Chapter 3917 | Group Life Insurance

Section 3917.01 | Group life insurance definitions.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 442 - 126th General Assembly

As used in sections 3917.01 to 3917.06 of the Revised Code, the following forms of life insurance are group life insurance:

(A) A life insurance policy issued to an employer, or to the trustees of a fund established by an employer, which employer or trustees shall be deemed the policyholder, to insure employees of the employer for the benefit of persons other than the employer, subject to all of the following requirements:

(1) All of the employees of the employer, or all of any class or classes of employees, are eligible for life insurance. The policy may provide that "employees" includes the employees of one or more subsidiary corporations and the employees, individual proprietors, and partners of one or more affiliated corporations, proprietorships, or partnerships if the business of the employer and the affiliated corporations, proprietorships, or partnerships is under common control. The policy may provide that "employees" includes retired employees, former employees, and directors of a corporate employer. A policy issued to insure the employees of a public body may provide that "employees" includes elected or appointed officials.

(2) The premium for the policy shall be paid either from the employer's funds or from funds contributed by the insured employees, or from both. Except as provided in division (A)(3) of this section, a policy for which no part of the premium is derived from funds contributed by the insured employees shall insure all eligible employees, except those employees who reject the coverage in writing.

(3) An insurer may exclude or limit the coverage on any employee as to whom evidence of individual insurability is not satisfactory to the insurer.

(4) A policy issued pursuant to section 3911.091 of the Revised Code is not subject to the requirements of this division.

(B) A life insurance policy issued to a creditor or its parent holding company or to a trustee or trustees or agent designated by two or more creditors, which creditor, holding company, affiliate, trustee, trustees, or agent shall be deemed the policyholder, to insure debtors of the creditor or creditors, subject to the following requirements:

(1) The debtors eligible for insurance under the policy shall be all of the debtors of the creditor or creditors, or all of any class or classes of the debtors. The policy may provide that "debtors" includes all of the following:

(a) Borrowers of money or purchasers or lessees of goods, services, or property for which payment is arranged through a credit transaction;

(b) The debtors of one or more subsidiary corporations;

(c) The debtors of one or more affiliated corporations, proprietorships, or partnerships if the business of the policyholder and of the affiliated corporations, proprietorships, or partnerships is under common control.

(2) The premium for the policy shall be paid either from the creditor's funds, or from charges collected from the insured debtors, or from both. Except as provided in division (B)(3) of this section, a policy on which no part of the premium is derived from the funds contributed by insured debtors specifically for the debtors' insurance shall insure all eligible debtors.

(3) An insurer may exclude any debtor as to whom evidence of individual insurability is not satisfactory to the insurer.

(4) The amount of insurance on the life of any debtor, at no time, shall exceed the greater of the scheduled or actual amount of unpaid indebtedness to the creditor, except that insurance written in connection with open-end credit having a credit limit exceeding ten thousand dollars may be in an amount not exceeding the credit limit.

(5) The insurance may be payable to the creditor or any successor to the right, title, and interest of the creditor. The payment shall reduce or extinguish the unpaid indebtedness of the debtor to the extent of the payment and any excess of the insurance shall be payable to the estate of the insured.

(6) Notwithstanding divisions (B)(1) to (5) of this section, insurance on agricultural credit transaction commitments may be written up to the amount of the loan commitment on a nondecreasing or level term plan. Insurance on educational credit transaction commitments may be written up to the amount of the loan commitment less the amount of any repayments made on the loan.

(C) A life insurance policy issued to a labor union or similar employee organization, which union or organization shall be deemed the policyholder, to insure members of the union or organization for the benefit of persons other than the union or organization or any of its officials, representatives, or agents, subject to all of the following requirements:

(1) All of the members of the union or organization, or all of any class or classes of the members, are eligible for insurance under the policy.

(2) The premium for the policy is paid either from funds of the union or organization or from funds contributed by the insured members specifically for the members' insurance, or from both. Except as provided in division (C)(3) of this section, a policy on which no part of the premium is derived from funds contributed by the insured members specifically for the members' insurance shall insure all eligible members, except those members who reject the coverage in writing.

(3) An insurer may exclude or limit the coverage on any member as to whom evidence of individual insurability is not satisfactory to the insurer.

