48.37.080 - Confidentiality.

Confidentiality.

(1) All data and documents, including but not limited to working papers, third-party models or products, complaint logs, and copies thereof, created, produced, or obtained by or disclosed to the commissioner, the commissioner's authorized representative, or an examiner appointed by the commissioner in the course of any market conduct actions or examinations made under this chapter, or in the course of market analysis by the commissioner of the market conditions of an insurer, or obtained by the NAIC as a result of any of the provisions of this chapter, to the extent the documents are in the possession of the commissioner or the NAIC, shall be confidential by law and privileged, shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter 42.56 RCW, shall not be subject to subpoena, and shall not be subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action.

     (2) If the commissioner elects to issue a report of an examination, a preliminary or draft market conduct examination report is confidential and not subject to disclosure by the commissioner nor is it subject to subpoena or discovery. This subsection does not limit the commissioner's authority to use a preliminary or draft market conduct examination report and related information in furtherance of any legal or regulatory action, or to release it in accordance with the provisions of RCW 48.02.065.

     (3) An insurance compliance self-evaluative audit document in the possession of the commissioner is confidential by law and privileged, and shall not be:

     (a) Made public by the commissioner;

     (b) Subject to the provisions of chapter 42.56 RCW;

     (c) Subject to subpoena; and

     (d) Subject to discovery and admissible in evidence in any private civil action.

     (4) Neither the disclosure of any self-evaluative audit document to the commissioner or to the commissioner's designee nor the citation to this document in connection with an agency action shall constitute a waiver of any privilege that may otherwise apply.

[2007 c 82 § 10.]