(215 ILCS 5/901) (from Ch. 73, par. 1065.601)
Sec. 901.
Group legal expense insurance authorized.) Any insurance company
authorized to write legal expense insurance in this State shall have the
power to issue group legal expense insurance policies. No policy,
certificate, endorsement, rider, or application which becomes or is designed
to become a part of any such policy of group legal expense insurance may
be issued or delivered in this State unless a copy of the form shall have
been filed with the Director of Insurance in accordance with Section 143
of this Code. Such policy, certificate, endorsement, rider, or application
must contain those provisions required by Sections 902 through 906
of the Code.
No such policy, certificate, endorsement, application or rider
shall contain any provision which would interfere with the freedom of choice
by the insured in the selection
of attorneys except that the insurer
may select and contract with attorneys to verify plan coverage and to provide
the insureds with legal services which consist of initial advice and consultation.
Nothing herein shall prevent an insured, after plan coverage has been verified,
from choosing to go directly to his or her own attorney of choice for initial
advice and consultation, subject to applicable policy limitations.
Every such policy, certificate, endorsement, application or rider shall
prominently display language advising the insured of such freedom of choice
by the insured in the selection of attorneys
and that no company issuing such policy, certificate, endorsement, application
or rider may require, suggest or recommend the use of any attorney
or firm of attorneys, provided, however, that dissemination by an insurer
of the names of attorneys who have agreed to accept legal expense insurance
benefits as payment for certain legal services shall not constitute a requirement,
suggestion or recommendation of the use of any attorney or firm of attorneys.
The foregoing shall not prohibit referral of insured by the insurer to
any lawyer referral service authorized or operated by a state, county, local
or other bar association.
Any insurance company issuing such policies shall in no way interfere with
the attorney-client relationship nor with the independent exercise of professional
judgment by any attorney.
(Source: P.A. 83-774.)
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