(D) A life insurance policy issued to a trust or to the trustees of a trust fund established or adopted by two or more employers, or by one or more labor unions or similar employee organizations, or by one or more employers and one or more labor unions or similar employee organizations, which trust or trustees shall be deemed the policyholder, to insure employees of the employers or members of the unions or similar employee organizations for the benefit of persons other than the employers or the unions or organizations, subject to the following requirements:

(1) The persons eligible for such insurance shall be all of the employees of the employers, or all of the members of the unions or organizations, or all of any class or classes of the employees or members. The policy may provide that "employees" includes the employees of one or more subsidiary corporations and the employees, individual proprietors, and partners of one or more affiliated corporations, proprietorships, or partnerships if the business of the employer and of the affiliated corporations, proprietorships, or partnerships is under common control. The policy may provide that "employees" includes the individual proprietor or partners if the employer is an individual proprietorship or a partnership. The policy may provide that "employees" includes retired employees, former employees, and directors of a corporate employer. The policy may provide that "employees" includes the trustees or their employees, or both, if their duties are principally connected with the trusteeship.

(2) The premium for the policy shall be paid from funds contributed by the employer or employers of the insured persons, or by the union or unions or similar employee organizations, or by both, or from funds contributed by the insured persons or from both the insured persons and the employers or unions or similar employee organizations. Except as provided in division (D)(3) of this section, a policy on which no part of the premium is derived from funds contributed by the insured persons specifically for their insurance shall insure all eligible persons, except those persons who reject the coverage in writing.

(3) An insurer may exclude or limit the coverage on any person as to whom evidence of individual insurability is not satisfactory to the insurer.

(E) A life insurance policy issued to an association or to a trust or the trustees of a fund established, created, or maintained for the benefit of members of one or more associations, which association, trust or trustee, or an agent, shall be deemed the policyholder, subject to all of the following requirements:

(1) The association or associations have at the outset a minimum of one hundred persons, have been organized and maintained in good faith for purposes other than that of obtaining insurance, have been in active existence for at least two years, and have a constitution and bylaws providing for all of the following:

(a) The association or associations shall hold regular meetings not less than annually to further purposes of the members.

(b) The association or associations, except for credit unions, shall collect dues or solicit contributions from members.

(c) The members of the association or associations shall have voting privileges and representation on the governing board and committees.

(2) The policy is subject to all of the following requirements:

(a) The policy may insure one or more of the members of the association or associations, employees of the association or associations, or employees of members, or all of any class or classes of the employees or members of the association or associations, and employees of the members of the association or associations, for the benefit of persons other than an employee's employer.

(b) The premium for the policy is paid from funds contributed by the association or associations, or by employer members, or by both, or from funds contributed by the covered members or employees or from both the covered members and employees and the association, associations, or employer members.

(c) Except as provided in division (E)(3) of this section, a policy on which no part of the premium is derived from funds contributed by the covered members and employees specifically for the covered members' and employees' insurance shall insure all eligible members and employees, except those who reject the coverage in writing.

(3) An insurer may exclude or limit the coverage on any member or employee as to whom evidence of individual insurability is not satisfactory to the insurer.

(F) A life insurance policy issued to a credit union or to a trustee or trustees or agent designated by two or more credit unions, which credit union, trustee, trustees, or agent shall be deemed the policyholder, to insure the members of the credit union or credit unions for the benefit of persons other than the credit union or credit unions, trust or trustees, or agents or officials of the credit union or credit unions or trust, subject to all of the following requirements:

(1) All of the members of the credit union or credit unions, or all of any class or classes of the members, are eligible for insurance.

(2) The premium for the policy is paid by the policyholder from the credit union's funds and except as provided in division (F)(3) of this section shall insure all eligible members.

(3) An insurer may exclude or limit the coverage on any member as to whom evidence of individual insurability is not satisfactory to the insurer.

