2006 Minnesota Statutes

72B.02 DEFINITIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Scope. For the purposes of sections 72B.01 to 72B.14 the terms defined in
this section have the meanings ascribed to them unless the context otherwise requires.
    Subd. 2. Person. "Person" means a natural person.
    Subd. 3. Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of commerce or any
other person properly acting for the commissioner.
    Subd. 4. Adjuster. "Adjuster" means a person who on behalf of an insurer or an insured, for
compensation as an independent contractor or as an employee of such independent contractor, or
as an employee of an insurer, or for a fee or commission, investigates and evaluates claims arising
under insurance contracts and negotiates the settlement of such claims.
    Subd. 5. Independent adjuster. "Independent adjuster" means any person who for another
for money, commission or any other thing of value acts as an adjuster on behalf of more than one
insurer, or who holds out to do so.
    Subd. 6. Public adjuster. "Public adjuster" means an adjuster who hires out for employment
by members of the public for a fee, commission or any other thing of value, and who, when so
employed, acts solely to represent the interests of an insured named in an insurance policy.
    Subd. 7. Staff adjuster. "Staff adjuster" means an adjuster who is a salaried employee of an
insurance company and who is engaged in adjusting insured losses solely for that company or
other companies under common control or ownership.
    Subd. 8. Public adjuster solicitor. "Public adjuster solicitor" means any person who for
money, commission or any other thing of value solicits in any manner or aids in securing for a
public adjuster any contract or agreement for the adjustment of a loss.
    Subd. 9. Appraiser. "Appraiser" means any person engaged independently, for hire by the
public or on the staff of an insurer, in the process of evaluating motor vehicle physical damage,
who does not endeavor to determine liability or negotiate the settlement of claims arising under
automobile insurance contracts.
    Subd. 10.[Repealed, 1979 c 141 s 9]
    Subd. 11. Catastrophe or emergency situation. "Catastrophe or emergency situation"
means the occurrence of insured losses of such a number or severity that the ordinary staff adjuster
personnel complement of the insurer and the available independent adjusters could not adjust all
of the losses resulting from a common cause or related causes in a reasonable time.
    Subd. 12. Single loss. "Single loss" means a loss to a single insured, and does not necessarily
include all losses resulting from a common cause.
    Subd. 13. Appraiser identification. "Appraiser identification" means a writing including the
appraiser's name, place of business, business telephone number, and the name of the insurer or
other business entity employing the appraiser, if any.
    Subd. 14. Crop hail adjuster. "Crop hail adjuster" means a person who for money,
commission, or other thing of value acts as an adjuster in regard to insurance policies against
crop damage by hail.
History: 1971 c 704 s 2; 1980 c 456 s 1; 1983 c 289 s 114 subd 1; 1984 c 655 art 1 s 92;
1986 c 444; 1992 c 564 art 1 s 48