Insurance: disasters: identification of insurer.

Existing law generally regulates fire insurance, which includes insurance against loss by fire, lightning, windstorm, tornado, or earthquake, and establishes a standard form of fire insurance policy for the state. Existing law requires an insurer to provide an insured, free of charge, a complete, current copy of his or her fire insurance policy after a covered loss under the policy and within 30 calendar days of receipt of a request from the insured. This bill would require the Insurance Commissioner, in the case of a declaration of a disaster and at the request of a property owner, or the owner's legal representative, that is unable to identify the insurer for property located in the disaster area, to electronically provide the owner's name, any contact information provided to the commissioner, and property location information to insurers who issue homeowners' fire insurance policies. The bill would deem that information to be provided with the voluntary written consent of the owner or his or her legal representative, as specified. The bill would require an insurer to respond, free of charge, to the property owner or owner's legal representative within 90 days after receiving that transmission if the insurer issued a homeowners' insurance policy on the property located in the disaster area and identified in the commissioner's communication that was in force at the time that the disaster occurred. The bill would limit the liability of the commissioner or the commissioner's authorized representative, any department employees, and the insurer or the insurer's employees, for statements made or conduct performed in good faith while carrying out these provisions.