A contractor shall not, except for good and substantial cause, be entitled to legal defense and indemnification by the Attorney General pursuant to this act unless within 10 calendar days of receipt of any summons, complaint, process, notice, demand or pleading subject to legal defense and indemnification, the contractor delivers, by certified mail or personal delivery, the original or a copy of the summons, complaint, process, notice, demand or pleading to the department or other contracting agency, and the Attorney General. Delivery of notice shall constitute an agreement by the contractor that the Attorney General shall be responsible for the conduct of the defense for the claim amount in excess of the contractor's deductible in a manner that the Attorney General deems to be in the best interests of the contractor and the State, including authority to enter into a negotiated settlement of that excess amount. The contractor shall cooperate fully with the Attorney General's defense.
The Attorney General shall submit a certified voucher to the State for payment of the amount of the judgment or settlement and court costs.
No settlement shall be entered into by a contractor or his authorized representative if the amount of the settlement exceeds the contractor's deductible unless the settlement is approved by the Attorney General. If the contractor enters into such a settlement without the Attorney General's approval, this shall be deemed a waiver by the contractor of any right to indemnification for the settlement.
N.J.S. § 58:10-23.11f13