(a) An insured may not be required to use the department’s mediation process. An insurer may not be required to use the department’s mediation process, except as provided in Section 10089.75.

(b) Neither the insurer nor the insured is required to accept an agreement proposed during the mediation.

(c) If the parties agree to a settlement agreement, the insured will have three business days to rescind the agreement. Notwithstanding Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1115) of Division 9 of the Evidence Code, if the insured rescinds the agreement, it may not be admitted in evidence or disclosed unless the insured and all other parties to the agreement expressly agree to its disclosure. If the agreement is not rescinded by the insured, it is binding on the insured and the insurer, and acts as a release of all specific claims for damages known at the time of the mediation presented and agreed upon in the mediation conference. If counsel for the insured is present at the mediation conference and a settlement is agreed upon that is signed by the insured’s counsel, the agreement is immediately binding on the insured and may not be rescinded.

(d) This section does not affect rights under existing law for claims for damage that were undetected at the time of the settlement conference.

(e) All settlements reached as a result of department-referred mediation shall address only those issues raised for the purpose of resolution. Settlements and any accompanying releases are not effective to settle or resolve any claim or dispute not addressed by the mediator for the purpose of resolution, nor any claim that the insured may have related to the insurer’s conduct in handling the claim. However, for mediations conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 10089.70, the insurer and insured may agree to a complete settlement and release of all disputes related to the claim, including any claim the insured may have related to the insurer’s conduct in handling the claim, provided the legal effect of the release is disclosed and fully explained to the claimant by the mediator.

Referral to mediation or the pendency of a mediation under this article is not a basis to prevent or stay the filing of civil litigation arising in whole or in part out of the same facts. Any applicable statute of limitations or limitation on the insured’s right to sue as set forth in Section 2071 is tolled for the number of days beginning from the notification date to the insurer pursuant to Section 10089.72, until the date on which the mediation is either completed or declined, or the date on which the insured fails to appear for a scheduled mediation for the second time, or, in the event that a settlement is completed, the expiration of any applicable three-business-day cooling off period.

(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 448, Sec. 3.5. Effective January 1, 2006.)