Title 48 — Title 48 INSURANCE
101 chapters · 2,134 sections in this title.
RCW 48.17.005 Rule making.
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The commissioner may adopt rules to implement and administer this chapter.[ 2007 c 117 s 35.]
RCW 48.17.010 Definitions.
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The definitions in this section apply throughout this title unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Adjuster" means any person who either investigates and negotiates settlement relative to insurance claims, or applies the factual circumstances of an insurance claim to …
RCW 48.17.060 License required.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 6248-S.SL) ***(1) A person shall not sell, solicit, or negotiate insurance in this state for any line or lines of insurance unless the person is licensed for that line of authority in accordance with this chapter.(2) A person may not act as or hold him…
RCW 48.17.062 Insurance producer license not required under chapter 117, Laws of 2007.
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(1) Nothing in chapter 117, Laws of 2007 shall be construed to require an insurer to obtain an insurance producer license. In this section, the term "insurer" does not include an insurer's officers, directors, employees, subsidiaries, or affiliates.(2) A license as an insurance p…
RCW 48.17.063 Unlicensed activities—Acts committed in this state—Sanctions.
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(1) For the purpose of this section, an act is committed in this state if it is committed, in whole or in part, in the state of Washington, or affects persons or property within the state and relates to or involves an insurance contract, health care services contract, or health m…
RCW 48.17.065 Application of chapter to insurance producers appointed by health care service contractors, health maintenance organizations, or both.
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The provisions of this chapter shall apply to insurance producers appointed by either health care service contractors or health maintenance organizations, or both.[ 2007 c 117 s 5; 1983 c 202 s 7.]
RCW 48.17.067 Determining whether authorization exists—Burden on insurance producer or title insurance agent.
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Any insurance producer or title insurance agent soliciting, negotiating, or procuring an application for insurance or health care services in this state must make a good faith effort to determine whether the entity that is issuing the coverage is:(1) Authorized to transact insura…
RCW 48.17.071 Portable electronics—Application of chapter to adjusters—Duties of independent adjuster—Commissioner's authority.
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(1) An individual who collects claim information from, or furnishes claim information to, insureds or claimants, and who enters data is not an "adjuster" for the purpose of this chapter if both of the following are satisfied:(a) The individual's claim-related activity is limited …
RCW 48.17.090 Application for license—Commissioner's findings.
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(1) An individual applying for a resident insurance producer license shall make application to the commissioner on the uniform application and declare under penalty of refusal, suspension, or revocation of the license that the statements made in the application are true, correct,…
RCW 48.17.110 Examination of applicants—Exemptions—Rules.
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(1) A resident individual applying for an insurance producer license or an individual applying for an adjuster, including crop adjuster, license shall pass a written examination unless exempt under this section or RCW 48.17.175. The examination shall test the knowledge of the ind…
RCW 48.17.125 Examination questions—Confidentiality—Penalties.
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It is unlawful for any unauthorized person to remove, reproduce, duplicate, or distribute in any form, any question(s) used by the state of Washington to determine the qualifications and competence of insurance producers or adjusters required by Title 48 RCW to be licensed. This …
RCW 48.17.150 Continuing education courses and requirements—Rules.
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(1) The commissioner shall by rule establish minimum continuing education requirements for the renewal or reissuance of a license to an insurance producer.(2) The commissioner may by rule establish minimum continuing education requirements for the renewal or reissuance of a licen…
RCW 48.17.153 Agents selling federal flood insurance policies—Training requirements.
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(1) All Washington state licensed insurance agents who sell federal flood insurance policies must comply with the minimum training requirements of section 207 of the flood insurance reform act of 2004, and basic flood education as outlined at 70 C.F.R. Sec. 52117, or such later r…
RCW 48.17.160 Appointment of agents—Approval—Termination—Fees.
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(1) An insurance producer or title insurance agent shall not act as an agent of an insurer unless the insurance producer or title insurance agent becomes an appointed agent of that insurer. An insurance producer who is not acting as an agent of an insurer is not required to becom…
RCW 48.17.170 Insurance producers', title insurance agents', and adjusters' licenses—Authorized lines of authority—Definitions—Form and content of licenses.
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(1) Unless denied licensure under RCW 48.17.530, persons who have met the requirements of RCW 48.17.090 and 48.17.110 shall be issued an insurance producer license. An insurance producer may receive a license in one or more of the following lines of authority:(a) "Life," which is…
RCW 48.17.173 Nonresident license request—Conditions for approval—Service of legal process.
