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<section article="gin" article_name="Insurance" number="27-209" title_number="27" title_name="Unfair Trade Practices and Other Prohibited Practices" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Unfair Methods of Competition and Unfair and Deceptive Acts or Practices">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, a person, including a health maintenance organization, may not knowingly:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>allow, make, or offer to make a contract of life insurance or health insurance or an annuity contract or an agreement as to the contract other than as plainly expressed in the contract;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>pay, allow, give, or offer to pay, allow, or give directly or indirectly as an inducement to the insurance or annuity:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a rebate of premiums payable on the contract;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a special favor or advantage in the dividends or other benefits under the contract;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>paid employment or a contract for services of any kind; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>any valuable consideration or other inducement not specified in the contract;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>directly or indirectly give, sell, purchase, offer or agree to give, sell, or purchase, or allow as inducement to the insurance or annuity or in connection with the insurance or annuity, regardless of whether specified in the policy or contract, an agreement that promises returns and profits, or stocks, bonds, or other securities, or a present or contingent interest in or measured by stocks, bonds, or other securities, of an insurer or other corporation, association, or partnership, or dividends or profits accrued or to accrue on stocks, bonds, or other securities; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>offer, promise, or give any valuable consideration not specified in the contract, except for educational materials, promotional materials, or articles of merchandise that cost no more than $50.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A person may not make receipt of any educational materials, promotional materials, or articles of merchandise under subsection (a)(4) of this section contingent on the sale or purchase of insurance.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This section does not prohibit an insurer, a nonprofit health service plan, or a health maintenance organization from offering or providing products or services in conjunction with a policy at no charge or at a discounted price if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <level label="1">
          <level label="A">
            <text>the products or services are offered or provided to educate persons regarding, or to assess, monitor, control, or prevent, risk of loss to persons; and</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>the risk of loss to persons is associated with risks insured against by the policy or insurance or annuity contract; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the products or services are:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>substantially related to the insurance provided under the policy or contract; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>offered or provided to enhance the health of the insured or beneficiary; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the offer or provision of products or services is available to all policyholders that have purchased the policy or contract associated with the offer or provision.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An insurer, a nonprofit health service plan, or a health maintenance organization may include an offer or a provision of products or services under this subsection in an applicable contract or form or rate filing.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>If the offer or provision of specific products or services under this subsection is included in any policy of insurance, health maintenance organization contract, nonprofit health service plan, or annuity contract, the products or services may not be discontinued during the term of the policy or contract unless discontinuation of the product or services is:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>consented to in writing by the policyholder; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the result of a uniform modification under § 15–1212, § 15–1309, or § 15–1409 of this article.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>This paragraph does not prohibit a carrier from terminating a contract as otherwise authorized under this article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>An insurer, a nonprofit health service plan, or a health maintenance organization may not increase the premium or deny a claim of a policyholder if the policyholder accepts, rejects, uses, or fails to use a product or service under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the Commissioner may determine by regulation the types of products or services that meet the criteria in paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A product or service offered or provided in conjunction with an insurance policy or annuity contract that is primarily designed to enhance financial wellness shall be allowed if the Commissioner determines that the product or service includes an enhancement to the financial protection component of the insurance policy or annuity contract.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
