2017 -- H 5951

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LC002037

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE - DOMESTIC INSURANCE COMPANIES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Blazejewski, Shekarchi, Maldonado, Hearn, and Tanzi

     Date Introduced: March 17, 2017

     Referred To: House Corporations

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 27-1-39 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-1 entitled "Domestic

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Insurance Companies" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     27-1-39. Discrimination in rates prohibited.

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     (a) No insurance company organized to do business within this state shall make any

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distinction or discrimination as to the premiums or rates charged for policies of casualty, fire,

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home owners, accident and health, or marine insurance, nor shall the company make or permit the

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rejection of an individual's application for insurance coverage, and the determination of the rate

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class for the individual, solely on the basis of a disability unless the disability is relevant to the

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risk of loss, nor shall any insurance company make or require any rebate, diminution, or discount

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upon the sum to be paid on any policy based on any disability discrimination, nor insert in the

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policy any condition nor make any stipulation, where the person insured shall bind himself or

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herself, his or her heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, to accept any less sum than the

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full value or amount of the policy in case of a claim accruing on the policy by reason of the claim

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of the person insured, other than those stipulations or conditions as are imposed upon all persons

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in similar cases, and any stipulation or condition made in this manner or inserted shall be void.

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     (b) No insurance company organized to do business within this state shall make any

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distinction or discrimination as to the premiums or rates charged for automobile insurance

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policies, nor shall the company make or permit the rejection of an individual's application for

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insurance coverage, and the determination of the rate class of the individual, solely on the basis of

 

1

a disability or the modification of the automobile with specialized equipment that permits an

2

individual with a disability to operate the automobile, unless the disability or modification of the

3

automobile is relevant to the risk or loss, nor shall any insurance company make or require any

4

rebate, diminution, or discount upon the sum to be paid on any policy based on any disability

5

discrimination, nor insert in the policy any condition nor make any stipulation where the person

6

insured shall bind himself or herself, his or her heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, to

7

accept any less sum than the full value or amount of the policy in case of a claim accruing on the

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policy by reason of the claim of the person insured, other than those stipulations or conditions as

9

are imposed upon all persons in similar cases, and any stipulation or condition made in this

10

manner or inserted shall be void. The department of business regulation shall enforce the

11

provisions of this section.

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     (c) No insurance company organized to do business within this state shall make any

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distinction or discrimination as to the premiums or rates charged for policies of casualty, fire,

14

home owners, accident and health, marine or automobile insurance, nor shall the company make

15

or permit the rejection of an individual's application for insurance coverage, and the

16

determination of the rate class for the individual, solely on the basis of a domestic partner

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relationship, nor shall any insurance company make or require any rebate, diminution, or discount

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upon the sum to be paid on any policy based on any domestic partner relationship discrimination,

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nor insert in the policy any condition nor make any stipulation, where the person insured shall

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bind themselves, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, to accept any less sum than

21

the full value or amount of the policy in case of a claim accruing on the policy by reason of the

22

claim of the person insured, other than those stipulations or conditions as are imposed upon all

23

persons in similar cases, and any stipulation or condition made in this manner or inserted shall be

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void. For the purposes of this section, "domestic partner" shall have the same meaning as defined

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in §8-8.2-20. The department of business regulation shall enforce the provisions of this section.

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     SECTION 2. Section 27-2-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-2 entitled "Foreign

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Insurance Companies" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     27-2-23. Discrimination in rates prohibited.

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     (a) No foreign insurance company licensed to do or doing business in this state shall

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make any distinction or discrimination as to the premiums or rates charged for policies of

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casualty, fire, home owners, accident and health, or marine insurance, nor shall any company

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make or permit the rejection of an individual's application for insurance coverage, and the

33

determination of the rate class for the individual, solely on the basis of a disability unless the

34

disability is relevant to the risk of loss, nor shall any company make or require any rebate,

 

LC002037 - Page 2 of 5

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diminution, or discount upon the sum to be paid on any policy based on any disability

2

discrimination, nor insert in the policy any condition, nor make any stipulation, where the person

3

insured shall bind himself or herself, his or her heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, to

4

accept any less sum than the full value or amount of the policy in case of a claim accruing on the

5

policy by reason of the claim of the person insured, other than conditions or stipulations as are

6

imposed upon all persons in similar cases, and any stipulation or condition made in this manner

7

or inserted shall be void.

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     (b) No foreign insurance company licensed to do or doing business in this state shall

9

make any distinction or discrimination as to the premiums or rates charged for automobile

10

insurance policies, nor shall the company make or permit the rejection of an individual's

11

application for insurance coverage, and the determination of the rate class of the individual, solely

12

on the basis of a disability or the modification of the automobile with specialized equipment that

13

permits an individual with a disability to operate the automobile, unless the disability or

14

modification of the automobile is relevant to the risk of loss, nor shall any insurance company

15

make or require any rebate, diminution, or discount upon the sum to be paid on any policy based

16

on any disability discrimination, nor insert in the policy any condition, nor make any stipulation,

17

where the person insured shall bind himself or herself, his or her heirs, executors, administrators,

18

and assigns, to accept any less sum than the full value or amount of the policy in case of a claim

19

accruing on the policy by reason of the claim of the person insured, other than conditions or

20

stipulations as are imposed upon all persons in similar cases, and any stipulation or condition

21

made or inserted shall be void. The department of business regulation shall enforce the provisions

22

of this section.

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     (c) No insurance company organized to do business within this state shall make any

24

distinction or discrimination as to the premiums or rates charged for policies of casualty, fire,

25

home owners, accident and health, marine or automobile insurance, nor shall the company make

26

or permit the rejection of an individual's application for insurance coverage, and the

27

determination of the rate class for the individual, solely on the basis of a domestic partner

28

relationship, nor shall any insurance company make or require any rebate, diminution, or discount

29

upon the sum to be paid on any policy based on any domestic partner relationship discrimination,

30

nor insert in the policy any condition nor make any stipulation, where the person insured shall

31

bind themselves, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, to accept any less sum than

32

the full value or amount of the policy in case of a claim accruing on the policy by reason of the

33

claim of the person insured, other than those stipulations or conditions as are imposed upon all

34

persons in similar cases, and any stipulation or condition made in this manner or inserted shall be

 

LC002037 - Page 3 of 5

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void. For the purposes of this section, "domestic partner" shall have the same meaning as defined

2

in §8-8.2-20. The department of business regulation shall enforce the provisions of this section.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage and apply to all policies issued or

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renewed on or after January 1, 2018.

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LC002037 - Page 4 of 5

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE - DOMESTIC INSURANCE COMPANIES

***

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     This act would prohibit domestic and foreign insurance companies from any distinction

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or discrimination against individuals in a domestic partner relationship regarding policies issued

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or renewed in this state.

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     This act would take effect upon passage and would apply to all policies issued or

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renewed on or after January 1, 2018.

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LC002037

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LC002037 - Page 5 of 5