Which party has the authority to impose penalties for failure to notify the excess carrier of a claim?

• A. Administrative Director
• B. Excess Carrier
• C. Manager of SIP
• D. California Insurance Commissioner

Answer: (B)

The excess carrier is the party that has the contractual interest in timely notice of a claim. When coverage sits above the self-insurance retention, the excess carrier relies on prompt notification to assess, administer, and pay claims within their layer. If notice is delayed or omitted, the excess carrier can face increased risk and potential coverage gaps, so the policy or agreement often gives them the right to impose penalties for late or failure to notify. The other entities—the plan administrator, the Self-Insured Plan manager, or the state Insurance Commissioner—aren’t the ones enforcing penalties for-notifying the excess carrier under the excess policy terms; their roles are regulatory or administrative, not enforcing the specifics of notice penalties between the insured and the excess carrier.