Commercial self-insurance funds.

(1) Any group of persons may form a commercial self-insurance fund for the purpose of pooling and spreading liabilities of its group members in any commercial property or casualty risk or surety insurance. Any fund established pursuant to subparagraph (2)(a)1. may be organized as a corporation under part I of chapter 607.

(2) As used in ss. 624.460-624.488, “commercial self-insurance fund” or “fund” means a group of members, operating individually and collectively through a trust or corporation, that must be:

(a) Established by:

1. A not-for-profit trade association, industry association, or professional association of employers or professionals which has a constitution or bylaws, which is incorporated under the laws of this state, and which has been organized for purposes other than that of obtaining or providing insurance and operated in good faith for a continuous period of 1 year;

2. A self-insurance trust fund organized pursuant to s. 627.357 and maintained in good faith for a continuous period of 1 year for purposes other than that of obtaining or providing insurance pursuant to this section. Each member of a commercial self-insurance trust fund established pursuant to this subsection must maintain membership in the self-insurance trust fund organized pursuant to s. 627.357;

3. A group of 10 or more health care providers, as defined in s. 627.351(4)(h), for purposes of providing medical malpractice coverage; or

4. A not-for-profit group comprised of one or more community associations responsible for operating at least 50 residential parcels or units created and operating under chapter 718, chapter 719, chapter 720, chapter 721, or chapter 723 which restricts its membership to community associations only and which has been organized and maintained in good faith for the purpose of pooling and spreading the liabilities of its group members relating to property or casualty risk or surety insurance which, in accordance with applicable provisions of part I of chapter 626, appoints resident general lines agents only, and which does not prevent, impede, or restrict any applicant or fund participant from maintaining or selecting an agent of choice. The fund may not refuse to appoint the agent of record for any fund applicant or fund member and may not favor one or more such appointed agents over other appointed agents.

(b)1. In the case of funds established pursuant to subparagraph (a)2. or subparagraph (a)4., operated pursuant to a trust agreement by a board of trustees which shall have complete fiscal control over the fund and which shall be responsible for all operations of the fund. The majority of the trustees shall be owners, partners, officers, directors, or employees of one or more members of the fund. The trustees shall have the authority to approve applications of members for participation in the fund and to contract with an authorized administrator or servicing company to administer the day-to-day affairs of the fund.

2. In the case of funds established pursuant to subparagraph (a)1. or subparagraph (a)3., operated pursuant to a trust agreement by a board of trustees or as a corporation by a board of directors which board shall:

a. Be responsible to members of the fund or beneficiaries of the trust or policyholders of the corporation;

b. Appoint independent certified public accountants, legal counsel, actuaries, and investment advisers as needed;

c. Approve payment of dividends to members;

d. Approve changes in corporate structure; and

e. Have the authority to contract with an administrator authorized under s. 626.88 to administer the day-to-day affairs of the fund, including, but not limited to, marketing, underwriting, billing, collection, claims administration, safety and loss prevention, reinsurance, policy issuance, accounting, regulatory reporting, and general administration. The fees or compensation for services under such contract shall be comparable to the costs for similar services incurred by insurers writing the same lines of insurance, or where available such expenses as filed by boards, bureaus, and associations designated by insurers to file such data. A majority of the trustees or directors shall be owners, partners, officers, directors, or employees of one or more members of the fund.

(3) Each member of a commercial self-insurance trust fund established pursuant to this section, except a fund established pursuant to subparagraph (2)(a)3., must maintain membership in the association or self-insurance trust fund established under s. 627.357. Membership in a not-for-profit trade association, industry association, or professional association of employers or professionals for the purpose of obtaining or providing insurance shall be in accordance with the constitution or bylaws of the association, and the dues, fees, or other costs of membership shall not be different for members obtaining insurance from the commercial self-insurance fund. The association shall not be liable for any actions of the fund nor shall it have any responsibility for establishing or enforcing any policy of the commercial self-insurance fund. Fees, services, and other aspects of the relationship between the association and the fund shall be subject to contractual agreement.

(4) Any financial institution may participate as a member in a commercial self-insurance fund. A financial institution may not require as a condition precedent to making a loan that the prospective borrower insure with any commercial self-insurance fund. Any financial institution participating in a commercial self-insurance fund may participate only for the purpose of providing coverage on the financial institution’s direct commercial property and commercial casualty or surety insurance exposures. The financial institution may not participate for the purpose of covering the direct or indirect exposures of its customers.

(5) A commercial self-insurance fund created under subparagraph (2)(a)4. shall be an insurer for the purpose of any assessments levied by the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund as provided under s. 215.555 or by the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation as provided under s. 627.351(6)(b)3. The office shall establish the method for determining the imputed premium that is subject to any such assessment.

(6) A governmental self-insurance pool created pursuant to s. 768.28(16) shall not be considered a commercial self-insurance fund.