The bill amends several sections of Washington state law regarding the reporting of fire losses by insurers. It establishes that within 90 days of closing a claim related to fire loss or damage, insurers must report specific information to the insurance commissioner, including the property address, date of loss, amount paid, known origin and cause of the loss, and the NAIC company number. Additionally, if an insurer suspects that a fire loss may be due to criminal activity, they are required to report this immediately to local or tribal law enforcement and the insurance commissioner, providing details and any investigation findings. The bill also emphasizes the confidentiality of the information reported, stating that it is not subject to public disclosure and outlines the conditions under which the insurance commissioner can share this information with various entities.

Furthermore, the bill modifies existing provisions to replace the previous requirement of reporting to the chief of the Washington state patrol with a direct reporting obligation to the insurance commissioner. It also introduces new language that clarifies the confidentiality of documents and materials related to fire loss investigations, ensuring that they are protected from public disclosure while allowing for aggregate data to be published. The insurance commissioner is tasked with adopting rules to implement these reporting requirements, which will not be enforced until one year after the rules are established. Additionally, the commissioner is required to post quarterly reports based on the aggregate findings of fire loss reports on their website after the initial reporting requirements are initiated.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 42.56.400, 48.05.320, 48.50.040
Substitute Bill: 42.56.400, 48.05.320, 48.50.040
Bill as Passed Legislature: 42.56.400, 48.05.320, 48.50.040
Session Law: 42.56.400, 48.05.320, 48.50.040