D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 22A

What this document is

D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 22A - Unfair Insurance Trade Practices (§§ 31-2231.01 to 31-2231.25) is a state statute published by Council of the District of Columbia (code.dccouncil.gov). It is one of the District of Columbia documents that insurance license exam questions are written from, including district of columbia life & health, district of columbia property & casualty practice questions. This page summarizes it and points to the official version, which is the text to rely on.

Sections cited in practice questions

Each practice answer shows the exact passage it comes from. These are sections of this document that questions cite, with a short excerpt from the source text.

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.01 (Definitions)

  ““Unfair trade practices” means the commission of any one or more of the acts prohibited by §§ 31-2231.02 through 31-2231.21 , or regulations promulgated hereunder, with such frequency to indicate a general business practice to engage in the proscribed conduct.”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.02 (General prohibition)

  “This chapter shall be construed to permit an administrative remedy only, and nothing in this chapter shall be construed to create or imply a private cause of action for a violation of this chapter.”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.05 (Defamation)

  “No person shall make, publish, disseminate, or circulate, directly or indirectly, or aid, abet, or encourage the making, publishing, disseminating or circulating, of an oral or written statement or a pamphlet, circular, article, or literature, which is false with respect to, maliciously critical...”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.06 (Boycott, coercion, and intimidation)

  “No person shall enter into an agreement to commit, or by a concerted action commit, an act of boycott, coercion, or intimidation resulting in, or tending to result in, unreasonable restraint of, or monopoly in, the business of insurance.”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.07 (Illegal dealing in premiums; excess charges for insurance)

  “In a case where the classifications, premiums, or rates are not required to be filed and approved, the premium or charge shall not be in excess of that specified in the policy and fixed by the insurer. This subsection shall not prohibit a reasonable fee or charge for insurance premium payment...”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.11 (Unfair discrimination)

  “No person shall refuse to insure, refuse to continue to insure, or limit the amount of coverage available to an individual because of marital status, race, color, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, matriculation, political affiliation, or an individual’s status...”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.13 (Unfair discrimination and rebates prohibited; property, casualty, and surety insurance)

  “No person shall commit or permit an unfair discrimination between individuals or risks of the same class and of essentially the same hazard by refusing to insure, refusing to renew, canceling, or limiting the amount of insurance coverage on a property or casualty risk solely because of the...”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.15 (Unfair financial planning practices; an insurance agent or broker)

  “No person shall hold himself or herself out, directly or indirectly, to the public as a financial planner, investment adviser, consultant, financial counselor, or any other specialist engaged in the business of giving financial planning or advice relating to investments, insurance, real estate, tax...”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.17 (Unfair claim settlement practices)

  “No person shall commit or perform with such frequency as to indicate a general business practice any of the following: (1) Knowingly misrepresent pertinent facts or insurance policy provisions relating to the claim at issue;”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.20 (Favored agent or insurer; coercion of debtors)

  “A person who lends money or extends credit and who solicits insurance on real and personal property shall explain to the borrower in writing that the insurance related to the credit extension may be purchased from an insurer or agent of the borrower’s choice, subject only to the lender’s right to...”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.21 (“Twisting” prohibited)

  “No person shall make or issue, or cause to be made or issued, a written or oral statement misrepresenting or making incomplete comparisons as to the terms, conditions, or benefits contained in a policy for the purpose of inducing or attempting or tending to induce the policyholder to lapse,...”

• D.C. Code § 31-2231.12(c) (Rebates: life, health, and annuities; receiving or accepting an inducement)

  “No person shall receive or accept as inducement to a policy or contract: (1) A rebate of premium payable on the policy or contract; (2) A special favor or advantage in the dividends or other benefits to accrue on the policy or contract; or (3) A valuable consideration or inducement not specified in the contract.”

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Questions about this source

More District of Columbia sources

• D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 16 - Prohibition of Discrimination in the Provision of Insurance on Basis of AIDS Test (§§ 31-1601 to 31-1610)State statute
• D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 2 - Duties of Commissioner; Requirements of Industry (§§ 31-201 to 31-208)State statute
• D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 51 - Credit Life, Accident, and Health Insurance (§§ 31-5101 to 31-5112)State statute
• D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 54 - Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association (§§ 31-5401 to 31-5416)State statute
• D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 32 - Health Insurance Forms (§§ 31-3201 to 31-3255)State statute
• D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 34 - Health Maintenance Organizations (§§ 31-3401 to 31-3431)State statute
• D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 48 - Industrial Life Insurance (§§ 31-4801 to 31-4805)State statute
• D.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 47 - Provisions Relating to All Life Insurance Companies (§§ 31-4701 to 31-4730)State statute