Blanket insurance is that form of insurance providing coverage for specified circumstances and insuring by description all or nearly all persons within a class of persons defined in a policy issued to a master policyholder, and not by specifically naming the persons covered (by certificate or otherwise, although a statement of the coverage provided may be given, or required by the policy to be given to persons eligible). The permitted types of blanket insurance are those where the blanket policy is issued to any of the following:
(a) A volunteer fire company providing benefits to members only in event of accident incurred while performing actions incident to such membership.
(b) A college, school, or other institution of learning, a school district or districts or school jurisdictional unit, or to the head, principal, or governing board of any such educational unit who or which shall be deemed the policyholder; providing benefits to students without necessarily any restriction as to activity, time, or place, or to teachers or employees while performing actions incident to special duties, such as at camps, at summer playgrounds, or during tours or excursions; and providing benefits to such students, teachers, or employees, and spouses and dependents of such students, teachers, and employees, for death or dismemberment resulting from accident or for hospital, medical, surgical, drug, or nursing expenses resulting from accident or sickness.
(c) A proprietor or sponsor of an organized camping institution, who shall be deemed the policyholder, providing benefits to campers or persons responsible for their support for death or dismemberment resulting from accident, or for hospital, medical, surgical, or nursing expenses resulting from accident to such campers or arising out of sickness of such campers, provided the accident or the first manifestation of such sickness occurs while such campers are in or on the buildings or premises of the camp institution, or being transported between their homes and the camp institution, or while at any other place as an incident to camp-sponsored activities or while being transported to, from, or between such places.
(d) To a newspaper, farm paper, magazine, or other periodical publication, which shall be deemed the policyholder, providing benefits for independent contractors, such as newsboys, dealers, distributors, wholesalers, or others engaged in the sale, distribution, collecting for, or other activities pertaining to, the marketing and delivery of such publications, including attendance at a coaching school or participation as a member of a trip organized, supervised, and sponsored as a reward for meritorious service, on account of loss resulting from accident or sickness, such benefit to be payable to such independent contractors or to their parents, guardians, or other persons responsible for their support.
When the premium for the insurance is paid by the person insured, he may, upon request, obtain from the insurer in certificate form a copy of the policy.
(e) Any religious, charitable, recreational, educational, athletic or civic organization, or branch thereof, which shall be deemed the policyholder, providing benefits to members, employees, or participants for death or dismemberment or for hospital, medical, surgical, or nursing expenses all resulting from accident incurred incident to specific hazards pertaining to any activity or activities or operations sponsored or supervised by such policyholder.
(f) To a policy issued on application of an employer, a majority of the employees in this state of an employer, or both, to pay the benefits afforded by a voluntary plan of unemployment compensation disability insurance. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 10113, such policies may incorporate by reference any of the appropriate provisions of Part 2 (commencing with Section 2601) of Division 1 of the Unemployment Insurance Code and the authorized regulations of the Director of Employment Development.
A “blanket policy” is any disability policy of the nature herein described sold to any of the entities described in subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section and providing coverage for any group of persons within permitted categories defined in the policy. Policies referred to in subdivision (f) shall comply with the provisions of this section specifically referring thereto. Policies referred to in subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) may provide that the cost of the insurance coverage shall be borne by either the policyholder, or the individuals insured or their parents or guardians, payable through the policyholder. In the absence of a policy provision excluding coverage for otherwise covered individuals who have not individually enrolled with the policyholder and undertaken to pay all or a specified portion of the premium allocable to such individual, such policy shall provide the described insurance for all who fall within the categories of covered individuals defined in the policy. Such policy may, but is not required to, contain provisions requiring a minimum number of participating persons or a minimum percentage of participation before the policy is effective. In the absence of such a provision coverage shall not be denied any individual otherwise eligible on those grounds.
No policies described in subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this section shall be issued until approved as to substance and form by the commissioner. The commissioner may after notice and hearing promulgate such reasonable rules and regulations, relating to the substance, form, and issuance of such policies, as are necessary or desirable to preserve, insofar as applicable, standards as respects substance, form, and issuance comparable to the standards in such respects prescribed by this chapter and applicable to other types of disability policies, and to further the purpose or purposes for which such policies are to be issued.
No policies described in subdivision (f) shall be issued until approved as to form by the commissioner. The commissioner may after notice and hearing promulgate such reasonable rules and regulations, relating to the form and issuance of such policies, as do not affect the substance of the coverage, and as are necessary or desirable to preserve, insofar as applicable, standards as respects form and issuance comparable to the standards in such respects prescribed by this chapter and applicable to other types of disability policies, and to further the purpose or purposes for which such policies are to be issued. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 10113, such policies may incorporate by reference any of the appropriate provisions of Part 2 (commencing with Section 2601) of Division 1 of the Unemployment Insurance Code and the authorized regulations of the Director of Employment Development.