California Senate Bill SB251 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 251INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Calderon FEBRUARY 12, 2013 An act to amend Section 38.5 of the Insurance Code, relating to insurance. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 251, as introduced, Calderon. Insurance: notice: electronic transmission. Existing law authorizes any written notice required to be given or mailed to any person by an insurer relating to any insurance on risks or on operations in this state, with exceptions, to be provided by electronic transmission if each party has agreed to conduct the transaction by electronic means, as provided. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 38.5 of the Insurance Code is amended to read: 38.5.  (a)    Any written notice required to be given or mailed to any person by an insurer relating to any insurance on risks or on operations in this state not excepted by Section 1851 from the coverage of Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 1850.4) of Part 2 of Division 1  of this code  may, if not excluded by subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 1633.3 of the Civil Code, be provided by electronic transmission pursuant to Title 2.5 (commencing with Section 1633.1) of Part 2 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, if each party has agreed to conduct the transaction by electronic means pursuant to Section 1633.5 of the Civil Code.  The   (b)     The  affidavit of the person who initiated the electronic transmission, stating the facts of that transmission into an information processing system outside of the control of the sender or of any person that sent the electronic record on behalf of the sender, is prima facie evidence that the notice was transmitted and shall be sufficient proof of notice. Any notice provided by electronic transmission shall be treated as if mailed or given for the purposes of any provision of this code, except as provided by subdivision (g) of Section 1633.15 of the Civil Code.  The   (c)     The  insurance company shall maintain a system for confirming that any notice or document that is to be provided by electronic means has been sent in a manner consistent with Section 1633.15 of the Civil Code. A valid electronic signature shall be sufficient for any provision of law requiring a written signature. The insurance company shall retain a copy of the confirmation and electronic signature, when either is required, with the policy information so that they are retrievable upon request by the Department of Insurance while the policy is in force and for five years thereafter.