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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 14. Insurance
Agency 5. State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Insurance
Chapter 90. Rules Governing Advertisement of Accident and Sickness Insurance
11/21/2024

14VAC5-90-80. Testimonials or endorsements by third parties.

A. Testimonials and endorsements used in advertisements shall be genuine, represent the current opinion of the author, be applicable to the policy advertised, and be accurately reproduced. The insurer, in using a testimonial or endorsement, makes as its own all of the statements contained in it, and the advertisement, including the statement, is subject to all the provisions of this chapter.

B. If the person making a testimonial or an endorsement has a financial interest in the insurer or a related entity as a stockholder, director, officer, employee, or otherwise, this fact shall be disclosed in the advertisement. If a person is compensated for making a testimonial or endorsement, this fact shall be disclosed in the advertisement by language substantially as follows: "Paid Endorsement." This section does not require disclosure of union "scale" wages required by union rules if the payment is actually for the "scale" for television or radio performances. The payment of substantial amounts, directly or indirectly, for "travel and entertainment" for filming or recording of television or radio advertisements remove the filming or recording from the category of an unsolicited testimonial and require disclosure of the compensation.

C. An advertisement shall not state or imply that an insurer or a policy has been approved or endorsed by any individual, group of individuals, society, association or other organizations, unless this is the fact, and unless any proprietary relationship between an organization and the insurer is disclosed. If the entity making the endorsement or testimonial has been formed by the insurer or is owned or controlled by the insurer or the person or persons who own or control the insurer, this fact shall be disclosed in the advertisement.

D. When a testimonial refers to benefits received under a policy, the specific claim data, including claim number, date of loss, and other pertinent information shall be retained by the insurer for inspection for a period of four years or until the filing of the next regular report on examination of the insurer, whichever is the longer period of time.

Statutory Authority

§§ 12.1-13 and 38.2-223 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Regulation 8, Case No. 19498, § 8, eff. June 1, 1975; amended, Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 25, eff. August 4, 2004.

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