SB513: Bill Text

SB513,22,16 (h) The commissioner may request evidence of financial responsibility under par. (g) 4. from an applicant at any time the commissioner deems necessary.

SB513,22,22 (i) The commissioner shall not issue any license to any nonresident applicant, unless a written designation of an agent for service of process is filed and maintained with the commissioner or unless the applicant has filed with the commissioner the applicant's irrevocable consent that any action against the applicant may be commenced against the applicant by service of process on the commissioner in accordance with the procedures set forth in ss. 601.72 and 601.73.

SB513,23,2 (j) Licenses may be renewed annually on July 1 upon payment of the fee specified in s. 601.31 (1) (ms) by a broker, or the fee specified in s. 601.31 (1) (mp) by a provider. Failure to pay the fee by the renewal date shall result in the automatic revocation of the license.

SB513,23,5 (k) Each licensee shall file with the commissioner on or before the first day of March of each year an annual statement containing the information required under sub. (6) (a) and any information the commissioner requires by rule.

SB513,23,7 (L) A provider may not use any person to perform the functions of a broker unless the person holds a current, valid license as a broker.

SB513,23,9 (m) A broker may not use any person to perform the functions of a provider unless the person holds a current, valid license as a provider.

SB513,23,13 (n) A provider or broker shall provide to the commissioner new or revised information about officers, partners, directors, members, designated employees, or stockholders, except stockholders owning fewer than 10 percent of the shares of a provider or broker whose shares are publicly traded, within 30 days of the change.

SB513,23,18 (o) The insurer that issued the policy that is the subject of a life settlement contract may not be held responsible for any act or omission of a broker or provider arising out of or in connection with the life settlement, unless the insurer receives compensation for the placement of a life settlement contract from the broker or provider or from a purchaser in connection with the life settlement contract.

SB513,23,21 (3) Training. (a) An individual applicant for a license under sub. (2) or a licensee who engages in the business of life settlements in this state shall receive training to ensure all of the following:

SB513,23,23 1. The individual understands the relation of life settlement transactions to the integrity of a comprehensive financial plan of an owner.

SB513,23,25 2. The individual has adequate knowledge to competently discuss the material aspects of life settlements with an owner.

SB513,24,2 3. The individual complies with the laws of this state relating to life settlements.

SB513,24,11 (b) Training required under this subsection must be approved by the commissioner and provided by an education provider that is approved by the commissioner. The commissioner may approve the training required under this subsection for continuing education under s. 628.04 (3). Training required under this subsection shall not increase the credit hours of continuing education required by statute or rule. Certification and reporting of completion of the required training shall comply with the requirements of s. Ins 28.07, Wis. Adm. Code. Any person failing to meet the requirements of this subsection shall be subject to the penalties imposed by the commissioner.

SB513,24,14 (c) The satisfaction of the training requirements of another state that are substantially similar to the requirements set forth in this subsection, and are approved by the commissioner, satisfy the requirements of this subsection.

SB513,24,16 (d) Training provided under this subsection shall include all of the following topics, at a minimum:

SB513,24,17 1. Legal structuring of life settlements.

SB513,24,18 2. Legal relationships among the parties to a life settlement.

SB513,24,19 3. Required disclosures and privacy requirements.

SB513,24,20 4. Ethical considerations in selling, soliciting, and negotiating life settlements.

SB513,24,21 5. Contract requirements.

SB513,24,22 6. Advertising.

SB513,24,23 7. Remedies.

SB513,24,24 8. Licensing requirements.

SB513,24,25 9. Additional matters as determined by the commissioner.

SB513,25,7 (e) An individual applicant for a license under sub. (2) shall complete an initial training course of not less than 8 hours. An electronic confirmation of completion of initial training shall accompany the application for initial licensure. A licensee shall complete training of not less than 4 hours every 24 months after the initial training course. A person who holds a license under s. 632.68, 2007 stats., on the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date] shall complete initial training within 6 months after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date].

SB513,25,10 (4) License suspension, revocation, or refusal to renew. (a) The commissioner may suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew the license of any licensee if, after a hearing, the commissioner finds any of the following:

SB513,25,11 1. Any material misrepresentation in the application for the license.

SB513,25,14 2. That the licensee or any officer, partner, member, or director of the licensee is guilty of fraudulent or dishonest practices, is subject to a final administrative action, or is otherwise shown to be untrustworthy or incompetent to act as a licensee.

SB513,25,16 3. If the licensee is a provider, that the licensee demonstrates a pattern of unreasonably withholding payments to owners.

