AN ACT Relating to minimum liability insurance coverage for certain towing expenses; and amending RCW 46.29.090.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1.  RCW 46.29.090 and 1980 c 117 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) No policy or bond is effective under RCW 46.29.080 unless issued by an insurance company or surety company authorized to do business in this state, except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, nor unless such policy or bond is subject, if the accident has resulted in bodily injury or death, to a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident and, subject to said limit for one person, to a limit of not less than fifty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and if the accident has resulted in injury to, or destruction of, property to a limit of not less than ten thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident and if the accident has resulted in costs and fees being owed to a third party, such as for towing, recovery, and storage, to a limit of not less than five thousand dollars.

(2) No policy or bond is effective under RCW 46.29.080 with respect to any vehicle which was not registered in this state or was a vehicle which was registered elsewhere than in this state at the effective date of the policy or bond or the most recent renewal thereof, unless the insurance company or surety company issuing such policy or bond is authorized to do business in this state, or if said company is not authorized to do business in this state, unless it executes a power of attorney authorizing the director of licensing to accept service on its behalf of notice or process in any action upon such policy or bond arising out of such accident.

(3) The department may rely upon the accuracy of the information in a required report of an accident as to the existence of insurance or a bond unless and until the department has reason to believe that the information is erroneous.

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