1. In an action for damages for professional negligence in which the defendant is insured pursuant to a policy of insurance covering the liability of the defendant for a breach of the defendant’s professional duty toward a patient:
(a) At any settlement conference, the judge may recommend that the action be settled for the limits of the policy of insurance.
(b) If the judge makes the recommendation described in paragraph (a), the defendant is entitled to obtain from independent counsel an opinion letter explaining the rights of, obligations of and potential consequences to the defendant with regard to the recommendation. The insurer shall pay the independent counsel to provide the opinion letter described in this paragraph, except that the insurer is not required to pay more than $1,500 to the independent counsel to provide the opinion letter.
2. The section does not:
(a) Prohibit the plaintiff from making any offer of settlement.
(b) Require an insurer to provide or pay for independent counsel for a defendant except as expressly provided in this section.