17:11C-73 Insurance requirements for borrowers.

23. a. A borrower shall not be required to purchase credit life or accident and health insurance or credit involuntary unemployment insurance in connection with any mortgage loan. If the borrower or borrowers consent thereto in writing, a residential mortgage lender or residential mortgage broker may obtain or provide:

(1) Insurance on the life and on the health or disability, or both, of one borrower, and on the lives, health or disability of two borrowers pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.17B:29-1 et seq.; and

(2) Credit involuntary unemployment insurance in accordance with forms and rates filed and approved by the commissioner pursuant to applicable regulations.

b. If a licensee obtains or provides any credit insurance for a borrower or borrowers pursuant to subsection a. of this section, a licensee may deduct from the principal of the loan and retain an amount equal to the premium lawfully charged by the insurance company. The premium may be charged monthly in the case of an open-end, secondary mortgage loan. The amount so deducted and retained shall not be considered a prohibited charge or amount of any examination, service, brokerage, commission, expense, fee or bonus or other thing or otherwise.

c. If a borrower or borrowers obtain the credit insurance from or through a licensee, the licensee shall show the amount of the charge for the insurance and cause to be delivered to the borrower or borrowers a copy of the policy, certificate or other evidence of that insurance when the loan is made. Nothing in this act shall prohibit the licensee from collecting the premium or identifiable charge for insurance permitted by this section and from receiving and retaining any dividend, or any other gain or advantage resulting from that insurance.

d. A licensee may require a borrower to demonstrate that the property securing any mortgage loan is insured against damage or loss due to fire and other perils, including those of extended coverage, for a term not to exceed the term of the loan and in an amount not to exceed the amount of the loan, together with the amount needed to satisfy all prior liens on that property.

The licensee shall provide the borrower with the following written statement, to be printed in at least 10-point bold type:

NOTICE TO THE BORROWER

YOU MAY BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE PROPERTY INSURANCE AS A CONDITION OF RECEIVING THE LOAN.

IF PROPERTY INSURANCE IS REQUIRED, YOU MAY SECURE INSURANCE FROM A COMPANY OR AGENT OF YOUR OWN CHOOSING.

L.2009, c.53, s.23.