Virginia Law

Extended Service Contract Act

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Board" means the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or his designee.

"Consumer product" means tangible personal property primarily used for personal, family, or household purposes.

"Extended service contract" or "contract" means a written contract or agreement for a specific duration in return for the payment of a segregated charge by the purchaser to perform the repair or replacement of any consumer product, including a motor vehicle, or indemnification for repair or replacement, for the operational or structural failure of any consumer product, including a motor vehicle, due to a defect in materials, workmanship, inherent defect, or normal wear and tear, with or without additional provisions for incidental payment of indemnity under limited circumstances, including, but not limited to, towing, rental, and emergency road service and road hazard protection. Extended service contracts may provide for any one or more of the following:

1. The repair or replacement of any consumer product for damage resulting from power surges or interruption or accidental damage from handling;

2. The repair or replacement of tires or wheels, or both, on a motor vehicle damaged as the result of coming into contact with a road hazard;

3. The removal of dents, dings, or creases on a motor vehicle that can be repaired using the process of paintless dent removal without affecting the existing paint finish and without replacing vehicle body panels, sanding, bonding, or painting;

4. The repair of chips or cracks in, or the replacement of, a motor vehicle windshield as a result of damage caused by a road hazard;

5. The replacement of a motor vehicle key or key fob in the event that the key or key fob becomes inoperable or is lost or stolen;

6. The installation on or application to a motor vehicle of a protective chemical, substance, device, or system that (i) is designed to prevent loss or damage to the motor vehicle from a specific cause and (ii) includes, within or as an accompaniment to the extended service contract, an agreement that provides for payment to or on behalf of the purchaser of incidental costs in the event that the protective chemical, substance, device, or system fails to prevent loss or damage as specified, provided that the reimbursement of incidental costs under such agreement is tied to the purchase of a protective chemical, substance, device, or system that is formulated or designed to make the specified loss or damage less likely to occur; or

7. Any other service that may be designated by the Board as provided in subsection B of § 59.1-438.

"Extended service contract" does not include a contract or agreement that provides (i) for the application of fuel additives, oil additives, or other chemical products to the engine, transmission, or fuel system of a motor vehicle or (ii) coverage for (a) the repair of damage to the interior surfaces of a motor vehicle or the replacement of the interior surfaces of a motor vehicle, or both, or (b) the repair of damage to the exterior paint finish of a motor vehicle or the replacement of the exterior paint finish of a motor vehicle, or both, unless the coverage is provided under a product warranty included in connection with the sale of a protective chemical, substance, device, or system described in subdivision 6.

"Extended service contract provider" or "provider" means any person or entity other than a public service corporation supervised by the State Corporation Commission, who is the original manufacturer or seller and who solicits, offers, advertises, or executes extended service contracts. Such definition includes the obligor of the contract sold, solicited, offered, advertised or executed by the original manufacturer, seller or obligor.

"Obligor" means the person who is contractually obligated to the purchaser to provide services under the extended service contract and who is (i) the original manufacturer or seller of the merchandise covered by the extended service contract, (ii) acting through or with the written consent of the original manufacturer, seller or purchaser of the merchandise covered by the extended service contract, or (iii) acting through or with the written consent of a manufacturer or seller of merchandise similar to the merchandise covered by the extended service contract.

"Purchaser" means a person who enters into an extended service contract with an extended service contract provider.

"Road hazard" means a hazard that is encountered while driving a motor vehicle, including potholes, rocks, wood debris, metal parts, glass, plastic, curbs, and composite scraps.

1991, c. 654; 1996, c. 966; 2008, c. 524; 2014, c. 193.

A. It shall be unlawful for any extended service contract provider to offer, advertise, or execute or cause to be executed by the purchaser any extended service contract for a consumer product in this Commonwealth unless the obligor at the time of the solicitation, offer, advertisement, sale, or execution of a contract has been properly registered with the Commissioner. The registration shall (i) disclose the address, ownership, and nature of business of the obligor; (ii) be renewed annually on July 1; and (iii) be accompanied by a fee of $300 per registration and annual renewal. A registration application or registration renewal will not be considered filed until all required information and fees are received by the Commissioner. Any obligor who fails to register prior to the sale of an extended service contract shall pay a late filing fee of $100 for each 30-day period, or portion thereof, that the registration is late. An obligor who fails to timely renew its registration shall pay a late fee of $50 for each 30-day period, or portion thereof, that the annual renewal filing is late. The late fees authorized by this subsection shall be in addition to all other penalties authorized by law.

