Section 760IAC3-17-1. Marketing


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  •    (a) An issuer, directly or through its producers, shall do the following:

    (1) Establish marketing procedures to assure that any comparison of policies by its agents or other producers will be fair and accurate.

    (2) Establish marketing procedures to assure excessive insurance is not sold or issued.

    (3) Establish marketing procedures which set forth a mechanism or formula for determining whether a replacement policy or certificate is truly in the best interest of the applicant.

    (4) Display prominently by type, stamp, or other appropriate means, on the first page of the policy, the following:

    "Notice to buyer: This policy may not cover all of your medical expenses.".

    (5) Inquire and otherwise make every reasonable effort to identify whether a prospective applicant or enrollee for Medicare supplement insurance already has accident and sickness insurance and the types and amounts of any such insurance.

    (6) Establish auditable procedures for verifying compliance with this subsection.

      (b) In addition to the practices prohibited in IC 27-4-1-4, the following acts and practices are prohibited:

    (1) Twisting. Knowingly making any misleading representation or incomplete or fraudulent comparison of any insurance policies or insurers for the purpose of inducing, or tending to induce, any person to lapse, forfeit, surrender, terminate, retain, pledge, assign, borrow on, or convert any insurance policy or to take out a policy of insurance with another insurer.

    (2) High pressure tactics. Employing any method of marketing having the effect of or tending to induce the purchase of insurance through force, fright, threat, whether explicit or implied, or undue pressure to purchase or recommend the purchase of insurance.

    (3) Cold lead advertising. Making use directly or indirectly of any method of marketing which fails to disclose in a conspicuous manner that a purpose of the method of marketing is solicitation of insurance and that contact will be made by an insurance agent or insurance company.

      (c) The terms "Medicare supplement", "Medigap", "Medicare wrap-around", and words of similar import shall not be used unless the policy is issued in compliance with this article. (Department of Insurance; 760 IAC 3-17-1; filed Jul 8, 1993, 10:00 a.m.: 16 IR 2616; readopted filed Sep 14, 2001, 12:22 p.m.: 25 IR 531; readopted filed Nov 27, 2007, 4:01 p.m.: 20071226-IR-760070717RFA; readopted filed Nov 26, 2013, 3:43 p.m.: 20131225-IR-760130479RFA; readopted filed Nov 20, 2015, 9:25 a.m.: 20151216-IR-760150341RFA)