§431:31-104 Authority of vendors. (a) The employees and authorized representatives of vendors may sell or offer portable electronics insurance to customers and shall not be subject to licensure as an insurance producer under this chapter, provided that:

(1) The vendor obtains a limited lines license to authorize its employees or authorized representatives to sell or offer portable electronics insurance pursuant to this section;

(2) The insurer issuing the portable electronics insurance either directly supervises or appoints a supervising entity to supervise the administration of a portable electronics insurance program, including development of a training program for employees and authorized representatives of the vendors. The training shall comply with the following:

(A) The training shall be delivered to employees and authorized representatives of a vendor who are directly engaged in the activity of selling or offering portable electronics insurance;

(B) The training may be provided in electronic form; provided that, if the training is conducted in an electronic form, the supervising entity shall implement a supplemental education program regarding the portable electronics insurance product that is conducted and overseen by a licensed employee of the supervising entity; and

(C) Each employee and authorized representative shall receive basic instruction about the portable electronics insurance offered to customers and the disclosures required under section 431:31-103; and

(3) No employee or authorized representative of a vendor shall advertise, represent, or otherwise portray the employee or representative as a non-limited lines licensed insurance producer.

(b) The charges for portable electronics insurance coverage may be billed and collected by the vendor. Any charge to the enrolled customer for coverage that is not included in the cost associated with the purchase or lease of portable electronics or related services shall be separately itemized on the enrolled customer's bill. If the portable electronics insurance coverage is included with the purchase or lease of portable electronics or related services, the vendor shall clearly and conspicuously disclose to the enrolled customer that the portable electronics insurance coverage is included with the purchase or lease of portable electronics or related services. Vendors billing and collecting the charges shall not be required to maintain the funds in a segregated account; provided that the vendor is authorized by the insurer to hold the funds in an alternative manner and remits the amounts to the supervising entity within sixty days of receipt. All funds received by a vendor from an enrolled customer for the sale of portable electronics insurance shall be considered funds held in trust by the vendor in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the insurer. Vendors may receive compensation for billing and collection services. [L 2012, c 321, pt of §1]