Definitions

Definitions A. "Administrator" means the American Arbitration Association. B. "Claim" means any matter on which there is a dispute or for which the insurer has denied payment. Unless the parties agree to mediate a claim involving a lesser amount, a claim involves a dispute in which the difference between the positions of the parties is $500.00 or more. Claim does not include a dispute with respect to which the insurer has reported allegations of fraud to the Department, based on an investigation by the insurer's special investigative unit. C. "Department" means the Mississippi Department of Insurance or its designee. D. "Insurer" means only those companies subject to the jurisdiction of the Department as provided in Miss. Code Ann. § 83-5-1 (Rev. 1999), and which provide personal residential property insurance coverage in the State of Mississippi. The term insurer shall include eligible non-admitted insurers/surplus lines insurers doing business in Mississippi pursuant to § 83-21-17 et seq. (Rev. 1999), and the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association. The term insurer shall not include the National Flood Insurance Program. E. "Mediator" means an individual selected by the Administrator designated by the Department to mediate disputes pursuant to this regulation. Mediators will be selected from a panel of mediators approved pursuant to the Mississippi Court Annexed Mediation Rules For Civil Litigation, adopted by the Mississippi Supreme Court on October 2, 1998. F. "Party" or "Parties" means the insured and his or her insurer, including the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association. The terms Party or Parties shall not include the National Flood Insurance Program.