Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Unfair practices rules regarding personal injury protection (PIP).

     Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: WAC 284-30-500 (2)(b), adopted in 1987, sets minimum standards for personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. RCW 48.22.095, enacted during the 2003 legislative session, sets different minimum standards for PIP coverage. Because the later-adopted law conflicts with the rule, the rule will be repealed. This requires a rewrite of WAC 284-30-500; however, the only substantive change is the repeal of the PIP standards.

     Reasons Supporting Proposal: This proposed rule making eliminates WAC 284-30-500 (2)(b) and eliminates the conflict.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 48.02.060.

     Statute Being Implemented: RCW 48.30.010.

     Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

     Name of Proponent: Mike Kreidler, insurance commissioner, governmental.

     Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Kacy Scott, P.O. Box 40258, Olympia, WA 98504-0258, (360) 725-7041; Implementation: John Hamje, P.O. Box 40255, Olympia, WA 98504-0255, (360) 725-7262; and Enforcement: Carol Sureau, P.O. Box 40255, Olympia, WA 98504-0255, (360) 725-7050.

July 2, 2007

Mike Kreidler

Insurance Commissioner

OTS-9817.2

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order R 87-5, filed 4/21/87)

WAC 284-30-500   Unfair practices with respect to vehicle insurance.   (1) ((Beginning July 1, 1985,)) The following practices by any insurer with respect to every vehicle liability insurance policy applicable to private passenger automobiles registered or principally garaged in this state are unfair and prohibited:

     (a) Failing to provide, to any insured under such policy, liability limits at least as great as those required by RCW 46.29.090, as measured at the effective date of the ((pertinent)) applicable policy or its renewal;

     (b) Denying or limiting liability coverage in such policy to less than the limits required by RCW 46.29.090, solely because the injured person is related to the insured by blood or marriage, as, for example, through use of so-called "family" or "household" exclusions;

     (c) Denying or limiting liability coverage in such policy, with respect to injuries sustained by motorcycle passengers, to an amount below the bodily injury liability limits required by RCW 46.29.090, if the policy provides liability coverage for an insured's ownership, operation, or use of a motorcycle.

     (2) ((Beginning July 1, 1985, the following practices by any insurer, with respect to vehicle insurance policies applicable to private passenger vehicles registered or principally garaged in this state, are unfair and prohibited:

     (a) Failing to provide a named insured under such policy an itemization of the premium costs for the coverages under the policy as to which there are identifiable separate premium charges. Such itemization shall be given no later than the time of delivery of a policy and with each offer to renew thereafter;

     (b) Failing, except with respect to a motorcycle policy, to provide, to any named insured who so requests and pays the premium therefor, first party automobile benefits such as those in medical payments coverage or personal injury protection, on approved forms commonly used by the insurer in the state of Washington, with maximum benefit limits, as appropriate to the particular form, of at least:

     (i) $35,000 for medical and hospital benefits incurred within three years of the accident;

     (ii) $35,000 for one year's income continuation benefits, subject to a limit of the lesser of $700 per week or eighty-five percent of the weekly income; and

     (iii) $40 per day for loss of services benefits, for at least a year.)) With respect to vehicle insurance policies applicable to private passenger vehicles registered or principally garaged in this state, failing to provide a named insured an itemization of the premium costs for the coverages under the policy if there are identifiable separate premium charges for the coverages is unfair and prohibited. The required itemization must be given to a named insured no later than at the time of delivery of a policy and must accompany each offer to renew thereafter.

     (3) ((Beginning July 1, 1987, it shall be)) It is an unfair practice for any insurer to consider traffic violations or accidents which occurred more than three years in the past, with respect to the acceptance, rejection, cancellation or nonrenewal of any insured under a private passenger automobile insurance policy, unless, because of the individual's violations, accidents or driving record during the three years immediately past, the earlier violations or accidents are significantly relevant to the individual's qualifications for insurance.

     (4) For purposes of this section, the definition of a "private passenger automobile" is that set forth in RCW 48.18.297, and includes a motorcycle except as otherwise specifically provided in this section.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060, 48.44.050 and 48.46.200. 87-09-071 (Order R 87-5), § 284-30-500, filed 4/21/87. Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060 (3)(a). 85-02-019 (Order R 84-8), § 284-30-500, filed 12/27/84.]

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