[§132-4.5]  Investigation of fires; immunityfor information received from insurers.  (a)  The fire chief of each countymay require any insurer in writing to release information relating to anyinvestigation the insurer has made concerning a loss or potential loss due tofire of suspicious or incendiary origin which information shall include but notbe limited to:

(1)  An insurance policy relating to such loss;

(2)  Policy premium records;

(3)  History of previous claims; and

(4)  Other relevant material relating to such loss orpotential loss.

(b)  If any insurer has reason to suspect thata fire loss to its insured's real or personal property was caused by incendiarymeans, the insurer shall furnish the county fire chief with all relevantmaterial acquired during its investigation of the fire loss, cooperate with andtake such action as may be required of it by the county fire chief, and permitany person ordered by the court to inspect any of its records pertaining to thepolicy and the loss.  Such insurer may request the county fire chief to releaseinformation relating to any investigation the fire chief has made concerningany such fire loss of suspicious or incendiary origin.

(c)  In the absence of fraud, malice, orcriminal act, no insurer or person who furnishes information on its behalf,shall be liable for damages in a civil action or be subject to criminalprosecution for any oral or written statement made that is necessary to supplyinformation required pursuant to this section.

(d)  The county fire chief receiving anyinformation furnished pursuant to this section shall hold the information inconfidence until such time as its release is required in furtherance of acriminal or civil proceeding.

(e)  The county fire chief, in person or by officersor members of the fire chief's fire department, may be required to testify asto any information in the fire chief's possession regarding the fire loss ofreal or personal property in any civil action in which any person seeksrecovery under a policy against any insurance company for the fire loss. [L1979, c 215, §1; gen ch 1985]