California Insurance Code

This act shall be known as the Insurance Code.

The provisions of this code in so far as they are substantially the same as existing statutory provisions relating to the same subject matter shall be construed as restatements and continuations thereof, and not as new enactments.

All persons who, at the time this code goes into effect, hold office under any of the acts repealed by this code, which offices are continued by this code, continue to hold the same according to the former tenure thereof.

No action or proceeding commenced before this code takes effect, and no right accrued, is affected by the provisions of this code, but all procedure thereafter taken therein shall conform to the provisions of this code so far as possible.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the general provisions hereinafter set forth shall govern the construction of this code.

Division, part, chapter, article, and section headings contained herein shall not be deemed to govern, limit, modify or in any manner affect the scope, meaning, or intent of the provisions of any division, part, chapter, article, or section hereof.

Whenever, by the provisions of this code, a power is granted to a public officer or a duty imposed upon such an officer, the power may be exercised or the duty performed by a deputy of the officer or by a person authorized pursuant to law by the officer, unless it is expressly otherwise provided.

Writing includes any form of recorded message capable of comprehension by ordinary visual means. Whenever any notice, report, statement or record is required or authorized by this code, it shall be made in writing in the English language unless it is otherwise expressly provided.

Whenever any reference is made to any portion of this code or of any other law of this State, such reference shall apply to all amendments and additions thereto now or hereafter made.

“Section” means a section of this code unless some other statute is specifically mentioned and “subdivision” or “subsection” means a subdivision or subsection of the section in which that term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned.

The present tense includes the past and future tenses; and the future, the present.

The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter.

“Spouse” includes “registered domestic partner,” as required by Section 297.5 of the Family Code.

The singular number includes the plural, and the plural the singular.

“County” includes “city and county.”

“City” includes “city and county.”

As used in this code the word “shall” is mandatory and the word “may” is permissive, unless otherwise apparent from the context.

“Oath” includes affirmation.

“Signature” or “subscription” includes mark when the signer or subscriber can not write, such signer’s or subscriber’s name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer’s or subscriber’s name; but a signature or subscription by mark can be acknowledged or can serve as a signature or…

“Person” means any person, association, organization, partnership, business trust, limited liability company, or corporation.

“Commissioner” means the Insurance Commissioner of this State.

Whenever in this code the terms “State Industrial Accident Commission” or “Industrial Accident Commission” or “commission,” relating to the said “State Industrial Accident Commission” or the said “Industrial Accident Commission,” appear, said terms shall mean “Division of Industrial Accidents,” including “administrativ…

“Division,” and “department,” in reference to the government of this state, mean the Department of Insurance of this state.

(a) “Administrative law bureau” or “administrative hearing bureau” means the unit within the Department of Insurance that provides administrative hearings. (b) An administrative law judge appointed by the commissioner pursuant to civil service rules shall be employed within the administrative law bureau and shall not b…

Insurance is a contract whereby one undertakes to indemnify another against loss, damage, or liability arising from a contingent or unknown event.