RCW 48.18.553 Victims of Hate Crime Offenses-Restrictions of Underwriting Actions-Definitions

• Library: Washington Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through the 2023 1st Special Session
• Year: 2023
• Citation: RCW 48.18.553

(1) For the purposes of this section:

(a) "Insured" means a current policyholder or a person or entity that is covered under the insurance policy.

(b) "Hate crime offense" has the same meaning as RCW 9A.36.080. Under this section, the perpetrator does not have to be identified for a hate crime offense to have occurred.

(c) "Underwriting action" means an insurer:

(i) Cancels or refuses to renew an insurance policy; or

(ii) Changes the terms or benefits in an insurance policy.

(2) This section applies to property insurance policies if the insured is:

(a) An individual;

(b) A religious organization;

(c) An educational organization; or

(d) Any other nonprofit organization that is organized and operated for religious, charitable, or educational purposes.

(3) An insurer may not take an underwriting action on a policy described in subsection (2) of this section because an insured has made one or more insurance claims for any loss that occurred during the preceding sixty months that is the result of a hate crime offense. An insurer may take an underwriting action due to other factors that are not prohibited by this subsection.