2006 Minnesota Statutes

72A.12 LIFE INSURANCE.
    Subdivision 1. Issue of prohibited life policies. Every officer or agent of a life insurance
company who shall issue any policy in violation of any order or other prohibition by the
commissioner made pursuant to law, shall be guilty, for the first offense, of a misdemeanor, and
for each subsequent offense, of a gross misdemeanor.
    Subd. 2. Misrepresentation by insurer or agent. No life insurance company doing business
in this state, and no officer, director or agent thereof, shall issue or circulate, or cause or permit to
be issued or circulated, any estimate, illustration, circular or statement of any sort misrepresenting
the terms of any policy issued by it or the benefits or advantages promised thereby, or the
dividends or shares of surplus to be received thereon, or shall use any name or title of any policy
or class of policies misrepresenting the true nature thereof.
Any person violating the provisions of this subdivision shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,
and the license of any company which shall authorize or permit a violation of this subdivision
shall be revoked.
    Subd. 3. Discrimination in accepting risks. No life insurance company or agent, all
other conditions being equal, shall make any discrimination in the acceptance of risks, in rates,
premiums, dividends, or benefits of any kind, or by way of rebates, between persons of the same
class, or on account of race; and upon request of any person whose application has been rejected,
the company shall furnish the rejected applicant, in writing, the reasons therefor, including a
certificate of the examining physician that such rejection was not for any racial cause. Every
company violating either of the foregoing provisions shall forfeit not less than $500, nor more
than $1,000, and every officer, agent, or solicitor violating the same shall be guilty of a gross
misdemeanor; and the commissioner shall revoke the license of such company and its agents, and
grant no new license within one year thereafter.
    Subd. 4. Discrimination; rebates. No life insurance company doing business in this state
shall make or permit any distinction or discrimination in favor of individuals between insurants
of the same class and equal expectation of life in the amount or payment of premiums or rates
charged for policies of life or endowment insurance, or in the dividends or other benefits payable
thereon, or in any other of the terms and conditions of the contracts it makes; nor shall any
such company or agent thereof make any contract of insurance or agreement as to such contract
other than as plainly expressed in the policy issued thereon; nor shall any such company or any
officer, agent, solicitor, or representative thereof pay, allow or give, or offer to pay, allow or give,
directly or indirectly, as inducement to insurance, any rebate of premium payable on the policy, or
any special favor or advantage in the dividends or other benefits to accrue thereon or any paid
employment or contract for services of any kind, or any valuable consideration or inducement
whatever not specified in the policy contract of insurance.
Any violation of the provisions of this subdivision shall be a misdemeanor and punishable as
such.
    Subd. 5. Political contributions prohibited. No insurance company or association,
including fraternal benefit societies, doing business in this state, shall, directly or indirectly,
pay or use, or offer, consent or agree to pay or use, any money or property for or in aid of any
political party, committee or organization, or for or in aid of any corporation, joint stock or other
association organized or maintained for political purposes, or for or in aid of any candidate
for political office, or for nomination for the office, or for any other political purpose, or for
reimbursement or indemnification of any person for money or property used for political
purposes. Any officer, director, stockholder, attorney or agent of any corporation or association
which violates any of the provisions of this section, who participates in, aids, abets, or advises
or consents to any violation, and any person who solicits or knowingly receives any money
or property in violation of this section, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. Any officer aiding
or abetting in any contribution made in violation of this section is liable to the company or
association for the amount contributed. No person shall be excused from attending and testifying,
or producing any books, papers or other documents before any court, upon any investigation,
proceeding or trial, for a violation of any of the provisions of this section, upon the ground, or
for the reason, that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required may tend to
incriminate or degrade the person. No person shall be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or
forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter or thing concerning which the person may
testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, and no testimony given or produced shall
be used against that person upon any criminal investigation or proceeding.
History: 1967 c 395 art 12 s 12; 1983 c 359 s 1; 1986 c 444; 1992 c 564 art 1 s 54