Chapter 3918 | Credit Life And Accident And Health Insurance

Section 3918.01 | Consumer credit insurance.

• Effective: June 30, 1997
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 215 - 122nd General Assembly

All consumer credit insurance issued or sold in connection with loans or other credit transactions for personal, family, or household purposes is subject to sections 3918.01 to 3918.13 of the Revised Code, except for all of the following:

(A) Insurance written in connection with a credit transaction that is secured by a first mortgage or deed of trust and is made to finance the purchase of real property, or the construction of a dwelling on such property, or to refinance a prior credit transaction made for such a purpose;

(B) Insurance that is sold as an isolated transaction on the part of the insurer and is not related to an agreement or plan for insuring debtors of the creditor;

(C) Insurance for which no identifiable charge is made to the debtor;

(D) Insurance on accounts receivable.

Section 3918.02 | Credit life and accident and health insurance definitions.

• Effective: June 30, 1997
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 215 - 122nd General Assembly

As used in sections 3918.01 to 3918.13 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Consumer credit insurance" means credit life insurance and credit accident and health insurance.

(B) "Credit life insurance" means insurance on the life of a debtor pursuant to or in connection with a specific loan or other credit transaction.

(C) "Credit accident and health insurance" means insurance on a debtor to provide indemnity for payments becoming due on a specific loan or other credit transaction while the debtor is disabled as defined in the policy.

(D) "Creditor" means the lender of money or vendor or lessor of goods, services, property, rights, or privileges, for which payment is arranged through a credit transaction or any successor to the right, title, or interest of any such lender, vendor, or lessor, and an affiliated, associate, or subsidiary of any of them or any director, officer, or employee of any of them or any other person in any way associated with any of them.

(E) "Debtor" means a borrower of money or a purchaser or lessee of goods, services, property, rights, or privileges for which payment is arranged through a credit transaction.

(F) "Indebtedness" means the total amount payable by a debtor to a creditor in connection with a loan or other credit transaction.

(G) "Superintendent" means the superintendent of insurance.

Section 3918.03 | Form of policies.

• Effective: January 1, 1960
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1058 - 103rd General Assembly

Credit life insurance and credit accident and health insurance shall be issued only in the following forms:

(A) Individual policies of life insurance issued to debtors on the term plan;

(B) Individual policies of accident and health insurance issued to debtors on a term plan including individual policies issued on a franchise plan, as defined in section 3923.11 of the Revised Code, or disability benefit provisions in individual policies of credit life insurance;

(C) Group policies of life insurance issued to creditors providing insurance upon the lives of debtors on the term plan;

(D) Group policies of accident and health insurance issued to creditors on a term plan insuring debtors or disability benefit provisions in group credit life insurance policies to provide such coverage.

Section 3918.04 | Amount of credit life insurance not to exceed initial indebtedness.

• Effective: January 1, 1960
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1058 - 103rd General Assembly

(A) The amount of credit life insurance shall not exceed the initial indebtedness.

Where an indebtedness repayable in substantially equal installments is secured by an individual policy of credit life insurance the amount of insurance shall at no time exceed the scheduled amount of indebtedness and, where secured by a group policy of credit life insurance, shall at no time exceed the amount of unpaid indebtedness.

(B) The total amount of indemnity payable by credit accident and health insurance in the event of disability, as defined in the policy, shall not exceed the aggregate of the periodic scheduled unpaid installments of the indebtedness; and the amount of each periodic indemnity payment shall not exceed the original indebtedness divided by the number of periodic installments.

Section 3918.05 | Coverage date.

• Effective: January 9, 1961
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 104th General Assembly

The term of any credit life insurance or credit accident and health insurance shall, subject to acceptance by the insurer, commence on the date when the debtor becomes obligated to the creditor, or the date from which interest or finance charges accrue if later, except that, where a group policy provides coverage with respect to existing obligations, the insurance on a debtor with respect to such indebtedness shall commence on the effective date of the policy. Where evidence of insurability is required and such evidence is furnished more than thirty days after the date when the debtor becomes obligated to the creditor, the term of the insurance may commence on the date on which the insurance company determines the evidence to be satisfactory, and in such event there shall be an appropriate refund or adjustment of any charge to the debtor for insurance. The term of such insurance shall not extend more than fifteen days beyond the scheduled maturity date of the indebtedness except when extended without additional cost to the debtor. If the indebtedness is discharged due to renewal or refinancing prior to the scheduled maturity date, the insurance in force shall be terminated before any new insurance may be issued in connection with the renewed or refinanced indebtedness. In all cases of termination prior to schedule maturity, a refund shall be paid or credited as provided in section 3918.08 of the Revised Code.

