§1549. Specialty limited lines credit insurance

            A.(1) A licensed insurance producer or limited line credit insurance producer may be issued a specialty limited lines credit insurance producer license pursuant to the provisions of this Section.

            (2) No producer shall sell, solicit, or negotiate credit life, credit health and accident, or credit property and casualty insurance pursuant to a specialty limited lines credit insurance producer license other than (i) in connection with retail sales transactions not exceeding ten thousand dollars per retail sales transaction; (ii) in connection with retail sales of motor vehicles wherein the transaction exceeds ten thousand dollars as provided in rules and regulations promulgated by the commissioner of insurance; or (iii) as provided by rules and regulations adopted by the commissioner of insurance.

            (3) All insurance written pursuant to a specialty limited lines credit insurance producer license shall be insured by a domestic insurer or foreign or alien insurer admitted in this state.

            B. For a specialty limited lines credit insurance producer license to be issued pursuant to this Section, an applicant must submit to the commissioner all of the following:

            (1) An application, submitted in a manner prescribed by the commissioner of insurance, containing such information as prescribed by the commissioner, including verification that the applicant is currently licensed as an insurance producer or limited line credit insurance producer.

            (2) A list of the physical locations where activities authorized by the specialty limited lines credit insurance producer license will be conducted.

            (3) A list of the employees or representatives of the applicant, as of the date of application, to be registered pursuant to this Section.

            (4) An application fee as set forth in R.S. 22:821.

            (5) Upon approval of the application, but prior to issuance of the license, the applicant shall submit a registration fee as set forth in R.S. 22:821.

            C. Following initial issuance of the specialty limited lines credit insurance producer license, the licensee shall submit an annual renewal application, in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, along with the fee as set forth in R.S. 22:821.

            D. The licensee shall submit, in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, a current list of employees and representatives for verification by the commissioner every six months, in addition to the registration fee required by R.S. 22:821 for every employee or representative not previously registered.

            E. A specialty limited lines credit insurance producer license issued pursuant to this Section authorizes an employee or representative of the license holder to participate in enrollment of retail sales and credit customers in the types of insurance specified in this Section without being licensed, if all of the following are true:

            (1) The employee or representative operates with permission from and under the supervision of the license holder.

            (2) The employee or representative has been instructed with respect to the disclosures which may be required to be made to consumers in connection with the sale of credit insurance.

            (3) The employee or representative is not primarily compensated based on the amount of insurance for which the employee or representative enrolls customers.

            F. A specialty limited lines credit insurance producer may not in any manner advertise, represent, or otherwise hold out any employee or representative of the license holder as a licensed insurance producer pursuant to another provision of this Subpart, unless the entity or individual actually holds the applicable license.

            G. If a specialty limited lines credit insurance producer violates any provision of this Subpart, the commissioner of insurance may, in accordance and compliance with R.S. 49:977.3, impose any penalties the commisioner deems necessary or appropriate to enforce the provisions of this Subpart, including but not limited to placing the license holder on probation; suspending, revoking, or refusing to renew or reinstate the license; assessing an administrative penalty against the license holder; suspending the transaction of insurance business at specific locations where a violation of this Subpart has occurred; or any combination of penalties authorized by this Subpart.

            H. The specialty limited lines credit insurance producer license shall be available equally to residents and nonresidents; however, if the laws or regulations of any other state would not permit a specialty limited lines credit insurance producer that is a resident of this state to obtain a substantially equivalent nonresident license, then residents of that state shall not be permitted to obtain a specialty limited lines credit insurance producer license as nonresidents under this Section.

            I. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Title, this Section specifically permits the sale of both group and individual credit insurance, in both single and joint coverages. A licensee under this Section may receive commissions or other compensation for services rendered in connection with the sale of credit insurance pursuant to this Section.

            J. The commissioner of insurance may, in accordance with state law, adopt reasonable regulations as are necessary or proper to carry out the purposes of this Subpart.

            K. An aggrieved party affected by the commissioner's decision, act, or order may demand a hearing in accordance with Chapter 12 of this Title, R.S. 22:2191 et seq.

            Acts 2001, No. 170, §1; Acts 2003, No. 933, §1; Acts 2003, No. 1224, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 22:1138.1 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2009, No. 317, §1; Acts 2011, No. 94, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2012.