2020 Georgia Code
Title 33 - Insurance
Chapter 24 - Insurance Generally
Article 1 - General Provisions
§ 33-24-47.1. Notice Prior to Cancellation or Nonrenewal of Individual or Group Accident and Sickness Policy

1. This Code section shall apply only to policies, contracts, or certificates of insurance insuring against loss resulting from sickness or from bodily injury or death by accident, or both, or any contract to furnish ambulance service in the future governed by the provisions of Chapters 15, 20, 21, 30, and 42 of this title.
2. No insurer shall refuse to renew a policy to which this Code section applies unless a written notice of nonrenewal is mailed or delivered in person to the group policyholder.Such notice stating the time when nonrenewal will be effective, which shall not be less than 60 days from the date of mailing or delivery of such notice of nonrenewal or such longer period as may be provided in the contract or by statute, shall be delivered as provided in subsection (d) of Code Section 33-24-14 in person or by depositing the notice in the United States mail to be dispatched by at least first-class mail to the last address of record of the group policyholder and receiving the receipt provided by the United States Postal Service or such other evidence of mailing as prescribed or accepted by the United States Postal Service.
3. Notice to the group policyholder shall not be required by this Code section when a group or blanket accident and sickness policy is canceled by an insurer for nonpayment of any premium at the expiration of the grace period as required by Code Section 33-30-4 or when the group policyholder has given any required written notice of termination to the insurer.
4. Notice by the insurer to the group members shall be required by this Code section when a group or blanket accident and sickness policy is canceled or not renewed, within 14 days of the expiration of the grace period, by an insurer for nonpayment of any premium as required by Code Section 33-30-4. Such notice of cancellation shall be delivered to each group member affected either in person or by depositing the notice in the United States mail to be dispatched by at least first-class mail to the last address of record of the group member and receiving the receipt provided by the United States Postal Service, or such other evidence of mailing as prescribed or accepted by the United States Postal Service. Such notice shall be accompanied by a statement of the enrollee's continuation or conversion rights under Code Section 33-24-21.1 or 33-24-21.2 or any other applicable Code section. If such group or blanket accident or sickness policy is canceled or not renewed due to intentional nonpayment of premium by the group policyholder, the group policyholder shall have the duty to notify the enrollees of termination of coverage no later than 14 days after the expiration of the grace period provided in Code Section 33-30-4.
5. A notice of termination of a policy to which subsection (b) of this Code section applies shall be mailed or delivered to the group policyholder and to each employer group or subgroup insured under the policy not less than 60 days prior to the effective date of the termination of the policy. A notice of termination shall be mailed or delivered in the same manner provided in subsection (b) of this Code section for a notice of nonrenewal.

(Code 1981, §33-24-47.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1989, p. 891, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1358, § 1; Ga. L. 2002, p. 441, § 7; Ga. L. 2015, p. 5, § 33/HB 90; Ga. L. 2019, p. 386, § 52/SB 133.)

The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, deleted "18, 19," following "Chapters 15," near the end of subsection (a); and inserted "as provided in subsection (d) of Code Section 33-24-14" in the middle of the second sentence of subsection (b).

- Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2002, "canceled" was substituted for "cancelled" in the last sentence of subsection (d).

- Ga. L. 2002, p. 441, § 1, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "This Act shall be known and may be cited as the 'Consumers' Health Insurance Protection Act.'"

Ga. L. 2002, p. 441, § 11, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "This Act shall apply only to health benefit plan contracts issued, delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after October 1, 2002; provided, however, that Section 8 of this Act shall apply to all claims relating to health care services provided on or after July 1, 2002. Any carrier, plan, network, panel, or agent thereof conducting a post-payment audit or imposing a retroactive denial on any claim initially submitted prior to July 1, 2002, shall, no later than June 30, 2003, provide written notice to the claimant of the intent to conduct such an audit or impose such a retroactive denial of any such claim or part thereof, including the specific reason for the audit or denial and shall complete the audit or retroactive denial and provide notice to the claimant of any payment or refund due prior to January 1, 2004." The reference to Section 8 of the Act apparently should be to Section 9 of the Act, which enacted Article 3 of Chapter 20A of this title.

- For note on the 2002 amendment of this Code section, see 19 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 220 (2002).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

ALR.

- What constitutes waiver by insured or insured's agent of required notice of cancellation of insurance policy, 86 A.L.R.4th 886.