215 ILCS 5/401.1

(215 ILCS 5/401.1) (from Ch. 73, par. 1013.1)

Sec. 401.1. (1) This Section applies to all companies and persons subject to examination by the Director, or purporting to do insurance business in this State, or in the process of organization with intent to do such business therein, or for whom a Certificate of Authority is required for the transaction of business, or whose Certificate of Authority is revoked or suspended.

(2) Whenever it appears to the Director that any person or company subject to this Code is conducting its business and affairs in such a manner as to threaten to render it insolvent, or that it is in a hazardous condition, or is conducting its business and affairs in a manner which is hazardous to its policyholders, creditors or the public, or that it has committed or engaged in, or is committing or engaging in, any unlawful act, or any act, practice or transaction which under any provision of this Code would constitute ground rendering the person subject to conservation, liquidation or rehabilitation proceedings and that irreparable loss and injury to the property and business of a person or company has occurred or may occur unless the Director acts immediately, the Director may, without notice, and before hearing, issue and cause to be served upon such person or company an order requiring such person or company to forthwith cease and desist from engaging further in the acts, practices or transactions which are causing such conduct, condition or ground to exist.

(3) At the same time an order is served pursuant to paragraph (2) of this Section, the Director must issue and also serve upon the person or company a notice of hearing to be held at a time and place fixed therein which may not be less than 20 or more than 30 days after the service thereof. The notice must contain a statement of the conduct, condition or ground which the Director deems violative of the provisions of this Section.

(4) If, after hearing as provided by paragraph (3) of this Section, any of the statements as to conduct, conditions or grounds in the notice are found to be true, the Director may make such order or orders as may be reasonably necessary to correct, eliminate or remedy such conduct, conditions or grounds.

(5) Any person or company subject to an order pursuant to this Article is entitled to judicial review of the order in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Review Law.

(6) If any person or company violates or fails to comply with any order of the Director or any part thereof which as to such person has become final and is still in effect, the Director may, after a hearing and notice at which it is determined that a violation of such order has been committed, further order that:

(a) Such person shall forfeit and pay to the State of Illinois a sum not to exceed $100 per day for each and every day that such violation or failure to comply shall continue, but in no event to exceed a maximum amount of $5,000. Such liability shall be enforced in an action brought in any court of competent jurisdiction by the Director in the name of the people of the State of Illinois; and

(b) Proceedings be commenced to revoke or suspend any license or Certificate of Authority held by such person under this Code, in accordance with the procedures provided therefor.

(7) The powers vested in the Director by this Section are additional to any and all other powers and remedies vested in the Director by law, and nothing herein shall be construed as requiring that the Director shall employ the powers conferred herein instead of or as a condition precedent to the exercise of any other power or remedy vested in the Director.

(8) Any order or notice of the Director hereunder may be served on any person, in the same manner and with the same effect as provided for in civil actions in a Circuit Court of this State.

(Source: P.A. 82-783.)