(a) Any notice required by this article shall be placed in a sealed envelope, with postage paid, addressed to the insurer, surplus line broker, or Medi-Cal managed care plan at its address as it appears in the records of the commissioner or the board. The giving of notice shall be deemed complete at the time of deposit of the notice in the United States Post Office, or a mailbox, subpost office, substation or mail chute or other facility regularly maintained or provided by the United States Postal Service, without extension of time for any reason. In lieu of mailing, a notice may be served personally by delivering to the person to be served and service shall be deemed complete at the time of the delivery. Personal service to a corporation may be made by delivery of a notice to any person designated in the Code of Civil Procedure to be served for the corporation with summons and complaint in a civil action.
(b) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2012, and, as of January 1, 2013, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before July 1, 2012, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.