§431:2-203 - Enforcement.
§431:2-203 Enforcement. (a) The commissioner may prosecute an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce any order or fine made by the commissioner pursuant to any provision of this code.
(b)(1) A person who intentionally or knowingly violates, intentionally or knowingly permits any person over whom the person has authority to violate, or intentionally or knowingly aids any person in violating any insurance rule or statute of this State or any effective order issued by the commissioner, shall be subject to any penalty or fine as provided by this code or by the penal code of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.
(2) If the commissioner has cause to believe that any person has violated any penal provision of this code or of other laws relating to insurance, the commissioner shall proceed against that person or certify the facts of the violation to the public prosecutor of the jurisdiction in which the offense was committed.
(3) Violation of any provision of this code is punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $10,000 per violation, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, in addition to any other penalty or forfeiture provided herein or otherwise by law.
(4) The terms "intentionally" and "knowingly" shall have the same meanings as defined in section 702-206(1) and (2).
(c) If any licensee doing business in this State, persistently or substantially violates this code or an order of the commissioner, and there are grounds for delinquency proceedings against such licensee, or the licensee's methods and practices in the conduct of the licensee's business endanger, or the licensee's financial resources are inadequate to safeguard, the legitimate interest of the licensee's customers or the public, the commissioner may, after a hearing, in whole or in part, suspend, place on probation, limit, or refuse to renew the license or certificate of authority pursuant to section 431:3-217 to section 431:3-221.
(d) If the commissioner has cause to believe that any person is violating or is about to violate any provision of this code or any order of the commissioner, the commissioner may issue a cease and desist order to enforce compliance with this code or any order of the commissioner, or bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin the person from continuing the violation or doing any act in furtherance thereof. The commissioner shall have the discretion to include in a cease and desist order or request in an action brought in any court an assessment of a monetary penalty against any person who violates this code or who has violated an order of the commissioner.
(e) If, upon examination or at any other time, the commissioner has reasonable cause to believe that any domestic insurer requires supervision because it is in such condition as to render the continuance of its business hazardous to the public or to holders of its policies or certificates of insurance, or if the domestic insurer gave its consent, then the commissioner may summarily proceed pursuant to section 431:15-201.
(f) The attorney general, corporation counsels, and county prosecuting attorneys, on behalf of the commissioner, shall bring an action in forfeiture against an insurer who violates any order or notice of such order issued by the commissioner. The notice shall be given to the insurer of the commissioner's intention to proceed under such order against the person who does not comply with the order issued. The order may contain this notice of intention to seek a forfeiture if the order is disobeyed. The forfeiture shall be in an amount that the court considers just, but may not exceed an amount of $10,000 for each day that the violation continues after the commencement of the action until judgment is rendered. No forfeiture may be imposed under this subsection if at the time the forfeiture action is commenced, the insurer was in compliance with the order, or if the violation of the order occurred during the order suspension period. If, after a judgment is rendered, the insurer still does not comply with the order, the commissioner may commence a new action of forfeiture, and may continue commencing actions in forfeiture until the insurer complies. All proceeds from actions of forfeiture shall be paid to the director of finance and paid into the compliance resolution fund.
(g) A monetary penalty may be imposed in addition to any applicable suspension, revocation, or denial of a license or certificate of authority. [L 1987, c 347, pt of §2; am L 1995, c 232, §6; am L 1999, c 163, §15(1) and c 246, §2; am L 2000, c 4, §6; am L 2002, c 39, §4; am L 2009, c 149, §3]