Revised Procedures for the Calculation of Filing Fees for Form Filings

To:

RATE AND FORM FILING DEPARTMENT

Property and Casualty Insurance Companies

Title Insurance Companies

Rating Organizations

Re:

Revised Procedures for the Calculation of Filing Fees for Form Filings

Date:

February 25, 2000

Bulletin:

Property and Casualty – 00 - 06

The Rates and Forms Unit of the Property and Casualty Section recently issued a bulletin

(Property and Casualty – 99 - 22) addressing the correct method for calculating the

amount of the filing fee required for form(s) filings. While the bulletin accurately

interprets relevant Maryland law, the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) has

learned that strict enforcement of that bulletin may have the unintended consequence of

discouraging the filing of new programs or policies.

Therefore, Commissioner Larsen has determined that the MIA’s enforcement of Bulletin

99 - 22 will be modified as follows:

Filing fees for forms must continue to be calculated at the rate of $125 per insurer

per individual form per filing. However, the following revised form filing

procedures will be applicable to form filings received by the MIA on or after

April 3, 2000:

a.

No insurer will be required to submit more than $1,000 for any

filing of policy forms – regardless of the number of individual

forms contained within the filing.

b.

If multiple insurers within an insurer group submit identical forms,

only a single filing fee will be collected and the $1,000 cap will

apply. Identical forms are defined as forms submitted by one

insurer that are identical in every way to the forms submitted by

the other insurers within the insurer group. The only exception is

that each insurer within an insurer group will be permitted to

include that insurer’s name, trademark, servicemark or logo and a

unique form number on its respective forms.

collected and the $1,000 cap will

apply. Identical forms are defined as forms submitted by one

insurer that are identical in every way to the forms submitted by

the other insurers within the insurer group. The only exception is

that each insurer within an insurer group will be permitted to

include that insurer’s name, trademark, servicemark or logo and a

unique form number on its respective forms.

Property and Casualty Insurance Companies

Title Insurance Companies

Rating Organizations

Revised Procedures for the Calculation of Filing Fees

Bulletin: Property and Casualty – 00 - 06

February 25, 2000

Page 2

In order to qualify for this exemption, the filer must include a separate

signed certification (see attached) with each filing stating that the forms

filed by each insurer within the insurer group are identical. The MIA, in

reliance upon that certification, will only review the forms submitted by

the insurer submitting the filing fee and not each individual insurer as it

has previously done. If the MIA later determines that the certification was

made in error, additional filing fees will be collected and penalties may be

applied, where appropriate.

Please communicate these revised guidelines for the calculation of filing fees for form

filings to all company personnel who are responsible for submitting filings to the

Property and Casualty Section of the Maryland Insurance Administration.

If you have any questions about the revised procedures, contact Dave Diehl, Chief

Administrator, by telephone at (410) 468-2320 or by Email at ddiehl@mia.state.md.us

_____________________

Robert Becker

Associate Commissioner

Property and Casualty

Attachment

ll company personnel who are responsible for submitting filings to the

Property and Casualty Section of the Maryland Insurance Administration.

If you have any questions about the revised procedures, contact Dave Diehl, Chief

Administrator, by telephone at (410) 468-2320 or by Email at ddiehl@mia.state.md.us

_____________________

Robert Becker

Associate Commissioner

Property and Casualty

Attachment

Certificate

for the

Certification of Forms

On behalf of the following insurance companies, I am requesting an exemption from the

duplication of filing fees applicable to multiple insurers within an insurer group.

Name of Insurer Group

(Group name)

Name of Insurer Submitting the Filing Fee

(Insurance Company)

Name(s) of Insurer(s) Requesting an Exemption from the Filing Fee(s)

(Insurance Company)

(Insurance Company)

(Insurance Company)

(Insurance Company)

I certify that the each of these insurers are members of the above insurer group, and are

therefore eligible for an exemption from duplicate filing fees. The forms being submitted

by these insurers are identical in every way. The only exception to this certification is that

each insurer within the insurer group is permitted to include that insurer’s specific name,

trademark, servicemark or logo and a unique number on its respective forms.

___________________________

__________________

________________

Name

Title

Date

WARNING

The MIA, in reliance upon this certification, will only review the forms submitted by the

insurer submitting the filing fee. If the MIA later determines that the above certification

was made in error, additional filing fees will be collected and penalties may apply.