The Insurance Contract (general provisions applicable to all insurers: form filing, insurable interest, application, representations, cancellation, assignment)

What this document is

Chapter 48.18 RCW - The Insurance Contract (general provisions applicable to all insurers: form filing, insurable interest, application, representations, cancellation, assignment) is a state statute published by app.leg.wa.gov. It is one of the Washington documents that insurance license exam questions are written from, including washington life & health, washington property & casualty, washington personal lines, washington claims adjuster 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.

• RCW tit. 48 § 48.18.360 (Assignment of policies, life and disability)

  “Subject to the terms of the policy relating to its assignment, life insurance policies, other than industrial or group life insurance policies, and disability policies providing benefits for accidental death, whether such policies were heretofore or are hereafter issued, and under the terms of...”

• RCW tit. 48 § 48.18.060 (Application, consent, when required)

  “A life or disability insurance contract upon an individual may not be made or take effect unless at the time the contract is made the individual insured applies for or consents to the contract in writing, except in the following cases: (1) A spouse may insure the life of the other spouse. (2) Any...”

• RCW tit. 48 § 48.18.030(3)(b) (Insurable interest, personal insurances)

  “(b) An individual who is party to a contract or option for the purchase or sale of an interest in a business partnership or firm, or of shares of stock of a close corporation or of an interest in those shares, has an insurable interest in the life of each individual party to the contract and for...”

• RCW tit. 48 § 48.18.090(2) (Warranties and misrepresentations, effect of)

  “(2) In any application for life or disability insurance made in writing by the insured, all statements therein made by the insured shall, in the absence of fraud, be deemed representations and not warranties. The falsity of any such statement shall not bar the right to recovery under the contract...”

• RCW tit. 48 § 48.18.480 (Discrimination prohibited)

  “No insurer shall make or permit any unfair discrimination between insureds or subjects of insurance having substantially like insuring, risk, and exposure factors, and expense elements, in the terms or conditions of any insurance contract, or in the rate or amount of premium charged therefor, or in...”

• RCW 48.18.298

  “No insurer shall refuse to renew any policy of individual disability insurance issued after July 1, 1973 because of a change in the physical or mental condition or health of any person covered thereunder: PROVIDED, That after approval of the insurance commissioner, an insurer may discharge its...”

• RCW 48.18.540

  “Every insurer upon canceling, denying, or refusing to renew any disability policy, shall, upon written request, directly notify in writing the applicant or insured, as the case may be, of the reasons for the action by the insurer and to any person covered under a group contract. Any benefits,...”

• RCW 48.18.570

  “(1) No life insurer may deny or refuse to accept an application for insurance, or refuse to insure, refuse to renew, cancel, restrict, or otherwise terminate a policy of insurance, or charge a different rate for the same coverage, based upon the applicant's or insured person's past or future lawful...”

• RCW 48.18.580(4)

  “(4) No later than thirty days after the date on which an employer purchases an employer-owned life insurance policy on the life of an employee, the employer must provide to the employee a written notice that contains the following information: (a) A statement that the employer carries an...”

• RCW 48.18.050 (Named insured; interest insured)

  “When the name of a person intended to be insured is specified in the policy, such insurance can be applied only to his or her own proper interest.”

• RCW 48.18.350 (Breach of warranty prior to loss; effect)

  “If any breach of a warranty or condition in any insurance contract occurs prior to a loss under the contract, such breach shall not avoid the contract nor avail the insurer to avoid liability, unless the breach exists at the time of the loss.”

• RCW 48.18.190 (Policy must contain entire contract)

  “No agreement in conflict with, modifying, or extending any contract of insurance shall be valid unless in writing and made a part of the policy.”

Practice this material

Questions about this source

More Washington sources

• RCW Title 48, Chapter 48.30 - Unfair Practices and Frauds (selected sections 48.30.010-48.30.155)State statute
• RCW Title 48, Chapter 48.17 - Insurance Producers, Title Insurance Agents and Adjusters (selected sections 48.17.060-48.17.600)State statute
• Chapter 48.05 RCW - Authorization of Insurers and General Requirements (certificate of authority, admission, deposits, discipline)State statute
• Chapter 48.22 RCW - Casualty Insurance (personal injury protection, underinsured and hit-and-run motorist coverage, assigned risk plans)State statute
• Chapter 48.02 RCW - Insurance Commissioner (broad powers, rule-making, orders, hearings and enforcement)State statute
• Chapter 48.20 RCW - Disability Insurance (individual accident and health policy provisions, required and optional provisions)State statute
• Chapter 48.03 RCW - Examinations (examination of the affairs and records of insurers and licensees)State statute
• Chapter 48.01 RCW - General Provisions (scope, and the definitions of insurance, insurer, insurance transaction and the public interest)State statute