601.44 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
Ins 5, Wis. adm. code.
601.45
601.45
Examination costs. 601.45(1)(1)
Costs to be paid by examinees. The reasonable costs of examinations under
ss. 601.43 and
601.44 shall be paid by examinees except as provided in
sub. (4), either on the basis of a system of billing for actual salaries and expenses of examiners and other apportionable expenses, including office overhead, or by a system of regular annual billings to cover the costs relating to a group of companies, or a combination of such systems, as the commissioner may by rule prescribe. Additional funding, if any, shall be governed by
s. 601.32. The commissioner shall schedule annual hearings under
s. 601.41 (5) to review current problems in the area of examinations.
601.45(2)
(2) Duty to pay. The amount payable under
sub. (1) shall become due 10 days after the examinee has been served a detailed account of the costs.
601.45(3)
(3) Deposit. The commissioner may require any examinee, before or from time to time during an examination, to deposit with the secretary of administration such deposits as the commissioner deems necessary to pay the costs of the examination. Any deposit and any payment made under
subs. (1) and
(2) shall be credited to the appropriation account under
s. 20.145 (1) (g) 1.
601.45(4)
(4) Exemptions. On the examinee's request or on the commissioner's own motion, the commissioner may pay all or part of the costs of an examination from the appropriation under
s. 20.145 (1) (g) 1., whenever the commissioner finds that because of the frequency of examinations or other factors, imposition of the costs would place an unreasonable burden on the examinee. The commissioner shall include in his or her annual report information about any instance in which the commissioner applied this subsection.
601.45(5)
(5) Retaliation. Deposits and payments under this section shall not be deemed to be a tax or license fee within the meaning of any statute. If any other state charges a per diem fee for examination of examinees domiciled in this state, any examinee domiciled in that other state shall be required to pay the same fee when examined by the insurance office of this state.
601.45 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
Ins 16.01, Wis. adm. code.
601.46
601.46
Commissioner's records and reports. 601.46(1)(1)
Record maintenance. The commissioner shall maintain the records required by law and those necessary to provide for the continued effective operation of the office, to constitute an adequate and proper recording of its activities and to protect the rights of the people of this state. The records shall be preserved in the office except as provided in
s. 16.61.
601.46(2)
(2) Record of proceedings and activities. The commissioner shall maintain a permanent record of proceedings and important activities, including a concise statement of the condition of each insurer visited or examined, and including a record of all certificates of authority and licenses issued.
601.46(3)
(3) Annual reports. Prior to September 1 of each year, the commissioner shall submit a report to the governor and to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the legislature under
s. 13.172 (2), which shall include, for the preceding calendar year:
601.46(3)(b)
(b) A general review of the insurance business in this state, including a report on emerging regulatory problems, developments and trends;
601.46(3)(c)
(c) A summary of the complaints made to or processed by the office about insurers, agents and others connected with insurance, and information about their disposition;
601.46(3)(d)
(d) A summary of rules promulgated and circular letters distributed;
601.46(3)(e)
(e) A list of all insurers authorized to do business in this state during the year, with appropriate and useful information concerning them; including a list of insurers organized, admitted, merged or withdrawn;
601.46(3)(f)
(f) A list of all revocations of licenses or certificates of authority and the reasons therefor;
601.46(3)(h)
(h) A summary of receipts and expenses, including the information required to be included by
s. 601.45 (4);
601.46(3)(i)
(i) The kind and amount of insurance carried in all state insurance funds under
chs. 604 to
607 together with the amount of premiums collected, the source and nature of any other income, and the disbursements made. The report shall state separately the premiums, losses, the kind and amount of insurance carried on state property, and on other than state property; and
601.46(3)(j)
(j) Such other information on the general conduct and condition of insurers doing business in this state as the commissioner or the governor deems necessary or as is prescribed by law.
601.46(4)
(4) Public inspection. All records and reports shall be open to public inspection unless specifically otherwise provided by statute or by rule.
601.46(5)
(5) Copies of records. The commissioner shall provide to any person on request certified or uncertified copies of any record in the department that is open to public inspection.
601.46(6)
(6) Audits. The commissioner shall reimburse the legislative audit bureau for the cost of audits required to be performed under
s. 13.94 (1) (de).
