RCW 48.18.558 Property Insurers-Assistance to Prevent Or Reduce Severity of Claims Or Losses-Prior Approval of Commissioner-Pilot Program Permitted

• Library: Washington Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through the 2023 1st Special Session
• Year: 2023
• Citation: RCW 48.18.558

(1) With the prior approval of the commissioner, a property insurer may include the following either goods or services, or both, intended to reduce either the probability of loss, or the extent of loss, or both, from a covered event as part of a policy of property insurance, except commercial property insurance:

(a) Goods, including a water monitor;

(b) Foundation strapping to mitigate losses due to earthquake;

(c) Ongoing services, including home safety monitoring or brush clearing to mitigate losses due to wildfire; and

(d) Other either goods or services, or both, as the commissioner may identify by rule.

(2) Any goods provided are owned by the insured, even if the insurance is subsequently canceled.

(3) The value of goods and services to be provided is limited to one thousand five hundred dollars in value in the aggregate in any twelve-month period.

(4) In order to receive prior approval of the commissioner, and except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, the property insurer must include the following in its rate filing:

(a) A description of either the specific goods or services, or both, to be offered;

(b) A description of the method of delivering either the specific goods or services, or both, being offered; and

(c) The selection criteria for insureds receiving either the specific goods or services, or both, being offered.

(5) This section does not require the commissioner to approve any particular proposed benefit. The commissioner may disapprove any proposed noninsurance benefit that the commissioner determines may tend to promote or facilitate the violation of any other section of this title. However, if the commissioner approves the inclusion of either the goods or services, or both, in a policy of property insurance, except commercial property insurance, it does not constitute a violation of RCW 48.30.140 or 48.30.150.

(6)

(a) A property insurer may conduct a pilot program as either a risk mitigation or prevention, or both, strategy through which the insurer offers or provides risk mitigation and/or prevention goods and/or services identified in subsection (1) of this section in connection with an insurance policy covering property risks, except commercial property insurance, in accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner.