HF 2656

as introduced - 81st Legislature (1999 - 2000) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to consumer protection; regulating auto glass 
  1.3             repair and replacement; restricting certain rebates 
  1.4             and incentives; requiring prompt payment; amending 
  1.5             Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 72A.201, subdivision 
  1.6             6; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.7             chapter 325F. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 72A.201, 
  1.10  subdivision 6, is amended to read: 
  1.11     Subd. 6.  [STANDARDS FOR AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE CLAIMS 
  1.12  HANDLING, SETTLEMENT OFFERS, AND AGREEMENTS.] In addition to the 
  1.13  acts specified in subdivisions 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9, the following 
  1.14  acts by an insurer, adjuster, or a self-insured or 
  1.15  self-insurance administrator constitute unfair settlement 
  1.16  practices:  
  1.17     (1) if an automobile insurance policy provides for the 
  1.18  adjustment and settlement of an automobile total loss on the 
  1.19  basis of actual cash value or replacement with like kind and 
  1.20  quality and the insured is not an automobile dealer, failing to 
  1.21  offer one of the following methods of settlement:  
  1.22     (a) comparable and available replacement automobile, with 
  1.23  all applicable taxes, license fees, at least pro rata for the 
  1.24  unexpired term of the replaced automobile's license, and other 
  1.25  fees incident to the transfer or evidence of ownership of the 
  1.26  automobile paid, at no cost to the insured other than the 
  2.1   deductible amount as provided in the policy; 
  2.2      (b) a cash settlement based upon the actual cost of 
  2.3   purchase of a comparable automobile, including all applicable 
  2.4   taxes, license fees, at least pro rata for the unexpired term of 
  2.5   the replaced automobile's license, and other fees incident to 
  2.6   transfer of evidence of ownership, less the deductible amount as 
  2.7   provided in the policy.  The costs must be determined by:  
  2.8      (i) the cost of a comparable automobile, adjusted for 
  2.9   mileage, condition, and options, in the local market area of the 
  2.10  insured, if such an automobile is available in that area; or 
  2.11     (ii) one of two or more quotations obtained from two or 
  2.12  more qualified sources located within the local market area when 
  2.13  a comparable automobile is not available in the local market 
  2.14  area.  The insured shall be provided the information contained 
  2.15  in all quotations prior to settlement; or 
  2.16     (iii) any settlement or offer of settlement which deviates 
  2.17  from the procedure above must be documented and justified in 
  2.18  detail.  The basis for the settlement or offer of settlement 
  2.19  must be explained to the insured; 
  2.20     (2) if an automobile insurance policy provides for the 
  2.21  adjustment and settlement of an automobile partial loss on the 
  2.22  basis of repair or replacement with like kind and quality and 
  2.23  the insured is not an automobile dealer, failing to offer one of 
  2.24  the following methods of settlement:  
  2.25     (a) to assume all costs, including reasonable towing costs, 
  2.26  for the satisfactory repair of the motor vehicle.  Satisfactory 
  2.27  repair includes repair of both obvious and hidden damage as 
  2.28  caused by the claim incident.  This assumption of cost may be 
  2.29  reduced by applicable policy provision; or 
  2.30     (b) to offer a cash settlement sufficient to pay for 
  2.31  satisfactory repair of the vehicle.  Satisfactory repair 
  2.32  includes repair of obvious and hidden damage caused by the claim 
  2.33  incident, and includes reasonable towing costs; 
  2.34     (3) regardless of whether the loss was total or partial, in 
  2.35  the event that a damaged vehicle of an insured cannot be safely 
  2.36  driven, failing to exercise the right to inspect automobile 
  3.1   damage prior to repair within five business days following 
  3.2   receipt of notification of claim.  In other cases the inspection 
