2007 Minnesota Statutes

72A.499 REASONS FOR ADVERSE UNDERWRITING DECISIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Notice and information. (a) In the event of an adverse underwriting decision,
the insurer or insurance agent responsible for the decision shall provide in writing to the applicant,
policyholder, or individual proposed for coverage:
(1) the specific reason or reasons for the adverse underwriting decision, a summary of the
person's rights under sections 72A.497 and 72A.498, and that upon request the person may
receive the specific items of personal information that support those reasons and the specific
sources of the information; or
(2) the specific reason or reasons for the adverse underwriting decision, the specific items
of personal and privileged information that support those reasons, the names and addresses of
the sources that supplied the specific items of information specified, and a summary of the rights
established under sections 72A.497 and 72A.498.
(b) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (a), if the adverse underwriting decision
is either solely or partially based upon a report of creditworthiness, credit standing, or credit
capacity that an insurer receives from a consumer reporting agency, the insurer or insurance agent
responsible for the decision shall provide in writing to the applicant, policyholder, or individual
proposed for coverage the primary reason or reasons for the credit score or other credit based
information used by the insurer in the insurer's adverse underwriting decision.
    Subd. 2. Health reasons. If the specific reason for an adverse underwriting decision is
based on health record information, the insurer may, in lieu of providing the specific reason
to the individual under subdivision 1, provide the individual with the specific source of the
adverse underwriting decision referring to the specific date, page, and line of the information
received from a health professional or health care institution. If the insured has been informed
of the condition indicated by their health provider and is unable to determine the reason for the
adverse underwriting decision, then the insurer must provide the specific reason to the individual.
The insurer must provide the specific reason for the adverse underwriting decision to a health
professional designated by the individual, if requested either orally or in writing by the individual.
    Subd. 3. Exemption. (a) This section is not applicable to group policies or contracts, except
for group policies that are individually underwritten. For group policies or contracts that are
individually underwritten, the notice required under this section must be given to the individual or
individuals in the group whose personal information resulted in the adverse underwriting decision.
(b) If a policy or contract is terminated on a class or statewide basis, or an insurance coverage
is declined solely because the coverage is unavailable on a class or statewide basis, the insurer or
agent is not required to provide the notice required under this section provided that the applicant
or policyholder is provided with the specific reason for the termination or declination of coverage.
    Subd. 4. Privileged information. (a) An insurer or insurance agent is not required to provide
particular, specific items of privileged information under subdivision 1 if it has a reasonable
suspicion, based upon that specific information, that the applicant, policyholder, or person
proposed for coverage has engaged in criminal activity, fraud, material misrepresentation, or
material nondisclosure. If an insurer or insurance agent does not provide the specific items of
information because the information is privileged under this subdivision, the insurer or insurance
agent must notify the applicant, policyholder, or individual proposed for coverage that the specific
items of information are privileged and of the person's right to appeal to the commissioner under
this subdivision.
(b) If a person is not provided with the specific items of information relating to an adverse
underwriting decision because the information is privileged under this subdivision, the person
may request that the commissioner review the information. The commissioner may then order
the insurer or insurance agent to supply the privileged information to the commissioner. If
the commissioner determines that the information is not privileged under this subdivision,
the commissioner shall order the insurer or insurance agent to provide the information to the
applicant, policyholder, or person proposed for coverage.
    Subd. 5. Health records information. Specific items of health record information supplied
by a health care institution or health professional, and the identity of the health professional or
health care institution that supplied the information, must be disclosed in the manner required
under section 72A.497, subdivision 3.
    Subd. 6. Other companies or agents acting on its behalf. The obligations imposed by
this section upon an insurer or insurance agent may be satisfied by another insurer or insurance
agent authorized to act on its behalf.
History: 1989 c 316 s 11; 2000 c 483 s 23