Sec. 9. (a) The following persons are immune from civil liability for any communication giving notice of or specifying the reasons for a termination or for any statement made in connection with an attempt to discover or verify the existence of conditions that would be a reason for a termination under this chapter:
(1) Employees of the department of insurance.
(2) An insurer or its authorized representative, agent, or employee.
(3) A licensed insurance producer.
(4) A person furnishing information to an insurer as to reasons for a termination.
(b) This section does not apply to statements made in bad faith with malice in fact.