Virginia Code 38.2-3729: Refunds
A. Each individual policy or group certificate shall provide that, in the event of termination of the insurance prior to the scheduled maturity date of the indebtedness, any refund of an amount paid by the debtor for insurance shall be paid or credited promptly to the debtor or person entitled thereto.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 38.2-3729
- Accident and sickness insurance: means insurance against loss resulting from sickness, or from bodily injury or death by accident or accidental means, or from a combination of any or all of these perils. See Virginia Code 38.2-109
- Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
- Commission: means the State Corporation Commission. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
- Insurer: means an insurance company. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
- Life insurance: includes policies that also provide (i) endowment benefits; (ii) additional benefits incidental to a loss in the event of death, dismemberment, or loss by accident or accidental means; (iii) additional benefits to safeguard the contract from lapse or to provide a special surrender value, a special benefit or an annuity, in the event of total and permanent disability of the insured; and (iv) optional modes of settlement of proceeds. See Virginia Code 38.2-102
- Month: means a calendar month and "year" means a calendar year. See Virginia Code 1-223
- Person: means any association, aggregate of individuals, business, company, corporation, individual, joint-stock company, Lloyds type of organization, organization, partnership, receiver, reciprocal or interinsurance exchange, trustee or society. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
- rates: means any rate of premium, policy fee, membership fee or any other charge made by an insurer for or in connection with a contract or policy of insurance. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
B. If a creditor requires a debtor to make any payment for credit life insurance or credit accident and sickness insurance and an individual policy or group certificate of insurance is not issued, the creditor shall immediately give written notice to such debtor and shall promptly make an appropriate credit to the account.
C. Refund formulas which any insurer desires to use for decreasing term credit life insurance with terms of more than sixty-one months must develop refunds which are at least as favorable to the debtor as refunds based on the actuarial method. Refund formulas for decreasing term credit life insurance with terms of sixty-one months or less must develop refunds which are at least as favorable to the debtor as refunds based on the Rule of 78 or the actuarial method, whichever method is consistent with the original method of premium calculation. Refund formulas for credit accident and sickness insurance shall develop refunds that are at least as favorable to the debtor as refunds based on the actuarial method. The actuarial method will result in refunds equal to the premium cost of scheduled benefits subsequent to the date of cancellation or termination, computed at the schedule of premium rates in effect on the date of issue. The refund of premiums for level term credit life insurance shall be no less than the pro rata unearned gross premium. Refund formulas must be filed with and approved by the Commission prior to use.
D. The requirements of subsection C of this section that refund formulas be filed with the Commission shall be considered fulfilled if the refund formulas are set forth in the individual policy or group certificate filed with the Commission.
E. Refunds may be computed:
1. On a daily basis; or
2. From the end of the loan month if sixteen days or more of a loan month have been earned, provided that, if fifteen days or less of a loan month have been earned, the refund is computed from the beginning of the loan month.
F. No refund of five dollars or less need be made.
G. Voluntary prepayment of indebtedness. If a debtor prepays the indebtedness other than as a result of death:
1. Any credit life insurance covering such indebtedness shall be terminated and an appropriate refund of the credit life insurance premium shall be paid or credited to the person entitled to the refund in accordance with this section; and
2. Any credit accident and sickness insurance covering such indebtedness shall be terminated and an appropriate refund of the credit accident and sickness insurance premium shall be paid or credited to the person entitled to the refund in accordance with this section. If a claim under such coverage is in progress at the time of prepayment, the amount of refund may be determined as if the prepayment did not occur until the payment of benefits terminates. No refund need be paid during any period of disability for which credit accident and sickness benefits are payable. A refund shall be computed as if prepayment occurred at the end of the disability period.
H. Involuntary prepayment of indebtedness. If an indebtedness is prepaid by the proceeds of a credit life insurance policy covering the debtor, then it shall be the responsibility of the insurer to see that the following are paid to the insured debtor, if living, or the beneficiary, other than the creditor, named by the debtor or to the debtor’s estate:
1. An appropriate refund of the credit accident and sickness insurance premium in accordance with this section; and
2. The amount of benefits in excess of the amount required to repay the indebtedness after crediting any unearned interest or finance charges.
1960, c. 67, § 38.1-482.8; 1982, c. 223, § 38.2-3711; 1986, c. 562; 1992, c. 586; 2002, c. 72; 2009, c. 643.