44-361.

Rebates; prohibited; activities not considered a rebate; permitted conduct.

(1) No insurance company, by itself or any other party, and no insurance agent or broker, personally or by any other party, shall offer, promise, allow, give, set off, or pay, directly or indirectly, any rebate of, or part of, the premium payable on the policy, or of any policy, or agent's commission thereon, or earnings, profits, dividends, or other benefits founded, arising, accruing or to accrue thereon or therefrom, or any paid employment or contract for service, or for advice of any kind, or any other valuable consideration or inducement to, or for insurance, on any risk authorized to be taken under section 44-201 now or hereafter to be written, which is not specified in the policy contract of insurance. No such company, agent, or broker, personally or otherwise, shall offer, promise, give, sell or purchase any stock, bonds, securities or property, or any dividends or profits accruing or to accrue thereon, or other things of value whatsoever, as inducement to insurance or in connection therewith, which is not specified in the policy. No insured person or party shall receive or accept, directly or indirectly, any rebate of premium, or part thereof, or agent's or broker's commission thereon, payable on the policy, or on any policy of insurance, or any favor or advantage or share in the dividends or other benefits to accrue on, or any valuable consideration or inducement not specified in the policy contract of insurance.

(2) Extending of interest-free credit on life and liability insurance premiums or interest-free credit on crop hail insurance premiums shall not be considered a rebate of the premium for purposes of this section.

(3) Payments made pursuant to the Nebraska Right to Shop Act shall not be considered a rebate of the premium for purposes of this section.

(4)(a) The offer or provision by an insurance company or an agent or broker, by or through employees, affiliates, or third-party representatives, of value-added products or services at no or reduced cost when such products or services are not specified in the policy of insurance shall not be prohibited by this section if the product or service:

(i) Relates to the insurance coverage; and

(ii) Is primarily designed to satisfy one or more of the following:

(A) Provide loss mitigation or loss control;

(B) Reduce claim costs or claim settlement costs;

(C) Provide education about liability risks or risk of loss to persons or property;

(D) Monitor or assess risk, identify sources of risk, or develop strategies for eliminating or reducing risk;

(E) Enhance health;

(F) Enhance financial wellness through items such as education or financial planning services;

(G) Provide post-loss services;

(H) Incent behavioral changes to improve the health or reduce the risk of death or disability of a customer; or

(I) Assist in the administration of the employee or retiree benefit insurance coverage.

(b) The cost to the insurance company or agent or broker offering the product or service to any given customer shall be reasonable in comparison to that customer's premiums or insurance coverage for the policy class.

(c) If the insurance company or agent or broker is providing the product or service offered, the insurance company or agent or broker shall ensure that the customer is provided with contact information to assist the customer with questions regarding the product or service.

(d) The Director of Insurance may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations when implementing the permitted practices set forth in this subsection to ensure consumer protection. Such rules and regulations, consistent with applicable law, may address, among other issues, consumer data protections and privacy, consumer disclosure, and unfair discrimination.

(e) The availability of the value-added product or service shall be based on documented objective criteria and offered in a manner that is not unfairly discriminatory. The documented criteria shall be maintained by the insurance company or agent or broker and produced upon request by the Department of Insurance.

(f) If an insurance company or agent or broker does not have sufficient evidence, but has a good-faith belief that the product or service will achieve the purpose for which such product or service was primarily designed under subdivision (4)(a)(ii) of this section, the insurance company or agent or broker may provide the product or service in a manner that is not unfairly discriminatory as part of a pilot or testing program for no more than one year. An insurance company or an agent or broker shall notify the Department of Insurance of any such pilot or testing program offered to consumers in this state prior to launching such pilot or testing program and may proceed with the program unless the department objects within twenty-one days of such notice.

(5) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, an insurance company or an agent or broker may:

(a) Offer or give noncash gifts, items, or services, including meals to or charitable donations on behalf of a customer, in connection with the marketing, sale, purchase, or retention of contracts of insurance, as long as the cost does not exceed an amount determined to be reasonable by the Director of Insurance, per policy year per term. The offer shall be made in a manner that is not unfairly discriminatory. The customer shall not be required to purchase, continue to purchase, or renew a policy in exchange for the gift, item, or service; and

(b) Conduct drawings or raffles to the extent permitted by state law, as long as there is no financial cost to entrants to participate, the drawing or raffle does not obligate participants to purchase insurance, the prizes are not valued in excess of a reasonable amount determined by the Director of Insurance, and the drawing or raffle is open to the public. The drawing or raffle must be offered in a manner that is not unfairly discriminatory. The customer shall not be required to purchase, continue to purchase, or renew a policy in order to participate in the drawing or raffle or in exchange for the drawing or raffle prize.

(6) For purposes of subsections (4) and (5) of this section, customer means a policyholder, potential policyholder, certificate holder, potential certificate holder, insured, potential insured, or applicant.