(1) The applicant is responsible for:
- (i) Preparing and ensuring that all policy documents, rates of premium, prices, and supporting materials, including actuarial documents, are submitted by the deadline specified by FCIC, in the form approved by the Board, and are in compliance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act;
- (ii) Annually updating and providing maintenance changes no later than 180 days prior to the earliest contract change date for the commodity in all counties or states in which the policy or plan of insurance is sold;
- (iii) Timely addressing questions, problems or clarifications in regard to a policy or plan of insurance (all such resolutions for approved 508(h) submissions will be communicated to all approved insurance providers through FCIC's official issuance system); and
- (iv) If requested by the Board, providing an annual review of the policy's performance, in writing to the Board, 180 days prior to the contract change date for the plan of insurance (The first annual report will be submitted one full year after implementation of an approved policy or plan of insurance, as agreed to by the submitter and RMA);
(2) Only the applicant may make changes to the policy, plan of insurance, or rates of premium approved by the Board:
- (i) Any changes to approved 508(h) submissions, both non-significant and significant, must be submitted to FCIC in the form of a 508(h) submission for review in accordance with this subpart no later than 180 days prior to the earliest contract change date for the commodity in all counties or states in which the policy or plan of insurance is sold; and
- (ii) Significant changes will be considered a new 508(h) submission;
- (3) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, the applicant is solely liable for any mistakes, errors, or flaws in the submitted policy, plan of insurance, their related materials, or the rates of premium that have been approved by the Board unless, or until, the policy or plan of insurance is transferred to FCIC in accordance with § 400.712(l) (the applicant remains liable for any mistakes, errors, or flaws that occurred prior to transfer of the policy or plan of insurance to FCIC);
(4) If the mistake, error, or flaw in the policy, plan of insurance, their related materials, or the rates of premium is discovered more than 45 days prior to the cancellation or termination date for the policy or plan of insurance, the applicant may request in writing that FCIC withdraw the approved policy, plan of insurance, or rates of premium:
- (i) Such request must state the discovered mistake, error, or flaw in the policy, plan of insurance, or rates of premium, and the expected impact on the program; and
- (ii) For all timely received requests for withdrawal, no liability will attach to such policies, plans of insurance, or rates of premium that have been withdrawn and no producer, approved insurance provider, or any other person will have a right of action against the applicant;
(5) Notwithstanding the policy provisions regarding cancellation, any policy, plan of insurance, or rates of premium that have been withdrawn by the applicant, in accordance with paragraph (a)(4) of this section is deemed canceled and applications are deemed not accepted as of the date that FCIC publishes the notice of withdrawal on its Web site at www.rma.usda.gov.
- (i) Approved insurance providers will be notified in writing by FCIC that the policy, plan of insurance, or premium rates have been withdrawn; and
- (ii) Producers will have the option of selecting any other policy or plan of insurance authorized under the Act that is available in the area by the sales closing date for such policy or plan of insurance; and
- (6) Failure of the applicant to perform all of the applicant's responsibilities may result in the withdrawal of approval for the policy or plan of insurance.