A. It shall be unlawful for any legal services plan seller to offer, advertise, or execute, or cause to be executed by the subscriber, any subscription contract in the Commonwealth unless the legal services plan seller at the time of the offer, advertisement, sale, or execution of a subscription contract has been properly registered with the Commissioner. The registration shall (i) disclose the address, ownership, and affiliation with the legal services organization and such other information as the Commissioner may require consistent with the purposes of this chapter, (ii) be renewed annually on July 1, and (iii) be accompanied by the appropriate registration fee of $50 per each annual registration. Further, the registration shall be accompanied by a late fee of $25 if the registration renewal is neither postmarked nor received on or before July 1.

B. Any legal services plan seller that sells a subscription contract prior to registering pursuant to this section shall pay a late filing fee of $100 for each 30-day period the registration is late. This fee shall be in addition to all other penalties allowed by law.

C. A registration shall be amended within 21 days if there is a change in the information included in the registration.

D. Any matter subject to the insurance regulatory authority of the State Corporation Commission pursuant to Title 38.2 shall not be subject to the provisions of this chapter.

E. All fees shall be remitted to the State Treasurer and shall be placed to the credit and special fund of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to be used in the administration of this chapter.

F. All insurance agent licenses issued by the State Corporation Commission including authority to sell legal services plan subscription contracts shall continue in effect for a period of 90 days following the effective date of this chapter, during which time those holding such authority from the State Corporation Commission shall apply for registration with the Department. At the end of the 90-day period, no insurance agent license shall include the authority to sell legal services plan subscription contracts.

2004, c. 784.