628.255 Person with effective control cannot receive commission unless contract approved; penalties. - Florida Statutes

628.255 Person with effective control cannot receive commission unless contract approved; penalties.

   (1) No director, officer, or other person having effective control of a domestic insurer shall receive, and no such insurer shall pay to such person, a commission or other compensation with respect to particular risks insured by the insurer, unless such commission or other compensation is paid pursuant to a contract filed with and approved by the office.

   (2) This section shall not be deemed to require approval of the contract or to prohibit payment of commissions to such an officer or director with respect to business written by him or her as an agent of the insurer prior to becoming such an officer or director and vested under the agency contract which was in force at the time such business was originally written.

   (3) For the purposes of this section, “effective control” means ownership of 10 percent or more of company stock or receipt of $25,000 or more cumulatively in compensation in 1 calendar year other than commissions resulting from insurance business produced by an agent.

   (4) Violation of this section shall subject the insurer to loss of its certificate of authority as provided in s. 624.418 and the agent to loss of his or her license as provided in s. 626.621. Willful violation of this section shall, in addition to the above prescribed penalties, constitute a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History. s. 1, ch. 70-319; s. 651, ch. 71-136; s. 162, ch. 71-355; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 654, 665, 809(1st), ch. 82-243; ss. 187, 188, ch. 91-108; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 382, ch. 97-102; s. 91, ch. 2003-1; s. 1269, ch. 2003-261.