  3.3   must be made in 15 days; 
  3.4      (4) regardless of whether the loss was total or partial, 
  3.5   requiring unreasonable travel of a claimant or insured to 
  3.6   inspect a replacement automobile, to obtain a repair estimate, 
  3.7   to allow an insurer to inspect a repair estimate, to allow an 
  3.8   insurer to inspect repairs made pursuant to policy requirements, 
  3.9   or to have the automobile repaired; 
  3.10     (5) regardless of whether the loss was total or partial, if 
  3.11  loss of use coverage exists under the insurance policy, failing 
  3.12  to notify an insured at the time of the insurer's acknowledgment 
  3.13  of claim, or sooner if inquiry is made, of the fact of the 
  3.14  coverage, including the policy terms and conditions affecting 
  3.15  the coverage and the manner in which the insured can apply for 
  3.16  this coverage; 
  3.17     (6) regardless of whether the loss was total or partial, 
  3.18  failing to include the insured's deductible in the insurer's 
  3.19  demands under its subrogation rights.  Subrogation recovery must 
  3.20  be shared at least on a proportionate basis with the insured, 
  3.21  unless the deductible amount has been otherwise recovered by the 
  3.22  insured, except that when an insurer is recovering directly from 
  3.23  an uninsured third party by means of installments, the insured 
  3.24  must receive the full deductible share as soon as that amount is 
  3.25  collected and before any part of the total recovery is applied 
  3.26  to any other use.  No deduction for expenses may be made from 
  3.27  the deductible recovery unless an attorney is retained to 
  3.28  collect the recovery, in which case deduction may be made only 
  3.29  for a pro rata share of the cost of retaining the attorney.  An 
  3.30  insured is not bound by any settlement of its insurer's 
  3.31  subrogation claim with respect to the deductible amount, unless 
  3.32  the insured receives, as a result of the subrogation settlement, 
  3.33  the full amount of the deductible.  Recovery by the insurer and 
  3.34  receipt by the insured of less than all of the insured's 
  3.35  deductible amount does not affect the insured's rights to 
  3.36  recover any unreimbursed portion of the deductible from parties 
  4.1   liable for the loss; 
  4.2      (7) requiring as a condition of payment of a claim that 
  4.3   repairs to any damaged vehicle must be made by a particular 
  4.4   contractor or repair shop or that parts, other than window 
  4.5   glass, must be replaced with parts other than original equipment 
  4.6   parts; 
  4.7      (8) where liability is reasonably clear, failing to inform 
  4.8   the claimant in an automobile property damage liability claim 
  4.9   that the claimant may have a claim for loss of use of the 
  4.10  vehicle; 
  4.11     (9) failing to make a good faith assignment of comparative 
  4.12  negligence percentages in ascertaining the issue of liability; 
  4.13     (10) failing to pay any interest required by statute on 
  4.14  overdue payment for an automobile personal injury protection 
  4.15  claim; 
  4.16     (11) if an automobile insurance policy contains either or 
  4.17  both of the time limitation provisions as permitted by section 
  4.18  65B.55, subdivisions 1 and 2, failing to notify the insured in 
  4.19  writing of those limitations at least 60 days prior to the 
  4.20  expiration of that time limitation; 
  4.21     (12) if an insurer chooses to have an insured examined as 
  4.22  permitted by section 65B.56, subdivision 1, failing to notify 
  4.23  the insured of all of the insured's rights and obligations under 
  4.24  that statute, including the right to request, in writing, and to 
  4.25  receive a copy of the report of the examination; 
  4.26     (13) failing to provide, to an insured who has submitted a 
  4.27  claim for benefits described in section 65B.44, a complete copy 
  4.28  of the insurer's claim file on the insured, excluding internal 
  4.29  company memoranda, all materials that relate to any insurance 
  4.30  fraud investigation, materials that constitute attorney 
  4.31  work-product or that qualify for the attorney-client privilege, 
  4.32  and medical reviews that are subject to section 145.64, within 
