(a) A person may not operate as a viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker without first obtaining a license from the Commissioner of the state of residence of the viator. (b) A life insurance producer who has been duly licensed as a resident insurance producer with a life line of authority in this State or the producer's home state for at least 1 year and who is licensed as a nonresident producer in this State meets the licensing requirements of this section and is permitted to operate as a viatical settlement broker. (1) Not later than 30 days from the first day of operating as a viatical settlement broker, the life insurance producer shall notify the Commissioner that the producer is acting as a viatical settlement broker on a form prescribed by the Commissioner and shall pay any applicable fee to be determined by the Commissioner. Notification includes an acknowledgement that the life insurance producer will operate as a viatical settlement broker in accordance with this Act. (2) The insurer that issued the policy being viaticated is not responsible for any act or omission of a viatical settlement broker or viatical settlement provider arising out of or in connection with the viatical settlement transaction, unless the insurer receives compensation for the placement of a viatical settlement contract from the viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker in connection with the viatical settlement contract. (c) A person licensed as an attorney, certified public accountant, or financial planner accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation agency, who is retained to represent the viator, whose compensation is not paid directly or indirectly by the viatical settlement provider, may negotiate viatical settlement contracts on behalf of the viator without having to obtain a license as a viatical settlement broker. (d) An application for a viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker license must be made to the Commissioner by the applicant on a form prescribed by the Commissioner and must be accompanied by the fees specified in § 701(30) of this title. (e) Licenses may be renewed from year to year on the anniversary date upon payment of the annual renewal fees specified in § 701(30) of this title. Failure to pay the fees by the renewal date results in expiration of the license. (f) The applicant shall provide information on forms required by the Commissioner. The Commissioner has the authority, at any time, to require the applicant to fully disclose the identity of all stockholders, partners, officers, members and employees, and the Commissioner may, in the exercise of the Commissioner's discretion, refuse to issue a license in the name of a legal entity if the Commissioner is not satisfied that any officer, employee, stockholder, partner or member thereof who may materially influence the applicant's conduct meets the standards for licensure under this Act. (g) A license issued to a legal entity authorizes all partners, officers, members, and designated employees to act as viatical settlement providers or viatical settlement brokers, as applicable, under the license, and all those persons must be named in the application and any supplements to the application. (h) Upon the filing of an application and the payment of the license fee, the Commissioner shall make an investigation of each applicant and issue a license if the Commissioner finds that the applicant: (1) If a viatical settlement provider, has provided a detailed plan of operation. (2) Is competent and trustworthy and intends to act in good faith in the capacity involved by the license applied for. (3) Has a good business reputation and has had experience, training, or education so as to be qualified in the business for which the license is applied for. (4) a. If a viatical settlement provider, has demonstrated evidence of financial responsibility in a format prescribed by the Commissioner through either a surety bond executed and issued by an insurer authorized to issue surety bonds in this State or a deposit of cash, certificates of deposit or securities or any combination thereof in the amount of $250,000. b. [Repealed.] c. The Commissioner may ask for evidence of financial responsibility at any time the Commissioner deems necessary. d. Any surety bond issued pursuant to paragraph (h)(4) of this section must be in the favor of this State and must specifically authorize recovery by the Commissioner on behalf of any person in this State who sustained damages as the result of erroneous acts, failure to act, conviction of fraud, or conviction of unfair practices by the viatical settlement provider. e. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the Commissioner shall accept, as evidence of financial responsibility, proof that financial instruments in accordance with the requirements in this paragraph have been filed with 1 state where the applicant is licensed as a viatical settlement provider. (5) If a legal entity, provides a certificate of good standing from the state of its domicile. (6) If a viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker, has provided an anti-fraud plan that meets the requirements of § 7514(g) of this title. (i) The Commissioner may not issue a license to a nonresident applicant, unless a written designation of an agent for service of process is filed and maintained with the Commissioner or the applicant has filed with the Commissioner the applicant's written irrevocable consent that any action against the applicant may be commenced against the applicant by service of process on the Commissioner. (j) A viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker shall provide to the Commissioner new or revised information about officers, 10% or more stockholders, partners, directors, members or designated employees within 30 days of the change. (k) An individual licensed as a viatical settlement broker shall complete, on a biennial basis, 15 hours of training related to viatical settlements and viatical settlement transactions, as required by the Commissioner, but a life insurance producer who is operating as a viatical settlement broker pursuant to subsection (b) of this section is not subject to the requirements of this subsection. Any person failing to meet the requirements of this subsection is subject to the penalties imposed by the Commissioner.
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