Section 10119.3.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an agent or broker who assists an applicant in submitting an application to a health insurer has the duty to assist the applicant in providing answers to health questions accurately and completely.

(b) An agent or broker who assists an applicant in submitting an application to a health insurer shall attest on the written application to both of the following:

(1) That to the best of his or her knowledge, the information on the application is complete and accurate.

(2) That he or she explained to the applicant, in easy-to-understand language, the risk to the applicant of providing inaccurate information and that the applicant understood the explanation.

(c) If, in an attestation required by subdivision (b), a declarant willfully states as true any material fact he or she knows to be false, that person shall, in addition to any applicable penalties or remedies available under current law, be subject to a civil penalty of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000). Any public prosecutor may bring a civil action to impose that civil penalty. These penalties shall be paid to the Insurance Fund.

(d) A health insurance application shall include a statement advising declarants of the civil penalty authorized under this section.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 604, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2009.)