Motor vehicle insurance: discrimination: geographic area.

Existing law prohibits an admitted insurer that is licensed to issue and is issuing motor vehicle liability policies from failing or refusing to accept an application for that insurance, failing or refusing to issue that insurance to the applicant, or from issuing or cancelling that insurance under conditions less favorable to the insured than in other comparable cases because of specified reasons, including discrimination between persons within the same geographic area. Existing law also prohibits the admitted motor vehicle liability insurer from using any characteristic of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, including, but not limited to, language or location within a geographic area, of itself, as a condition or risk for which a higher rate, premium, or charge is required of the insured for that insurance. Existing law defines geographic area as a portion of this state of not less than 20 square miles defined by description in the rating manual of an insurer or in the rating manual of a rating bureau of which the insurer is a member or subscriber. This bill would redefine geographic area as a portion of this state of not less than 15 square miles defined by description in the rating manual of an insurer or in the rating manual of a rating bureau of which the insurer is a member or subscriber.