Section 3918.06 | Delivery of policy or group certificate of insurance to debtor.

• Effective: January 1, 1960
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1058 - 103rd General Assembly

(A) All credit life insurance and credit accident and health insurance sold shall be evidenced by an individual policy, or in the case of group insurance by a certificate of insurance, which individual policy or group certificate of insurance shall be delivered to the debtor.

(B) Each individual policy or group certificate of credit life insurance, or credit accident and health insurance, or both shall, in addition to other requirements of law, set forth the name and home office address of the insurer, and the identity by name or otherwise of the person or persons insured, the rate or amount of payment, if any, by the debtor separately for credit life insurance and credit accident and health insurance, a description of the amount, term, and coverage including any exceptions, limitations, or restrictions, and shall state that the benefits shall be paid to the creditor to reduce or extinguish the unpaid indebtedness, and, wherever the amount of insurance may exceed the unpaid indebtedness, that any such excess shall be payable to a beneficiary, other than the creditor, named by the debtor or to his estate.

(C) Said individual policy or group certificate of insurance shall be delivered to the insured debtor at the time the indebtedness is incurred, except as provided in division (D) of this section.

(D) If said individual policy or group certificate of insurance is not delivered to the debtor at the time the indebtedness is incurred, a copy of the application for such policy or a notice of proposed insurance, signed by the debtor and setting forth the name and home office address of the insurer, the identity by name or otherwise of the person or persons insured, the rate or amount of payment by the debtor, if any, separately for credit life insurance and credit accident and health insurance, a description of the amount, term, and coverage provided, shall be delivered to the debtor at the time such indebtedness is incurred. The copy of the application for, or notice of proposed insurance, shall refer exclusively to insurance coverage, and shall be separate and apart from the loan, sale, or other credit statement of account, instrument, or agreement, unless the information required by this subsection is prominently set forth therein. Upon acceptance of the insurance by the insurer and within thirty days of the date upon which the indebtedness is incurred, the insurer shall cause the individual policy or group certificate of insurance to be delivered to the debtor. Said application or notice of proposed insurance shall state that upon acceptance by the insurer, the insurance shall become effective as provided in section 3918.05 of the Revised Code.

Section 3918.07 | Filing policies with superintendent of insurance.

• Effective: January 9, 1961
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 104th General Assembly

(A) All policies, certificates of insurance, notices of proposed insurance, applications for insurance, endorsements and riders providing coverage on residents of Ohio shall be filed with the superintendent of insurance.

(B) The superintendent shall within thirty days after the filing of any such policies, certificates of insurance, notices of proposed insurance, applications for insurance, endorsements, and riders, disapprove any such form if the table of premium rates charged or to be charged appears by reasonable assumptions to be excessive in relation to benefits, or if it contains provisions which are unjust, unfair, inequitable, misleading, deceptive, or encourage misrepresentation of the coverage, or are contrary to any provision of the insurance laws of Ohio or of any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder.

(C) If the superintendent notifies the insurer that the form is disapproved, it is unlawful thereafter for such insurer to issue or use such form. In such notice, the superintendent shall specify the reason for his disapproval and state that a hearing will be granted within twenty days after request in writing by the insurer. No such policy, certificate of insurance, or notice of proposed insurance, nor any application, endorsement, or rider shall be issued or used until the expiration of thirty days after it has been so filed, unless the superintendent gives his prior written approval thereto.

(D) The superintendent may, at any time after a hearing held not less than twenty days after written notice to the insurer withdraw his approval of any such form on any ground set forth in division (B) of this section. The written notice of such hearing shall state the reasons for the proposed withdrawal.

(E) The insurer shall not issue such forms or use them after the effective date of such withdrawal.

(F) Any order or final determination of the superintendent under the provisions of this section shall be subject to judicial review as provided in section 119.12 of the Revised Code.

Section 3918.08 | Filing schedules of premium rates with superintendent of insurance.

