§ 44-5905. Conduct of examinations; record retention requirements.

(1) Upon determining that an examination should be conducted, the director or his or her designee shall appoint one or more examiners to conduct the examination and instruct them as to the scope of the examination. In conducting the examination, the examiner shall observe those guidelines and procedures set forth in the Examiners' Handbook adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The director may also employ such other guidelines or procedures as the director may deem appropriate. (2)(a) Every company or person from whom information is sought and its officers, directors, employees, and agents shall provide to the examiners appointed under subsection (1) of this section timely, convenient, and free access to all books, records, accounts, papers, documents, and computer or other recordings relating to the property, assets, business, and affairs of the company being examined. (b)(i)(A) Every company or person subject to the Insurers Examination Act shall retain all books, records, accounts, papers, documents, and computer or other recordings relating to the property, assets, financial accounts, and business of such company or person in a manner that permits examination of such books, records, accounts, papers, documents, and computer or other recordings for five years, or until the period of time in which the transaction took place has undergone a financial examination by the director, whichever is later, following the completion of a transaction relating to the property, assets, financial accounts, and business of such company or person. (B) Every company or person subject to the act shall retain market conduct records for five years following the completion of a transaction relating to the insurance business and affairs of such company or person. For purposes of this subdivision, market conduct records means all books, records, accounts, papers, documents, and computer or other recordings relating to transactions with insureds, certificate holders, claimants, insurance producers, other insurers, subrogees, and subrogors and recordings related to its trade practices, underwriting, rate and form practices, advertising, regulatory matters, and other affairs of such company or person. (ii) The books, records, accounts, papers, documents, and computer or other recordings described in subdivisions (2)(b)(i)(A) and (B) of this section and maintained in electronic, computer, micrographic, or other form shall be maintained in a form capable of accurate duplication on paper. (c) The officers, directors, employees, and agents of the company or person shall facilitate the examination and aid in the examination so far as it is in their power to do so. The refusal of any company, by its officers, directors, employees, or agents, to submit to examination or to comply with any reasonable written request of the examiners shall be grounds for suspension or refusal of or nonrenewal of any license or authority held by the company to engage in an insurance or other business subject to the director's jurisdiction. Any such proceedings for suspension, revocation, or refusal of any license or authority shall be conducted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act. (d) For purposes of this subsection, officers, directors, employees, and agents shall include general agents, managing agents, attorneys in fact, organizers, promoters, loss adjusters, and any persons having a contract, written or oral, pertaining to the management or control of a company or any function thereof. (3) The director or any of his or her examiners shall have the power to issue subpoenas, to administer oaths, and to examine under oath any person as to any matter pertinent to the examination. Upon the failure or refusal of any person to obey a subpoena, the director may petition a court of competent jurisdiction, and upon proper showing, the court may enter an order compelling the witness to appear and testify or produce documentary evidence. Failure to obey the court order shall be punishable as contempt of court. Every person shall be obliged to attend as a witness at the place specified in the subpoena, when subpoenaed, anywhere within the state. He or she shall be entitled to the same fees and mileage, if claimed, as a witness in the district court with mileage to be computed at the rate provided in section 81-1176, which fees, mileage, and actual expense, if any, necessarily incurred in securing the attendance of witnesses, and their testimony, shall be itemized and charged against, and be paid by, the company being examined. (4) When conducting an examination under the Insurers Examination Act, the director may retain attorneys, appraisers, independent actuaries, independent certified public accountants, loss-reserve specialists, or other professionals and specialists, the cost of which shall be borne by the company which is the subject of the examination. (5) Nothing in the act shall be construed to limit the director's authority to terminate or suspend any examination in order to pursue other legal or regulatory action pursuant to the insurance laws of this state. Findings of fact and conclusions made pursuant to any examination shall be prima facie evidence in any legal or regulatory action. (6) Nothing contained in the act shall be construed to limit the director's authority to use and, if appropriate, to make public any final or preliminary examination report, any examiner or company workpapers or other documents, or any other information discovered or developed during the course of any examination in the furtherance of any legal or regulatory action which the director may, in his or her sole discretion, deem appropriate. History: Laws 1993, LB 583, § 5; Laws 1999, LB 259, § 12; Laws 2009, LB192, § 10.