<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gin" article_name="Insurance" number="2-201" title_number="2" title_name="Maryland Insurance Administration" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Enforcement">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Commissioner may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to enforce this article or an order issued by the Commissioner under this article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Commissioner shall be represented by the Attorney General, an assistant Attorney General, or another attorney at law designated by the Attorney General.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Whenever the Commissioner believes that a person has committed a violation of this article for which criminal prosecution is provided, the Commissioner shall refer the alleged violation to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the State’s Attorney for the county where the violation allegedly occurred or the person resides; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the Attorney General, if the alleged violation is statewide and not local in nature.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Commissioner may investigate any complaint that alleges that a fraudulent claim has been submitted to an insurer.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the Commissioner finds that a complaint has merit, the Commissioner may refer the complaint to an appropriate law enforcement authority, including the Attorney General, for appropriate action.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Commissioner may enforce the provisions of this article, and may impose any penalty or remedy authorized by this article, against a person that is under investigation for or charged with a violation of this article if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the person’s certificate of authority, certificate of qualification, license, or registration is no longer in effect; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the alleged violation occurred no more than 5 years before surrender or lapse of the certificate, license, or registration.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
