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2016 SESSION

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HB 870 Unfair claim settlement practices; appraisal of automobile repair costs.

Introduced by: Timothy D. Hugo | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE: (all summaries)

Unfair claim settlement practices; appraisal of automobile repair costs. Authorizes the repair facility or the insurer making the appraisal of the cost of repairing a motor vehicle that has been damaged as the result of a covered loss to prepare an initial repair appraisal, which may be the final repair appraisal, on the motor vehicle either from personal inspection of the vehicle by a representative of the repair facility or insurer or from photographs, videos, or electronically transmitted digital imagery of the motor vehicle. The measure prohibits an insurer from requiring an owner of a motor vehicle to submit photographs, videos, or electronically transmitted digital imagery as a condition of an appraisal. Supplemental repair estimates that become necessary after the repair work has been initiated due to discovery of additional damage to the motor vehicle may also be made from photographs, videos, or electronically transmitted digital imagery of the motor vehicle, provided that in the case of disputed repairs a personal inspection is required. Currently, a person is prohibited from making appraisals of the cost of repairing a motor vehicle that has been damaged as a result of a collision unless the appraisal is based upon a personal inspection. An insurer's violation of the requirement with such frequency as to indicate a general business practice constitutes an unfair claim settlement practice. This bill is identical to SB 193.


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