Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §2186, sub-§1, ¶C is enacted to read:

C.__"Fraud unit" means the Insurance Fraud Investigative Unit established in section 2188.

Sec. 2. 24-A MRSA §2186, sub-§4, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 675, §2, is amended to read:

A. An insurer shall, annually on or before March 1st or within any reasonable extension of time granted by the superintendent, file with the superintendent fraud unit a report relating to fraudulent insurance acts that the insurer knew or reasonably believed had been committed during the previous calendar year. The report must contain information required by the superintendent fraud unit in the manner prescribed by the superintendent fraud unit. The information must be reported on an aggregate basis and may not contain any information identifying any individuals or entities. The superintendent shall adopt by January 1, 1999 rules necessary to define the information that must be reported. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A 2-A.

Sec. 3. 24-A MRSA §2186, sub-§5, ¶¶C and D, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 675, §2, are amended to read:

C. Provide for the hiring of or contracting for fraud investigators establishment of a special investigative unit as required by subsection 5-A; and

D. Report insurance fraud to appropriate law enforcement and regulatory authorities in the investigation and prosecution of insurance the fraud unit. An insurer that believes that a fraudulent insurance act has been committed shall, within 60 days of forming that belief, send to the fraud unit, on a form prescribed by the fraud unit, the information requested and any other information relative to the claim and any information relative to other parties claiming loss or damage because of the claim as the fraud unit may require.

Sec. 4. 24-A MRSA §2186, sub-§5-A is enacted to read:

5-A.__Insurer antifraud units. Every insurer writing direct insurance who in the previous calendar year reported $10,000,000 or more in direct written premiums in this State, except for an insurer writing only credit, home warranty, travel or title