By Representative Stanford

ADOPTED 3/10/2015

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"Sec. 1.  RCW 48.30.140 and 2009 c 329 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except to the extent provided for in an applicable filing with the commissioner then in effect, no insurer, insurance producer, or title insurance agent shall, as an inducement to insurance, or after insurance has been effected, directly or indirectly, offer, promise, allow, give, set off, or pay to the insured or to any employee of the insured, any rebate, discount, abatement, or reduction of premium or any part thereof named in any insurance contract, or any commission thereon, or earnings, profits, dividends, or other benefit, or any other valuable consideration or inducement whatsoever which is not expressly provided for in the policy.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply as to commissions paid to a licensed insurance producer, or title insurance agent for insurance placed on that person's own property or risks.

(3) This section shall not apply to the allowance by any marine insurer, or marine insurance producer, to any insured, in connection with marine insurance, of such discount as is sanctioned by custom among marine insurers as being additional to the insurance producer's commission.

(4) This section shall not apply to advertising or promotional programs conducted by insurers((,)) or insurance producers((, or title insurance agents)) whereby prizes, goods, wares, gift cards, gift certificates, or merchandise, not exceeding ((twenty-five)) one hundred dollars in value per person in the aggregate in any twelve month period, are given to all insureds or prospective insureds under similar qualifying circumstances. This subsection does not apply to title insurers or title insurance agents.

(5) This section does not apply to an offset or reimbursement of all or part of a fee paid to an insurance producer as provided in RCW 48.17.270.

(6)(a) Subsection (1) of this section shall not be construed to prohibit a health carrier or disability insurer from including as part of a group or individual health benefit plan or contract containing health benefits, a wellness program which meets the requirements for an exception from the prohibition against discrimination based on a health factor under the health insurance portability and accountability act (P.L. 104-191; 110 Stat. 1936) and regulations adopted pursuant to that act.

(b) For purposes of this subsection: (i) "Health carrier" and "health benefit plan" have the same meaning as provided in RCW 48.43.005; and (ii) "wellness program" has the same meaning as provided in 45 C.F.R. 146.121(f).

Sec. 2.  RCW 48.30.150 and 2009 c 329 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) No insurer, insurance producer, title insurance agent, or other person shall, as an inducement to insurance, or in connection with any insurance transaction, provide in any policy for, or offer, or sell, buy, or offer or promise to buy or give, or promise, or allow to, or on behalf of, the insured or prospective insured in any manner whatsoever:

(a) Any shares of stock or other securities issued or at any time to be issued on any interest therein or rights thereto; or

(b) Any special advisory board contract, or other contract, agreement, or understanding of any kind, offering, providing for, or promising any profits or special returns or special dividends((; or)).

(((c) Any)) (2) Insurers, except title insurers and title insurance agents, and insurance producers may offer prizes, goods, wares, gift cards, gift certificates, or merchandise ((of)) that does not exceed an aggregate value ((in excess)) of ((twenty-five)) one hundred dollars per person in any consecutive twelve-month period.

(((2))) (3) Subsection (1) of this section shall not be deemed to prohibit the sale or purchase of securities as a condition to or in connection with surety insurance insuring the performance of an obligation as part of a plan of financing found by the commissioner to be designed and operated in good faith primarily for the purpose of such financing, nor shall it be deemed to prohibit the sale of redeemable securities of a registered investment company in the same transaction in which life insurance is sold.

(((3))) (4)(a) Subsection (1) of this section shall not be deemed to prohibit a health carrier or disability insurer from including as part of a group or individual health benefit plan or contract providing health benefits, a wellness program which meets the requirements for an exception from the prohibition against discrimination based on a health factor under the health insurance portability and accountability act (P.L. 104-191; 110 Stat. 1936) and regulations adopted pursuant to that act.

(b) For purposes of this subsection: (i) "Health carrier" and "health benefit plan" have the same meaning as provided in RCW 48.43.005; and (ii) "wellness program" has the same meaning as provided in 45 C.F.R. 146.121(f).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 48.30 RCW to read as follows:

(1) An insurance producer may give to an individual, prizes, goods, wares, gift cards, gift certificates, or merchandise not exceeding one hundred dollars in value per person in any consecutive twelve-month period for the referral of insurance business to the insurance producer, if the giving of the prizes, goods, wares, gift cards, gift certificates, or merchandise is not conditioned upon the person who is referred applying for or obtaining insurance through the insurance producer.

(2) The payment for the referral must not be in cash, currency, bills, coins, check, or by money order.

(3) The provisions of RCW 48.30.140 and 48.30.150 do not apply to prizes, goods, wares, gift cards, gift certificates, or merchandise given to a person in compliance with subsections (1) and (2) of this section.

(4) Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2) of this section, an insurance producer may pay to an unlicensed individual who is neither an insured nor a prospective insured a referral fee conditioned on the submission of an application if made in compliance with the provisions of RCW 48.17.490(4).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 48.30 RCW to read as follows:

(1) An insurance producer may sponsor events for, or make contributions to a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization, if the sponsorship or contribution is not conditioned upon the organization applying for or obtaining insurance through the insurance producer.

(2) For purposes of this section, a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization is:

(a) Any nonprofit corporation duly existing under the provisions of chapter 24.03 RCW for charitable, benevolent, eleemosynary, educational, civic, patriotic, political, social, fraternal, cultural, athletic, scientific, agricultural, or horticultural purposes;

(b) Any professional, commercial, industrial, or trade association;

(c) Any organization duly existing under the provisions of chapter 24.12, 24.20, or 24.28 RCW;

(d) Any agricultural fair authorized under the provisions of chapter 15.76 or 36.37 RCW; or

(e) Any nonprofit organization, whether incorporated or otherwise, when determined by the commissioner to be organized and operated for one or more of the purposes described in (a) through (d) of this subsection.

(3) RCW 48.30.140 and 48.30.150 do not apply to sponsorships or charitable contributions that are provided or given in compliance with subsection (1) of this section."

Correct the title.

EFFECT: (1) Clarifies that prizes, goods, or merchandise allowed to insureds or prospective insureds as an inducement to purchase insurance are limited to $100 total per person in any 12-month period.

(2) Removes provisions that required the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to adjust every 5 years the allowable limits for prizes, goods, or merchandise based upon the Consumer Price Index.

(3) Increases from $25 to $100 the amount that an insurance producer may provide for a referral in a consecutive 12-month period.

(4) Clarifies when an insurance producer may pay a referral fee to an individual, conditioned on an application for insurance by the individual referred.

(5) Clarifies which entities may be considered bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations for which insurers may sponsor events or make contributions.

(6) Makes a technical correction regarding the prohibition against title insurers and title insurance agents offering goods or merchandise as an inducement to purchase insurance.