230-RICR-20-60-8
230-RICR-20-60-8. Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information (version Technical Revision, 09/01/2006 to 09/01/2006)
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State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS REGULATION
Division of Insurance
1511 Pontiac Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
INSURANCE REGULATION 107
STANDARDS FOR SAFEGUARDING CUSTOMER INFORMATION
Table of Contents
Section 1.
Authority
Section 2.
Purpose and Scope
Section 3.
Definitions
Section 4.
Information Security Program
Section 5.
Objectives of Information Security Program
Section 6.
Examples of Methods of Development and Implementation
Section 7.
Assess Risk
Section 8.
Manage and Control Risk
Section 9.
Oversee Service Provider Arrangements
Section 10.
Adjust the Program
Section 11.
Severability
Section 12.
Effective Date
Section 1.
Authority
This Regulation is promulgated pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 27-58-4, 11-49.2-1 et seq. and 42-
35-3. This Regulation applies only to licensees subject to the jurisdiction of the Department of
Business Regulation and not those subject to the jurisdiction of the Officer of the Hearing
Insurance Commissioner as indicated in R.I.G.L. § 42-14-5(d) and 42-14.5-1 et seq.
Section 2.
Purpose and Scope
A.
This Regulation establishes standards for developing and implementing
administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the security,
confidentiality and integrity of customer information, pursuant to Sections 501,
505(b), and 507 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (“GLBA”) at 15 U.S.C. §§ 6801,
6805(b) and 6807.
B.
Section 501(a) of GLBA provides that it is the policy of the Congress that each
financial institution has an affirmative and continuing obligation to respect the
privacy of its customers and to protect the security and confidentiality of those
customers’ nonpublic personal information. Section 501(b) requires the state
insurance regulatory authorities establish appropriate standards relating to
administrative, technical and physical safeguards: (1) to ensure the security and
confidentiality of customer records and information; (2) to protect against any
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anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such records; and (3) to
protect against unauthorized access to or use of records or information that could
result in substantial harm or inconvenience to a customer.
C.
Section 505(b)(2) of GLBA calls on state insurance regulatory authorities to
implement the standards prescribed under Section 501(b) by regulation with respect
to persons engaged in providing insurance.
D.
Section 507 of GLBA provides, among other things, that a state regulation may afford
persons greater privacy protections than those provided by subtitle A of Title V of
GLBA. This Regulation requires that the safeguards established pursuant to this
Regulation shall apply to nonpublic personal information, including nonpublic
personal financial information and nonpublic personal health information.
Section 3.
Definitions
For purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:
A.
“Customer” means a customer of the licensee as the term customer is defined in
Insurance Regulation 99(4)(H).
B.
“Customer information” means nonpublic personal financial information as defined
in Regulation 99(P) and nonpublic personal health information as defined in
Regulation 100 3(K) about a customer, whether in paper, electronic or other form,
that is maintained by or on behalf of the licensee.
C.
“Customer information systems” means the electronic or physical methods used to
access, collect, store, use, transmit, protect or dispose of customer information.
D.
“Licensee” means a licensee as that term is defined in Regulation 99(N)and
Regulation 100(I) except that “licensee” shall not include: a purchasing group; or an
unauthorized insurer in regard to the surplus line business conducted pursuant to
R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-3-38 through 27-3-42.
E.
“Service provider” means a person that maintains, processes or otherwise is
permitted access to customer information through its provision of services directly
to the licensee.
Section 4.
Information Security Program
Each licensee shall implement a comprehensive written information security program that includes
administrative, technical and physical safeguards for the protection of customer information. The
administrative, technical and physical safeguards included in the information security program
shall be appropriate to the size and complexity of the licensee and the nature and scope of its
activities.
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Section 5.
Objectives of Information Security Program
A licensee’s information security program shall be designed to:
A.
Ensure the security and confidentiality of customer information;
B.
Protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of the
information; and
C.
Protect against unauthorized access to or use of the information that could result in
substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer.
Section 6.
Examples of Methods of Development and Implementation
The actions and procedures described in Sections 7 through 10 of this Regulation are examples of
methods of implementation of the requirements of Sections 4 and 5 of this Regulation. These
examples are non-exclusive illustrations of actions and procedures that licensees may follow to
implement Sections 4 and 6 of this Regulation.
Section 7.
Assess Risk
The licensee:
A.
Identifies reasonably foreseeable internal or external threats that could result in
unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration or destruction of customer information
or customer information systems;
B.
Assesses the likelihood and potential damage of these threats, taking into
consideration the sensitivity of customer information; and
C.
Assesses the sufficiency of policies, procedures, customer information systems and
other safeguards in place to control risks.
Section 8.
Manage and Control Risk
The licensee:
A.
Designs its information security program to control the identified risks,
commensurate with the sensitivity of the information, as well as the complexity and
scope of the licensee’s activities;
B.
Trains staff, as appropriate, to implement the licensee’s information security
program; and
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C.
Regularly tests or otherwise regularly monitors the key controls, systems and
procedures of the information security program. The frequency and nature of these
tests or other monitoring practices are determined by the licensee’s risk assessment.
Section 9.
Oversee Service Provider Arrangements
The licensee:
A.
Exercises appropriate due diligence in selecting its service providers; and
B.
Requires its service providers to implement appropriate measures designed to meet
the objectives of this regulation, and, where indicated by the licensee’s risk
assessment, takes appropriate steps to confirm that its service providers have
satisfied these obligations.
Section 10.
Adjust the Program
The licensee monitors, evaluates and adjusts, as appropriate, the information security program in
light of any relevant changes in technology, the sensitivity of its customer information, internal or
external threats to information, and the licensee’s own changing business arrangements, such as
mergers and acquisitions, alliances and joint ventures, outsourcing arrangements and changes to
customer information systems.
Section 11
Notification of Breach of Security System
A licensee that is required to send a disclosure of a breach of the security of computerized
unencrypted data that poses a significant risk of identity theft pursuant to Rhode Island Identity
Theft Protection Act of 2005 (R.I.G.L. § 11-49.2-3) is also required to send a notice of the breach
to the Rhode Island Department of Business. The disclosure to the Department shall be made in
the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay consistent with the disclosure
required in the R.I.G.L. §11-49.2-3.
Section 12.
Severability
If any section, term, or provision of this Regulation should be adjudged invalid for any reason,
that judgment should not effect, impair, or invalidate any remaining section, term, or provision,
which shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 13.
Effective Date
Each licensee shall establish and implement an information security program, including
appropriate policies and systems pursuant to this Regulation by September 1, 2006.
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 1, 2006