431:14-103

Making of rates

[§431:14G-103] Making of rates. (a) Rates shall not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory and shall be reasonable in relation to the costs of the benefits provided.

(b) Except to the extent necessary to meet subsection (a), uniformity among managed care plans in any matters within the scope of this section shall be neither required nor prohibited. [L 2007, c 175, pt of §2]mutual insurance company. The company shall comply with, unless specifically excluded, all requirements of the insurance code regarding a domestic mutual insurance company. The company shall not be an agency of the State. The company or its liabilities shall not be deemed to constitute debts or liabilities of the State of Hawaii or pledges of the full faith and credit of the State. The company shall write workers’ compensation insurance policies covering Hawaii employers as required or authorized by law and employers’ liability to the same extent as any other private insurer. The company shall not write other lines of insurance, reinsurance, or excess insurance.

© The company may insure Hawaii employers against their liability for compensation or damages for injury or death under the United States Longshoremen’s and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act or federal or maritime laws like any other private insurer.

(d) The company’s assets shall consist of real and personal property and shall include all premiums and other moneys paid to the company, all property, and other income acquired, earned, or otherwise gained by the use of premiums and other moneys paid to the company by deposits, investments, exchanges, and other transactions. The company’s assets shall be the sole property of the company and shall be used exclusively by the company for the operation and obligations of the company.

(e) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the company shall be excluded from the surplus requirements of domestic mutual insurers from January 1, 1997, through December 31, 2007. The company is also excluded during this time period from any assessments by the Hawaii hurricane relief fund otherwise required by section 431P-5(b)(8); provided that the exclusion shall apply to the first $25,000,000 of written premiums in each calendar year; and provided further that annual written premiums in excess of $25,000,000 shall be assessed in accordance with section 431P-5(b)(8).

(f) The company is exempt from participation, and shall not join, contribute financially to, nor be entitled to the protection of, any plan, association, guaranty, insolvency fund, or education and training fund authorized or required by this chapter. Notwithstanding the foregoing exemptions, beginning January 1, 2008, the company shall participate in the property and liability insurance guaranty association, pursuant to sections 431:16-101 to 431:16-117; provided that the company shall meet the surplus requirements applicable to all other domestic insurers under chapter 431 effective January 1, 2008.

(g) On or after January 1, 1997, the company shall provide workers’ compensation coverage to Hawaii employers otherwise entitled to coverage but not able to or not electing to purchase coverage in the voluntary insurance market, and not authorized, either individually or as a part of a group, to self-insure. An authorized self-insured is eligible for coverage upon termination of self-insurance. [L 1996, c 261, pt of §2; am L 1997, c 300, §§3, 4; am L 1998, c 252, §4; am L 1999, c 18, §13; am L 2002, c 40, §70; am L 2004, c 122, §64]e in accordance with this section shall be given due consideration for good safety records of employers. By premium reductions, dividends, or both, insurance carriers shall recognize good safety performance records of employers in this State.

© Upon the issuance of a certificate by a certified safety and health professional to an employer that the employer has an effective safety and health program pursuant to section 396-4.5, the insurer shall provide the employer with a workers’ compensation insurance premium discount of at least five per cent; provided that the employer shall maintain the effective safety and health program throughout the policy period. Standards for the issuance of certificates shall be included in rules adopted by the department of labor and industrial relations pursuant to chapter 91.

(d) For the purpose of ratemaking, all insurers shall treat a volunteer firefighter the same as a firefighter employed by a county fire department; provided that the volunteer firefighters are attached to a station where a firefighter or volunteer firefighter who has been trained and certified to drive a commercial motor vehicle by either the state or county government, as appropriate, and who maintains a category (3) license as defined by section 286-102(b)(3) is on duty at all times or at least four firefighters or volunteer firefighters who have been trained and certified to drive a commercial motor vehicle by either the state or county government, as appropriate, and who maintain a category (3) license as defined by section 286-102(b)(3) are members of the volunteer unit.

(e) Except to the extent necessary to meet the provisions of subsection (a)(1), uniformity among insurers in any matters within the scope of this section is neither required nor prohibited. [L 1987, c 347, pt of §2; am L 1990, c 255, §8; am L 1993, c 269, §2; am L 1995, c 234, §18; am L 1997, c 18, §1 and c 72, §1]

Cross References

Limited liability of volunteer firefighters, see §663-1.55.