HB 17-1231

House Bill 17-1231, also known as Market Conduct Examinations for Insurance Companies, separates and clarifies the rules for financial and market conduct examinations of insurance companies in Colorado. This means that the state’s commissioner of insurance will have clearer guidelines on how to ensure these companies are following laws and treating customers fairly. The bill affects insurance companies operating in Colorado by making it easier for regulators to oversee their business practices without overlap or conflict with other regulations. Since the bill has been signed, it is now law and its provisions are being implemented.

Official Summary

Under current law, the commissioner of insurance (commissioner) is authorized to conduct financial examinations and market conduct examinations of companies engaged in the insurance business in Colorado. Financial examinations, which the commissioner conducts on every company domiciled in Colorado once every 5 years, are intended to ensure that regulated insurance companies have proper corporate governance and internal controls and are able to pay claims. Market conduct examinations are intended to ensure that regulated insurance companies are complying with applicable laws and rules and that policyholders, providers, and beneficiaries are treated equitably. Statutes pertaining to both financial examinations and market conduct examinations are intertwined and, in some cases, overlap and conflict. Because of the repeal and relocation of market conduct provisions under sections 2 through 10 of the bill, section 1 of the bill consolidates and relocates provisions that apply generally to the commissioner and the division of insurance (division) regarding confidential treatment of documents the commissioner obtains during an investigation, the subpoena powers of the division, and the commissioner's ability to contract with experts in conducting an investigation. Sections 2 through 10 separate the market conduct examination provisions from the financial examination provisions, repealing and relocating the market conduct examination provisions to a separate part and more clearly delineating the scope and functions of the 2 distinct types of examinations conducted by the commissioner. With regard to market conduct reviews, section 10 also uses the term 'market conduct surveillance' and specifies the types of activities that includes, such as market analysis, interrogatories, and market conduct examinations. Sections 11 through 16 make conforming amendments based on the repeal and relocation of the market conduct examination provisions.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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