(a) Service of legal process, notices, or other papers described in or referred to by Section 1452, 1605, 1610, 1612, 11104, or 11105 may be made upon the commissioner in the instances enumerated in this section and under the circumstances prescribed in this section by delivering to the commissioner, the commissionerâs deputy, or the commissionerâs designated agent for service of process two copies thereof for each person or party defendant so served accompanied by payment of a substituted service fee as determined pursuant to Section 12978 for each person or party, and by complying with the other provisions of this section. (b) The situations under which such service may be so made and the circumstances under which these provisions apply are: (1) Where for any reason the person desiring to have service so made elects to serve the commissioner instead of the attorney in fact, as stipulated pursuant to Section 1323, of a reciprocal or interinsurance exchange, domestic, foreign, admitted, or nonadmitted. (2) Where service is to be made on an admitted foreign or alien insurer, when service cannot be made on the principal statutory agent of such insurer duly appointed pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 1600) of Chapter 4 of Part 2 of Division 1 for reasons specified in Section 1604 or otherwise recognized by law. (3) In actions against nonadmitted insurers, including nonadmitted fraternal benefit societies and reciprocals, under the circumstances described in Article 4 (commencing with Section 1610) of Chapter 4 of Part 2 of Division 1. This provision shall not apply to actions brought under insurance policies or certificates issued by nonadmitted insurers placed by surplus line brokers or special lines surplus line brokers where such insurance contract names a resident of this state as agent for service of process. (4) In actions involving admitted and formerly admitted fraternal benefit societies as described in Section 11104. (c) Upon receipt of two copies of the process, notice, or papers to be served and the fee above prescribed, the commissioner shall promptly mail one of the copies by certified mail (or by registered mail if it is addressed to an area outside of the United States where certified mail service is not available) to the defendant or person to be served at the last principal place of business of the defendant or person to be served, known to the commissioner by the commissionerâs official records in the case of a licensee; otherwise, in the case of a nonadmitted insurer, to its last principal place of business known to the commissioner from national directories or reference books or other reliable information available in the commissionerâs office. The commissioner shall keep a record of all services made upon the commissioner pursuant to this section. The other copy of the process, notice, or papers shall be retained among the commissionerâs official public records for a period not to exceed two years, absent special circumstances which in the commissionerâs judgment compel longer retention. (d) Service made in the manner provided for in this section is valid and sufficient and gives jurisdiction over the person of a nonadmitted or unauthorized defendant, provided notice of such service and a copy of the process, notice, or papers being served are sent within 10 days thereafter by certified mail (or by registered mail if it is addressed to an area outside of the United States where certified mail service is not available) by plaintiff or plaintiffâs attorney to the defendant at its last known principal place of business, and the receipt or the receipt of defendantâs agent for such copy, showing the name of the sender and the name and address of the addressee-defendant thereon, and the affidavit of plaintiff or plaintiffâs attorney showing compliance with this section, are filed with the clerk of the court in which such action is pending on or before the date the defendant is requir
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