601.465
601.465
Nondisclosure of information. 601.465(1m)
(1m)
Types of information. The office may refuse to disclose and may prevent any other person from disclosing any of the following:
601.465(1m)(a)
(a) Testimony, reports, records and information that are obtained, produced or created in the course of an inquiry under
s. 601.42.
601.465(1m)(b)
(b) Except as provided in
s. 601.44 (6) to
(10), testimony, reports, records and information that are obtained, produced or created in the course of an examination under
s. 601.43.
601.465(1m)(c)
(c) Testimony, reports, records, communications, and information that are obtained by the office from, or provided by the office to, any of the following, under a pledge of confidentiality or for the purpose of assisting or participating in monitoring activities or in the conduct of an inquiry, investigation, or examination:
601.465(1m)(c)2.
2. An agent or employee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
601.465(1m)(c)4.
4. An agent or employee of the insurance commissioner of another state.
601.465(1m)(c)5.
5. An international, federal, state or local regulatory or law enforcement agency.
601.465(1n)(a)(a) Notwithstanding
sub. (1m) and
subch. II of ch. 19, it is presumed that nonpublic documents and information provided by an insurer to the office under
s. 601.42 or
601.43 are proprietary and confidential and that the potential for harm and competitive disadvantage to the insurer if the documents and information are made public by the office outweighs the public interest in the disclosure of the documents and information.
601.465(1n)(b)
(b) With notice to the insurer, the presumption under
par. (a) may be rebutted by the requesting party presenting clear and convincing evidence to a court of competent jurisdiction that the public interest in the disclosure of the documents and information substantially outweighs the potential for harm or competitive disadvantage to the insurer if the documents and information are disclosed and that the public interest concerns cannot be addressed without the disclosure of the documents and information. If the presumption under
par. (a) is successfully rebutted, disclosure of the documents and information shall be made only to the extent necessary to protect the public interest.
601.465(1n)(c)
(c) Paragraph (a) does not apply to the commissioner's discretion to disclose documents and information provided by an insurer to the office under
s. 601.42 or
601.43 as a part of an enforcement proceeding the commissioner brings under
s. 601.64.
601.465(2m)
(2m) Waiver and applicability of the privilege. All of the following apply to the privilege under this section:
601.465(2m)(a)
(a) The privilege may be waived only by the affirmative written and specific consent of the commissioner.
601.465(2m)(c)
(c) The privilege applies to testimony, reports, records, communications, and information obtained, created, or provided by any official, employee, or agent of the office for the purpose of assisting or participating in monitoring activities or in the conduct of an inquiry, investigation, or examination by, or coordinated through, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
601.465(2m)(d)
(d) The privilege applies to testimony, reports, records, communications, and information in existence on or after April 9, 2008.
601.465(3)
(3) Exceptions. This section does not apply to any of the following:
601.465(3)(a)
(a) Own risk and solvency assessment reports and related information provided by an insurer under
ch. 622, which are subject only to the confidentiality provisions in
ch. 622.
601.465(3)(b)
(b) Enterprise risk filing and any related information provided by an insurer under rules promulgated under
s. 617.12, which are not subject to
subch. II of ch. 19 and are subject only to any confidentiality provisions of rules promulgated under
s. 617.12.
601.465(3)(c)
(c) Reports of internal control over financial reporting and any related information provided by an insurer under
s. Ins 50.17, Wis. Adm. Code, which are not subject to
subch. II of ch. 19 and are subject only to the confidentiality provisions of
s. Ins 50.17 (6) (b), Wis. Adm. Code.
601.465 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
Ins 6.13, Wis. adm. code.
601.47(1)(1)
General. The commissioner may prepare books, pamphlets, and other publications relating to insurance and sell them in the manner and at the prices the commissioner determines. The cost of publication and distribution may be paid from the appropriation under
s. 20.145 (1) (g) 1.
601.47(2)
(2) Annual report. The commissioner shall determine the form for the report required in
s. 601.46 (3) and shall have the report published in sufficient quantity to meet all requests for copies. The commissioner shall distribute copies upon request to any person who pays the price determined for the report under
sub. (1).
