A. No person shall act as a viatical settlement provider with a resident of this Commonwealth without first obtaining a license from the Commission.

1. A person seeking to be licensed as a viatical settlement provider in this Commonwealth shall apply for such license in a form acceptable to the Commission and shall pay to the Commission a nonrefundable application fee in an amount prescribed by the Commission. On and after July 1, 2003, such fee shall be not less than $300 and not more than $1,500. The application fee required by this subdivision shall be collected by the Commission, paid directly into the state treasury, and credited to the "Bureau of Insurance Special Fund -- State Corporation Commission" for the maintenance of the Bureau of Insurance as provided in subsection B of § 38.2-400.

2. A license issued anytime prior to July 1, 2004, shall expire on June 30, 2004, unless renewed as set forth herein.

3. On or before March 1 of each year commencing March 1, 2004, a licensed viatical settlement provider shall remit a renewal application form and nonrefundable renewal fee in the form and amount prescribed by the Commission. Such fee shall be not less than $300 and not more than $1,500. The renewal fee required by this subdivision shall be collected by the Commission and paid directly into the state treasury and credited to the "Bureau of Insurance Special Fund -- State Corporation Commission" for the maintenance of the Bureau of Insurance as provided in subsection B of § 38.2-400.

4. A viatical settlement provider's license expiring on June 30 may be renewed on July 1 for a one-year period ending on June 30 of the following year if the required renewal application and a nonrefundable renewal fee have been received and the license is not terminated, suspended, or revoked at the time of renewal. The renewal fee required by this subdivision shall be collected by the Commission and paid directly into the state treasury and credited to the "Bureau of Insurance Special Fund -- State Corporation Commission" for the maintenance of the Bureau of Insurance as provided in subsection B of § 38.2-400.

B. The applicant shall provide information on forms required by the Commission. The Commission shall have authority, at any time, to require the applicant to disclose fully the identity of all stockholders, partners, officers, members, and employees, and the Commission may, in the exercise of the Commission's discretion, refuse to issue a license in the name of a legal entity if not satisfied that any officer, employee, stockholder, partner, or member thereof who may materially influence the applicant's conduct meets the standards of this chapter.

C. A license issued to a legal entity authorizes all partners, officers, members, and designated employees to act as the viatical settlement provider under the license, and all those persons shall be named in the application and any application supplements.

D. Upon the filing of an application and the payment of the nonrefundable application fee, the Commission shall make such investigation of each applicant as the Commission may determine to be appropriate and issue a license if it finds that the applicant: (i) has provided a detailed plan of operation; (ii) is competent and trustworthy; (iii) indicates its intention to act in good faith within the confines of the license; (iv) has a good business reputation; (v) if an individual, has had experience, training or education that qualifies him for licensure; (vi) if a resident partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, has recorded the existence of the partnership, limited liability company, or corporation pursuant to law; (vii) if a corporation, has specific authority to act as a viatical settlement provider in its charter; (viii) if a nonresident partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, has furnished proof of its authority to transact business in Virginia; and (ix) has provided an anti-fraud plan that meets the requirements of subdivision E 2 of § 38.2-6011.

E. If the applicant for a viatical settlement provider license is a nonresident, such applicant, as a condition precedent to receiving or holding a license, shall designate a resident of this Commonwealth as the person upon whom any process, notices, or order required or permitted by law to be served upon such nonresident viatical settlement provider may be served; and such licensee shall promptly notify the clerk of the Commission in writing of every change in its designated agent for service of process, and such change shall not become effective until acknowledged by the Commission. Whenever a nonresident viatical settlement provider transacting business in this Commonwealth fails to appoint or maintain a registered agent in this Commonwealth, or whenever its registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the registered office, the clerk of the Commission shall be an agent of the nonresident upon whom service may be made in accordance with § 12.1-19.1.

F. A licensed insurer shall be prohibited from transacting the business of a viatical settlement provider.

G. The Commission may suspend, revoke, refuse to issue, or refuse to renew the license of a viatical settlement provider if the Commission finds that the applicant or licensee has (i) made any material misrepresentation in the application; (ii) been guilty of fraudulent or dishonest practices; (iii) been subject to a final administrative action or has otherwise been shown to be untrustworthy or incompetent to act as a viatical settlement provider; (iv) demonstrated a pattern of unreasonable payments to viators; (v) been convicted of a felony or any misdemeanor involving fraud or moral turpitude; (vi) entered into any viatical settlement contract that has not been approved pursuant to this chapter; (vii) failed to honor contractual obligations set out in a viatical settlement contract; (viii) demonstrated or represented that it no longer meets the requirements for initial licensure; (ix) has assigned, transferred, or pledged a viaticated policy to a person other than a viatical settlement provider licensed in this Commonwealth, viatical settlement purchaser, an accredited investor, or qualified institutional buyer as defined respectively in Regulation D, Rule 501 or Rule 144A of the Federal Securities Act of 1933, as amended, financing entity, special purpose entity, or related provider trust; (x) violated any provisions of this chapter or other applicable provisions of this title or has in its employ or organization any officer, partner, member, or key management personnel who has violated any provision of this chapter or other applicable provisions of this title; or (xi) has renewed or requested renewal of its license before implementing the anti-fraud initiatives required by subsection E of § 38.2-6011.

H. No applicant to whom a license is refused after a hearing, nor any licensee whose license is revoked, shall apply again for a license under this chapter until after the expiration of a period of five years from the date of the Commission's order, or such other period of time as the Commission prescribes in its order.

I. A viatical settlement provider shall be bonded as required by the Commission. Rules issued pursuant to § 38.2-6014 may identify other mechanisms for financial accountability.

1997, c. 814, § 38.2-5701; 1998, c. 11; 2003, c. 717.