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(1) Unless denied licensure under RCW 48.17.530, a nonresident person must receive a nonresident producer license for the line or lines of authority under RCW 48.17.170 which is substantially equivalent to the line or lines of authority granted to the nonresident person in the pe…
RCW 48.17.175 In-state applicant has license in another state.
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(1) An individual who applies for an insurance producer license in this state who was previously licensed for the same lines of authority in another state shall not be required to complete any prelicensing education or examination. This exemption is only available if the person i…
RCW 48.17.180 Doing business under any name other than legal name.
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An insurance producer or title insurance agent doing business under any name other than the insurance producer's or title insurance agent's legal name is required to register the name in accordance with chapter 19.80 RCW and notify the commissioner before using the assumed name.[…
RCW 48.17.250 Insurance producer's bond.
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(1) Every resident insurance producer licensed under this chapter on or after July 1, 2009, who places insurance either directly or indirectly with an insurer with which the insurance producer is not appointed as an agent must maintain in force while so licensed a bond in favor o…
RCW 48.17.270 Insurance producer as insurer's agent—Compensation—Disclosure.
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(1) The sole relationship between an insurance producer and an insurer as to which the insurance producer is appointed as an agent shall, as to transactions arising during the existence of such agency appointment, be that of insurer and agent.(2) Unless the agency-insurer agreeme…
RCW 48.17.380 Adjusters—Application form—Qualifications for license—Bond.
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(1) Application for a license to be an adjuster must be made to the commissioner upon forms furnished by the commissioner.(a) As a part of or in connection with the application, each resident applicant, and nonresident applicant designating Washington as the applicant's home stat…
RCW 48.17.390 Independent, public, or crop adjusters—Separate licenses.
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(1)(a) The commissioner may license:(i) An individual or business entity as an independent adjuster or as a public adjuster;(ii) An individual as a crop adjuster; and(b) Separate licenses shall be required for each type of adjuster.(2) An individual or business entity may be conc…
RCW 48.17.410 Authority of adjuster.
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An adjuster shall have authority under an adjuster's license only to either investigate and negotiate settlement relative to insurance claims, or apply the factual circumstances of an insurance claim to the insurance policy provisions, or both, to the adjuster's principal upon cl…
RCW 48.17.420 Appointed agent may adjust—When license or certification is required—Nonresident adjusters or crop adjusters.
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(1) An insurance producer or title insurance agent may from time to time act as an adjuster on behalf of and as authorized by an insurer for which an insurance producer or title insurance agent has been appointed as an agent and investigate and report upon claims without being re…
RCW 48.17.430 Public adjuster's bond.
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(1) Prior to the issuance of a license as public adjuster, the applicant therefor shall file with the commissioner and shall thereafter maintain in force while so licensed a surety bond in favor of the people of the state of Washington, executed by an authorized corporate surety …
RCW 48.17.450 Place of business.
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(1) Every licensed insurance producer, title insurance agent, and adjuster, other than an insurance producer licensed for life or disability insurances only, shall have and maintain in this state, or, if a nonresident insurance producer or title insurance agent, in this state or …
RCW 48.17.460 Display of license.
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The license or licenses of each insurance producer, title insurance agent, or adjuster shall be displayed in a conspicuous place in that part of the place of business which is customarily open to the public.[ 2007 c 117 s 23; 1947 c 79 s .17.46; Rem. Supp. 1947 s 45.17.46.]
RCW 48.17.470 Records of insurance producers, title insurance agents, adjusters.
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(1) Every insurance producer, title insurance agent, or adjuster shall retain a record of all transactions consummated under the license. This record shall be in organized form and shall include:(a) If an insurance producer or title insurance agent:(i) A record of each insurance …
RCW 48.17.475 Licensee to reply promptly to inquiry by commissioner.
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(1) Every insurance producer, title insurance agent, adjuster, or other person licensed under this chapter shall timely respond in writing to an inquiry of the commissioner sent to a person's mailing address relative to the business of insurance. A timely response is one that is …
RCW 48.17.480 Reporting and accounting for premiums.
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(1) An insurance producer, title insurance agent, or any other representative of an insurer involved in the procuring or issuance of an insurance contract shall report to the insurer the exact amount of consideration charged as premium for such contract, and such amount shall lik…
RCW 48.17.490 Must be licensed to receive a commission, service fee, or other valuable consideration.
