Virginia Law

A. Agreements among insurers may be made for the equitable apportionment among them of insurance that may be afforded applicants who are in good faith entitled to insurance but who are unable to procure it through ordinary methods. Insurers may agree among themselves on the use of reasonable rate modifications for the insurance. The agreements and rate modifications shall be subject to the approval of the Commission.

B. The Commission may require that the agreements contain reasonable performance standards for insurers or agents, or both, with respect to insurance afforded such applicants. The performance standards may contain, but shall not be limited to: (i) original applications, (ii) premium payments, (iii) policy issuance, (iv) policy changes, (v) return premium, (vi) return commission and (vii) administrative procedures for monitoring compliance with the standards.

C. The Commission may approve policy forms and endorsements for use by such insurers with respect to insurance afforded such applicants.

D. All licensed insurers writing workers' compensation insurance in the Commonwealth shall participate in the Virginia Workers' Compensation Insurance Plan, which shall provide for the equitable apportionment among the participants of insurance that may be afforded applicants who are in good faith entitled to but who are unable to procure such insurance through ordinary methods. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, insurers and rate service organizations participating in the Virginia Workers' Compensation Insurance Plan may, in connection with such participation, act in cooperation with each other in the making of rates, rating systems, policy forms, underwriting rules, surveys, inspections, investigations, the furnishing of statistical or other information on losses and expenses, or the conduct of research. The rates and supplementary rate information to be used by such plan shall be approved by the Commission. Such rates shall reflect residual market experience to the extent actuarially appropriate and shall be set so that the amount received in premiums, together with reasonable investment income earned on those premiums, is reasonably expected to be sufficient to pay claims and losses incurred and reasonable operating expenses of the servicing insurers.

Code 1950, § 38-250; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-264; 1964, c. 596; 1966, c. 299; 1980, c. 112; 1986, c. 562; 1993, c. 985.