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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>57264</law_id><section_number>38.2-3735</section_number><catch_line>Disclosure and readability</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>38.2-233</reference><reference>38.2-3737</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="37.1">Credit Life Insurance and Credit Accident and Sickness Insurance</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> If a <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> makes available to the <span class="dictionary">debtors</span> more than one plan of credit life <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> or more than one plan of credit accident and sickness <span class="dictionary">insurance</span>, all <span class="dictionary">debtors</span> must be informed of all such plans for which they are eligible. In the case of credit life <span class="dictionary">insurance</span>: <a id="paragraph-209772" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-3735/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> If a <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> offers a plan of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> that insures the actual amount of unpaid <span class="dictionary">indebtedness</span>, the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> shall also offer to the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> a plan of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> that insures only the actual amount of <span class="dictionary">indebtedness</span> less any unearned interest or finance charges; and <a id="paragraph-209773" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-3735/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> In the event that a plan of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> that insures the actual amount of unpaid <span class="dictionary">indebtedness</span> is offered, the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> shall provide to each <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> a disclosure <span class="dictionary">form</span> which shall clearly disclose the difference in premiums charged for a <span class="dictionary">contract</span> wherein the gross <span class="dictionary">indebtedness</span> is insured versus a <span class="dictionary">contract</span> wherein only the net <span class="dictionary">indebtedness</span> is insured. This disclosure shall include the differences between the amount financed, the monthly payment and the total charge for each type of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span>. The <span class="dictionary">form</span> shall be signed and dated by the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> and the agent, if any, soliciting the application or the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span>&#x2019;s representative, if any, soliciting the enrollment request. A copy of this disclosure shall be given to the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span>, and a copy shall be made a part of the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span>&#x2019;s loan file.
				Nothing contained in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> from combining such disclosure, in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to avoid redundancy, with other <span class="dictionary">forms</span> of disclosure required under <span class="dictionary">state</span> or federal <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-209774" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-3735/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> When elective credit <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> is offered, the borrower must be given written disclosure that purchase of credit <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> is not required and is not a factor in granting credit. The disclosure shall also include notice that the borrower has the right to use alternative coverage or to buy <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> elsewhere. <a id="paragraph-209775" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-3735/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> is given a <span class="dictionary">contract</span> which includes a single premium payment to be charged for elective credit <span class="dictionary">insurance</span>, the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> must be given: <a id="paragraph-209776" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-3735/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A <span class="dictionary">contract</span> which does not include the elective credit <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> premium; or <a id="paragraph-209777" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-3735/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> A disclosure <span class="dictionary">form</span> which shall clearly disclose the difference in premiums charged for a <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with credit <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> and one without credit <span class="dictionary">insurance</span>. This disclosure shall include the difference between the amount financed, the monthly payment and the charge for each kind of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span>. The <span class="dictionary">form</span> shall be signed and dated by the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> and the agent, if any, soliciting the application or the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span>&#x2019;s representative, if any, soliciting the enrollment request. A copy of this disclosure shall be given to the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> and a copy shall be made a part of the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span>&#x2019;s loan file.
				Nothing contained in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> from combining such disclosure, in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to avoid redundancy, with other <span class="dictionary">forms</span> of disclosure required under <span class="dictionary">state</span> or federal <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-209778" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-3735/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> If credit life <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> or credit accident and sickness <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> is required as security for any <span class="dictionary">indebtedness</span>, the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> shall have the option of (i) furnishing the required amount of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> through existing policies of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> owned or controlled by him or (ii) procuring and furnishing the required coverage through any <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> authorized to transact <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> in this Commonwealth. The <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> shall inform the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> of this option in writing and shall obtain the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span>&#x2019;s signature acknowledging that he understands this option. Nothing contained in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> from combining such disclosure, in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to avoid redundancy, with other <span class="dictionary">forms</span> of disclosure required under <span class="dictionary">state</span> or federal <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-209779" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-3735/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> No <span class="dictionary">contract</span> of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> upon a <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> paid in advance or by a single premium shall be made or effectuated unless, at the time of the <span class="dictionary">contract</span>, the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> is provided with a notice prominently disclosing his rights to a refund of premium in the event the <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> is terminated prior to its scheduled maturity date or the insured <span class="dictionary">indebtedness</span> is terminated or paid off early, and of the obligation of the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> to provide notification to the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> under subdivision D 8 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Policy provisions; disclosure to debtors; delivery of policy or certificate" href="/38.2-3724/">38.2-3724</a>. This notice shall be signed and dated by the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> and the agent, if any, soliciting the application or the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span>&#x2019;s representative, if any, soliciting the enrollment request. A copy of the signed notice shall be given to the <span class="dictionary">debtor</span> and a copy shall be made part of the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span>&#x2019;s file.
			F.&#xA0;Readability. &#x2014; The <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> shall not approve any <span class="dictionary">form</span> unless the policy or certificate is written in nontechnical, readily understandable language, using words of common everyday usage.
			A <span class="dictionary">form</span> shall be deemed acceptable under this section if the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> certifies that the <span class="dictionary">form</span> achieves a Flesch Readability Score of forty or more, using the Flesch Readability Formula as set forth in Rudolf Flesch, The Art of Readable Writing (1949, as revised 1974), and certifies compliance with the guidelines set forth in this section. <a id="paragraph-209780" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-3735/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1992, c. 586; 1999, c. 586; 2009, c. 643; 2010, c. 211.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
