Connecticut General Statutes 38a-356 – Disclosure of information by insurance company re motor vehicle losses or fraudulent claims. Insurance company reports to commissioner. Immunity from liability. Confidentiality
(a) Any authorized employee of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Department of Motor Vehicles or a local police department may in writing request any insurance company to release to such employee information relative to any investigation it has made concerning a motor vehicle’s loss or potential loss or any information relating to fraud or potential fraud in any claim under a motor vehicle insurance policy. Any insurance company, on its own initiative, may provide and disclose information relating to fraud or potential fraud to such authorized persons. Such information shall include, but not be limited to: (1) An insurance policy relative to such loss, (2) policy premium records, (3) history of previous claims, and (4) other relevant material relating to such loss or potential loss or to such fraud or potential fraud.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 38a-356
- Commissioner: means the Insurance Commissioner. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- Insurance: means any agreement to pay a sum of money, provide services or any other thing of value on the happening of a particular event or contingency or to provide indemnity for loss in respect to a specified subject by specified perils in return for a consideration. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
- insurance company: includes any person or combination of persons doing any kind or form of insurance business other than a fraternal benefit society, and shall include a receiver of any insurer when the context reasonably permits. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
- Person: means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a business trust, an unincorporated organization or other legal entity. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
- Policy: means any document, including attached endorsements and riders, purporting to be an enforceable contract, which memorializes in writing some or all of the terms of an insurance contract. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
(b) Any insurance company so requested shall furnish such information to any such employee and shall permit the Insurance Commissioner or the commissioner’s designee and any person ordered by a court to inspect its records pertaining to the policy and loss. Any insurance company may request any such employee to release information relative to any departmental investigation concerning the loss. Any information obtained relative to fraud or potential fraud may be disclosed to any central reporting bureau and any law enforcement agency.
(c) On or before March thirty-first of each year, each insurance company shall provide the Insurance Commissioner annual reports detailing all information received or investigations conducted by such company during the past year concerning insurance fraud in any claim under a motor vehicle insurance policy. Such reports shall be filed in a manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(d) In the absence of fraud, malice or criminal act, no insurance company, authorized employee or person who furnished information on behalf of such company or department, shall be liable for damages in a civil action or subject to criminal prosecution for any oral or written statement made pursuant to the provisions of this section.
(e) Information furnished pursuant to this section shall be held in confidence until its release is required pursuant to a criminal or civil proceeding.