B. All fees shall be remitted to the State Treasurer and shall be placed to the credit and special fund of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to be used in the administration of this chapter.

C. Any matter subject to the insurance regulatory authority of the State Corporation Commission pursuant to Title 38.2 shall not be subject to the provisions of this chapter.

D. Licensed or registered motor vehicle dealers, as defined in § 46.2-1500, shall not be subject to the provisions of this chapter.

E. Extended service contract providers who comply with this section and the employees of such providers who market, sell or offer to sell extended service contracts on behalf of the provider shall not be subject to the provisions of Title 38.2.

F. Providers of a home service contract, as those terms are defined in § 59.1-434.1, that are registered and regulated pursuant to Chapter 33.1 (§ 59.1-434.1 et seq.) shall not be subject to the provisions of this chapter.

1991, c. 654; 1996, c. 966; 1997, c. 30; 2005, c. 407; 2017, c. 727.

A. In order to ensure the faithful performance of a third party obligor's obligations to its contract holders, each third party obligor shall furnish proof of its financial stability by complying with either of the following:

1. The third party obligor shall show that it has a net worth of at least $100 million by providing the Commissioner with a copy of the third party obligor's most recent annual audited financial statement; or

2. The third party obligor shall show a net worth of the third party obligor or its parent company of at least $100 million by providing the Commissioner with a copy of the third party obligor's, or if the third party obligor's financial statements are consolidated with those of its parent company, the third party obligor's parent company's, most recent Form 10-K or Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, provided the Form 10-K or Form 20-F was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within the last calendar year. If the third party obligor's parent company's Form 10-K or Form 20-F is filed to meet the third party obligor's financial stability requirement, then the parent company shall agree to guarantee the obligations of the third party obligor relating to service contracts sold by the third party obligor in this Commonwealth.

B. In lieu of compliance with subsection A, a third party obligor may demonstrate financial responsibility by filing with the Commissioner a copy of a liability insurance policy issued by an insurer authorized to transact business in this Commonwealth and which covers 100 percent of the obligor's service contract liabilities, including the administration of claims and the cost for such administration. Reimbursement insurance policies filed pursuant to this section may not be cancelled by either the third party obligor or the issuing insurer without providing 60 days' notice to the Commissioner.

C. Each service contract shall include a disclosure in substantially the form as follows or in such other form as the Commissioner directs:

"If any promise made in the contract has been denied or has not been honored within 60 days after your request, you may contact the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs to file a complaint."

D. Upon receipt of a complaint by a purchaser against an obligor asserting that a promise made in a contract has been denied or has not been honored within 60 days after the purchaser's request, the Commissioner may conduct an investigation as authorized by § 59.1-439 to determine if the obligor or its insurance company, if complying with subsection B, has improperly denied or failed to honor a purchaser's request. If the Commissioner determines that a purchaser's request was improperly denied or failed to be honored by an obligor or its insurance company, if complying with subsection B, the Commissioner may issue an order requiring the obligor to rectify or justify the denial or failure. In addition to the penalties provided in § 59.1-441, if the denial or failure is not rectified or sufficiently justified by the obligor, the Commissioner may (i) issue a cease and desist order requiring the obligor to cease operations in the Commonwealth until the denial or failure has been rectified; (ii) deny, suspend, or revoke the obligor's registration; or (iii) assess a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation not to exceed $10,000 in the aggregate for all similar violations. Any civil penalties collected pursuant to this subsection shall be payable to the State Treasurer for deposit to the general fund. If the Commissioner elects to assess such a civil penalty and an obligor does not pay the civil penalty within 60 days of its assessment, the Commissioner may (a) issue a cease and desist order requiring the obligor to cease operations in the Commonwealth until the civil penalty has been paid or (b) deny, suspend, or revoke the obligor's registration.

1991, c. 654; 1996, c. 966; 2003, c. 411; 2019, cc. 396, 558.

