2016 Hawaii Revised Statutes
TITLE 24. INSURANCE
431. Insurance Code
431:2-305 Examination reports.

§431:2-305 Examination reports. (a) All examination reports shall be comprised of only facts appearing upon the books, records, or other documents of the insurer, its producers, or other persons examined, or as ascertained from the testimony of its officers, producers, or other persons examined concerning its affairs, and such conclusions and recommendations as the examiners find reasonably warranted from the facts.

(b) No later than sixty days following completion of the examination, the examiner in charge shall file with the insurance division a verified written report of examination under oath. Upon receipt of the verified report, the insurance division shall transmit the report to the insurer or person examined, together with a notice that shall afford the insurer or person examined a reasonable opportunity for not more than thirty days to make a written submission or rebuttal with respect to any matters contained in the examination report.

(c) Within thirty days of the end of the period allowed for the receipt of written submissions or rebuttals, the commissioner shall fully consider and review the report, together with any written submissions or rebuttals and any relevant portions of the examiner's workpapers, and enter an order to:

(1) Adopt the examination report as filed, or with modifications or corrections. If the examination report reveals that the insurer or person is operating in violation of any law, rule, or prior order of the commissioner, the commissioner may order the insurer or person to take any action the commissioner considers necessary and appropriate to cure the violation;

(2) Reject the examination report with directions to the examiner to reopen the examination for the purpose of obtaining additional data, documentation, or information, and refiling pursuant to subsection (b); or

(3) Call for an investigatory hearing with no fewer than twenty days notice to the insurer or person for purposes of obtaining additional documentation, data, information, or testimony.

(d) Orders shall be issued and hearings conducted as follows:

(1) All orders entered pursuant to subsection (c)(1) shall be accompanied by findings and conclusions resulting from the commissioner's consideration and review of the examination report, relevant examiner workpapers, and any written submissions or rebuttals. Any order shall be considered a final administrative decision and may be appealed pursuant to chapter 91, and shall be served upon the insurer or person by certified mail, together with a copy of the adopted examination report. Within thirty days of the issuance of the adopted report, the insurer or person shall file affidavits executed by each of its directors stating under oath that they have received a copy of the adopted report and related orders, except that for examinations of producers, adjusters, independent bill reviewers, or surplus lines brokers, serving the copy of the adopted report and related orders by certified mail, return receipt requested, shall satisfy the service requirement and no affidavits shall be required; and

(2) Any hearing conducted under subsection (c)(3) by the commissioner or authorized representative shall be conducted as a nonadversarial confidential investigatory proceeding as may be necessary for the resolution of any inconsistencies, discrepancies, or disputed issues apparent upon the face of the filed examination report or raised by or as a result of the commissioner's review of relevant workpapers or raised by the written submission or rebuttal of the insurer or person. Within twenty days of the conclusion of any hearing, the commissioner shall enter an order pursuant to subsection (c)(1):

(A) The commissioner shall not appoint an examiner as an authorized representative to conduct the hearing. The hearing shall proceed expeditiously with discovery by the insurer or person limited to the examiner's workpapers that tend to substantiate any assertions set forth in any written submission or rebuttal. The commissioner or the commissioner's representative may issue subpoenas for the attendance of any witnesses or the production of any documents deemed relevant to the investigation, whether under the control of the division, the insurer, or other persons. The documents produced shall be included in the record and testimony taken by the commissioner or the commissioner's representative shall be under oath and preserved for the record;

(B) The hearing shall proceed in accordance with departmental rules adopted under chapter 91; and

(C) Nothing contained in this section shall require the insurance division to disclose any information or records that would indicate or show the existence or content of any investigation or activity of a criminal justice agency.

(e) The examination report shall be disseminated as follows:

(1) Upon the adoption of the examination report under subsection (c)(1), the commissioner shall continue to hold the content of the examination report as private and confidential information for a period of fifteen days, except to the extent provided in subsection (b). Thereafter, the commissioner may open the report for public inspection so long as no court of competent jurisdiction has stayed its publication; and

(2) Nothing contained in this code shall prevent or be construed as prohibiting the commissioner from disclosing the content of an examination report, preliminary examination report or results, or any matter relating thereto, to the regulatory agency for insurance of any state or country, or to law enforcement officials of this or any other state or agency of the federal government at any time, so long as such agency or office receiving the report or matters relating thereto agrees in writing to hold it confidential and in a manner consistent with this part.

(f) All working papers, recorded information, documents, and copies thereof produced by, obtained by, or disclosed to the commissioner or any other person in the course of an examination, shall be confidential and not subject to subpoena and shall not be made public by the commissioner or any other person, except to the extent provided in subsection (e). Access may be granted to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Any person shall agree in writing, prior to receiving the information, to provide to it the same confidential treatment as required by this part, unless the prior written consent of the insurer to which the information pertains has been obtained. [L 1987, c 347, pt of §2; am L 1993, c 205, §4 as superseded by c 321, §7; am L 1995, c 232, §8; am L 2000, c 288, §4; am L 2001, c 216, §4; am L 2004, c 122, §7]