Section 710-5 - Required rate and form filings(a) All forms and rates used by an insurer shall be filed with the department unless otherwise provided in subsections (b), (c) and (d).(b) The commissioner may publish notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of any type of form which is exempted from filing. The commissioner may revoke an exemption by publishing notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Revocation shall take effect ninety (90) days following publication.(c)(1) Forms for small commercial risks shall be filed with the department no later than forty-five (45) days prior to their effective date. Filings under this section shall be available for use forty-five (45) days after filing, or after a comment period established by the commissioner, unless earlier approved or disapproved by the commissioner.(2) An insurer shall file rates under this subsection for small commercial risks with the department as follows: (i) Insurers shall establish an initial base rate for existing lines of business which is not excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory. The initial base rate shall be the rate currently on file and approved by the department on the effective date of this article. The initial base rate for any line of business which is not on file and which has not been approved on the effective date of this article shall be subject to filing, review and prior approval by the department.(ii) If proposed changes to an approved base rate will increase or decrease the approved base rate by more than ten per centum (10%) annually in the aggregate, the changes shall be subject to filing, review and prior approval by the department.(iii) If proposed changes to an approved base rate will increase or decrease the approved base rate by ten per centum (10%) or less annually in the aggregate, the changes shall be filed with the department no later than forty-five (45) days prior to their effective date. Filings under this section shall be available for use forty-five (45) days after filing, or after a comment period established by the commissioner, unless earlier approved or disapproved by the commissioner.(iv) Rate filings reviewed under subparagraphs (i) and (ii) shall be available for use forty-five (45) days after filing, or at the end of any public comment period established by the commissioner under section 507-A(a) , unless earlier approved or disapproved by the commissioner. The commissioner may extend the forty-five-day (45) approval period for an additional forty-five days by written notice to the insurer.(v) Individual filings shall not be required for a specific individual policy if the rate does not deviate from the base rate by more than twenty-five per centum (25%).(vi) Rates developed for individual insureds which deviate from the base rate by more than twenty-five per centum (25%) may be used immediately and shall be filed with the department no later than thirty (30) days after the effective date of the rate.(vii) The commissioner may exempt a rate filing required under this section by publishing a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin identifying the type or kind of rate being exempted, to include rates which in the opinion of the commissioner would be impractical to file prior to use. The commissioner may subsequently require exempted rates to be filed by publishing notice of the requirement in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The subsequent notice shall be effective in ninety (90) days.(d) The commissioner may evaluate and adjust the restrictions on premium limits and the number of employes of a large commercial risk by regulation. Insurers shall not be required to file forms or rates for large commercial risks with the department in the case of a large commercial risk located in this Commonwealth. If after holding a hearing the commissioner determines that the market is noncompetitive, an order shall be issued to require rate filings for large commercial risks. The commissioner shall consider all relevant factors to determine competitiveness of the market, to include the number of insurers actively engaged in providing coverage, market shares, change in market shares and ease of entry. The insurer shall disclose to the insured that forms and rates under this subsection are exempt from filing requirements. Disclosures made by the insurer shall be maintained by the insurer.1921, May 17, P.L. 682, No. 284, art. V-A, § 505-A, added 1998, Dec. 21, P.L. 1108, No. 150, § 3, effective in 60 days.