Title 48, INSURANCE

(1) Except under subsection (3) of this section, before the commissioner issues a license to any person required to obtain a license under RCW 48.155.020, the person seeking to operate a discount plan organization must have a net worth of at least one hundred fifty thousand dolla…

(1) Each licensed discount plan organization shall continuously maintain in force a surety bond in its own name in an amount not less than thirty-five thousand dollars to be used in the discretion of the commissioner to protect the financial interest of Washington members. The bo…

(1) The commissioner may conduct investigations to determine whether any person has violated any provision of this chapter and may, if the commissioner has a reason to believe that the discount plan organization is not complying with the requirements of this chapter, examine the …

(1) A discount plan organization may charge a periodic charge as well as a reasonable one-time processing fee of no more than thirty dollars for a discount plan, or such other amount as established by rule, but may not require payment of these or any other charges or fees by dire…

(1)(a) A discount plan organization shall have a written health care provider agreement with all health care providers for whose health care services it provides access to a discount to its members. The written health care provider agreement may be entered into directly with the …

(1) A discount plan organization may market its products directly to consumers or contract with marketers for the distribution of its discount plans. (2)(a) The discount plan organization shall have an executed written agreement with a marketer prior to the marketer's marketing, …

(1)(a) All advertisements, marketing efforts, promotions, marketing materials, discount plan documents, brochures, discount plan cards, and any other communications of a discount plan organization provided to prospective members and members must be truthful and not misleading in …

Each discount plan organization shall provide the commissioner at least thirty days' advance notice of any change in the discount plan organization's name, address, principal business address, mailing address, toll-free telephone number, or internet website address. [ 2009 c 175 …

(1) If the information required in subsection (2) of this section is not provided at the time of renewal of a license under RCW 48.155.020, a discount plan organization shall file an annual report with the commissioner in the form prescribed by the commissioner no later than Marc…

Each discount plan organization shall designate and provide the commissioner with the name, address, and telephone number of the organization's compliance officer responsible for ensuring compliance with this chapter. [ 2009 c 175 s 15.]

(1) In lieu of or in addition to suspending or revoking a discount plan organization's license under *RCW 48.155.020(8), whenever the commissioner has cause to believe that any person is violating or is about to violate any provision of this chapter or any rules adopted under thi…

(1)(a) In addition to the penalties and other enforcement provisions of this chapter, the commissioner may seek both temporary and permanent injunctive relief when: (i) A discount plan is being operated by a person or entity that is not licensed under this chapter; or (ii) Any pe…

(1) The purpose of this chapter is to provide a framework within which guaranteed asset protection waivers are defined and may be offered within this state. (2) This chapter does not apply to: (a) An insurance policy offered by an insurer under this title; or (b) A federally regu…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Administrator" means a person, other than an insurer or creditor that performs administrative or operational functions pursuant to guaranteed asset protection waiver …

(1) This chapter applies only to guaranteed asset protection waivers for financing of motor vehicles as defined in this chapter. Any person or entity must register with the commissioner before marketing, offering for sale or selling a guaranteed asset protection waiver, and befor…

(1) Waivers may be offered, sold, or provided to borrowers in this state in compliance with this chapter. (2) Waivers may, at the option of the creditor, be sold for a single payment or may be offered with a monthly or periodic payment option. (3) Notwithstanding any other provis…

(1) Contractual liability or other insurance policies insuring waivers must state the obligation of the insurer to reimburse or pay to the creditor any sums the creditor is legally obligated to waive under the waivers issued by the creditor and purchased or held by the borrower. …

Guaranteed asset protection waivers must disclose, as applicable, in writing and in clear, understandable language that is easy to read, the following: (1) The name and address of the initial creditor and the borrower at the time of sale, and the identity of any administrator if …

(1) Guaranteed asset protection waiver agreements may be cancellable or noncancellable after the free look period. Waivers must provide that if a borrower cancels a waiver within the free look period, the borrower will be entitled to a full refund of the purchase price, so long a…

(1) The commissioner may, subject to chapter 48.04 RCW, take action that is necessary or appropriate to enforce this chapter and to protect guaranteed asset protection waiver holders in this state, which includes: (a) Suspending, revoking, or refusing to issue the registration of…

(1) Any person who markets, offers for sale or sells a guaranteed asset protection waiver, or acts as an obligor for a guaranteed asset protection waiver without a registration, unless otherwise exempt from registration or exempt from this chapter, is acting in violation of this …

Chapter 334, Laws of 2009 is applicable to all guaranteed asset protection waiver agreements entered into on or after January 1, 2010. [ 2009 c 334 s 13.]