SB513,25,17 4. That the licensee no longer meets the requirements for licensure.

SB513,25,22 5. That the licensee or any officer, partner, member, or director of the licensee has been convicted of a felony or of any misdemeanor of which criminal fraud is an element or has pleaded other than not guilty with respect to any felony or any misdemeanor of which criminal fraud or moral turpitude is an element, regardless whether a judgment of conviction has been entered by the court.

SB513,25,25 6. If the licensee is a provider, that the licensee has entered into any life settlement contract the form of which has not been approved by the commissioner under this section.

SB513,26,2 7. If the licensee is a provider, that the licensee has failed to honor obligations set out in a life settlement contract.

SB513,26,7 8. If the licensee is a provider, that the licensee has assigned, transferred, or pledged a settled policy to a person other than a provider licensed in this state, a purchaser, an accredited investor as defined in 17 CFR 230.501 (a) or a qualified institutional buyer as defined in 17 CFR 230.144A (a) (1), a financing entity, a special purpose entity, or a related provider trust.

SB513,26,9 9. That the licensee or any officer, partner, member, or key management personnel has violated any of the provisions of this section.

SB513,26,11 (b) Nothing in this subsection limits the authority of the commissioner to summarily suspend a license under s. 227.51 (3).

SB513,26,18 (c) The commissioner shall suspend a license if the licensee is delinquent in court-ordered payments of child or family support, maintenance, birth expenses, medical expenses, or other expenses related to the support of a child or former spouse or if the licensee fails to comply, after appropriate notice, with a subpoena or warrant issued by the department of children and families or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) that is related to paternity or child support proceedings, as provided in a memorandum of understanding entered into under s. 49.857.

SB513,26,20 (d) The commissioner shall revoke the license of a licensee if the department of revenue certifies under s. 73.0301 that the licensee is liable for delinquent taxes.

SB513,27,7 (5) Contract requirements. (a) No person may use a life settlement contract form or provide to an owner a disclosure statement form in this state unless first filed with and approved by the commissioner. The form is approved if the commissioner does not disapprove of the form within 30 days after filing or within a 30-day extension of that period ordered by the commissioner before the expiration of the first 30 days. To disapprove a form, the commissioner shall state in writing the reasons for disapproval sufficiently explicitly that the licensee is provided reasonable guidance in reformulating its forms. The commissioner shall disapprove a life settlement contract form or disclosure statement form if the commissioner determines the form or provisions contained in the form fail to meet the requirements of this section, are unreasonable, are contrary to the interests of the public, or are otherwise misleading or unfair to the owner.

SB513,27,13 (b) No insurer may, as a condition of responding to a request for verification of coverage or in connection with the transfer of a policy under a life settlement contract, require that the owner, insured, provider, or broker sign any form, disclosure, consent, waiver, or acknowledgment that has not been expressly approved by the commissioner for use in connection with life settlement contracts in this state.

SB513,27,22 (6) Reporting requirements and privacy. (a) 1. In addition to any other requirements, the annual statement that is filed with the commissioner shall specify the total number, aggregate face amount, and life settlement proceeds of policies settled during the immediately preceding calendar year, together with a breakdown of the information by policy issue year. The annual statement shall also include the names of the insurance companies whose policies have been settled and the brokers that were involved in settling the policies. Each provider shall provide in the annual statement any information about any policy settled within 5 years of policy issuance that the commissioner may prescribe by rule.

SB513,28,2 2. Information provided in the annual statement shall be limited to those transactions in which the owner is a resident of this state and shall not include individual transaction data regarding the business of life settlements or information that there is a reasonable basis to believe could be used to identify the owner or the insured.

SB513,28,6 3. Every provider that willfully fails to file an annual statement as required in this section, or willfully fails to reply within 30 days to a written inquiry by the commissioner regarding the annual statement, shall be subject to a forfeiture under s. 601.64 (3) (c) and to license suspension, revocation, or nonrenewal.

SB513,28,12 (b) A provider, broker, insurance company, producer, information bureau, rating agency or company, or any other person with actual knowledge of an insured's identity, shall not disclose the identity of an insured or information that there is a reasonable basis to believe could be used to identify the insured or the insured's financial or medical information to any other person unless one of the following applies:

SB513,28,15 1. The disclosure is necessary to effect a life settlement contract between the owner and a provider, and the owner and insured have provided prior written consent to the disclosure.

SB513,28,19 2. The disclosure is necessary to effectuate a sale of life settlement contracts, or interests in life settlement contracts, as investments, if the sale is conducted in accordance with applicable state and federal securities law and if the owner and the insured have both provided prior written consent to the disclosure.

