(a)The Commissioner shall investigate and review each insurance filing under the following guidelines:
(1)The effective date of each workers’ compensation insurance filing shall be the date specified in the filing. The effective date of the filing may not be earlier than 30 days after the date the filing is received by the Commissioner or the date of receipt of the information furnished in support of the filing if such supporting information is required by the Commissioner.
(2)Upon written application of the insurer or advisory organization, the Commissioner may authorize a filing, which the Commissioner has reviewed, to become effective before the expiration of the period described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(3)A filing shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this cha
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(a) The Commissioner shall investigate and review each insurance filing under the following guidelines:
(1) The effective date of each workers’ compensation insurance filing shall be the date specified in the filing. The effective date of the filing may not be earlier than 30 days after the date the filing is received by the Commissioner or the date of receipt of the information furnished in support of the filing if such supporting information is required by the Commissioner.
(2) Upon written application of the insurer or advisory organization, the Commissioner may authorize a filing, which the Commissioner has reviewed, to become effective before the expiration of the period described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(3) A filing shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this chapter unless disapproved by the Commissioner within the period described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section or any extension thereof.
(b) Subject to subsection (a) of this section, a workers’ compensation advisory organization shall file with the Commissioner:
(1) Workers’ compensation rates and rating plans that are limited to prospective loss costs;
(2) Each workers’ compensation policy form to be used by its members;
(3) The uniform classification plan and rules;
(4) The uniform experience rating plan and rules; and
(5) Any other information that the Commissioner requests and is otherwise entitled to receive under this chapter.
(c) Whenever a filing is not accompanied by the information required under this section, the Commissioner shall so inform the filer within 10 days of the initial filing. The filing shall be deemed to be made when the required information is furnished or when the filer certifies to the Commissioner that the additional information requested by the Commissioner is not maintained or cannot be provided.
(d) If each rate in a schedule of workers’ compensation rates for specific classifications of risks filed by an insurer is not lower than the prospective loss costs contained in the schedule of workers’ compensation rates for those classifications filed by an advisory organization under subsection (b) of this section, and approved by the Commissioner, then the schedule of rates filed by the insurer shall not be subject to subsection (a) of this section but shall become effective upon filing for the purposes of § 2609 of this title.
(e) Upon the filing of any application by a workers’ compensation advisory organization with the Commissioner relating to rates or prospective loss costs, the Workers’ Compensation Oversight Panel authorized in Title 19 shall, with the consent of the Attorney General, retain a member of the Delaware Bar to represent the interests of Delaware workers’ compensation rate-payers during the Commissioner’s consideration of the application (the “ratepayer advocate”). The cost of the ratepayer advocate shall be borne by the advisory organization. It is the expectation of the General Assembly that $40,000 should be sufficient to adequately compensate the ratepayer advocate for his or her services during the course of an application (including any appeals), and compensation for the ratepayer advocate is limited to this amount, which may be adjusted by the Attorney General for inflation on an annual basis. The Department of Labor shall provide staff support for the Workers’ Compensation Oversight Panel in carrying out this responsibility.
(f) Applications by a workers’ compensation advisory organization relating to rates or prospective loss costs shall be subject to the case decision provisions of Title 29, Chapter 101, subchapter III, and the ratepayer advocate shall be considered a party to the case. The Department of Insurance shall promulgate regulations within 60 days to ensure that the ratepayer advocate has adequate time and means to properly participate in the hearing required by Title 29, Chapter 101, subchapter III. The advisory organization may, but need not be, represented by counsel in this proceeding.
(g) The ratepayer advocate shall select an actuary to work with him or her and testify in the rate-setting proceeding outlined in subsections (e) and (f) of this section. The cost of this actuary shall be borne by the advisory organization. It is the expectation of the General Assembly that any other actuaries used by the Department of Insurance during the rate-setting process outlined in subsections (e) and (f) of this section shall be paid for by the Department of Insurance.