Deadline Extension: Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund - Address Change and Notice Requirements

Bulletin 15-21 Date: July 2, 2015 To: All Property & Casualty Insurers and the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund Re: Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund – Address Change and Notice Requirements This Bulletin is to notify all property and casualty insurers writing private passenger automobile and commercial automobile insurance policies of an upcoming address change for the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (MAIF), and supersedes Revised Bulletin 15-19, issued on June 23, 2015. Subsequent to issuing the bulletin on June 23, 2015, the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) received feedback from stakeholders that an August 1, 2015 deadline for updating impacted notices would be difficult to meet. Accordingly, the MIA has agreed to extend the compliance deadline to November 5, 2015. The MIA has received assurances from MAIF that it will make arrangements to receive mail from its old address until November 5, alleviating the MIA’s concerns that consumer correspondence will be returned to sender. The Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund has notified the Insurance Administration that it will be relocating its offices on or after July 6, 2015. The new address will be: Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund 1215 E. Fort Avenue, Suite 300 Baltimore, MD 21230-5281 The main phone numbers of 800-492-7120 and 410-269-1680 will remain the same. Insurers are reminded that pursuant to Section 27-613(c)(3)(v) of the Insurance Article, all notices of cancellation, nonrenewal, or reduction in coverage for private passenger automobile policies must include the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund’s current address and telephone number. Pursuant to Section 27- 603(b)(1) of the Insurance Article, that same information is required on notices of cancellation or nonrenewal of commercial automobile policies. Insurers need to make the necessary system changes so that any notice described above, issued on or after November 5, 2015, contains the updated address. Notices issued prior to November 5th should continue to use the current Annapolis address. Notices issued on or after November 5, 2015 that fail to provide the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund’s updated address may be deemed to be in violation of Sections 27- 603(b)(1) and 27-613(c)(3)(v) of the Insurance Article. Any questions regarding this Bulletin should be addressed to Robert Baron, Director of Property & Casualty Complaints at: robert.baron@maryland.gov or 410-468-2353. Alfred W. Redmer, Jr. Commissioner By: _ Lynn Dickerson, Associate Commissioner Property and Casualty AL REDMER, JR. Commissioner NANCY GRODIN Deputy Commissioner LYNN R. DICKERSON Associate Commissioner Property & Casualty LARRY HOGAN Governor BOYD K. RUTHERFORD Lt. Governor 200 St. Paul Place, Suite 2700, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 1-800-492-6116 TTY: 1-800-735-2258 www.insurance.maryland.gov Signature on original