control constitute a single insurer for the purpose of this definition.
(h) “Residual market mechanism” means an arrangement, either voluntary or mandated by law, involving participation by insurers in the equitable apportionment among them of insurance which may be afforded applicants who are unable to obtain insurance through ordinary methods.
(i) “Supplementary rate information” includes any manual or plan of rates, classification, rating schedule, minimum premium, policy fee, rating rule, and any other similar information needed to determine the applicable rate in effect or to be in effect.
(j) “Supporting information” means: (1) the experience and judgment of the filer and the experience or data of other insurers or organizations relied upon by the filer; (2) the interpretation of any statistical data relied upon by the filer; and (3) description of methods used in making the rates, and other similar information required by the director to be filed.
History of Section.P.L. 1988, ch. 635, § 1.

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