Article 36.

North Carolina Rate Bureau.

§ 58-36-1.  North Carolina Rate Bureau created.

There is hereby created a Bureau to be known as the "North Carolina Rate Bureau," with the following objects and functions:

(1) To assume the functions formerly performed by the North Carolina Fire Insurance Rating Bureau, the North Carolina Automobile Rate Administrative Office, and the Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of North Carolina, with regard to the promulgation of rates, for insurance against loss to residential real property with not more than four housing units located in this State and any contents thereof and valuable interest therein and other insurance coverages written in connection with the sale of such property insurance; except as provided in G.S. 58-36-3(a)(6), for theft of and physical damage to nonfleet private passenger motor vehicles; for liability insurance for such motor vehicles, automobile medical payments insurance, uninsured motorists coverage and other insurance coverages written in connection with the sale of such liability insurance; and for workers' compensation and employers' liability insurance written in connection therewith except for insurance excluded from the Bureau's jurisdiction in G.S. 58-36-1(3).

(2) The Bureau shall provide reasonable means to be approved by the Commissioner whereby any person affected by a rate or loss costs made by it may be heard in person or by the person's authorized representative before the governing committee or other proper executive of the Bureau.

(3) The Bureau shall promulgate and propose rates for insurance against loss to residential real property with not more than four housing units located in this State and any contents thereof or valuable interest therein and other insurance coverages written in connection with the sale of such property insurance; for insurance against theft of or physical damage to nonfleet private passenger motor vehicles; for liability insurance for such motor vehicles, automobile medical payments insurance, uninsured and underinsured motorists coverage and other insurance coverages written in connection with the sale of such liability insurance; and, as provided in G.S. 58-36-100, for loss costs and residual market rate filings for workers' compensation and employers' liability insurance written in connection therewith. This subdivision does not apply to motor vehicles operated under certificates of authority from the Utilities Commission, the Interstate Commerce Commission, or their successor agencies, where insurance or other proof of financial responsibility is required by law or by regulations specifically applicable to such certificated vehicles.

(4) Agreements may be made between or among members with respect to equitable apportionment among them of insurance which may be afforded applicants who are in good faith entitled to but who are unable to procure such insurance through ordinary methods. The members may agree between or among themselves on the use of reasonable rate modifications for such insurance, agreements, and rate modifications to be subject to the approval of the Commissioner.

(5) a. It is the duty of every insurer that writes workers' compensation insurance in this State and is a member of the Bureau, as defined in this section and G.S. 58-36-5 to insure and accept any workers' compensation insurance risk that has been certified to be "difficult to place" by any fire and casualty insurance producer with property and casualty lines of authority who is licensed in this State. When any such risk is called to the attention of the Bureau by receipt of an application with an estimated or deposit premium payment and it appears that the risk is in good faith entitled to such coverage, the Bureau will bind coverage for 30 days and will designate a member who must issue a standard workers' compensation policy of insurance that contains the usual and customary provisions found in those policies. Multiple coordinated policies, as defined by the Bureau and approved by the Commissioner, may be used for the issuance of coverage under this subdivision for risks involved in employee leasing arrangements. Coverage will be bound at 12:01 A.M. on the first day following the postmark time and date on the envelope in which the application is mailed including the estimated annual or deposit premium, or the expiration of existing coverage, whichever is later. If there should be no postmark, coverage will be effective 12:01 A.M. on the date of receipt by the Bureau unless a later date is requested. Those applications hand delivered to the Bureau will be effective as of 12:01 A.M. of the date following receipt by the Bureau unless a later date is requested. The Bureau will make and adopt such rules as are necessary to carry this section into effect, subject to final approval of the Commissioner. As a prerequisite to the transaction of workers' compensation insurance in this State, every member of the Bureau that writes such insurance must file with the Bureau written authority permitting the Bureau to act in its behalf, as provided in this section, and an agreement to accept risks that are assigned to the member by the Bureau, as provided in this section.

b. The Bureau shall maintain a compendium of employers refused voluntary coverage, which shall be made available by the Bureau to all insurers, licensed producers, and self-insureds' administrators doing business in this State. It shall be stored and indexed to allow access to information by industry, primary classifications of employees, geography, experience modification, and in any other manner the Bureau determines is commercially useful to facilitate voluntary coverage of listed employers. The Bureau shall be immune from civil liability for erroneous information released by the Bureau pursuant to this section, provided that the Bureau acted in good faith and without malicious or willful intent to harm in releasing the erroneous information.

c. Failure or refusal by any assigned employer risk to make full disclosure to the Bureau, servicing carrier, or insurer writing a policy of information regarding the employer's true ownership, change of ownership, operations, or payroll, or any other failure to disclose fully any records pertaining to workers' compensation insurance shall be sufficient grounds for the termination of the policy of that employer.

(6) The Bureau shall maintain and furnish to the Commissioner on an annual basis the statistics on earnings derived by member companies from the investment of unearned premium, loss, and loss expense reserves on nonfleet private passenger motor vehicle insurance policies written in this State. Whenever the Bureau proposes rates under this Article, it shall prepare a separate exhibit for the experience years in question showing the combined earnings realized from the investment of such reserves on policies written in this State. The amount of earnings may in an equitable manner be included in the ratemaking formula to arrive at a fair and equitable rate. The Commissioner may require further information as to such earnings and may require calculations of the Bureau bearing on such earnings.

(7) Member companies shall furnish, upon request of any person carrying nonfleet private passenger motor vehicle insurance in the State upon whose risk a rate has been promulgated, information as to rating, including the method of calculation. (1977, c. 828, s. 6; 1981, c. 888, ss. 1-3; 1983, c. 416, s. 5; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 1027, s. 5.1; 1991, c. 339, s. 1; 1993, c. 409, s. 27; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 679, s. 8.5; 1995, c. 505, s. 1; c. 517, s. 18; 1999-132, ss. 3.1, 3.2; 1999-219, s. 11; 2001-236, s. 2; 2001-389, ss. 1, 2; 2001-423, s. 3; 2022-46, s. 14(pp).)