The Vermont Statutes Online
The Vermont Statutes Online have been updated to include the actions of the 2023 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 8 : Banking and Insurance
Chapter 129 : Insurance Trade Practices
(Cite as: 8 V.S.A. § 4725)-
§ 4725. Favored agent or insurer; coercion of debtors
(a) No person may:
(1) require, as a condition precedent to the lending of money or extension of credit, or any renewal thereof, that the person to whom such money or credit is extended or whose obligation the creditor is to acquire or finance, negotiate any policy or contract of insurance through a particular insurer or group of insurers or agent or broker or group of agents or brokers;
(2) unreasonably disapprove the insurance policy provided by a borrower for the protection of property securing the credit or lien; for the purpose of this subdivision, this disapproval shall be deemed unreasonable if it is not based solely on reasonable standards uniformly applied, relating to the extent of coverage required and the financial soundness and service of an insurer; these standards shall not discriminate against a particular type of insurer, nor shall these standards call for the disapproval of an insurance policy because the policy contains coverage in addition to that required;
(3) require directly or indirectly that any borrower, mortgagor, purchaser, insurer, broker, or agent pay a separate charge to substitute the insurance policy of one insurer for that of another. This subdivision does not include the interest that may be charged on premium loans or premium advancements in accordance with the security instrument;
(4) use or disclose information resulting from a requirement that a borrower, mortgagor, or purchaser furnish insurance of any kind on real property being conveyed or used as collateral security to a loan, when this information is to the advantage of the mortgagee, vendor, or lender, or is to the detriment of the borrower, mortgagor, purchaser, insurer, or the agent of broker complying with this request.
(b) The Commissioner may investigate any person to whom this section applies to determine whether such person has violated this section. (Amended 1973, No. 216 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. May 1, 1974.)
