19 MAC Pt. 1, R. 16.09Use
of Statistics
Cite as 19 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 1, R. 16.09Use
of Statistics
A. An advertisement relating to the dollar amounts of claims paid, the number of persons
insured, or similar statistical information relating to any insurer or policy shall not use
irrelevant facts, and shall not be used unless it accurately reflects all of the relevant facts.
Such an advertisement shall not imply that such statistics are derived from a policy
advertised unless such is the fact, and when applicable to other policies or plans shall
specifically so state.
1.
An advertisement shall specifically identify the Medicare supplement insurance
policy to which statistics relate and, where statistics are given which are
applicable to a different policy, it must be stated clearly that the data do not relate
to the policy being advertised.
2.
An advertisement using statistics which describe an insurer, such as corporate
structure, financial standing, age, product lines or relative position in the
insurance business, may be irrelevant and, if used at all, must be used with
extreme caution because of the potential for misleading the public. As a specific
example, an advertisement for Medicare supplement insurance which refers to the
amount of life insurance which the company has in force or the amounts paid out
in life insurance benefits is not permissible unless the advertisement clearly
indicates the amount paid out for each line of insurance.
B. An advertisement shall not represent or imply that claim settlements by the insurer are
“liberal” or “generous” or use words of similar import, or state or imply that claim
settlements are or will be beyond the actual terms of the contract. An unusual amount
paid for a unique claim for the policy advertised is misleading and shall not be used.
C. The source of any statistics used in an advertisement shall be identified in such
advertisement.