Insurance Code section 779.33

The use of compensating balances or special deposit accounts in connection, either directly or indirectly, with a credit life insurance program or a credit disability insurance program of a credit institution, whether on a group or an individual basis, is prohibited.
Compensating balances or special deposit accounts include, but not to the exclusion of other types of balances and accounts, the following:

(1)

The deposit of premiums to the account of the insurer in the financial institution for which the insurer provides the credit insurance program, when the account is either noninterest bearing or at a rate of interest less than usual or is controlled by the institution.

(2)

Remitting premiums to the insurer after the expiration of the grace period on a regular basis so that the arrearage period is constant.

(3)

The retention of premiums by an agent or broker to whom the financial institution remits premiums for a period of time which is not reasonably related to the time normally expected to be needed for the agent or broker to remit the premium to the insurer, if that delay is a continuing feature of the premium paying process.

(4)

Any other practice which unduly delays receipt of premiums by the insurer on a regular basis, or which is followed by an insurer when the practice involves use of the financial resources of the insurer for the benefit of the credit institution.
The foregoing criteria apply regardless of whether premiums are due the insurer on the single premium in advance system or on the monthly outstanding balance system. Nothing herein shall prevent the insurer from making deposits in a financial institution which are not related to a credit insurance program if it is in fact not related to whether the insurer is the insurer which insures the credit insurance program.

Source: Section 779.33, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=779.­33.­ (accessed May 12, 2025).

Last Updated

May 12, 2025

§ 779.33’s source at ca​.gov