AI-assisted research summary: The insurance commissioner may discipline a public adjuster’s license and impose fines for listed misconduct, and must give written reasons when denying or not renewing a license.
§1700. License denial, nonrenewal, or revocation A. The commissioner of insurance may place on probation, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue, renew, or reinstate a public adjuster's license and may levy a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars for each violation occurring, up to ten thousand dollars aggregate for all violations in a calendar year, unless a fine is established by separate statute in this Title authorizing a greater penalty, or any combination of actions, for any one or more of the following causes: (1) Providing incorrect, misleading, incomplete, or materially untrue information in the license application. (2) Violating any insurance laws, or violating any regulation, subpoena, or order of the commissioner of insurance or of another state's insurance commissioner. (3) Obtaining or attempting to obtain a license through misrepresentation or fraud. (4) Improperly withholding, misappropriating, or converting any monies or properties received in the course of doing insurance business. (5) Intentionally misrepresenting the terms of an actual or proposed insurance contract or application for insurance. (6) Having been convicted of a felony. (7) Having admitted or been found to have committed any insurance unfair trade practice or insurance fraud. (8) Having an insurance license, or its equivalent, denied, suspended, or revoked in any other state, province, district, or territory. (9) Forging another's name to an application for insurance or to any document related to an insurance transaction. (10) Cheating, including improperly using notes or any other reference material, to complete an examination for an insurance license. (11) Knowingly accepting insurance business from an individual who is not licensed but who is required to be licensed by the commissioner of insurance. (12) Failing to comply with an administrative or court order imposing a child support obligation. (13) Failing to pay state income tax or to comply with any administrative or court order directing payment of state income tax. (14) Violating R.S. 22:1706(H). B. The commissioner of insurance shall place on probation, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue, renew, or reinstate a public adjuster's license and shall levy a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars for each violation occurring, up to ten thousand dollars aggregate for all violations in a calendar year, unless a fine is established by separate statute in this Title authorizing a greater penalty, or any combination of actions, for the following: (1) Having been convicted of a serious crime involving fraudulent, coercive, or dishonest practices or demonstrating incompetence, untrustworthiness, or financial irresponsibility in the conduct of business in this state or elsewhere. (2) Engaging in the unauthorized practice of law as defined in R.S. 37:212 and 213. C. In the event that the action by the commissioner of insurance is to deny an application for or not renew a license, the commissioner of insurance shall notify the applicant or licensee and advise, in writing, in accordance and compliance with R.S. 49:977.3, the applicant or licensee of the reason for the nonrenewal or denial of the applicant's or licensee's license. An aggrieved party affected by the commissioner's decision, act, or order may demand a hearing in accordance with Chapter 12 of this Title, R.S. 22:2191 et seq. D. The license of a business entity may be suspended, revoked, or refused if the commissioner of insurance finds, after complying with R.S. 49:977.3, that an individual licensee's violation was known or should have been known by one or more of the partners, officers, or managers acting on behalf of the business entity and the violation was neither reported to the commissioner of insurance nor corrective action taken. E. In addition to or in lieu of any applicable denial, suspension, or revocation of a license, a person may, after hearing, be subject to a fine as provided in this Section after the commissioner's compliance with R.S. 49:977.3. F. The commissioner of insurance shall retain the authority to enforce the provisions of and impose any penalty or remedy authorized by this Part and this Title against any person who is under investigation for or charged with a violation of this Part or this Title even if the person's license or registration has been surrendered or has lapsed by operation of law. Acts 2006, No. 806, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 22:1210.100 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2009, No. 317, §1.