§ 41-2712 — TITLE INSURANCE RATING ORGANIZATION

(1) Finding. There are at the present time more than twelve (12) title insurers to which this chapter applies. Reasonable competition exists among said insurers with respect to classes of insurance written on titles. Said title insurers are not members of or subscribers to any rating organization with respect to their operation in Idaho. Some of said insurers presumably would become members of or subscribers to a rating organization if the same existed in relation to title insurance in this state. It is reasonable to assume that competition will continue to exist among the title insurers if ratemaking in concert were authorized and rating organizations were licensed in this state for such insurance. So long as reasonable competition continues in title insurance, the public welfare is served both by the making of rates in concert and by the making of rates by individual insurers, and no review thereof by the state is necessary or desirable in the public interest with respect to such class of insurance. So long as such competition continues, regulation adequate to protect the welfare of the citizens of the state with respect to such ratemaking in concert and such rating organization may be secured by licensing and periodic examination of the rating organization.
(2) Declaration of Policy. It is the purpose of this section to regulate title insurance within the scope hereby by allowing a title insurer or title insurance agent by becoming a member of a licensed title insurance rating organization making a filing under this chapter to satisfy its obligations for such filings; to authorize ratemaking in concert and the operation of the rating organization subject to regulations provided in this chapter; to retain and preserve the benefits flowing from reasonable competition; and to provide a review of such rates by the state for such classes of insurance within the scope of this chapter, if any, in which such reasonable competition may not hereafter exist.
(3) Rating Organization. A rating organization as defined, established and regulated in sections 41-1415 and 41-1416, Idaho Code, may be established for the title insurance business. The same may be licensed and commence business as therein provided upon hearing and findings by the director of the department of insurance in accordance herewith. Filings may be made thereby by a rating organization consisting of six (6) or more title insurers receiving over fifty per cent (50%) of the title insurance premiums on business in the state pursuant to sections 41-2706 and 41-2707, Idaho Code.
(4) After hearing upon thirty (30) days to the rating organization and its members and upon a finding by the director that reasonable competition no longer exists with respect to any or all of the classes of title insurance, and upon ninety (90) days’ expiration after notice thereof, and for so long thereafter as such finding with respect thereto continues in effect, such rating organization may not make filings herein authorized as to such class or classes of title insurance.
(5) A rating organization subject to rules and regulations approved by the director shall admit any title insurer applying thereto as a member or as a subscriber to its rating service at reasonable cost and without discrimination or to withdraw therefrom. The cooperation of title insurance rating organizations and the cooperation of the rating organization and title insurer, and the concert action by title insurers under this general management control of the rating organization in ratemaking and other matters within the scope of title 41, Idaho Code, is hereby authorized, providing the premium rates for basic classification of policies, escrow fee rates, division of premium with agents and contracts are filed and approved in accordance with sections 41-2706 and 41-2707, Idaho Code.
(6) Deviations. Every member of or subscriber to a title insurance rating organization shall adhere to the filings made on its behalf by such organization, except that any title insurer member or subscriber may file with the director a decrease or increase to be applied to any and all elements of the rates produced by the rating system so filed for the class of title insurance upon a finding by the director that it is a proper rating unit for the application of such decrease or increase or proper to be applied to the rates for a particular area. Such deviation filing shall specify the basis for the modification and be accompanied by statistical or historical pattern justification. A copy of said filing shall be filed with the rating organization. Such deviation filing shall be subject to the provisions of sections 41-2706 and 41-2707, Idaho Code. Deviations shall be effective for one (1) year unless terminated sooner by order of the director.
(7) Appeals by the Minority. Any member of or subscriber to the rating organization may appeal to the director from any action or decision of the rating organization and the director shall, after hearing held upon not less than fifteen (15) days’ written notice to the applicant and the rating organization, issue an order approving the rating organization’s action or directing it to give further consideration thereto, all within thirty (30) days following such order. On the appeal from the decision or action of the rating organization the director may, in the event he finds such decision or action was unreasonable, issue an order directing said rating organization to make additions to its filings on behalf of its members or subscribers, including approval of the filing suggested by the appellant, if either be in accordance herewith. Failure of a rating organization to take action or make a decision within sixty (60) days after submission of a proposal for deviation shall constitute a rejection thereof.

Legislative History

[I.C., sec. 41-2712, as added by 1973, ch. 135, sec. 9, p. 252.]