§27-43-10. Types of legal expense insurance; policy and certificate forms; issuance of policies and certificates.

(a) Legal expense insurance may be written as individual, group, blanket or franchise insurance. Each contractual obligation for legal expense insurance must be evidenced by a policy. Each person insured under a group policy must be issued a certificate of coverage.

(b) No policy or certificate of legal expense insurance may be issued in this state unless a copy of the form has been filed and approved by the commissioner.

(c) The commissioner may not approve any form that does not meet the following requirements:

(1) Policies must contain a list and description of the legal service payments promised or the legal matters for which expenses are to be reimbursed and any limits on the amounts to be paid or reimbursed;

(2) Policies and certificates must indicate the name of the insurer and the full address of its principal place of business;

(3) Certificates issued under group policies must contain a full statement of the benefits provided and exceptions thereto, but may summarize the other terms of the master policy;

(4) Policies promising payment for legal services to be provided by a limited number of attorneys who have concluded provider contracts with the insurer, whether the attorney in an individual case is to be selected by the insured or by the insurer, must provide for alternative benefits in the case where the insured is unable to find a participating attorney willing to perform the promised services or the attorney selected by the insurer is disqualified or otherwise unable to perform the promised services. The alternative benefit may consist of furnishing the services of an attorney selected and paid by the insurer or paying the fee of an attorney selected by the insured. The policy must also provide a procedure that includes impartial review for settling disagreements about the grounds for demanding an alternative benefit;

(5) No policy except one issued by a mutual or reciprocal insurance company may provide for assessments on policyholders or for reduction of benefits for the purpose of maintaining the insurer's solvency;

(6) Policies must contain a statement that the subscriber has a right to complain to the State Bar of Alabama about attorney conduct pursuant to the plan; and

(7) Policies must contain a statement that the individual beneficiary has the right to retain, at his own expense, except where the policy provides otherwise, any attorney authorized to practice law in the state;

(d) The department may disapprove a policy or certificate form if it finds that it:

(1) Is unfair, unfairly discriminatory, misleading, ambiguous or encourages misrepresentation or misunderstanding of the contract;

(2) Provides coverage or benefits or contains other provisions that would endanger the solvency of the insurer; or

(3) Is contrary to law.

(Acts 1981, No. 81-719, p. 1214, §1.)