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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79233</law_id><section_number>38.2-2226</section_number><catch_line>Insurer to give notice to claimant of intention to rely on certain defenses and of execution of nonwaiver of rights agreement</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="38.2">Insurance</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="22">Liability Insurance Policies</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Whenever any <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> on a policy of liability <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> discovers a breach of the terms or conditions of the <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> <span class="dictionary">contract</span> by the insured, the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> shall notify the claimant or the claimant&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> of the breach. Notification shall be given within forty-five days after <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> by the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> of the breach or of the claim, whichever is later. Whenever, on account of such breach, a nonwaiver of rights agreement is executed by the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> and the insured, or a reservation of rights letter is sent by the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> to the insured, notice of such action shall be given to the claimant or the claimant&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> within forty-five days after that agreement is executed or the letter is sent, or after notice of the claim is received, whichever is later. Failure to give the notice within forty-five days will result in a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of the defense based on such breach to the extent of the claim by operation of <span class="dictionary">law</span>.
		Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, in any claim in which a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> has been filed by the claimant, the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> shall give notice of reservation of rights in writing to the claimant, or if the claimant is represented by <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, to claimant&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> not less than thirty days prior to the date set for <span class="dictionary">trial</span> of the matter. The <span class="dictionary">court</span>, upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> and for good cause shown, may allow such notice to be given fewer than thirty days prior to the <span class="dictionary">trial</span> date. Failure to give the notice within thirty days of the <span class="dictionary">trial</span> date, or such shorter period as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may have allowed, shall result in a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of the defense based on such breach to the extent of the claim by operation of <span class="dictionary">law</span>.</p></section></text><history>1968, c. 410, &#xA7; 38.1-389.1; 1986, c. 562; 1997, c. 377; 2001, c. 728.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
