Sec. 7. (a) Language conferring general authority with respect to insurance transactions means the principal authorizes the attorney in fact to do the following:

(1) Continue, pay the premium or assessment on, modify, rescind, release, or terminate a contract of life, accident, health, or disability insurance or for the provision of health care services or any combination of these contracts procured by or on behalf of the principal before the granting of the power of attorney that insures the principal or another person, without regard to whether the principal is or is not a beneficiary under the contract.

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Terms Used In Indiana Code 30-5-5-7

  • Attorney: includes a counselor or other person authorized to appear and represent a party in an action or special proceeding. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
(2) Procure new, different, or additional contracts of life, accident, health, or disability insurance for the principal or for the provision of health care services for the principal, and select the amount, type of insurance, and mode of payment under each contract, pay the premium or assessment on, modify, release, or terminate a contract procured by the attorney in fact, and designate the beneficiary under the contract.

(3) Apply for and receive any available loan on the security of the contract of insurance, whether for the payment of the premium or for the procuring of cash, surrender and receive the cash surrender value, exercise an election as to beneficiary or mode of payment, change the manner of paying premiums, change or convert the type of insurance contract, with respect to a contract of life, accident, health, disability, or liability insurance in which the principal has, or claims to have, a power described in this subdivision, or change the beneficiary of the contract of insurance.

(4) Demand, receive, or obtain by action or proceeding money or other things of value to which the principal is, may become, or claims to be entitled to as the proceeds of a contract of insurance or a transaction permitted under this section, conserve, invest, disburse, or use anything received for a purpose permitted under this section, and reimburse the attorney in fact for expenditures properly made in the execution of powers conferred upon the attorney in fact.

(5) Apply for and procure available governmental aid in the guaranteeing or paying of premiums of a contract of insurance on the life of the principal.

(6) Sell, assign, hypothecate, borrow upon, or pledge the interest of the principal in a contract of insurance.

(7) Pay from the proceeds or otherwise, compromise, contest, and apply for refunds in connection with a tax or an assessment levied by a taxing authority with respect to a contract of insurance, the proceeds of the refunds, or liability accruing from a tax or an assessment.

(8) Agree and contract in any manner and on any terms with any person the attorney in fact selects to accomplish a purpose permitted under this section and perform, rescind, reform, release, or modify an agreement or a contract.

(9) Execute, acknowledge, seal, and deliver a consent, a demand, a request, an application, an agreement, an indemnity, an authorization, an assignment, a pledge, a notice, a check, a receipt, a waiver, or other instrument the attorney in fact considers useful to accomplish a purpose permitted under this section.

(10) Continue, procure, pay the premium or assessment on, modify, rescind, release, terminate, or otherwise deal with a contract of insurance, other than those permitted under subdivision (1) or (2), including fire, marine, burglary, compensation, liability, hurricane, casualty, or a combination of insurance, and do acts with respect to the contract or with respect to the contract’s proceeds or enforcement that the attorney in fact considers necessary or desirable for the promotion or protection of the interests of the principal.

(11) Prosecute, defend, submit to arbitration, settle, and propose or accept a compromise with respect to a claim existing in favor of or against the principal based on or involving an insurance transaction or intervene in an action or proceeding relating to a claim.

(12) Hire, discharge, and compensate an attorney, accountant, expert witness, or other assistant when the attorney in fact considers the action to be desirable for the proper execution by the attorney in fact of a power described in this section and keep needed records.

(13) Perform any other acts in connection with procuring, supervising, managing, modifying, enforcing, and terminating contracts of insurance or for the provisions of health care services in which the principal is insured or is otherwise interested.

     (b) The powers described in this section are exercisable equally with respect to a contract of insurance or for the provision of health care service in which the principal is interested, whether located in Indiana or in another jurisdiction.

As added by P.L.149-1991, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.238-2005, SEC.49.