§ 356.7 - Destruction of records.

(a) General authority. Records described in these regulations may be destroyed after having been preserved for the prescribed periods.

(b) Special authority. Special authority is required before records described in these regulations may be destroyed prior to the end of the prescribed retention periods. Applications for special authority must describe in detail the nature and purpose of the records in question and the reasons continued retention is no longer considered necessary (see § 356.10).

(c) Method of destruction These regulations require that records be preserved for specified periods. Upon expiration of these periods, records may be destroyed in any manner if the company so elects. Precaution should be taken, however, to shred or otherwise destroy the legibility of any records, the content of which is forbidden by law to be divulged to unauthorized persons.

(d) Premature destruction or loss of records. When records are destroyed or lost before the expiration of the prescribed retention periods, a statement shall be prepared listing, as accurately as possible, the records destroyed or lost and describing the circumstances under which they were destroyed or lost. The statement shall be certified by an officer of the carrier and filed with the officer having supervision over preservation of records. A copy of the statement shall also be filed with the Secretary's Office of this Commission within ninety (90) days from the discovery of the premature destruction or loss.