The purpose of this article is to promote the public welfare by regulating credit life insurance and credit disability insurance. Nothing in this article is intended to prohibit or discourage reasonable competition.

The provisions of Sections 10290 and 10291 relating to the filing, approval and disapproval of disability policy forms shall be applicable to forms, whether of life or disability insurance, required by this article to be filed with or approved by the commissioner.

The provisions of subdivisions (f) and (g) of Section 10291.5 shall be applicable to the withdrawal of the approval of forms, whether of life or disability insurance, required by this article to be filed with or approved by the commissioner.

Any order or final determination of the commissioner under the provisions of Sections 779.8 to 779.11, both inclusive, shall be subject to judicial review.

If a group policy of credit life insurance or credit disability insurance (1) has been delivered in this State before September 18, 1959, or (2) has been or is delivered in another state before or after such date, the insurer shall be required to file only the group certificate and notice of proposed insurance delivered or issued for delivery in this State as specified in Sections 779.6 and 779.7 of this article, and such forms shall be approved by the commissioner if, (a) they conform with the requirements specified in said Sections 779.6 and 779.7; (b) they are accompanied by a certification in a form satisfactory to the commissioner that the substance of such forms are in substantial conformity with the master policy; and (c) the schedules of premium rates applicable to the insurance evidenced by any such certificate or notice are not in excess of the insurer’s schedules of premium rates filed with the commissioner; provided, however, the premium rate in effect on existing group policies may be continued until the first policy anniversary date following October 1, 1963.

Any insurer may revise its schedules of premium rates from time to time, and shall file such revised schedules with the commissioner. No insurer shall issue any credit life insurance policy or credit disability insurance policy for which the premium rate exceeds that determined by the schedules of such insurer as then on file with the commissioner.

If a creditor requires a debtor to make any payment for credit life insurance or credit disability insurance and an individual policy or group certificate of insurance is not issued, the creditor shall immediately give written notice to such debtor and shall promptly make an appropriate credit to the next payments due on the account.

The amount charged to a debtor for any credit life or credit disability insurance shall not exceed the premium rates filed with the commissioner for the coverage provided or the premiums charged by the insurer, as computed at the time the charge to the debtor is determined, whichever is less.

Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize any charge now prohibited under any statute or rule governing credit transactions, irrespective of whether the same is contained in this code or made pursuant thereto.

All policies of credit life insurance and credit disability insurance shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this State only by an admitted insurer, and shall be issued only through holders of certificates, licenses or authorizations issued by the commissioner. This article is hereby specifically made applicable to reciprocal or interinsurance exchanges and fraternal benefit societies.

All claims shall be promptly reported to the insurer or its designated claim representative, and the insurer shall maintain adequate claim files. All claims shall be settled as soon as possible and in accordance with the terms of the insurance contract.

All claims shall be paid either by draft drawn upon the insurer, by check of the insurer, or, with consent of the insured, by an electronic funds transfer to the order of the claimant to whom payment of the claim is due pursuant to the policy provisions, or upon direction of such claimant to one specified.

No plan or arrangement shall be used whereby any person, firm or corporation other than the insurer or its designated claim representative shall be authorized to settle or

adjust claims. The creditor shall not be designated as claim representative for the insurer in adjusting claims; provided, that a group policyholder may, by arrangement with the group insurer, draw drafts or checks in payment of claims due to the group policyholder subject to audit and review by the insurer.

All life insurance and all disability insurance sold in connection with loans or other credit transactions shall be subject to the provisions of this article, except (a) such insurance sold in connection with a loan or other credit transaction of more than 10 years duration, and (b) such insurance where its issuance is an isolated transaction on the part of the insurer not related to an agreement or a plan or regular course of conduct for insuring debtors of the creditor. Nothing in this article shall be construed to relieve any person from compliance with any other applicable law of this state, including, but not limited to, Article 6.5 (commencing with Section 790), nor shall anything in this article be construed so as to alter, amend, or otherwise affect existing case law.

For the purpose of this article:

When credit life insurance or credit disability insurance is required as additional security for any indebtedness, the debtor shall, upon request to the creditor, have the option of furnishing the required amount of insurance through existing policies of insurance owned or controlled by him or of procuring and furnishing the required coverage through any insurer authorized to transact an insurance business within this State. This section shall not prevent the creditor from exercising his right to approve or disapprove of the insurer furnishing the credit insurance.

The commissioner may adopt, pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, reasonable rules and regulations necessary to carry out this article.

The commissioner, in his discretion, may revoke or suspend the license or certificate of authority of any person guilty of a violation of any provisions of this article or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto. In addition to any other penalty provided by law, any person who violates an order of the commissioner after it has become final, and while such order is in effect, shall, upon proof thereof to the satisfaction of the court, forfeit and pay to the State of California a sum not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) which may be recovered in a civil action, except that if such violation is found to be willful, the amount of such penalty shall be a sum not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).

Whenever the commissioner finds that there has been a violation by an insurer of this article or any rules or regulations issued pursuant thereto, he shall proceed as provided in Section 701. Whenever the commissioner finds that there has been such a violation by any licensee other than an insurer, he shall proceed as provided in Chapter 5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Any party affected by an order of the commissioner shall be entitled to judicial review in accordance with the provisions of Section 12940.

If any provision of this article, or the application of such provision to any person or circumstances, shall be held invalid, the remainder of the article, and the application of such provision to any person or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby.

Credit life insurance and credit disability insurance within the scope of this article, where the form of policy including the premium rates pertaining thereto have been filed with the commissioner and not disapproved by him or the premiums charged have been in accordance with those provided by any law of this state or regulation of the commissioner promulgated thereunder, are not subject to the provisions of Section 10214 or Section 10270.65 of the Insurance Code.