A. The Commissioner may deny an application for registration of an obligor under § 59.1-436 or may suspend or revoke such registration if the Commissioner finds that such action is necessary for the protection of purchasers or prospective purchasers or that any one of the following is true:

1. The obligor has failed to comply with any provision of this chapter;

2. The obligor has improperly denied or failed to honor a purchaser's request as provided in subsection D of § 59.1-437 and the denial or failure is not rectified or sufficiently justified by the obligor;

3. The obligor does not pay a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsection D of § 59.1-437 within 60 days of its assessment;

4. The obligor's application for registration or any amendment thereto is incomplete in any respect;

5. The obligor failed to meet any other requirement of § 59.1-437;

6. The obligor has made any representation in any document or information filed with the Commissioner that is false or misleading;

7. The obligor has engaged or is engaging in any unlawful act or practice;

8. The obligor does not have a reasonable ability to discharge the obligations imposed upon it by any extended service contract; or

9. Facts not known by the Commissioner at the time the Commissioner considered the application for registration indicate that such registration should not have been issued.

B. Except as provided in subsection C, the Commissioner may deny, suspend, or revoke an obligor's registration after a hearing with 15 days' notice.

C. If the Commissioner finds that the public health, safety, or welfare requires emergency action and incorporates this finding in his order, the Commissioner may summarily deny, suspend, or revoke a registration. The obligor shall be given an opportunity within 10 days after entry of such an order to appear before the Commissioner and show cause why the summary order should not remain in effect. If good cause is shown, the Commissioner shall vacate the summary order. If good cause is not shown, the summary order shall remain in effect. The obligor shall have 15 days after the registration is summarily suspended within which to request a hearing, or the Commissioner may within 30 days thereafter set the matter for a hearing.

D. If any such registration is suspended or revoked, the Commissioner shall state its reasons for doing so, which shall be entered of record. Suspension or revocation of a registration for any violation of this chapter shall not affect the authority to take any action authorized by § 59.1-441 with respect to such violation.

2019, cc. 396, 558.

A. The Board is authorized to adopt reasonable regulations in order to implement provisions in this chapter relating to extended service contracts. These regulations shall be adopted, amended, or repealed in accordance with the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

B. Without limiting the authority of the Board under subsection A, the Board is authorized to adopt reasonable regulations that designate services, in addition to those enumerated in the definition of extended service contract in § 59.1-435, that may be provided under an extended service contract, provided that the designation of the additional services is not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter.

1991, c. 654; 2014, c. 193.

A. The Commissioner may, with respect to extended service contracts:

1. Make necessary public and private investigations within or without this Commonwealth to determine whether any person has violated the provisions of this chapter or any rule, regulation, or order issued pursuant to this chapter;

2. Require or permit any person to file a statement in writing, under oath or otherwise as the Commissioner determines, as to all facts and circumstances concerning the matter under investigation; and

3. Administer oaths or affirmations, and upon motion or upon request of any party, may subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, take evidence, and require the production of any matter that is relevant to the investigation, including the existence, description, nature, custody, condition, and location of any books, documents, or other tangible things and the identity and location of persons having knowledge of relevant facts, or any other matter reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of material evidence.

B. Any proceeding or hearing of the Commissioner pursuant to this chapter, in which witnesses are subpoenaed and their attendance required for evidence to be taken, or any matter produced to ascertain material evidence, shall take place within the City of Richmond.

C. If any person fails to obey the subpoena or to answer questions propounded by the Commissioner and upon reasonable notice to all persons affected thereby, the Commissioner may apply to the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond for an order compelling compliance.

1991, c. 654.

Every extended service contract obligor, upon written request of the Commissioner, shall make available to the Commissioner its extended service contract records for inspection and copying to enable the Commissioner to reasonably determine compliance with this chapter. Every obligor shall maintain a true copy of each contract executed between the obligor and a purchaser, and each contract shall be maintained for its term.

1991, c. 654; 1996, c. 966.

Extended service contracts are (i) not contracts of insurance in the Commonwealth and (ii) not subject to regulation under Title 38.2.

2014, c. 193.

A. Any extended service provider who knowingly and willfully violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

B. Any violation of the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a prohibited practice pursuant to the provisions of § 59.1-200 and shall be subject to any and all of the enforcement provisions of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (§ 59.1-196 et seq.) of this title.

1991, c. 654.