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(1) An insurance company, insurance producer, or title insurance agent shall not pay a commission, service fee, or other valuable consideration to a person for selling, soliciting, or negotiating insurance in this state if that person is required to be licensed under this chapter…
RCW 48.17.510 Temporary licenses—Restrictions—Commissioner's discretion.
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(1) The commissioner may issue a temporary insurance producer license for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty days without requiring an examination if the commissioner deems that the temporary license is necessary for the servicing of an insurance business in the following …
RCW 48.17.530 Commissioner may place on probation, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew a license.
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(1) The commissioner may place on probation, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew an adjuster's license, an insurance producer's license, a title insurance agent's license, or any surplus line broker's license, or may levy a civil penalty in accordance with RCW 48.17.560 …
RCW 48.17.535 License or certificate suspension—Noncompliance with support order—Reissuance.
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The commissioner shall immediately suspend the license or certificate of a person who has been certified pursuant to RCW 74.20A.320 by the department of social and health services as a person who is not in compliance with a support order or a *residential or visitation order. If …
RCW 48.17.540 Procedure to suspend, revoke, or refuse—Effect of conviction of felony.
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(1) The commissioner may revoke or refuse to renew any license issued under this chapter, or any surplus line broker's license, immediately and without hearing, upon sentencing of the licensee for conviction of a felony by final judgment of any court of competent jurisdiction, if…
RCW 48.17.550 Duration of suspension.
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Every order suspending any such license shall specify the period during which suspension will be effective, and which period shall in no event exceed twelve months.[1947 c 79 s .17.55; Rem. Supp. 1947 s 45.17.55.]
RCW 48.17.560 Fines may be imposed.
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After hearing or upon stipulation by the licensee or insurance education provider, and in addition to or in lieu of the suspension, revocation, or refusal to renew any such license or insurance education provider approval, the commissioner may levy a fine upon the licensee or ins…
RCW 48.17.563 Insurance education providers—Commissioner's approval—Renewal fee.
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(1) The commissioner may require insurance education providers to furnish specific information regarding their curricula, faculty, methods of monitoring attendance, and other matters reasonably related to providing insurance education under this chapter. The commissioner may gran…
RCW 48.17.565 Insurance education providers—Violations—Costs awarded.
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If an investigation of any insurance education provider culminates in a finding by the commissioner or by any court of competent jurisdiction, that the insurance education provider has failed to comply with or has violated any statute or regulation pertaining to insurance educati…
RCW 48.17.568 Insurance education providers—Bond.
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In addition to the regulatory requirements imposed pursuant to RCW 48.17.150, the commissioner may require each insurance education provider to post a bond, cash deposit, or irrevocable letter of credit. Every insurance education provider, other than an insurer, health care servi…
RCW 48.17.591 Termination of agency contract—Effect on insured—Definition—Application of section.
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(1) No insurer authorized to do business in this state may cancel or refuse to renew any policy because that insurer's contract with the independent insurance producer through whom such policy is written has been terminated by the insurer, the insurance producer, or by mutual agr…
RCW 48.17.595 Termination of business relationship with an insurance producer or title insurance agent—Notice—Confidentiality of information—Immunity from civil liability.
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(1) An insurer or authorized representative of the insurer that terminates the appointment, employment, contract, or other insurance business relationship with an insurance producer or title insurance agent shall notify the commissioner within thirty days following the effective …
RCW 48.17.597 Administrative action taken against a licensee in another jurisdiction or governmental agency—Report to commissioner.
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(1) An insurance producer, title insurance agent, or adjuster shall report to the commissioner any administrative action taken against the insurance producer, title insurance agent, or adjuster in another jurisdiction or by another governmental agency in this state within thirty …
RCW 48.17.600 Separation of premium funds.
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(1) All funds representing premiums or return premiums received by an insurance producer or title insurance agent in the insurance producer's or title insurance agent's fiduciary capacity shall be accounted for and maintained in a separate account from all other business and pers…
RCW 48.17.901 Effective date—2007 c 117.
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This act takes effect July 1, 2009.[ 2007 c 117 s 40.]
RCW 48.17.902 Construction—Chapter applicable to state registered domestic partnerships—2009 c 521.
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For the purposes of this chapter, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to …