(G) Life insurance that is written under a policy issued to a trustee under a trust established by an insurer for the purpose of providing continued group life insurance coverage to those former employees, former members, or former members and the employees of such members, and their dependents, previously covered under policies of group life insurance issued by the insurer to employers or trustees pursuant to division (A) of this section, to associations pursuant to division (D) of this section, to trustees pursuant to division (E) of this section, or to groups pursuant to division (I) of this section, and that is evidenced by the issuance of a certificate of insurance or other evidence of insurance to such former employees or members as required by section 3917.06 of the Revised Code; provided that the amount of the continued life insurance coverage made available to a former employee or member and to the employee's or member's dependents shall not exceed the amount of the group life insurance coverage previously provided to the employee or member and the employee's or member's eligible dependents at the time of the employee's separation from employment or the member's termination of membership.

(H) Life insurance covering the members of a workforce actively engaged in an occupation for, and performing services on behalf of, a duly organized corporation, limited liability company, partnership, proprietor, or a similar organization whose members are not employees of the organization, written under a policy issued to the organization, which organization is the employer for this purpose, the premium on which is to be paid by the organization or by the organization and the members jointly, insuring members for amounts of insurance based upon some plan for the benefit of persons other than the organization; provided also that members may be required to furnish evidence of insurability satisfactory to the insurer. Life insurance meeting this definition may also cover the organization's employees at the option of the organization.

(I)(1) A life insurance policy covering the members of a group other than one listed in divisions (A) to (H) of this section, subject to the superintendent finding all of the following:

(a) The issuance of the policy is not contrary to the best interest of the public.

(b) The issuance of the policy would result in economies of acquisition or administration.

(c) The policy provides benefits that are reasonable in relation to the premiums charged.

(2) An insurer shall not offer group life insurance in this state under a policy issued in another state unless the superintendent, or the insurance regulatory authority of another state with requirements substantially similar to the requirements set forth in division (I)(1) of this section, makes a determination that the requirements in division (I)(1) of this section have been met.

(3) The premium for a life insurance policy under this division is paid either from the policyholder's funds or from funds contributed by the insured members, or from both, and except as provided in division (I)(4) of this section, the policy shall insure all eligible members except those members who reject the coverage in writing.

(4) An insurer may exclude or limit the coverage on any member as to whom evidence of individual insurability is not satisfactory to the insurer.

Section 3917.02 | Insurance program not qualifying as group plan - notice to prospective insureds.

• Effective: November 16, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 193 - 126th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Direct response solicitation" means a solicitation through a sponsoring or endorsing entity through the mail, telephone, or other mass communication media.

(2) "Sponsoring or endorsing entity" means an organization that has arranged for the offering of a program of insurance in a manner that communicates that eligibility for participation in the program is dependent upon affiliation with the organization or that the organization encourages participation in the program.

(B) With respect to a program of life insurance that, if issued on a group basis, would not qualify as a policy of group life insurance under divisions (A) to (H) of section 3917.01 of the Revised Code, the insurer shall distribute a written notice to prospective insureds that compensation will or may be paid, if compensation of any kind will or may be paid, to one of the following persons:

(1) A policyholder, or sponsoring or endorsing entity, in the case of a group policy;

(2) A sponsoring or endorsing entity in the case of individual, blanket, or franchise policies marketed by means of a direct response solicitation.

(C) The insurer shall distribute the notice required by this section whether the potential compensation is direct or indirect and whether the compensation is paid to or retained by the policyholder or sponsoring or endorsing entity or paid to or retained by a third party, or an entity affiliated with the third party by way of ownership, contract, or employment, at the direction of the policyholder or sponsoring or endorsing entity.

(D) The notice required by this section shall be placed on or accompany an application or enrollment form provided to prospective insureds.

Section 3917.03 | Extension of policy to employee's or member's dependents.

• Effective: November 16, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 193 - 126th General Assembly

Any life insurance policy issued pursuant to section 3917.01 of the Revised Code, except for a policy issued pursuant to division (B) of section 3917.01 of the Revised Code, may be extended to insure an employee's dependents or member's dependents, as defined by the policy, or any class or classes of dependents, subject to the following:

(A) The premium for the insurance shall be paid either from the funds contributed by the employer, union, association, or other person to whom the policy has been issued, or from funds contributed by the covered persons, or from both. Except as provided in division (B) of this section, a policy on which no part of the premium for the dependent's coverage is derived from funds contributed by the covered persons shall insure the dependents of all eligible employees or members, or a class or classes of dependents.

(B) A life insurer may exclude or limit the coverage on any dependent as to whom evidence of individual insurability is not satisfactory to the insurer.