601.47(3)
(3) Free distribution. The commissioner may furnish free copies of the publications prepared under
subs. (1) and
(2) to public officers and libraries in this state and elsewhere. The cost of free distribution shall be charged to the appropriation under
s. 20.145 (1) (g) 1.
601.48
601.48
Participation in organizations. 601.48(1)
(1)
National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The commissioner and the office of the commissioner shall maintain close relations with the commissioners of other states and shall participate in the activities and affairs of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and other organizations so far as it will, in the judgment of the commissioner, enhance the purposes of
chs. 600 to
655. The actual and necessary expenses incurred thereby shall be reimbursed out of the appropriation under
s. 20.145 (1) (g) 1.
601.48(2)
(2) Consultation in regulation. The commissioner may exchange information and data and consult with other persons in order to improve and carry out insurance regulation.
601.49
601.49
Access to records. The commissioner shall have access to the records of any agency of the state government or of any political subdivision thereof which the commissioner may wish to consult in discharging his or her duties.
601.49 History
History: 1979 c. 102.
601.51
601.51
Provision of certified copies and notices. 601.51(1)(1)
Certified copies. On request of any insurer authorized to do a surety business and its payment of the fee under
s. 601.31 (1), the commissioner shall mail a certified copy of its certificate of authority to any designated public officer in this state who requires such a certificate before accepting a bond. That public officer shall file it. Whenever a certified copy has been furnished to a public officer it is unnecessary, while the certificate remains effective, to attach a copy of it to any instrument of suretyship filed.
601.51(2)
(2) Notice of revocation of certificate. Whenever the commissioner revokes the certificate of authority of any insurer authorized to do a surety business, the commissioner shall immediately give notice thereof to each officer who was sent a certified copy under
sub. (1).
601.51 Annotation
Legislative Council Note, 1975: This continues the substance of s. 204.04 (1) and (2). [Bill 642-S]
601.53
601.53
Insolvency notices. 601.53(1)(1)
Insurers doing a surety business. Whenever any authorized insurer doing a surety business is placed in liquidation under
ch. 645 or a similar law of another state or jurisdiction, the commissioner shall immediately notify the director of state courts. Upon receipt of the notice, the director of state courts shall notify each register in probate, probate registrar and clerk of circuit court, who shall notify and require every fiduciary that has filed a bond on which the company is surety to file a new bond with a different surety.
601.53(2)
(2) Other. The commissioner as liquidator of an insurer shall send notices as provided in
s. 645.47.
601.53 Annotation
Legislative Council Note, 1975: Sub. (1) continues the substance of s. 204.04 (3). Sub. (2) is new and is a useful cross reference. [Bill 642-S]
601.55
601.55
Nondomestic insurers; additional requirements. If another state or a foreign country requires domestic insurers doing business in that state or foreign country to deposit security, to pay a fee or tax not included in the computation under
s. 76.66, to pay a fine or penalty or to comply with an obligation, prohibition or restriction that is in addition to or greater than requirements imposed by this state on nondomestic insurers doing a similar business in this state, this state may, as a condition for issuing a license to an insurer domiciled in that state or foreign country, impose a similar security requirement, fee, tax, fine, penalty, obligation, prohibition or restriction.
601.55 History
History: 1989 a. 31.
601.56
601.56
Study and rules on standards for health insurers. 601.56(1)(a)(a) The commissioner shall study whether, in their transactions with health care providers, compliance by health insurers with certain standards, such as standard codes, forms and formats, is likely to reduce the cost of health care administration. The study shall investigate compliance with standards in at least all of the following types of transactions between insurers and health care providers:
601.56(1)(b)
(b) On or before February 1, 1994, the commissioner shall submit the results of the study to the legislature under
s. 13.172 (2) and to the governor.
601.56(2)
(2) Rules. If, as a result of the study under
sub. (1), the commissioner determines that in transactions with health care providers compliance by health insurers with certain standards will likely reduce the cost of health care administration, the commissioner shall promulgate rules to establish and implement appropriate standards.
601.56 History
History: 1993 a. 16.
601.57
601.57
Study and rules on health insurance identification cards.
