Dissemination And Distribution Of Regulations, Bulletins And Directives And 2002 Proposed And Adopted Regulations, Bulletins And Directives

ARKANSAS INSURANCE DEPARTMENT LEGAL DIVISION 1200 West Third Street Little Rock, AR 72201-1904 501-371-2820 FAX 501-371-2639 Bulletin No. 12 - 2002 June 5, 2002 TO: ALL LICENSED INSURERS and OTHER REGULATED ENTITIES (“LICENSEES”), TRADE ASSOCIATIONS, AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES FROM: ARKANSAS INSURANCE DEPARTMENT RE: I. DISSEMINATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF REGULATIONS, BULLETINS AND DIRECTIVES And II. 2002 PROPOSED AND ADOPTED REGULATIONS, BULLETINS AND DIRECTIVES I. In an effort to conserve resources and to more efficiently utilize widely available technologies, the Arkansas Insurance Department (the “Department”), in Bulletin 7-2001, dated November 9, 2001, provided notice that it would cease to mail hard copies of proposed or promulgated Rules & Regulations, Bulletins or Directives to licensees and other regulated entities. Effective January 1 of this year, the Department, after complying with any applicable statutorily required publications and Notices, made these documents available on its Internet website: http://www.state.ar.us/insurance. In Bulletin 7-2001, the Department offered to provide Notices, proposed and adopted Regulations, Bulletins and Directives to any affected Licensee or regulated entity electronically or via facsimile copy if the Licensee voluntarily directed a request in that regard to the Department accompanied by its current e-mail address or facsimile number. Now, however, the Department, via this Bulletin, is requiring mandatory compliance by Licensees to provide the Department with their e-mail address, or addresses, or facsimile numbers in order to allow the Department to automatically provide Notices, proposed and adopted Regulations, Bulletins and Directives to the Licensees. If you have registered your e-mail address(s) with the Department, the Department will strive to electronically furnish these documents subject to size and other technological limitations. At the very least, you will receive a notice and directions to our Internet site to view and download the PDF documents. Please direct all questions regarding this Bulletin to Mary Coney, Legal Division, telephone (501) 371-2820, or mary.coney@mail.state.ar.us. Licensees are, by July 31, 2002, required to register their e-mail address(es) at the Department’s web site by going to the Legal Division page: http://www.state.ar.us/insurance/legal/legal_p1.html and clicking on the following link: Register here to receive notification of the following new items issued by the Arkansas Insurance Department: Bulletins, Directives, Rules and Regulations, Notice of Public Hearings. Licensees not having access to Internet technology must, by or before this same date, write to the Department, ATTN: Mary Coney, 1200 West Third Street, Little Rock, AR 72201-1904 or fax a request to Mary Coney at (501) 371-2639, providing a fax number, and request that the Notices, Regulations, Bulletins and Directives be forwarded to them at that number. Although licensed insurance agents and producers are NOT required to register under this Bulletin, such agents or producers may voluntarily register and receive notices and documents from the Department. II. Following is a list of all 2002 Proposed Rules and Regulations, Adopted Rules and Regulations and Adopted and/or Pending Bulletins and Directives by the Arkansas Insurance Department. Please go to our Internet Web Site, which can be located at: http://www.state.ar.us/insurance/legal/legal_p1.html to view a full copy of these and other official documents. 1 PROPOSED: 2002 RULES AND REGULATIONS 77 Standards for Safeguarding Consumer Privacy - Pending 76 Arkansas External Review Regulation - Pending Adopted: 2002 RULES AND REGULATIONS 75 Regulation to Implement act 1409 of 2001 Uniform Prescription Drug Information Cards 74 Insurance Consumer Financial and Health Information Privacy 73 Regulations Concerning the Licensing and Regulation of Captive Insurance Companies 26 Use of Clearing Corporations, Securities Broker-Dealers and Federal Reserve Book- Entry System by Insurance Companies, Hospital and Medical Service Corporations, Farmers Mutual AID Associations and Health Maintenance Organizations Adopted: 2002 Bulletins 1-2002 Voluntary Expedited Filing Procedures for Exclusions Related to Acts of Terrorism. 2-2002 Payment of Sales Taxes on a Total Loss When a First Party Claimant Retains Salvage. 3-2002 Change in Service of Process Requirements for Insurers. 4-2002 Workers’ Compensation Insurance Retrospective Rating Plans. 5-2002 Update To Department Bulletin 12-2001 Statutory Deposit Funds-Procedures for Release of Assets 5A-2002 Update to Department Bulletin 12-2001: Statutory Deposit Funds-Procedures for release of Assets 6-2002 Electronic Signatures 7-2002 Update-Sale of Unauthorized Accident and Health Insurance Products in the State of Arkansas. 8-2002 Notification Under Ark. Code Ann. §23-63-613 (Repl. 2001): Adoption of Published NAIC Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual (APPM), March, 2002 edition 9-2002 Federal Mastectomy Coverage Requirements Under The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (“WHCRA”) 10-2002 Conditions for Obtaining Approval of Mold Exclusions 11-2002 USA Patriot Act 12-2002 Dissemination and Distribution of Regulations, Bulletins and Directives AND 2002 Proposed and Adopted Regulations, Bulletins and Directives Adopted: 2002 Directives 1 Use of NAIC number on all Motor Vehicles Insurance Information Cards. 2 Requirements for Insurers Using Consumer Reports or Credit 3 Fire Protection in Rating _______________________________ MIKE PICKENS INSURANCE COMMISSIONER _______________________________ DATE 2