Section 3917.04 | Deducting premiums from salary or wages.

• Effective: March 22, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 225 - 129th General Assembly

(A)(1) If any employee of a political subdivision or district of this state, or of an institution supported in whole or in part by public funds, authorizes in writing the proper officer of the political subdivision, district, or institution, of which the individual is an employee to deduct from the employee's salary or wages the premium or portion of the premium agreed to be paid by the employee to an insurer authorized to do business in the state for life, endowment, accident, health, or health and accident insurance, annuities, or hospitalization insurance, or salary savings plan, the political subdivision, district, or institution of which the individual is an employee may deduct from the employee's salary or wages the premium or portion of the premium agreed to be paid by that employee and pay it to the insurer, provided that life, endowment, accident, health, health and accident, and hospitalization insurance is offered to the employee on a group basis and also that at least ten per cent of the employees at any institution, or of any political subdivision, or in any department, agency, bureau, district, commission, or board voluntarily elect to participate in that group insurance.

Division (A)(1) of this section does not apply to employees paid by warrant of the director of budget and management.

(2) The proper officer of a political subdivision, district, or institution of which an individual is an employee may issue warrants covering salary or wage deductions that have been authorized by the employee in favor of the insurer and in the amount so authorized by the employee.

(B)(1) The department of administrative services shall only offer employees paid by warrant of the director of budget and management voluntary supplemental benefit plans that are selected through a state-administered request for proposals process. If an employee authorizes the director of administrative services, in writing, to deduct the premium or a portion of the premium agreed to be paid by the employee to a voluntary supplemental benefit plan provider from the employee's salary or wages, the director may deduct this amount from the employee's salary or wages and pay it to the provider. Only those employees enrolled in a voluntary supplemental benefit plan on or before June 30, 2006, may continue to participate in a plan that was not selected through a state-administered request for proposals process.

(2) The director of budget and management may issue warrants covering salary or wage deductions that have been authorized by employees paid by warrant of the director in favor of the voluntary supplemental benefit plan provider in the amount authorized by those employees.

(C) A county auditor may deduct from a county employee's salary or wages the amount authorized to be paid by the employee for one or more qualified benefits available under section 125 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 26 U.S.C. 125, and other benefits authorized under section 305.171 of the Revised Code, if the employee authorizes in writing that the county auditor may deduct that amount from the employee's salary or wages, and the benefit is offered to the employee on a group basis and at least ten per cent of the county employees voluntarily elect to participate in the receipt of that benefit.

The county auditor may issue warrants for amounts deducted under this division to pay program administrators or other insurers for benefits authorized under this section.

Section 3917.05 | Exemption of policy proceeds from attachment.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

No policy of group insurance, nor the proceeds thereof, when paid to any employee thereunder, is liable to attachment, garnishment, or other process, or to be seized, taken, appropriated, or applied by any legal or equitable process or operation of law, to pay any liability of such employee, his beneficiary, or any other person who may have a right thereunder, either before or after payment.

Section 3917.06 | Required policy provisions.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 442 - 126th General Assembly

No policy of group life insurance shall be delivered in this state until a copy of its form has been filed with the superintendent of insurance pursuant to division (A) of section 3915.14 of the Revised Code. In addition, except as provided in division (M) of this section, no policy of group life insurance shall be delivered in this state unless it contains in substance the following provisions or other provisions, that in the opinion of the superintendent of insurance are more favorable to the persons insured, or at least as favorable to the persons insured and more favorable to the policyholder:

(A) A provision that the policyholder is entitled to a grace period of thirty-one days for the payment of any premiums due except the first, during which grace period the death benefit coverage shall continue in force, unless the policyholder has given the insurer written notice of discontinuance in advance of the date of discontinuance and in accordance with the terms of the policy; the policy may provide that the policyholder is liable to the insurer for the payment of a pro rata premium for the time the policy was in force during such grace period;

(B) A provision that the policy is incontestable after two years from its date of issue, except for nonpayment of premiums. No statement made by any individual insured under the policy relating to the individual's insurability shall be used in contesting the validity of the insurance, with respect to which the statement was made, that has been in force prior to the contest for a period of two years during the individual's life, unless the statement is contained in a written instrument signed by the individual. This division does not preclude the assertion at any time of defenses based upon provisions in the policy that relate to eligibility for coverage.

