Legislation
SECTION 3446
Product or system group insurance policies
Insurance (ISC) CHAPTER 28, ARTICLE 34
§ 3446. Product or system group insurance policies. (a) A group policy
may be issued to a group policyholder, who shall be a manufacturer,
distributor, or installer of a product or system, or a trustee of a
trust established, or participated in, by one or more manufacturers,
distributors, or installers, in accordance with the provisions of this
section.
(b) The group shall consist only of members who have purchased or own
the product or system where the manufacturer, distributor, or installer
has represented that the product or system is designed to prevent loss
or damage to property from a specific cause (other than loss or damage
resulting from defect in materials or workmanship, or wear and tear),
and the policy shall only cover such loss or damage.
(c) The policy, and certificates issued thereunder, may provide
coverage for a kind of insurance authorized by paragraphs four through
twelve, nineteen and twenty of subsection (a) of section one thousand
one hundred thirteen of this chapter, and may be issued or delivered in
this state only by an insurer authorized in this state to write the
coverage.
(d) The coverage shall not be duplicative of coverage under any other
applicable insurance policy.
(e) The insurer must treat in like manner all eligible group members
of the same class.
(f) The premium for the group policy, including certificates
thereunder, shall be paid by the group policyholder from funds
contributed wholly by the group policyholder.
(g) The superintendent may promulgate regulations regarding product
and system group policies, including regulations governing issuance of
certificates to group members; minimum provisions of certificates;
policy cancellation and renewal; minimum number of group members;
payment of premium; and policy dividends, retrospective premium credits,
or retrospective premium refunds; and may establish other reasonable
limitations.
(h) A product or system group policyholder shall comply with the
provisions of section two thousand one hundred twenty-two of this
chapter, in the same manner as an insurance agent or broker, in any
advertisement, sign, pamphlet, circular, card, or other public
announcement referring to coverage under a group policy or certificate.
(i) A product or system group policy or certificate shall not be
subject to section three thousand four hundred twenty-five or section
three thousand four hundred twenty-six of this article.
(j)(1) "Manufacturer" means a person that:
(A) manufactures or produces the product or system and sells it under
its own trade name or label;
(B) does not manufacture or produce the product or system but sells it
under its own trade name or label;
(C) manufactures or produces the product or system and it is sold
under the trade name or label of another person; or
(D) does not manufacture or produce the product or system but,
pursuant to a written contract, licenses the use of its trade name or
label to another person that sells the product or system under the
licensor's trade name or label.
(2) "Manufacturer" shall also include a distributor which is a parent,
affiliate, or subsidiary of a manufacturer.
(3) The holder of a patent shall not be considered a manufacturer
solely because it receives royalties on its patents.
may be issued to a group policyholder, who shall be a manufacturer,
distributor, or installer of a product or system, or a trustee of a
trust established, or participated in, by one or more manufacturers,
distributors, or installers, in accordance with the provisions of this
section.
(b) The group shall consist only of members who have purchased or own
the product or system where the manufacturer, distributor, or installer
has represented that the product or system is designed to prevent loss
or damage to property from a specific cause (other than loss or damage
resulting from defect in materials or workmanship, or wear and tear),
and the policy shall only cover such loss or damage.
(c) The policy, and certificates issued thereunder, may provide
coverage for a kind of insurance authorized by paragraphs four through
twelve, nineteen and twenty of subsection (a) of section one thousand
one hundred thirteen of this chapter, and may be issued or delivered in
this state only by an insurer authorized in this state to write the
coverage.
(d) The coverage shall not be duplicative of coverage under any other
applicable insurance policy.
(e) The insurer must treat in like manner all eligible group members
of the same class.
(f) The premium for the group policy, including certificates
thereunder, shall be paid by the group policyholder from funds
contributed wholly by the group policyholder.
(g) The superintendent may promulgate regulations regarding product
and system group policies, including regulations governing issuance of
certificates to group members; minimum provisions of certificates;
policy cancellation and renewal; minimum number of group members;
payment of premium; and policy dividends, retrospective premium credits,
or retrospective premium refunds; and may establish other reasonable
limitations.
(h) A product or system group policyholder shall comply with the
provisions of section two thousand one hundred twenty-two of this
chapter, in the same manner as an insurance agent or broker, in any
advertisement, sign, pamphlet, circular, card, or other public
announcement referring to coverage under a group policy or certificate.
(i) A product or system group policy or certificate shall not be
subject to section three thousand four hundred twenty-five or section
three thousand four hundred twenty-six of this article.
(j)(1) "Manufacturer" means a person that:
(A) manufactures or produces the product or system and sells it under
its own trade name or label;
(B) does not manufacture or produce the product or system but sells it
under its own trade name or label;
(C) manufactures or produces the product or system and it is sold
under the trade name or label of another person; or
(D) does not manufacture or produce the product or system but,
pursuant to a written contract, licenses the use of its trade name or
label to another person that sells the product or system under the
licensor's trade name or label.
(2) "Manufacturer" shall also include a distributor which is a parent,
affiliate, or subsidiary of a manufacturer.
(3) The holder of a patent shall not be considered a manufacturer
solely because it receives royalties on its patents.