• Effective: November 5, 1965
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 177 - 106th General Assembly

(A) Each insurer issuing credit life insurance or credit accident and health insurance shall file with the superintendent of insurance its schedules of premium rates for use in connection with such insurance. Any insurer may revise such schedules from time to time, and shall file such revised schedules with the superintendent. No insurer shall issue any credit life insurance policy for which the premium rate exceeds that determined by the schedules of such insurer as then on file with the superintendent. The superintendent may require the filing of the schedule of premium rates for use in connection with and as a part of the specific policy filings as provided by section 3918.07 of the Revised Code.

(B) Each individual policy, group certificate, or notice of proposed insurance shall provide that in the event of termination of the insurance prior to the scheduled maturity date of the indebtedness, any refund of an amount paid by the debtor for insurance shall be paid or credited promptly to the person entitled thereto; provided, that the superintendent shall prescribe a minimum refund and no refund which would be less than such minimum need be made.

The formula to be used in computing such refund shall be filed with and approved by the superintendent.

(C) If a creditor requires a debtor to make any payment for credit life insurance or credit accident and health insurance and an individual policy or group certificate of insurance is not issued, the creditor shall immediately give written notice to such debtor and shall promptly make an appropriate credit to the account.

(D) The amount charged to a debtor for credit life or credit accident and health insurance shall not exceed the premium charged by the insurer, as computed at the time the charge to the debtor is determined. No dividend or rate credit with respect to premiums payable during a calendar or policy year shall be granted by an insurer prior to the end of such calendar or policy year and then only retrospectively based upon experience.

Section 3918.09 | Authorized insurers.

• Effective: January 1, 1960
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1058 - 103rd General Assembly

All policies of credit life insurance and credit accident and health insurance shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state only by an insurer authorized to do an insurance business in this state.

Section 3918.10 | Reporting and payment of claims.

• Effective: January 1, 1960
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1058 - 103rd General Assembly

(A) All claims shall be promptly reported to the insurer or its designated claim representative, and the insurer shall maintain adequate claim files. All claims shall be settled as soon as possible and in accordance with the terms of the insurance contract.

(B) All claims shall be paid either by draft drawn upon the insurer or by check of the insurer to the order of the claimant to whom payment of the claim is due pursuant to the policy provisions, or upon direction of such claimant to one specified.

(C) No plan or arrangement shall be used whereby any person, firm, or corporation other than the insurer or its designated claim representative shall be authorized to settle or adjust claims. The creditor shall not be designated as claim representative for the insurer in adjusting claims; provided, that a group policyholder may, by arrangement with the group insurer, draw drafts or checks in payment of claims due to the group policyholder subject to audit and review by the insurer.

Section 3918.11 | Debtor has option of furnishing additional security through existing policies.

• Effective: January 1, 1960
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1058 - 103rd General Assembly

When credit life insurance or credit accident and health insurance is required as additional security for an indebtedness, the debtor shall, upon request to the creditor, have the option of furnishing the required amount of insurance through existing policies of insurance owned or controlled by him or of procuring and furnishing the required coverage through any insurer authorized to transact an insurance business within this state.

Section 3918.12 | Rules and regulations - enforcement.

• Effective: January 1, 1960
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1058 - 103rd General Assembly

The superintendent may, in accordance with section 119.03 of the Revised Code, adopt such rules and regulations as he deems appropriate, for the enforcement of sections 3918.01 to 3918.11 of the Revised Code. Whenever the superintendent finds that there has been a violation of sections 3918.01 to 3918.13 of the Revised Code or any rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto, and after written notice thereof and hearing given to the insurer or other person authorized or licensed by the superintendent, he shall set forth the details of his findings together with an order for compliance by a specified date. Such order shall be binding on the insurer and other person authorized or licensed by the superintendent on the date specified unless sooner withdrawn by the superintendent or a stay thereof has been ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 3918.13 | Judicial review.

• Effective: January 1, 1960
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1058 - 103rd General Assembly

Any party to the proceeding affected by an order of the superintendent shall be entitled to judicial review by following the procedure set forth in section 119.12 of the Revised Code.

Section 3918.99 | Penalty.

• Effective: January 9, 1961
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 104th General Assembly

Whoever violates sections 3918.01 to 3918.13, inclusive, of the Revised Code, shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars.

The penalty provided in this section is in addition to any other penalty provided by law.