The maximum claim of one judgment creditor against the Fund based on an unpaid final judgment arising out of any loss or damage by reason of a claim submitted under § 46.2-1527.2 or 46.2-1527.3 involving a single transaction shall be limited to $25,000, including any amount paid from the dealer's surety bond, regardless of the amount of the unpaid final judgment of one judgment creditor. On January 1 of each year, the amount that may be awarded to any person as a result of loss or damage to that person as provided in this section shall be increased by the percentage increase over the most recently available unadjusted 12-month period in the Consumer Price Index for used motor vehicles, as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any successor index. In the event that this index decreases over any such 12-month period, there shall be no change in the amount which may be awarded.

The aggregate of claims against the Fund based on unpaid final judgments arising out of any loss or damage by reason of a claim submitted under § 46.2-1527.3 involving more than one transaction shall be limited to four times the amount that may be awarded to a single judgment creditor, regardless of the total amounts of the unpaid final judgments of judgment creditors.

However, aggregate claims against the Fund under § 46.2-1527.2 shall be limited to the amount that may be paid out of the Fund under the preceding paragraph less the amount of the dealer's bond and then only after the dealer's bond has been exhausted.

If a claim has been made against the Fund, and the Board has reason to believe that there may be additional claims against the Fund from other transactions involving the same licensee or registrant, the Board may withhold any payment from the Fund involving the licensee or registrant for a period not to exceed the end of the relevant license or registration period. After this period, if the aggregate of claims against the licensee or registrant exceeds the aggregate amount that may be paid from the Fund under this section, then such amount shall be prorated among the claimants and paid from the Fund in proportion to the amounts of their unpaid final judgments against the licensee or registrant.

However, claims against motor vehicle dealers and salespersons participating in the Motor Vehicle Transaction Recovery Fund pursuant to § 46.2-1527.2 shall be prorated when the aggregate exceeds $50,000. Claims shall be prorated only after the dealer's $50,000 bond has been exhausted.

On receipt of a verified claim filed against the Fund, the Board shall forthwith notify the licensee or registrant who is the subject of the unpaid judgment that a verified claim has been filed and that the licensee or registrant should satisfy the judgment debt. If the judgment debt is not fully satisfied 30 days following the date of the notification by the Board, the Board shall make payment from the Fund subject to the other limitations contained in this article.

Excluded from the amount of any unpaid final judgment on which a claim against the Fund is based shall be any sums representing interest and punitive damages. Awards from the Fund shall be limited to reimbursement of costs paid to the dealer for all charges related to the vehicle including without limitation, the sales price, taxes, insurance, and repairs; other out of pocket costs related to the purchase, insuring and registration of the vehicle, and to the loss of use of the vehicle by the purchaser.

If at any time the Fund is insufficient to fully satisfy any claims or claim filed with the Board and authorized by this article, the Board shall pay such claims, claim, or portion thereof to the claimants in the order that the claims were filed with the Board. However, claims by retail purchasers shall take precedence over other claims.

1994, c. 478; 1995, cc. 767, 816; 1998, c. 325; 2001, c. 194; 2003, c. 331; 2006, c. 172; 2007, c. 826; 2011, c. 407; 2012, c. 119; 2015, cc. 615, 710.