(C) A provision requiring that a copy of the application of the policyholder, if any, be attached to the policy when issued, and that all statements made by the policyholder and individuals insured shall be deemed representations and not warranties, and that no statement made by any person insured shall be used in any contest unless a copy of the instrument containing the statement is furnished to the insured, or in the event of the death or incapacity of the insured, to the insured's beneficiary or personal representative;

(D) A provision setting forth the conditions, if any, under which the insurer reserves the right to require an individual eligible for insurance to furnish evidence of individual insurability satisfactory to the insurer as a condition to part or all of the individual's coverage;

(E) A provision specifying an equitable adjustment of the premium or benefits, or both, to be made in the event of a misstatement of the age of an insured. The provision shall contain a clear statement of the method of adjustment.

(F) A provision requiring that any sum becoming due by reason of the death of the insured be payable to the beneficiary designated by the insured. However, if the policy contains conditions pertaining to family status, the beneficiary may be the family member specified by the policy terms, subject to the provisions of the policy in the event that there is no designated beneficiary living at the time of the death of the insured as to all or any part of the sum, and subject to any right reserved in the policy by the insurer and set forth in the certificate to pay, at the insurer's option, a part of the sum not exceeding two thousand dollars to any beneficiary that the insurer believes is equitably entitled to the amount by reason of having incurred funeral or other expenses incident to the last illness or death of the insured.

(G) A provision that the insurer will issue to the policyholder for delivery to each person insured a certificate setting forth a statement as to the insurance protection to which the person is entitled, any dependent's coverage, to whom benefits are payable, and the rights and conditions set forth in divisions (H) to (K) of this section. The policyholder may issue a single certificate for delivery to an insured employee or member if a statement concerning any dependent's coverage is included in the certificate.

(H)(1) A provision that if all or any part of the insurance on an insured or an insured's dependents ceases because of the termination of employment or of membership in the class or classes eligible for coverage under the policy, such person is entitled to have issued to the person by the insurer, without evidence of insurability, an individual policy of life insurance without disability or supplementary benefits, provided that application for the individual policy is made, and the first premium is paid to the insurer, within thirty-one days after such termination, and provided that all of the following conditions are met:

(a) The individual policy is on any one of the forms customarily issued by the insurer to that age and for the amount applied for, except that the group policy may exclude the option to elect term insurance.

(b) The individual policy is in an amount not in excess of the amount of life insurance that ceases because of termination, less the amount of any life insurance for which the person is eligible under the same or any other group policy within thirty-one days after termination, provided that any amount of life insurance that matures on or before the date of termination as an endowment payable to the insured, whether in one sum, installments, or in the form of an annuity, shall not, for purposes of this division, be included in the amount that is considered to cease because of termination.

(c) The premium on the individual policy is set at the insurer's then customary rate applicable to the form and amount of the individual policy, the individual's class of risk, and the individual's age as of the effective date of the individual policy.

(2) Subject to the conditions set forth in division (H)(1) of this section, the conversion privilege is available to the following individuals:

(a) A surviving dependent, if any, at the death of the employee or member, with respect to the coverage under the group policy that terminates by reason of the employee's or member's death;

(b) A dependent of an employee or member upon termination of the dependent's coverage, while the employee or member remains insured under the group policy, by reason of the dependent ceasing to be a dependent under the group policy.

(3) If the individual is not given notice of the right to obtain individual coverage under this division at least fifteen days prior to the expiration of the thirty-one-day conversion period provided by division (H)(1) of this section, then the individual shall have an additional period to exercise that right. This additional period shall extend for fifteen days after the individual is given notice, but in no event shall the period extend beyond sixty days after the expiration date of the period provided in the policy. Written notice provided to the individual or mailed by the policyholder to the last known address of the individual, or mailed by the insurer to the last known address of the individual furnished to the insurer by the policyholder, constitutes notice for purposes of this division.

(4) Nothing contained in this division shall be construed to continue any insurance beyond the expiration date of the period provided in the policy.

