RCW 48.160.030 Waivers—Requirements for offering, selling, or providing—Terms—Insuring obligations—Funds—Assignment.

(1) Waivers may be offered, sold, or provided to borrowers in this state in compliance with this chapter.

(2) Waivers may, at the option of the creditor, be sold for a single payment or may be offered with a monthly or periodic payment option.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any cost to the borrower for a guaranteed asset protection waiver entered into in compliance with the truth in lending act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 1601 et seq.) and its implementing regulations, as amended, must be separately stated and is not to be considered a finance charge or interest.

(4) Nothing in this chapter prohibits a person who is registered, or is otherwise exempt from registration or exempt from this chapter, from insuring its waiver obligation through the purchase of a contractual liability policy or other insurance policy issued by an insurer authorized to transact such insurance in this state.

(5) The waiver remains a part of the finance agreement upon the assignment, sale, or transfer of the finance agreement by the creditor.

(6) Neither the extension of credit, the term of credit, nor the term of the related motor vehicle sale or lease may be conditioned upon the purchase of a waiver.

(7) Any creditor that offers a waiver must report the sale of, and forward funds received on, all waivers to the designated party, if any, as prescribed in any applicable administrative services agreement, contractual liability policy, other insurance policy, or other specified program documents.

(8) Funds received or held by a creditor or administrator and belonging to an insurer, creditor, or administrator, under the terms of a written agreement, must be held by that creditor or administrator in a fiduciary capacity.

(9) If the guaranteed asset protection waiver is assigned, the name and address of the assignee must be mailed to the borrower within thirty days of the assignment. If at any time the name and address provided to the borrower by the initial creditor are no longer the valid point of contact to apply for waiver benefits, written notice will be mailed to the borrower within thirty days of the change stating the new name and address of the person or entity the borrower should contact to apply for waiver benefits. No waiver may be assigned to an entity that is not registered pursuant to this chapter, unless such entity is exempt from registration or unless the commissioner specifically authorizes such assignment.

(10) No person shall knowingly make, publish, or disseminate any false, deceptive, or misleading representation or advertising in the conduct of, or relative to, waiver business. Nor shall any person make, issue, or circulate, or cause to be made, issued, or circulated any misrepresentation of the terms or benefits of any waiver.

(11) A person or entity engaged in the guaranteed asset protection waiver business in this state may not refuse to sell or issue any guaranteed asset protection waiver because of the sex, marital status, or sexual orientation as defined in RCW 49.60.040, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability of the borrower or prospective borrower. The type of benefits, or any term, rate, condition, or type of coverage may not be restricted, modified, excluded, increased, or reduced on the basis of the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability of the borrower or prospective borrower.

[ 2009 c 334 § 4.]