(1) For the purposes of
this section:
(a) "Insured" means a current policyholder or a person or
entity that is covered under the insurance policy.
(b) "Malicious harassment" has the same meaning as RCW 9A.36.080. Under this section, the perpetrator does not have to
be identified for an act of malicious harassment to have
occurred.
(c) "Underwriting action" means an insurer:
(i) Cancels or refuses to renew an insurance policy; or
(ii) Changes the terms or benefits in an insurance policy.
(2) This section applies to property insurance policies if
the insured is:
(a) An individual;
(b) A religious organization;
(c) An educational organization; or
(d) Any other nonprofit organization that is organized and
operated for religious, charitable, or educational purposes.
(3) An insurer may not take an underwriting action on a
policy described in subsection (2) of this section because an
insured has made one or more insurance claims for any loss that
occurred during the preceding sixty months that is the result of
malicious harassment. An insurer may take an underwriting action
due to other factors that are not prohibited by this subsection.
(4) If an insured sustains a loss that is the result of
malicious harassment, the insured must file a report with the
police or other law enforcement authority within thirty days of
discovery of the incident, and a law enforcement authority must
determine that a crime has occurred. The report must contain
sufficient information to provide an insurer with reasonable
notice that the loss was the result of malicious harassment. The
insured has a duty to cooperate with any law enforcement official
or insurer investigation. For incidents of malicious harassment
occurring prior to July 27, 2003, the insured must file the
report within six months of the discovery of the incident.
(5) Annually, each insurer must report underwriting actions
to the commissioner if the insurer has taken an underwriting
action against any insured who has filed a claim during the
preceding sixty months that was the result of malicious
harassment. The report must include the policy number, name of
the insured, location of the property, and the reason for the
underwriting action.
[2003 c 117 § 1.]