{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/38.2-501.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/38.2-501.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/38.2-501.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/38.2-501.html"}],"law_id":79956,"edition_id":1,"section_id":79956,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-501","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"1952, c. 317, \u00a7 38.1-50; 1977, c. 529; 1980, c. 404; 1986, c. 562; 1989, c. 653; 1992, c. 7; 2001, c. 707.","full_text":"As used in this chapter:\n\t\t“Insurance policy” or “insurance contract” includes annuities and any group or individual contract, certificate, or evidence of coverage, including, but not limited to, those issued by a health services plan, health maintenance organization, legal services organization, legal services plan, or dental or optometric services plan as provided for in Chapters 42 (\u00a7 38.2-4200 et seq.), 43 (\u00a7 38.2-4300 et seq.), 44 (\u00a7 38.2-4400 et seq.) and 45 (\u00a7 38.2-4500 et seq.) of this title issued, proposed for issuance, or intended for issuance, by any person.\n\t\t“Lending institution” means any corporation, company or organization that accepts deposits from the public and lends money in this Commonwealth, including banks and savings institutions.\n\t\t“Person,” in addition to the definition in Chapter 1 (\u00a7 38.2-100 et seq.) of this title, extends to any other legal entity transacting the business of insurance, including agents, brokers and adjusters. “Person” also means health, legal, dental, and optometric service plans and health maintenance organizations, as provided for in Chapters 42, 43, 44 and 45 of this title. For the purposes of this chapter, such service plans shall be deemed to be transacting the business of insurance. “Person” also means premium finance companies.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":286374,"text":"As used in this chapter:\n\t\t“Insurance policy” or “insurance contract” includes annuities and any group or individual contract, certificate, or evidence of coverage, including, but not limited to, those issued by a health services plan, health maintenance organization, legal services organization, legal services plan, or dental or optometric services plan as provided for in Chapters 42 (\u00a7 38.2-4200 et seq.), 43 (\u00a7 38.2-4300 et seq.), 44 (\u00a7 38.2-4400 et seq.) and 45 (\u00a7 38.2-4500 et seq.) of this title issued, proposed for issuance, or intended for issuance, by any person.\n\t\t“Lending institution” means any corporation, company or organization that accepts deposits from the public and lends money in this Commonwealth, including banks and savings institutions.\n\t\t“Person,” in addition to the definition in Chapter 1 (\u00a7 38.2-100 et seq.) of this title, extends to any other legal entity transacting the business of insurance, including agents, brokers and adjusters. “Person” also means health, legal, dental, and optometric service plans and health maintenance organizations, as provided for in Chapters 42, 43, 44 and 45 of this title. For the purposes of this chapter, such service plans shall be deemed to be transacting the business of insurance. “Person” also means premium finance companies.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13684,"edition_id":1,"name":"Unfair Trade Practices","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12698,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:33","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:33","permalink":{"id":217475,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13684,"identifier":"5","token":"38.2\/5","url":"\/38.2\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12698,"edition_id":1,"name":"Insurance","identifier":"38.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":210661,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12698,"identifier":"38.2","token":"38.2","url":"\/38.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":66905,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-500","catch_line":"Declaration of purpose","url":"\/38.2-500\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-500","metadata":false},{"id":79956,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-501","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/38.2-501\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-501","metadata":false},{"id":79437,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-502","catch_line":"Misrepresentations and false advertising of insurance policies","url":"\/38.2-502\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-502","metadata":false},{"id":54663,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-503","catch_line":"False information and advertising generally","url":"\/38.2-503\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-503","metadata":false},{"id":82451,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-504","catch_line":"Defamation","url":"\/38.2-504\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-504","metadata":false},{"id":84128,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-505","catch_line":"Boycott, coercion and intimidation","url":"\/38.2-505\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-505","metadata":false},{"id":78214,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-506","catch_line":"False statements and entries","url":"\/38.2-506\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-506","metadata":false},{"id":56726,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-507","catch_line":"Stock operations and advisory board contracts","url":"\/38.2-507\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-507","metadata":false},{"id":67626,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-508","catch_line":"Unfair discrimination","url":"\/38.2-508\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-508","metadata":false},{"id":80488,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-508.1","catch_line":"Unfair discrimination; 