Virginia § 38.2-1888 - Licensing and registration

§ 38.2-1888. Licensing and registration

A. The Commission may issue a limited lines travel insurance agent license to an individual or business entity that has filed with the Commission an application for a limited lines travel insurance agent license in a form and manner prescribed by the Commission. The limited lines travel insurance agent shall be licensed to sell, solicit, or negotiate travel insurance through a licensed insurer.

B. No person may act as a limited lines travel insurance agent or travel retailer unless properly licensed or registered, respectively.

C. The grounds for the suspension or revocation of the license of and the penalties applicable to resident insurance agents shall be applicable to limited lines travel insurance agents and travel retailers.

D. A travel retailer may offer and disseminate travel insurance under the license of a limited lines travel insurance agent only if the following conditions are met:

1. Any travel retailer offering or disseminating travel insurance shall make available to prospective purchasers brochures or other written materials that:

a. Provide the identity and contact information of the insurer and the limited lines travel insurance agent;

b. Explain that the purchase of travel insurance is not required in order to purchase any other product or service from the travel retailer; and

c. Explain that an unlicensed travel retailer is permitted to provide general information about the insurance offered by the travel retailer, including a description of the coverage and price, but is not qualified or authorized to answer technical questions about the terms and conditions of the insurance offered by the travel retailer or to evaluate the adequacy of the customer's existing insurance coverage;

2. The limited lines travel insurance agent or travel retailer provides to purchasers of travel insurance:

a. A description of the material terms or the actual material terms of the insurance coverage;

b. A description of the process for filing a claim;

c. A description of the review or cancellation process for the travel insurance policy; and

d. The identity and contact information of the insurer and limited lines travel insurance agent;

3. At the time of licensure, the limited lines travel insurance agent shall establish and maintain a register on a form prescribed by the Commission of each travel retailer that offers travel insurance on the limited lines travel insurance agent's behalf. The register shall be maintained and updated by the limited lines travel insurance agent and shall include the name, address, and contact information of the travel retailer and an officer or person who directs or controls the travel retailer's operations, and the travel retailer's Federal Tax Identification Number. The limited lines travel insurance agent shall submit such register to the Commission upon reasonable request. The limited lines travel insurance agent shall also certify that the travel retailer registered complies with 18 U.S.C. § 1033;

4. The limited lines travel insurance agent has designated a DLP;

5. The DLP, president, secretary, treasurer, and any other officer or person who directs or controls the limited lines travel insurance agent's insurance operations complies with a background check or fingerprinting requirements applicable to insurance agents;

6. The limited lines travel insurance agent has paid all applicable insurance agent licensing fees as set forth in this title; and

7. The limited lines travel insurance agent requires each employee or authorized representative of the travel retailer whose duties include offering and disseminating travel insurance to receive a program of instruction or training, which may be subject to review by the Commission. The training material shall, at a minimum, contain instructions on the types of insurance offered, ethical sales practices, and required disclosures to prospective customers.

E. A travel retailer's employee or authorized representative who is not licensed as an insurance agent may not:

1. Evaluate or interpret the technical terms, benefits, and conditions of the offered travel insurance coverage;

2. Evaluate or provide advice concerning a prospective purchaser's existing insurance coverage; or

3. Hold himself or itself out as a licensed insurer, licensed agent, or insurance expert.

F. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a travel retailer whose insurance-related activities, and those of its employees or authorized representatives, are limited to offering and disseminating travel insurance on behalf of and under the direction and license of a limited lines travel insurance agent meeting the conditions stated in this article is authorized to conduct such activities and receive related compensation, upon registration by the limited lines travel insurance agent as described in subdivision D 3. No travel retailer employee or authorized representative may be compensated based primarily on the number of customers who purchase travel insurance coverage; however, nothing in this article shall prohibit payment of compensation to a travel retailer or its employees or authorized representatives for activities under the limited lines travel insurance agent's license that are incidental to the travel retailer's or its employee's or authorized representative's overall compensation.

G. As the insurer designee, the limited lines travel insurance agent and the insurer (i) are responsible for the acts of a travel retailer who is not a limited lines travel insurance agent and (ii) shall use reasonable means to ensure compliance by the travel retailer with this article.

H. No person is authorized to sell, solicit, and negotiate travel insurance unless licensed and appointed as a limited lines travel insurance agent.

2013, c. 497; 2019, cc. 266, 346, 675; 2020, c. 225.