  4.33  ten business days of receiving a written request from the 
  4.34  insured.  The insurer may charge the insured a reasonable 
  4.35  copying fee.  This clause supersedes any inconsistent provisions 
  4.36  of sections 72A.49 to 72A.505; 
  5.1      (14) if an automobile policy provides for the adjustment or 
  5.2   settlement of an automobile loss due to damaged window motor 
  5.3   vehicle glass, failing to:  (i) assume all the reasonable costs 
  5.4   sufficient to pay of the insured's chosen vendor for the repair 
  5.5   or replacement of comparable window the motor vehicle glass; and 
  5.6   (ii) pay these costs within 30 days of the completion of the 
  5.7   repair or replacement.  "Reasonable costs" means the actual 
  5.8   costs of repair or replacement, including labor, molding, and 
  5.9   other expenses determined by the National Auto Glass 
  5.10  Specifications and applicable state taxes, but not including any 
  5.11  rebate, discount, or other incentive offered by the vendor to 
  5.12  perform the repair or replacement.  For purposes of this clause, 
  5.13  costs are not reasonable to the extent they exceed 100 percent, 
  5.14  or are less than 50 percent, of glass repair or replacement as 
  5.15  determined by the National Auto Glass Specifications quarterly 
  5.16  pricing report for the corresponding months.  This clause does 
  5.17  not prohibit an insurer from recommending a vendor to the 
  5.18  insured or from agreeing with a vendor to perform work at an 
  5.19  agreed-upon price, provided, however, that before recommending a 
  5.20  vendor, the insurer shall offer its insured the opportunity to 
  5.21  choose the vendor; 
  5.22     (15) requiring that the repair or replacement of motor 
  5.23  vehicle glass and related products and services be made in a 
  5.24  particular place or shop or by a particular entity, or by 
  5.25  otherwise limiting the ability of the insured to select the 
  5.26  place, shop, or entity to repair or replace the motor vehicle 
  5.27  glass and related products and services; or 
  5.28     (16) engaging in any act or practice of intimidation, 
  5.29  coercion, threat, incentive, or inducement for or against an 
  5.30  insured to use a particular company or location to provide the 
  5.31  motor vehicle glass repair or replacement services or products.  
  5.32  For purposes of this section, a warranty shall not be considered 
  5.33  an inducement or incentive. 
  5.34     Sec. 2.  [325F.783] [AUTO GLASS REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT.] 
  5.35     Subdivision 1.  [REBATES AND INCENTIVES.] A motor vehicle 
  5.36  glass vendor may not offer any rebate, discount, or other 
  6.1   incentive to perform any motor vehicle glass replacement or 
  6.2   repair work that is being covered by insurance unless the 
  6.3   rebate, discount, or incentive: 
  6.4      (1) has a value of $50 or less and if in a form other than 
  6.5   cash, is also offered in the alternative in the form of a cash 
  6.6   payment that does not exceed 50 percent of the value of rebate, 
  6.7   discount, or incentive; 
  6.8      (2) is given within seven working days of the completion of 
  6.9   the work; and 
  6.10     (3) is made unconditionally. 
  6.11     A person who violates this subdivision is subject to the 
  6.12  penalties and remedies in section 8.31. 
  6.13     Subd. 2.  [PROMPT PAYMENT REQUIRED.] An insurer that does 
  6.14  not pay the reasonable costs of repairing or replacing motor 
  6.15  vehicle glass within 30 days of completion of the repair or 
  6.16  replacement as required by section 72A.201, subdivision 6, 
  6.17  clause (14), shall pay interest of 1-1/2 percent per month to 
  6.18  the vendor on the amount not paid.  The minimum monthly interest 
  6.19  penalty payment for an unpaid balance of $100 or more is $10.  
  6.20  For an unpaid balance of less then $100, the insurer shall pay 
  6.21  the actual penalty due to the vendor.  A vendor requesting 
  6.22  payment who prevails in a civil action to collect interest 
  6.23  penalties from an insurer shall be awarded its costs and 
  6.24  disbursements, including attorney fees incurred in bringing the 
  6.25  action.