Members and subscribers of advisory organizations may use the policy or bond forms, or manuals, of advisory organizations, either consistently or intermittently, but, except for insurers having common ownership or management, shall not agree with each other or others to adhere thereto or violate the antitrust or unfair business practice laws. The fact that two or more admitted insurers are members or subscribers of an advisory organization, or the fact that they use, either consistently or intermittently, the policy or bond forms, or manuals, prepared by an advisory organization, shall not be sufficient evidence, alone or in conjunction with each other, to support a finding either that an agreement to adhere to those forms or manuals exists or that an insurer or advisory organization is violating the antitrust or unfair business practice laws. These facts may be used only for the purpose of supplementing or explaining other evidence of the existence of an agreement to adhere to those forms or manuals or the existence of the violation of the antitrust or unfair business practice laws. No act, agreement, or practice involving the activities of an advisory organization, an insurer’s participation in those activities, or the use of an advisory organization’s products or services shall be found to be unfair or unreasonable under this code because it is uncompetitive unless proven by a preponderance of the evidence that the act, agreement, or practice violates the antitrust or unfair business practice laws. Findings of this nature that are made in support of an order or regulation of the commissioner shall be determined and enforced under Article 7 (commencing with Section 1858) of this chapter. As used in this section, “antitrust laws” means Part 2 (commencing with Section 16600) of the Business and Professions Code, and “unfair business practice laws” means Part 3 (commencing with Section 17500) of the Business and Professions Code.

(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1002, Sec. 1. Effective September 29, 1996. [)