SB513,28,22 3. The disclosure is provided in response to an investigation or examination by the commissioner or any other governmental officer or agency or pursuant to the requirements of sub. (15).

SB513,28,25 4. The disclosure is a term or condition of the transfer of a policy by one provider to another provider. In such cases, the receiving provider shall be required to comply with the confidentiality requirements of this subsection.

SB513,29,8 5. The disclosure is necessary to allow the provider or broker or their authorized representatives to make contacts for the purpose of determining health status. For the purposes of this subdivision, "authorized representative" does not include any person who has or may have any financial interest in the life settlement contract other than a provider, broker, financing entity, related provider trust, or special purpose entity. A provider or broker shall require its authorized representative to agree in writing to adhere to the privacy provisions of this subsection.

SB513,29,9 6. The disclosure is required to purchase stop loss coverage.

SB513,29,12 (c) Nonpublic personal information solicited or obtained in connection with a proposed or actual life settlement contract shall be subject to all applicable laws of this state relating to confidentiality of nonpublic personal information.

SB513,29,16 (7) Examinations and alternatives. (a) The commissioner may, whenever the commissioner determines it is necessary in order to be informed about any matter related to the enforcement of this section, examine the business and affairs of any licensee or applicant for a license, under the provisions of ss. 601.43 to 601.45.

SB513,29,20 (b) The commissioner shall consider names and individual identification data for all owners, purchasers, and insureds private and confidential information and shall not disclose names or identification data unless the disclosure is to another regulator or is required by law.

SB513,29,23 (c) 1. A person required to be licensed by this section shall for 5 years retain, and make available to the commissioner for inspection at all reasonable times in accordance with s. 601.42, copies of all of the following:

SB513,30,2 a. Proposed, offered, or executed life settlement contracts, purchase agreements, underwriting documents, policy forms, and applications from the date of the proposal, offer, or execution of a life settlement contract or purchase agreement, whichever is later.

SB513,30,5 b. All checks, drafts, or other evidence and documentation related to the payment, transfer, deposit, or release of funds from the date of the financing transaction, life settlement, or purchase agreement.

SB513,30,6 c. All other records and documents related to the requirements of this section.

SB513,30,10 2. Records required to be retained under subd. 1. must be legible and complete and may be retained in paper, photograph, microprocess, magnetic, mechanical or electronic media, or by any process that accurately reproduces or forms a durable medium for reproduction of a record.

SB513,30,15 (8) Disclosures to owner; disclosure to insured. (a) 1. With each application for a life settlement, a provider or broker shall disclose to the owner, in a separate document that is signed by the owner and the provider or broker, at least all of the following information no later than the time the application for the life settlement is signed by all parties:

SB513,30,17 a. That there are possible alternatives to life settlement contracts, including any accelerated death benefits or policy loans offered under the owner's policy.

SB513,30,20 b. That the broker represents exclusively the owner, and not the insurer or the provider, and owes a fiduciary duty to the owner, including the duty to act according to the owner's instructions and in the best interest of the owner.

SB513,30,23 c. That some or all of the proceeds of the life settlement may be taxable under federal income tax and state franchise and income tax laws, and the owner should seek assistance from a professional tax advisor.

SB513,30,24 d. That proceeds from a life settlement may be subject to the claims of creditors.

SB513,31,4 e. That receipt of proceeds from a life settlement may adversely affect the owner's eligibility for Medical Assistance or other government benefits or entitlements, and the owner should seek advice from the appropriate government agencies.

SB513,31,15 f. That the owner has a right to rescind a life settlement contract before the earlier of 30 calendar days after the date upon which the life settlement contract is executed by all parties or 15 calendar days after the life settlement proceeds have been paid to the owner, as provided in sub. (11) (d). Rescission, if exercised by the owner, is effective only if both notice of the rescission is given and the owner repays all proceeds and any premiums, loans, and loan interest paid on account of the life settlement within the rescission period. If the insured dies during the rescission period, the life settlement contract is rescinded, subject to repayment by the owner or the owner's estate to the provider or purchaser of all life settlement proceeds, and any premiums, loans, and loan interest that have been paid by the provider or purchaser, which shall be repaid within 60 calendar days of the death of the insured.

SB513,31,19 g. That funds will be sent to the owner within 3 business days after the provider has received the insurer's or group administrator's written acknowledgement that ownership of the policy or interest in the certificate has been transferred and the beneficiary has been designated.

