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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71333</law_id><section_number>38.2-209</section_number><catch_line>Award of insured&amp;#8217;s attorney fees in certain cases</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>38.2-4214</reference><reference>38.2-4319</reference><reference>38.2-4408</reference><reference>38.2-4509</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="38.2">Insurance</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Provisions of a General Nature</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Notwithstanding any provision of <span class="dictionary">law</span> to the contrary, in any civil case in which an insured individual sues his <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> to determine what coverage, if any, exists under his present policy or fidelity <span class="dictionary">bond</span> or the extent to which his <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> is liable for compensating a covered loss, the individual insured shall be entitled to recover from the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> costs and such reasonable attorney fees as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may award. However, these costs and attorney&#x2019;s fees shall not be awarded unless the <span class="dictionary">court</span> determines that the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span>, not acting in good faith, has either denied coverage or failed or refused to make payment to the insured under the policy. &#x201C;Individual,&#x201D; as used in this section, shall mean and include any <span class="dictionary">person</span>, group, business, <span class="dictionary">company</span>, organization, receiver, trustee, security, corporation, partnership, association, or governmental body, and this definition is declaratory of existing policy. <a id="paragraph-257146" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-209/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Nothing in this section shall be deemed to grant a right to bring an action against an <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> by an insured who would otherwise lack standing to bring an action. <a id="paragraph-257147" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-209/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> As used in this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">insurer</span>&#x201D; shall include &#x201C;self-<span class="dictionary">insurer</span>.&#x201D; <a id="paragraph-257148" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-209/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1982, c. 576, &#xA7; 38.1-32.1; 1986, c. 562; 2006, c. 279.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
