Revised Code of Washington - RCW Title 48 Insurance - Chapter 48.18 The Insurance Contract

48.18.010 Scope of chapter
This chapter applies to insurances other than ocean marine and foreign trade insurances.[2005 c 337 § 2; 1947 c 79 § .18.01; Rem. Supp. 1947 ...

48.18.020 Power to contract
(1) Any person eighteen years or older shall be considered of full legal age and may contract for or with respect to insurance. Any person ...

48.18.030 Insurable interest -- Personal insurances -- Nonprofit organizations -- Rules
(1) Any individual of competent legal capacity may insure his or her own life or body for the benefit of any person. A person may ...

48.18.040 Insurable interest -- Property insurances
(1) No contract of insurance on property or of any interest therein or arising therefrom shall be enforceable except for the benefit of persons having ...

48.18.050 Named insured -- Interest insured
When the name of a person intended to be insured is specified in the policy, such insurance can be applied only to his own proper ...

48.18.060 Application -- Consent -- When required
A life or disability insurance contract upon an individual may not be made or take effect unless at the time the contract is made the ...

48.18.070 Alteration of application
(1) Any application for insurance in writing by the applicant shall be altered solely by the applicant or by his written consent, except that insertions ...

48.18.080 Application as evidence
(1) No application for the issuance of any insurance policy or contract shall be admissible in evidence in any action relative to such policy or ...

48.18.090 Warranties and misrepresentations, effect of
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, no oral or written misrepresentation or warranty made in the negotiation of an insurance contract, ...

48.18.100 Forms of policies -- Filing, certification, and approval -- Exceptions
(1) No insurance policy form or application form where written application is required and is to be attached to the policy, or printed life or ...

48.18.103 Forms of commercial property casualty policies -- Legislative intent -- Issuance prior to filing -- Disapproval by commissioner -- Definition
(1) It is the intent of the legislature to assist the purchasers of commercial property casualty insurance by allowing policies to be issued more expeditiously ...

48.18.110 Grounds for disapproval
(1) The commissioner shall disapprove any such form of policy, application, rider, or endorsement, or withdraw any previous approval thereof, only: (a) If it is ...

48.18.120 Standard forms
(1) The commissioner shall, after hearing, from time to time promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to define and effect reasonable uniformity ...

48.18.125 Loss payable and mortgagee clauses for property and automobile physical damage insurances -- Requirement to use adopted forms
The commissioner is hereby authorized, and shall within a reasonable time following July 30, 1967, adopt standard forms for loss payable and mortgagee clauses for ...

48.18.130 Standard provisions
(1) Insurance contracts shall contain such standard provisions as are required by the applicable chapters of this code pertaining to contracts of particular kinds of ...

48.18.140 Contents of policies in general
(1) The written instrument, in which a contract of insurance is set forth, is the policy. (2) A policy shall specify: (a) The names of ...

48.18.150 Additional contents
A policy may contain additional provisions, which are not inconsistent with this code, and which are (1) required to be so inserted by the laws ...

48.18.160 Charter or bylaw provisions
No policy shall contain any provision purporting to make any portion of the charter, bylaws, or other constituent document of the insurer a part of ...

48.18.170 "Premium" defined
"Premium" as used in this code means all sums charged, received, or deposited as consideration for an insurance contract or the continuance thereof. "Premium" does ...

48.18.180 Stated premium must include all charges
(1) The premium stated in the policy shall be inclusive of all fees, charges, premiums, or other consideration charged for the insurance or for the ...

48.18.190 Policy must contain entire contract
No agreement in conflict with, modifying, or extending any contract of insurance shall be valid unless in writing and made a part of the policy.[1947 ...

48.18.200 Limiting actions, jurisdiction
(1) No insurance contract delivered or issued for delivery in this state and covering subjects located, resident, or to be performed in this state, shall ...

48.18.210 Execution of policies
(1) Every insurance contract shall be executed in the name of and on behalf of the insurer by its officer, employee, or representative duly authorized ...

48.18.220 Receipt of premium to bind coverage -- Contents of receipt
Where an agent or other representative of an insurer receipts premium money at the time that agent or representative purports to bind coverage, the receipt ...

48.18.230 Binders -- Duration -- Premium
(1) A "binder" is used to bind insurance temporarily pending the issuance of the policy. No binder shall be valid beyond the issuance of the ...

48.18.240 Binders -- Agent's liability
The commissioner may suspend or revoke the license of any agent issuing or purporting to issue any binder as to any insurer named therein as ...