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policies issued outside of the Commonwealth","url":"\/38.2-515.1\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-515.1","metadata":false},{"id":67332,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-516","catch_line":"Prohibited compensation for intra-company replacement","url":"\/38.2-516\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-516","metadata":false},{"id":76418,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-517","catch_line":"Unfair settlement practices; replacement and repair; penalty","url":"\/38.2-517\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-517","metadata":false},{"id":74674,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-518","catch_line":"Certificates of insurance","url":"\/38.2-518\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-518","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":66905,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-500","catch_line":"Declaration of purpose","url":"\/38.2-500\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-500","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":79437,"structure_id":13684,"section_number":"38.2-502","catch_line":"Misrepresentations and false advertising of insurance policies","url":"\/38.2-502\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-502","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/38.2-501\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1952. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 317 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1952 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 6 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1977, chapter 529; in 1980, chapter 404; in 1986, chapter 562; in 1989, chapter 653; in 1992, chapter 7; in 2001, chapter 707<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":87356,"section_number":"38.2-5103","catch_line":"Risk retention groups not chartered in this Commonwealth","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-5103\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":59918,"section_number":"38.2-100","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-100\/"},{"id":78890,"section_number":"38.2-4200","catch_line":"Applicability of chapter","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-4200\/"},{"id":72005,"section_number":"38.2-4300","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-4300\/"},{"id":67200,"section_number":"38.2-4400","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-4400\/"},{"id":59325,"section_number":"38.2-4500","catch_line":"Applicability of chapter","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-4500\/"}],"permalink":{"id":217481,"object_type":"law","relational_id":79956,"identifier":"38.2-501","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-501","url":"\/38.2-501\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/38.2-501\/","token":"38.2\/5\/38.2-501","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 38.2-501","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this chapter:\n\t\t“Insurance policy<\/span>” or “insurance contract<\/span>” includes annuities and any group or individual contract, certificate, or evidence<\/span> of coverage, including, but not limited to, those issued by a health services plan<\/span>, health maintenance organization, legal services organization, legal services plan, or dental or optometric services plan as provided for in Chapters 42 (\u00a7 38.2-4200<\/a> et seq.), 43 (\u00a7 38.2-4300<\/a> et seq.), 44 (\u00a7 38.2-4400<\/a> et seq.) and 45 (\u00a7 38.2-4500<\/a> et seq.) of this title issued, proposed for issuance, or intended for issuance, by any person<\/span>.\n\t\t“Lending institution<\/span>” means any corporation, company<\/span> or organization that accepts deposits from the public and lends money in this Commonwealth, including banks and savings institutions.\n\t\t“Person<\/span>,” in addition to the definition in Chapter 1 (\u00a7 38.2-100<\/a> et seq.) of this title, extends to any other legal entity transacting the business of insurance, including agents, brokers and adjusters. “Person<\/span>” also means health, legal, dental, and optometric service plans and health maintenance organizations, as provided for in Chapters 42, 43, 44 and 45 of this title. For the purposes of this chapter, such service plans shall be deemed to be transacting the business of insurance. “Person<\/span>” also means premium finance companies.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 38.2-501)\n\nAs used in this chapter:\n\t\t“Insurance policy” or “insurance contract” includes\nannuities and any group or individual contract, certificate, or evidence of\ncoverage, including, but not limited to, those issued by a health services plan,\nhealth maintenance organization, legal services organization, legal services\nplan, or dental or optometric services plan as provided for in Chapters 42 (\u00a7\n38.2-4200 et seq.), 43 (\u00a7 38.2-4300 et seq.), 44 (\u00a7 38.2-4400 et seq.) and 45\n(\u00a7 38.2-4500 et seq.) of this title issued, proposed for issuance, or intended\nfor issuance, by any person.\n\t\t“Lending institution” means any corporation, company or\norganization that accepts deposits from the public and lends money in this\nCommonwealth, including banks and savings institutions.\n\t\t“Person,” in addition to the definition in Chapter 1 (\u00a7 38.2-100\net seq.) of this title, extends to any other legal entity transacting the\nbusiness of insurance, including agents, brokers and adjusters.\n“Person” also means health, legal, dental, and optometric service\nplans and health maintenance organizations, as provided for in Chapters 42, 43,\n44 and 45 of this title. For the purposes of this chapter, such service plans\nshall be deemed to be transacting the business of insurance.\n“Person” also means premium finance companies.\n\nHISTORY: 1952, c. 317, \u00a7 38.1-50; 1977, c. 529; 1980, c. 404; 1986, c. 562;\n1989, c. 653; 1992, c. 7; 2001, c. 707.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}