# Virginia HB437: Insurance; standards of conduct for public adjusters, unauthorized practice of public adjusting. Virginia HB437, Insurance; standards of conduct for public adjusters, unauthorized practice of public adjusting., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Destiny LeVere Bolling (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0142)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB437-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB437 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Insurance; standards of conduct for public adjusters, unauthorized practice of public adjusting. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-12 - Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0142) - Sponsor: Destiny LeVere Bolling (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 8 (321 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 10 ## Summary Insurance; standards of conduct for public adjusters; unauthorized practice of public adjusting. Prohibits any person who does not hold a valid public adjuster license from soliciting, investigating, negotiating, adjusting, or providing advice to a policyholder, in relation to a first party claim arising under an insurance contract that insures the real or personal property of a policyholder, for the purpose of effecting the settlement of a claim on behalf of the policyholder. The bill prohibits any public adjuster from assisting in a claim where the policyholder has improperly assigned the duties, rights, or benefits under the relevant policy to any contractor or vendor. The bill adds requirements for advertisements by public adjusters, and excludes certain materials from being considered advertisements. The bill also includes specific standards of conduct for public adjusters regarding vulnerable adults, as defined in the bill, and contains technical amendments. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Clear contracts and cancellation rights for policyholders: benefit, low. Public adjusters must use written contracts listing their identity, license number, contacts, services, loss details, fees, signatures, and cancellation rights. Contracts must include a bond statement when required. A separate disclosure explains that hiring an adjuster is optional, the adjuster is… - Clearer public adjuster ads for consumers: benefit, low. Only licensed public adjusters or firms can advertise public-adjusting services, and knowingly false or misleading claims are banned. Ads must show the responsible adjuster's full name and license number; firms with several adjusters must name one responsible adjuster. Written or electronic ads usi… - Licensed claim help for Virginia policyholders: benefit, low. Virginia requires a public-adjuster license to offer, advertise, or perform covered help with policyholders' own property-insurance claims. Covered work includes preparing claims, investigating losses, advising policyholders, and negotiating settlements; specified liability and third-party claims a… - Limits on public adjuster fees: benefit, low. Public adjusters cannot demand or accept fees, retainers, deposits, or other things of value before a claim settles. Fees must be fair and reasonable for the work and include costs for estimating and settling the claim. For claims adjusted during a catastrophic disaster, total fees and expenses can… - Policyholders gain control over claim decisions: benefit, low. Public adjusters must deal fairly and honestly and disclose compensation terms in writing. They need your written approval to settle a claim or acquire interests in damaged property kept after a loss. They cannot represent both sides of the same claim or serve as its appraiser or umpire after adjus… - Safer handling of policyholders' claim money: benefit, low. Public adjusters holding claim money for policyholders must keep it separate from their own money and maintain records. They must deposit it by the close of the second business day into a separate trust account that earns no interest. The account must be at a financial institution licensed in Virgi… - Safer settlement checks for policyholders: benefit, low. Public-adjuster contracts cannot collect percentage fees on money the insurer owes but has not paid. Fees must come proportionally from each check, rather than entirely from the first check. Contracts cannot require checks payable only to the adjuster or impose collection costs or late fees. An adj… - Stronger oversight protects public adjuster clients: benefit, low. The Virginia State Corporation Commission can investigate misconduct and deny, suspend, revoke, or place public-adjuster licenses on probation. Grounds include fraud, insurance-law violations, mishandled funds, exploiting vulnerable adults, unauthorized adjusting, and knowingly accepting unlawfully… - Adjuster businesses face license-ending deadlines: cost, low. A resident public adjuster's license authority ends immediately when the adjuster moves out of Virginia. A firm losing its only responsible adjuster must name a replacement and notify the Commission within 30 calendar days. Missing that deadline ends the firm's license authority. The Bureau must te… - Claim data protected, investigation access limited: mixed, low. Public adjusters must use written security programs with administrative, technical, and physical safeguards suited to their business size and work. Commission records under this law are confidential and privileged, generally blocking public inspection, subpoenas, discovery, and use in private civil… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Destiny LeVere Bolling (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-26 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-25 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-25 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-23 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor | pass | 15 | 0 | | | 2026-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 1 | | | 2026-02-04 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 | | | 2026-01-29 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2026-01-27 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 9 | 0 | | ## Actions (32) - 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0142) (Governor) - 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 142 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB437) (House) - 2026-03-03: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB437ER) (House) - 2026-03-03: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-03: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB437) (House) - 2026-02-26: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Reported from Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-04: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House) - 2026-02-04: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 1-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-03: Engrossed by House as amended (House) - 2026-02-03: committee amendments agreed to (House) - 2026-02-03: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-02: Read first time (House) - 2026-01-29: Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-27: House subcommittee offered (House) - 2026-01-27: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (9-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB437) (House) - 2026-01-19: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #1 (House) - 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House) - 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103589D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216646.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216645.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187060.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187059.PDF) - Engrossed, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104833.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104832.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103508.HTML) - Amendment, 2026-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098963.HTML) - Amendment, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098426.HTML) - Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084438.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084437.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216646.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216645.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187060.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187059.PDF) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104833.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104832.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103508.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098963.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098426.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084438.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084437.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB437-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).