(1) For purposes of Title 39, chapter 71, MCA, except those which require a signature under oath, the department accepts electronic signatures as follows:

(a) an electronic scan or photocopy of a manual signature for documents transmitted to the department by fax or attached to electronic mail or File Transfer Service in portable document format; or

(b) a signature properly authenticated and verified by an electronic signature for which appropriate auditable records are available. Audit reports or records supporting the signature must be produced to the department upon request.  

(2) An insurer may, at its discretion, require a document being submitted directly to it to bear an original manual signature.