§1693. License required; crime of unauthorized public adjusting

            A. A person shall not act or hold himself out as a public adjuster in this state unless the person is licensed as a public adjuster in accordance with this Part.

            B. A person licensed as a public adjuster shall not misrepresent to a claimant that he is an adjuster representing an insurer in any capacity, including acting as an employee of the insurer or acting as an independent adjuster.

            C. Only persons licensed under this Part shall directly or indirectly solicit business, investigate or adjust losses for another person engaged in the business of adjusting losses or damages covered by an insurance policy, for the insured.

            D. A business entity acting as a public adjuster is required to obtain a public adjuster license. Application shall be made using the uniform business entity application. Before approving the application, the commissioner of insurance shall find that:

            (1) The business entity has paid the fees set forth in R.S. 22:821.

            (2) The business entity has designated a licensed public adjuster responsible for the business entity's compliance with the insurance laws, rules, and regulations of this state.

            E. Notwithstanding Subsections A through D of this Section, a license as a public adjuster shall not be required of any of the following:

            (1) An attorney at law admitted to practice and in good standing in this state.

            (2) A person employed only for the purpose of obtaining facts surrounding a loss or furnishing technical assistance to a licensed public adjuster, or licensed attorney, including photographers, estimators, private investigators, engineers, and handwriting experts.

            F.(1) Any natural person who violates any provision of Subsection A or C of this Section shall be guilty of the crime of the unauthorized practice of public adjusting and shall be subjected to a term of imprisonment at hard labor for not more than two years or fined not more than one thousand dollars, or both.

            (2) Any natural person who participates or assists any business entity in violating any provision of Subsection D of this Section shall be guilty of the crime of unauthorized practice of public adjusting and shall be subjected to a term of imprisonment at hard labor for not more than two years or fined not more than one thousand dollars, or both.

            G. Any business entity that violates any provision of Subsection D of this Section shall be guilty of the crime of unauthorized practice of public adjusting for a business entity and shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars for each violation.

            Acts 2006, No. 806, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 22:1210.93 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2011, No. 94, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2012; Acts 2019, No. 83, §1, eff. July 1, 2019.