SB513,31,23 h. That entering into a life settlement contract may cause other rights or benefits, including conversion rights and waiver of premium benefits that may exist under the policy, to be forfeited by the owner, and the owner should seek assistance from a professional financial advisor.

SB513,32,6 i. The language: "All medical, financial, or personal information solicited or obtained by a provider or broker about an insured, including the insured's identity or the identity of family members, a spouse, or a significant other, may be disclosed as necessary to effect the life settlement between the owner and provider. If you are asked to provide this information, you will be asked to consent to the disclosure. The information may be provided to someone who buys the policy or provides funds for the purchase. You may be asked to renew your permission to share information every 2 years."

SB513,32,15 j. That, following execution of a life settlement contract, the insured may be contacted for the purpose of determining the insured's health status and to confirm the insured's residential or business street address and telephone number, or as otherwise allowed in this section. This contact shall be limited to once every 3 months if the insured has a life expectancy of more than one year and no more than once per month if the insured has a life expectancy of one year or less. All such contacts with the insured shall be made only by a provider licensed in the state in which the owner resided at the time of the life settlement, or by an authorized representative of the provider.

SB513,32,18 2. At the time the disclosures in subd. 1. are provided, the broker or provider shall provide to the owner a brochure describing the process of life settlements that is approved by the commissioner.

SB513,32,22 (b) A provider shall disclose to the owner, either conspicuously displayed in the life settlement contract or in a separate document signed by the owner, at least all of the following information no later than the date the life settlement contract is signed by all parties:

SB513,32,24 1. The affiliation, if any, between the provider and the issuer of the policy to be settled.

SB513,32,25 2. The name, business address, and telephone number of the provider.

SB513,33,2 3. Any affiliation or contractual arrangements between the provider and the purchaser.

SB513,33,7 4. If a policy to be settled has been issued as a joint policy or involves family riders or any coverage of a life other than that of the insured under the policy to be settled, the possible loss of coverage on the other lives under the policy, together with a statement advising the owner to consult with the insurer issuing the policy for advice concerning the proposed life settlement.

SB513,33,13 5. The dollar amount of the current death benefit that will be payable to the provider under the policy. If known, the provider shall also disclose the availability of any additional guaranteed insurance benefits, the dollar amount of any accidental death and dismemberment benefits under the policy, and the extent to which the owner's interest in those benefits will be transferred as a result of the life settlement contract.

SB513,33,17 6. That the funds will be escrowed with an independent 3rd party during the transfer process; the name, business address, and telephone number of the independent 3rd party escrow agent; and that the owner may inspect or receive copies of the relevant escrow or trust agreements or documents.

SB513,33,21 (c) A broker shall disclose to the owner, either conspicuously displayed in the life settlement contract or in a separate document signed by the owner, at least all of the following information no later than the date the life settlement contract is signed by all parties:

SB513,33,22 1. The name, business address, and telephone number of the broker.

SB513,33,24 2. A full, complete, and accurate description of all offers, counteroffers, acceptances, and rejections related to the proposed life settlement contract.

SB513,34,3 3. A written statement of any affiliation or contractual arrangement between the broker and any person making an offer in connection with the proposed life settlement contract.

SB513,34,5 4. The amount of the broker's compensation, including anything of value paid or given to the broker for the placement of the policy.

SB513,34,8 5. If any portion of the broker's compensation is taken from a proposed life settlement, the total amount of the life settlement offer and the percentage of the life settlement comprised by the broker's compensation.

SB513,34,11 (d) If the provider transfers ownership or changes the beneficiary of the policy, the provider shall communicate in writing the change in ownership or beneficiary to the insured within 20 days after the change.

SB513,34,15 (9) Disclosures to purchaser. (a) 1. A provider shall disclose to a purchaser, conspicuously displayed in the purchase agreement or in a separate document signed by the purchaser and provider, at least all of the following information prior to the date the purchase agreement is signed by all parties:

SB513,34,17 a. That the purchaser will receive no returns, including dividends and interest, until the insured dies and a death claim payment is made.

SB513,34,20 b. That the actual rate of return on a life settlement contract is dependent upon an accurate projection of the insured's life expectancy and the actual date of the insured's death and that an annual guaranteed rate of return is not determinable.

SB513,34,24 c. That the settled policy should not be considered a liquid purchase since it is impossible to predict the exact timing of its maturity and the funds are not available until the death of the insured and that there is no established secondary market for resale of a settled policy by the purchaser.

SB513,35,3 d. That the purchaser may lose all benefits or may receive substantially reduced benefits if the insurer goes out of business during the contract term of the life settlement investment.