48.18.250 Underwriters' and combination policies
(1) Two or more authorized insurers may jointly issue, and shall be jointly and severally liable on, an underwriters' policy bearing their names. Any one ...

48.18.260 Delivery of policy
(1) Subject to the insurer's requirements as to payment of premium, every policy shall be delivered to the insured or to the person entitled thereto ...

48.18.280 Renewal of policy
Any insurance policy terminating by its terms at a specified expiration date and not otherwise renewable, may be renewed or extended at the option of ...

48.18.289 Cancellation, nonrenewal, renewal offer -- Notice to agent
Whenever a notice of cancellation or nonrenewal or an offer to renew is furnished to an insured in accord with any provision of this chapter, ...

48.18.290 Cancellation by insurer
(1) Cancellation by the insurer of any policy which by its terms is cancellable at the option of the insurer, or of any binder based ...

48.18.2901 Renewal required -- Exceptions
(1) Each insurer must renew any insurance policy subject to RCW 48.18.290 unless one of the following situations exists: (a)(i) For all insurance policies subject ...

48.18.291 Cancellation of private automobile insurance by insurer -- Notice -- Requirements
(1) A contract of insurance predicated wholly or in part upon the use of a private passenger automobile may not be terminated by cancellation by ...

48.18.292 Refusal to renew private automobile insurance by insurer -- Change in amount of premium or deductibles
(1) Each insurer shall be required to renew any contract of insurance subject to RCW 48.18.291 unless one of the following situations exists: (a) The ...

48.18.293 Nonliability of commissioner, agents, insurer for information giving reasons for cancellation or refusal to renew -- Proof of mailing of notice
(1) There shall be no liability on the part of, and no cause of action of any nature shall arise against, the insurance commissioner, his ...

48.18.295 RCW 48.18.290 through 48.18.297 not to prevent cancellation or nonrenewal, when
Nothing in RCW 48.18.290 through 48.18.297 shall be construed to prevent the cancellation or nonrenewal of any such insurance where: (1) Such cancellation or nonrenewal ...

48.18.296 Contracts to which RCW 48.18.291 through 48.18.297 inapplicable
The provisions of RCW 48.18.291 through 48.18.297 shall not apply to: (1) Contracts of insurance issued under the assigned risk plan; (2) Any policy covering ...

48.18.297 Private passenger automobile defined
A private passenger automobile as used in RCW 48.18.291 through 48.18.297 shall mean: (1) An individually owned motor vehicle of the private passenger or station ...

48.18.298 Disability insurance -- Refusal to renew by insurer
No insurer shall refuse to renew any policy of individual disability insurance issued after July 1, 1973 because of a change in the physical or ...

48.18.299 Disability insurance -- Cancellation by insurer
No contract of insurance enumerated in RCW 48.18.298 shall be terminated by cancellation by the insurer during the period of contract except for nonpayment of ...

48.18.300 Cancellation by insured
(1) Cancellation by the insured of any policy which by its terms is cancellable at the insured's option or of any binder based on such ...

48.18.310 Cancellation by commissioner
The commissioner may order the immediate cancellation of any policy the procuring or effectuation of which was accomplished through or accompanied by a violation of ...

48.18.320 Annulment of liability policies
No insurance contract insuring against loss or damage through legal liability for the bodily injury or death by accident of any individual, or for damage ...

48.18.340 Dividends payable to real party in interest
(1) Every insurer issuing participating policies, shall pay dividends, unused premium refunds or savings distributed on account of any such policy, only to the real ...

48.18.350 Breach of warranty prior to loss -- Effect
If any breach of a warranty or condition in any insurance contract occurs prior to a loss under the contract, such breach shall not avoid ...

48.18.360 Assignment of policies -- Life and disability
Subject to the terms of the policy relating to its assignment, life insurance policies, other than industrial or group life insurance policies, and disability policies ...

48.18.370 Payment discharges insurer -- Life and disability
Whenever the proceeds of, or payments under a life or disability insurance policy, heretofore or hereafter issued, become payable and the insurer makes payment thereof ...

48.18.375 Assignment of interests under group insurance policy
A person whose life is insured under a group insurance policy may, subject and pursuant to the terms of the policy, or pursuant to an ...

48.18.390 Simultaneous deaths -- Payment of proceeds -- Life insurance
Where the individual insured and the beneficiary designated in a life insurance policy or policy insuring against accidental death have died and there is not ...

48.18.400 Exemption of proceeds -- Disability
The proceeds or avails of all contracts of disability insurance and of provisions providing benefits on account of the insured's disability which are supplemental to ...

