ESB 5530 -
By Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 48.18 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) No life insurer may deny or refuse to accept an application for
insurance, or refuse to insure, refuse to renew, cancel, restrict, or
otherwise terminate a policy of insurance, or charge a different rate
for the same coverage, based upon the applicant's or insured person's
past or future lawful travel destinations.
(2) Nothing in this section prohibits a life insurer from excluding
or limiting coverage of specific lawful travel, or charging a
differential rate for such coverage, when bona fide statistical
differences in risk or exposure have been substantiated."
EFFECT: A life insurer may not deny, exclude, limit coverage, or charge a different rate based on past or future lawful travel unless bona fide statistical differences in risk or exposure are substantiated.