(I) A provision that if the group policy terminates or is amended so as to terminate the insurance of any class of insured persons, every person insured thereunder at the date of such termination whose insurance terminates, including an insured's dependent, and who has been so insured for at least five years prior to such termination date is entitled to have issued by the insurer an individual policy of life insurance, subject to the same conditions and limitations as are provided by division (H) of this section, except that the group policy may provide that the amount of such individual policy shall not exceed the smaller of (1) the amount of the person's life insurance ceasing because of the termination or amendment of the group policy, less the amount of any life insurance for which the person is or becomes eligible under any group policy issued or reinstated by the same or another insurer within thirty-one days after such termination, and (2) ten thousand dollars;

(J) A provision that if a person insured under the group policy, or an insured's dependent, dies during the period within which the person would have been entitled to have an individual policy issued in accordance with division (H) or (I) of this section, and before such an individual policy has become effective, the amount of life insurance which the person would have been entitled to have issued under such individual policy shall be payable as a claim under the group policy, whether or not application for the individual policy or the payment of the first premium therefor has been made;

(K) Where active employment is a condition of insurance, a provision that an insured may continue coverage during the insured's total disability by timely payment to the policyholder of that portion, if any, of the premium that would have been required from the insured if the insured's total disability had not occurred. The continuation shall be on a premium basis for a period of six months after the date on which the insured's total disability started, but not later than the earlier of either of the following:

(1) The insurer approving of continuation of the coverage under any disability provision that the group policy may contain;

(2) The discontinuance of the group life insurance policy.

(L) In the case of a life insurance policy insuring the lives of debtors, a provision requiring that the insurer furnish to the policyholder for delivery to each debtor insured under the policy a certificate of insurance describing the coverage and specifying that the death benefit first be applied to reduce or extinguish the debtor's unpaid indebtedness.

(M)(1) Divisions (F) to (K) of this section do not apply to group policies insuring the lives of debtors.

(2) With the exception of division (K) of section 3915.05, section 3915.052, and division (A) of section 3915.14 of the Revised Code, Chapter 3915. of the Revised Code does not apply to group policies.

(3) If a group policy is other than a term plan of insurance, the policy shall contain a nonforfeiture provision or provisions, which, in the opinion of the superintendent, are equitable to the insureds and the policyholder. Nothing in this division shall be construed to require group life insurance policies to contain the same nonforfeiture provisions as are required for individual life insurance policies.

(4)(a) If a group policy is other than a term plan of insurance, the policy shall contain a policy loan provision authorizing insureds to borrow upon the policy, unless the loan value of certificates issued under the policy is established by federal law. The policy loan provision may include one or more of the following conditions:

(i) The borrower has held a certificate under the policy for a minimum period, not to exceed three years;

(ii) No premium on the policy is in default beyond the grace period for payment;

(iii) A minimum loan amount, not to exceed one thousand dollars;

(iv) The borrower accepts an adjustable interest rate charge, not to exceed two per cent above the rate used to compute the cash surrender value.

(b) For purposes of the policy loan provision, the loan value of a certificate shall equal one of the following:

(i) Ninety per cent of the cash surrender value of the certificate at the time that the loan is made, less any outstanding indebtedness including any unpaid interest not already deducted;

(ii) The cash surrender value of the certificate at the time that the loan is made, less any outstanding indebtedness including any unpaid interest not already deducted, less the amount needed to pay the certificate's cost of insurance charges and expenses for as long as three months after the time that the loan is made.

Section 3917.07 | Assigning policy rights.

• Effective: November 16, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 193 - 126th General Assembly

No provision in section 3917.06 of the Revised Code shall prohibit a person whose life is insured under any such policy of group life insurance from making an assignment of all or any part of the person's incidents of ownership under such policy including specifically, but not by way of limitation, any right to designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries thereunder and any right to have an individual policy issued to the person in accordance with division (H) or (I) of section 3917.06 of the Revised Code. Subject to the terms of the policy relating to assignment of incidents of ownership thereunder, such an assignment by an insured, made either before or after the effective date of this section, is valid for the purpose of vesting in the assignee, in accordance with any provisions included therein as to the time at which it is to be effective, all of such incidents of ownership so assigned, but without prejudice to the insurer on account of any payment it may make or individual policy it may issue in accordance with division (H) or (I) of section 3917.06 of the Revised Code prior to receipt of notice of the assignment.