48.18.410 Exemption of proceeds -- Life
(1) The lawful beneficiary, assignee, or payee of a life insurance policy, other than an annuity, heretofore or hereafter effected by any person on his ...

48.18.420 Exemption of proceeds -- Group life
(1) A policy of group life insurance or the proceeds thereof payable to the individual insured or to the beneficiary thereunder, shall not be liable, ...

48.18.430 Exemption of proceeds, commutation -- Annuities
(1) The benefits, rights, privileges, and options under any annuity contract that are due the annuitant who paid the consideration for the annuity contract are ...

48.18.440 Spouse's rights in life insurance policy
(1) Every life insurance policy heretofore or hereafter made payable to or for the benefit of the spouse of the insured, and every life insurance ...

48.18.450 Life insurance payable to trustee named as beneficiary in the policy
Life insurance may be made payable to a trustee to be named as beneficiary in the policy and the proceeds of such insurance paid to ...

48.18.452 Life insurance designating as beneficiary a trustee named by will
A policy of life insurance may designate as beneficiary a trustee or trustees named or to be named by will, if the designation is made ...

48.18.460 Proof of loss -- Furnishing forms -- May require oath
An insurer shall furnish, upon request of any person claiming to have a loss under any insurance contract, forms of proof of loss for completion ...

48.18.470 Claims administration -- Not waiver
None of the following acts by or on behalf of an insurer shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of any provision of a policy ...

48.18.480 Discrimination prohibited
No insurer shall make or permit any unfair discrimination between insureds or subjects of insurance having substantially like insuring, risk, and exposure factors, and expense ...

48.18.510 Validity of noncomplying forms
Any insurance policy, rider, or endorsement hereafter issued and otherwise valid, which contains any condition or provision not in compliance with the requirements of this ...

48.18.520 Construction of policies
Every insurance contract shall be construed according to the entirety of its terms and conditions as set forth in the policy, and as amplified, extended, ...

48.18.540 Cancellations, denials, refusals to renew -- Written notification
Every insurer upon canceling, denying, or refusing to renew any disability policy, shall, upon written request, directly notify in writing the applicant or insured, as ...

48.18.543 Single premium credit insurance -- Residential mortgage loan -- Restrictions -- Definitions
(1) For the purposes of this section: (a) "Licensee" means every insurance *agent, broker, or solicitor licensed under chapter 48.17 RCW. (b) "Residential mortgage loan" ...

48.18.545 Underwriting restrictions that apply to personal insurance -- Credit history or insurance score -- Rules
(1) For the purposes of this section: (a) "Adverse action" has the same meaning as defined in the fair credit reporting act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. ...

48.18.547 Underwriting restrictions that apply to medical malpractice insurance -- Rules
(1) For the purposes of this section: (a) "Affiliate" has the same meaning as in RCW 48.31B.005(1). (b) "Claim" means a demand for monetary damages ...

48.18.550 Victims of domestic abuse -- Prohibition on certain cancellations, denials, refusals to renew, and different rates -- Domestic abuse defined
(1) No insurer shall deny or refuse to accept an application for insurance, refuse to insure, refuse to renew, cancel, restrict, or otherwise terminate a ...

48.18.553 Victims of malicious harassment -- Restrictions of underwriting actions -- Definitions
(1) For the purposes of this section: (a) "Insured" means a current policyholder or a person or entity that is covered under the insurance policy. ...

48.18.555 Property insurance -- Actions resulting from arson or malicious mischief -- Definitions
(1) For the purposes of this section: (a) "Arson" has the same meaning as in chapter 9A.48 RCW. (b) "Health care facility" has the same ...

48.18.565 Homeowner's insurance -- Foster parent
An insurer licensed to write homeowner's insurance in this state shall not deny an application for a homeowner's insurance policy, or cancel, refuse to renew, ...

48.18.570 Life insurance -- Lawful travel destinations
(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 ...

48.18.580 Employer-owned life insurance -- Requirements
(1) "Employer-owned life insurance policy" as used in this section and RCW 48.18.583 means an insurance policy purchased by an employer on the life of ...

48.18.583 Employer-owned life insurance -- Application to policies
With respect to employer-owned life insurance policies, chapter 337, Laws of 2005 shall apply only to policies issued and delivered after July 24, 2005.[2005 c ...

48.18.586 Employer-owned life insurance -- Rules
The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement RCW 48.18.010, 48.18.030, 48.18.060, 48.18.580, and 48.18.583.[2005 c 337 § 7.]Notes: Finding -- Intent -- 2005 c 337: ...