Section 931.10  Authority

 

The purpose of this Part is to implement Section 143c of the Illinois Insurance Code (Code) [215 ILCS 5], which requires insurance companies to provide certificate holders or policy holders with "written notice" regarding where to file a complaint.

 

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 3767, effective July 1, 2025)

 

Section 931.20  Scope

 

a)         This Part shall apply to all companies authorized to transact insurance business as set forth in Classes 1, 2 or 3 of Section 4 of the Illinois Insurance Code [215 ILCS 5], except for those lines of insurance enumerated in Section 931.50 of this Part.

 

b)         This Part shall apply to any policy or certificate issued after the effective date of this Part.

 

c)         For Group Life Insurance and Group Accident and Health Insurance, the statutory requirement to provide "written notice " may be satisfied by the insurance company furnishing such notice to the policyholder, or by the insurance company or policyholder furnishing such notices to all group members.

 

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 3767, effective July 1, 2025)

 

Section 931.30  Form of Notification

 

The requirement of providing "written notice " shall be satisfied by:

 

a)         Any printed notice delivered with a policy or certificate;

 

b)         Any adhering label attached to a policy or certificate;

 

c)         Any computerized notice issued concurrently with a computer issued policy or certificate;

 

d)         Any other form of individual written notice substantially similar to the above.

 

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 3767, effective July 1, 2025)

 

Section 931.40 Notification Requirements

 

In the required notice:

 

a)         Companies shall use the contact information for the Department of Insurance explicitly stating "You may file a consumer complaint online at the Illinois Department of Insurance's website or by mail. The Department maintains a Consumer Division in Chicago at [insert current address here] and in Springfield at [insert current address here].".

 

b)         The address to be used for the company shall be an office that can service all types of complaints.  If one office cannot service all types of complaints, then the additional addresses of each appropriate service office must be given.

 

c)         In addition to providing the required addresses, the notification should set forth the minimum amount of information included in the following suggested wording:  "This notice is to advise you that should any complaints arise regarding this insurance, you may contact the following:"

 

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 3767, effective July 1, 2025)

 

Section 931.50  Exceptions

 

The following types of insurance are exempted from this Part:

 

a)         Ocean Marine;

 

b)         Fidelity and Surety;

 

c)         Commercial Inland Marine risks which, by general custom, are not written according to manual rates or rating plans.

 

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 3767, effective July 1, 2025)

 

Section 931.60  Severability

 

If any Section or portion of a Section of this Part, or applicability thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid by a court, the remainder of the Part, or the applicability of such provision or circumstance, shall not be affected thereby.