Colorado § 10-3-1105 - Favored agent or insurer - coercion of debtors.

§ 10-3-1105. Favored agent or insurer - coercion of debtors.

(1) No person may:

(a) Require, as a condition precedent to the lending of money, or extension of credit, or to entering into any lease transaction, or any renewal of any of them, that the person to whom such money or credit is extended, or the lessee, or the person whose obligation the creditor is to acquire or finance negotiate any policy or contract of insurance through a particular insurer or group of insurers or agent or broker or group of agents or brokers;

(b) Unreasonably disapprove the insurance policy provided by a borrower or lessee for the protection of the property securing the credit, or lien, or which is the subject of the lease. For the purposes of this paragraph (b), disapproval shall be deemed unreasonable if it is not based solely on reasonable standards uniformly applied, relating to the extent of coverage required and the financial soundness and the services of an insurer. Such standards shall not discriminate against any particular type of insurer, nor shall such standards call for the disapproval of an insurance policy because such policy contains coverage in addition to that required; or

(c) Require directly or indirectly that any borrower, mortgagor, purchaser, insurer, broker, or agent pay a separate charge in connection with the handling of any insurance policy required as security for a loan on real estate, or pay a separate charge to substitute the insurance policy of one insurer for that of another. The provisions of this paragraph (c) shall not apply to the interest which may be charged on premium loans or premium advancements in accordance with the security instrument.

(2) The commissioner may investigate the affairs of any person to whom this section applies to determine whether such person has violated the provisions of this section. If a violation of this section is found, the person in violation shall be subject to the same procedures and penalties as are applicable to other provisions of this part 11.

(3) For the purposes of this section, "person" includes any individual, corporation, association, partnership, or other legal entity.

Source: L. 73: R&RE, p. 861, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 72-14-5. L. 85: (1)(a) and (1)(b) amended, p. 302, § 13, effective May 10.

ANNOTATION

Conduct held not to be unreasonable under subsection (1)(b). Iowa Nat. Mut. Ins. Co. v. Cent. Mortg. & Inv., 708 P.2d 480 (Colo. App. 1985).