The legislature finds that: (1) The health care system in the nation and in Washington state costs nearly twice as much per capita as other industrialized nations. (2) The fragmentation and variation in administrative processes prevalent in our health care system contribute to th…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Commissioner" means the insurance commissioner as established under chapter 48.02 RCW. (2) "Health care provider" or "provider" has the same meaning as in RCW 48.43.0…

(1) The commissioner shall designate one or more lead organizations to coordinate development of processes, guidelines, and standards to streamline health care administration and to be adopted by payors and providers of health care services operating in the state. The lead organi…

(1) The insurance commissioner must reauthorize the efforts with the lead organization established in RCW 48.165.030, and establish a new work group to develop recommendations for prior authorization requirements. The focus of the prior authorization efforts must include the full…

By December 31, 2010, the lead organization shall: (1) Develop a uniform electronic process for collecting and transmitting the necessary provider-supplied data to support credentialing, admitting privileges, and other related processes that: (a) Reduces the administrative burden…

The lead organization shall: (1) Establish a uniform standard companion document and data set for electronic eligibility and coverage verification. Such a companion guide will: (a) Be based on nationally accepted ANSI X12 270/271 standards for eligibility inquiry and response and…

(1) By December 31, 2010, the lead organization shall develop implementation guidelines and promote widespread adoption of such guidelines for: (a) The use of the national correct coding initiative code edit policy by payors and providers in the state; (b) Publishing any variatio…

(1) By December 31, 2010, the lead organization shall: (a) Develop and promote widespread adoption by payors and providers of guidelines to: (i) Ensure payors do not automatically deny claims for services when extenuating circumstances make it impossible for the provider to: (A) …

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Commissioner" means the insurance commissioner of this state. (2) "Occupant" means a person, or his or her sublessee, successor, or assign, who is entitled to the use…

The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement and administer this chapter. [ 2009 c 119 s 9.]

(1) An owner; or officer, director, or employee of an owner; may not offer, sell, or solicit the purchase of self-service storage insurance unless that person is: (a) Licensed as an insurance producer with a property line of authority under chapter 48.17 RCW; or (b) Licensed as a…

An owner may apply to be licensed as a self-service storage insurance producer under, and if in compliance with, this chapter by filing the following documents with the commissioner: (1) A written application for licensure, signed by the applicant or by an officer of the applican…

An owner issued a self-service storage insurance producer license under this chapter is not subject to the prelicensure or continuing education requirements in chapter 48.17 RCW. [ 2009 c 119 s 4.]

(1) A self-service storage insurance producer license authorizes a self-service storage insurance producer and its employees to offer and sell to, enroll in, and bill and collect premiums from occupants for insurance covering the loss of or damage to personal property stored at a…

A self-service storage insurance producer may not solicit insurance under RCW 48.170.010 unless: (1) At every location where occupants are enrolled in self-service storage insurance programs, written disclosure material regarding the program is made available to prospective occup…

The written disclosure material required in RCW 48.170.050(1) must: (1) Summarize the material terms of insurance coverage offered to occupants, including the name, address, telephone number of the insurer, price, benefits, exclusions, and conditions; (2) Prominently and conspicu…

(1) An employee of a self-service storage insurance producer may be authorized to offer, sell, or solicit self-service storage insurance under the authority of the self-service storage insurance producer's license, if all of the following conditions have been satisfied: (a) The e…

This act takes effect July 1, 2010. [ 2009 c 119 s 13.]

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Commercial transportation services" or "services" means all times the driver is logged in to a commercial transportation services provider's digital network or softwa…

This chapter is intended to provide authority for two or more nonprofit corporations to participate in a joint self-insurance program covering property or liability risks. This chapter provides nonprofit corporations with the authority to jointly self-insure property and liabilit…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Nonprofit corporation" or "corporation" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 24.03A.010. (2) "Property and liability risks" includes the risk of property damage or …

(1) The governing body of a nonprofit corporation may join or form a self-insurance program together with one or more other nonprofit corporations, and may jointly purchase insurance or reinsurance with one or more other nonprofit corporations for property and liability risks onl…

This chapter does not apply to a nonprofit corporation that: (1) Individually self-insures for property and liability risks; (2) Participates in a risk pooling arrangement, including a risk retention group or a risk purchasing group, regulated under chapter 48.92 RCW, or is a cap…

The state risk manager shall adopt rules governing the management and operation of joint self-insurance programs for nonprofit corporations that cover property or liability risks. All rules must be appropriate for the type of program and class of risk covered. The state risk mana…