(1) The commissioner may, subject to chapter 48.04 RCW, deny, suspend, or revoke the registration of a service contract provider or protection product guarantee provider if the commissioner finds that the service contract provider or protection product guarantee provider:

     (a) Has violated this chapter or the commissioner's rules and orders;

     (b) Has refused to be investigated or to produce its accounts, records, and files for investigation, or if any of its officers have refused to give information with respect to its affairs or refused to perform any other legal obligation as to an investigation, when required by the commissioner;

     (c) Has, without just cause, refused to pay proper claims or perform services arising under its contracts or has, without just cause, caused service contract holders or protection product guarantee holders to accept less than the amount due them or caused service contract holders or protection product guarantee holders to employ attorneys or bring suit against the service contract provider or protection product guarantee provider to secure full payment or settlement of claims;

     (d) Is affiliated with or under the same general management or interlocking directorate or ownership as another service contract provider or protection product guarantee provider which unlawfully transacts business in this state without having a registration;

     (e) At any time fails to meet any qualification for which issuance of the registration could have been refused had such failure then existed and been known to the commissioner;

     (f) Has been convicted of, or has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony;

     (g) Is under suspension or revocation in another state with respect to its service contract business or protection product business;

     (h) Has made a material misstatement in its application for registration;

     (i) Has obtained or attempted to obtain a registration through misrepresentation or fraud;

     (j) Has, in the transaction of business under its registration, used fraudulent, coercive, or dishonest practices;

     (k) Has failed to pay any judgment rendered against it in this state regarding a service contract or protection product guarantee within sixty days after the judgment has become final; or

     (l) Has failed to respond promptly to any inquiry from the insurance commissioner relative to service contract or protection product business. A lack of response within fifteen business days from receipt of an inquiry is untimely. A response must be in writing, unless otherwise indicated in the inquiry.

     (2) The commissioner may, without advance notice or hearing thereon, immediately suspend the registration of a service contract provider or protection product guarantee provider if the commissioner finds that any of the following circumstances exist:

     (a) The provider is insolvent;

     (b) A proceeding for receivership, conservatorship, rehabilitation, or other delinquency proceeding regarding the service contract provider or protection product guarantee provider has been commenced in any state; or

     (c) The financial condition or business practices of the service contract provider or protection product guarantee provider otherwise pose an imminent threat to the public health, safety, or welfare of the residents of this state.

     (3) If the commissioner finds that grounds exist for the suspension or revocation of a registration issued under this chapter, the commissioner may, in lieu of suspension or revocation, impose a fine upon the service contract provider or protection product guarantee provider in an amount not more than two thousand dollars per violation.

[2006 c 274 § 14; 1999 c 112 § 14.]