Utah Admin. Code R590-190-9 - Unfair Claim Settlement Practices

The commissioner finds that the following acts or general business practices are unfair claim settlement practices and are misleading, deceptive, unfairly discriminatory, overreaching, or an unreasonable restraint on competition in settling a claim:

(1) denying or threatening to deny a claim, or rescinding, canceling, or threatening to rescind or cancel coverage under a policy for a reason that is not clearly described in a policy as a reason for denial, cancellation, or rescission;

(2) failing to provide an insured or a beneficiary a written explanation of the evidence of an investigation or the claim file materials supporting a denial of a claim based on misrepresentation or fraud on an insurance application, if misrepresentation or fraud is the basis for the denial;

(3) compensating an employee, producer, or contractor an amount based on savings to the insurer due to denying payment of a claim;

(4) failing to deliver to the department a copy of an insurer's guidelines during an investigation of a claim, if requested;

(5) refusing to pay a claim without conducting a reasonable investigation;

(6) offering a first party claimant substantially less than a claim's reasonable value as established by an independent source;

(7) making a claim payment to an insured or a beneficiary without a statement or explanation of benefits that describes the coverage under which a payment is made and how a payment amount is calculated;

(8) failing to pay a first party claim within 30 days of receiving a proof of loss if liability is reasonably clear under one coverage to influence a settlement under another portion of the insurance policy or under another insurance policy;

(9) refusing to pay a claim solely based on an insured's request unless:

(a) the insured claims sovereign, eleemosynary, diplomatic, military service, or other immunity from suit or liability with respect to the claim; or

(b) the insured is granted the right under the policy to consent to settlement of a claim;

(10) advising a claimant not to obtain the services of an attorney or suggesting a claimant will receive less money if an attorney is used to pursue a claim or advise on the merits of a claim;

(11) misleading a claimant about applicable statutes of limitation;

(12) requiring an insured to sign a release that extends beyond the occurrence or cause of action that gave rise to a claim payment;

(13) deducting from a loss or claim payment made under one policy the premiums owed by the insured on another policy, unless the insured consents;

(14) failing to settle a first party claim on the basis that responsibility for payment of the claim should be assumed by others, except as provided by a policy provision;

(15) issuing a check or a draft in partial settlement of a loss or a claim under a specified coverage if the check or draft contains language that releases an insurer from total liability;

(16) refusing to provide a written basis for the denial of a claim upon demand of an insured;

(17) denying a claim for medical treatment after preauthorization is given, except in a case where an insurer obtains and provides to a claimant documentation of the pre-existing condition for which preauthorization was given or if a claimant is not eligible for coverage;

(18) refusing to pay a reasonably incurred expense to an insured if the expense resulted from a delay, prohibited by this rule, in a claim settlement or a claim payment;

(19) if an automobile insurer represents both a tort feasor and a claimant:

(a) failing to advise a claimant under any coverage that the same insurance company represents both the tort feasor and the claimant as soon as such information becomes known to the insurer; and

(b) allocating medical payments to the tort feasor's liability coverage before exhausting a claimant's personal injury protection coverage;

(20) except for a failure to pay personal injury protection expenses when due, failing to pay interest at the legal rate, as provided in Title 15, Contracts and Obligations in General, on first party and third party claim amounts that are overdue under this rule; and

(21) failing to deliver or mail the amount owed on a first party or third party claim within 30 days after the insurer receives written proof of a covered loss and its amount, except:

(a) if the insurer does not receive written proof of the entire loss, the insurer shall deliver or mail a partial amount supported by written proof or investigation within 30 days; and

(b) a payment is not overdue if the insurer has reasonable evidence to dispute its responsibility for payment.

Notes

Utah Admin. Code R590-190-9

Adopted by Utah State Bulletin Number 2024-03, effective 1/24/2024