Revised Code of Washington - RCW Title 48 Insurance - Section 48.23.380 Return of policy and refund of premium -- Grace period -- Notice -- Effect

§ 48.23.380. Return of policy and refund of premium -- Grace period -- Notice -- Effect

Every individual life insurance policy issued after September 1, 1977, shall have printed on its face or attached thereto a notice stating in substance that the policy owner shall be permitted to return the policy within ten days after it is received by the policy owner and to have the premium paid refunded if, after examination of the policy, the policy owner is not satisfied with it for any reason. An additional ten percent penalty shall be added to any premium refund due which is not paid within thirty days of return of the policy to the insurer or agent. If a policy owner pursuant to such notice, returns the policy to the insurer at its home or branch office or to the agent through whom it was purchased, it shall be void from the beginning and the parties shall be in the same position as if no policy had been issued.

This section shall not apply to individual life insurance policies issued in connection with a credit transaction or issued under a contractual policy change or conversion privilege provision contained in a policy.

[1983 1st ex.s. c 32 § 10; 1977 c 60 § 1.]

     RCW 48.23.380

Return of policy and refund of premium Grace period Notice Effect. (Effective July 1, 2009.)

(1) Every individual life insurance policy issued after September 1, 1977, shall have printed on its face or attached thereto a notice stating in substance that the policy owner shall be permitted to return the policy within ten days after it is received by the policy owner and to have the premium paid refunded if, after examination of the policy, the policy owner is not satisfied with it for any reason. An additional ten percent penalty shall be added to any premium refund due which is not paid within thirty days of return of the policy to the insurer or insurance producer. If a policy owner pursuant to such notice, returns the policy to the insurer at its home or branch office or to the insurance producer through whom it was purchased, it shall be void from the beginning and the parties shall be in the same position as if no policy had been issued.

(2) This section shall not apply to individual life insurance policies issued in connection with a credit transaction or issued under a contractual policy change or conversion privilege provision contained in a policy.

(3) No later than January 1, 2010, or when the insurer has used all of its existing paper individual life insurance policy forms which were in its possession on July 1, 2009, whichever is earlier, the notice required by subsection (1) of this section shall use the term insurance producer in place of agent.

[2008 c 217 § 26; 1983 1st ex.s. c 32 § 10; 1977 c 60 § 1.]

Notes:
     Severability -- Effective date -- 2008 c 217: See notes following RCW 48.03.020.

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Last modified: April 7, 2009