(a) The commissioner may place on probation, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew the license of a title insurance agent or may levy a civil penalty pursuant to subsection (d), or any combination of these actions, for any one or more of the following causes:

Attorney's Note

Under the Alabama Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Violationup to 30 daysup to $200
For details, see Ala. Code § 13A-5-7

Terms Used In Alabama Code 27-25-4.5

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • writing: includes typewriting and printing on paper. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(1) Providing incorrect, misleading, incomplete, or materially untrue information in the license application.
(2) Violating any insurance laws, rules, subpoena, or order of the 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 acting as a title insurance agent or in otherwise doing insurance business in this state or elsewhere.
(5) Intentionally misrepresenting the terms of an actual title insurance contract.
(6) Having been convicted of a felony.
(7) Having admitted or been found to have committed any insurance unfair trade practice or fraud.
(8) Using fraudulent, coercive, or dishonest practices, or demonstrating incompetence, untrustworthiness, or financial irresponsibility, in the course of acting as a title insurance agent or otherwise in the conduct of business in this state or elsewhere.
(9) Having a title insurance agent license or its equivalent, or an insurance producer license or its equivalent, suspended, revoked, or refused in any other state, province, district, or territory.
(10) Forging another’s name to any document related to a title insurance transaction.
(11) Cheating, including improperly using notes or any other reference material, to complete an examination for a license.
(b) In the event that action by the commissioner is to refuse application for licensure or renewal of an existing license, the commissioner shall notify the applicant or licensee in writing, advising of the reason for the refusal. The applicant or licensee may make written demand upon the commissioner within 30 days for a hearing before the commissioner to determine the reasonableness of the refusal. The hearing shall be held pursuant to Chapter 2.
(c) The license of a business entity may be placed on probation, suspended, or revoked if the commissioner finds, after a hearing, that an individual licensee’s violation occurred while acting on behalf of or representing the business entity and that the violation was known or should have been known by one or more of the business entity’s partners, officers, or managers and that the violation was neither reported to the commissioner nor was corrective action taken in relation thereto.
(d) In the absence of a greater fine specifically provided elsewhere in this title, and in addition to or in lieu of an applicable probation, suspension, revocation, or refusal, a person, in the sole discretion of the commissioner after a hearing, may additionally be subject to a civil fine in an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation.
(e) The commissioner shall retain the authority to enforce the provisions of and impose any penalty or remedy authorized by this chapter or elsewhere in this title against any person who is under investigation for or charged with a violation of this chapter or this title even if the person’s license or registration has been surrendered or has expired by operation of law.
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