Illinois Statutes Chapter 215. Insurance § 5/500-85. Notification of termination; immunity; confidentiality

(a) An insurer or authorized representative of an insurer that terminates the appointment, employment, contract, or other insurance business relationship with a producer must notify the Director within 30 days following the effective date of the termination, using a format prescribed by the Director, if the reason for termination is one of the reasons set forth in Section 500-70 or the insurer has knowledge the producer was found by a court, government body, or self-regulatory organization authorized by law to have engaged in any of the activities in Section 500-70. Upon written request by the Director, the insurer must provide additional information, documents, records, or other data pertaining to the termination or activity of the producer.

(b) The insurer or the authorized representative of the insurer must promptly notify the Director in a format acceptable to the Director if, upon further review or investigation, the insurer discovers additional information that would have been reportable to the Director in accordance with subsection (a) had the insurer then known of its existence.

(c) Within 15 days after making the notification required by subsections (a) and (b), the insurer must mail a copy of the notification to the producer at his or her last known address. If the producer is terminated for cause for any of the reasons listed in Section 500-70, the insurer must provide a copy of the notification to the producer at his or her last known address by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid or by overnight delivery using a nationally recognized carrier.

Within 30 days after the producer has received the original or additional notification, the producer may file written comments concerning the substance of the notification with the Director. The producer must, by the same means, simultaneously send a copy of the comments to the reporting insurer, and the comments shall become a part of the Director's file and accompany every copy of a report distributed or disclosed for any reason about the producer as permitted under this Code.

(d) There shall be no liability on the part of, nor shall a cause of action of any nature arise against, an insurer, the authorized representative of the insurer, a producer, the Director, or an organization of which the Director is a member for any information, documents, records, or statements provided pursuant to this Section.

(e) An insurer, the authorized representative of the insurer, or a producer that fails to report as required under the provisions of this Section or that is found to have reported with malicious intent by a court of competent jurisdiction may, after notice and hearing, have its license or certificate of authority suspended or revoked and may be subjected to a civil penalty.