Code of Massachusetts Regulations
211 CMR - DIVISION OF INSURANCE
Title 211 CMR 94.00 - Mandatory Pre-insurance Inspection Of Private Passenger Motor Vehicles
Section 94.06 - Optional Waiver of Inspection Requirements

Universal Citation: 211 MA Code of Regs 211.94

Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024

(1) An Insurer may waive an inspection of a Private Passenger Motor Vehicle under any of the following circumstances:

(a) for Motor Vehicle Liability Policies issued or renewed with Physical Damage Coverage during the current calendar year, when the difference between the current calendar year and the model year designated by the manufacturer of the motor vehicle is ten years or more. For example, if the calendar year is 2002, the Insurer may waive the inspection for all 1992 and older model year motor vehicles. An Insurer may elect to inspect specified motor vehicles included within this optional waiver. Such exceptions to this optional waiver shall be subject to underwriting criteria uniformly applied, and shall be reasonable and supported by objective facts. The decision to require such an inspection shall not be based on the age, race, sex, marital status, creed, national origin, religion, occupation, income, education, credit information or home ownership of the Applicant or the customary operators of the motor vehicle, the principal place where the motor vehicle is garaged, or the fact that the Motor Vehicle Liability Policy has been issued through the residual market;

(b) where a Nonowned Motor Vehicle is insured under a Motor Vehicle Liability Policy providing Physical Damage Coverage issued by an Insurer which has inspected such motor vehicle in accordance with the provisions of 211 CMR 94.00;

(c) where the Private Passenger Motor Vehicle is insured under a commercially-rated Motor Vehicle Liability Policy;

(d) when an insurance producer is transferring a Book of Business from one Insurer to one or more Insurers;

(e) when an insurance producer is transferring an individual Applicant's coverage from one Insurer to another Insurer. The new Insurer may require the insurance producer to provide the inspection information completed on behalf of the former Insurer, provided the Private Passenger Motor Vehicle previously was inspected by the former Insurer. If the new Insurer does not receive the inspection information 60 days prior to the first policy renewal date of the Physical Damage Coverages, the new Insurer may require an inspection as set forth in 211 CMR 94.00 prior to the first policy renewal;

(f) when the Private Passenger Motor Vehicle is insured for Physical Damage Coverage on the Applicant's expiring or cancelled Motor Vehicle Liability Policy, providing there is no lapse in coverage, or when the prior pre-insurance inspection information is provided; or

(g) when the Applicant has been the customer of the insurance producer of record or the Insurer for at least three years under a Motor Vehicle Liability Policy which included Physical Damage Coverage.

(2) An Insurer also may waive an inspection if it files a plan for waiving pre-insurance inspections on Private Passenger Motor Vehicles, subject to the approval of the Commissioner. Such pre-insurance inspection plans shall comply with the following requirements:

(a) the Insurer's plan shall comply with the provisions in 211 CMR 94.05 and 211 CMR 94.08(4);

(b) the Insurer's plan shall require the following documentation be included in the Insurer's policy records for the Applicant:
1. The reason for requiring a pre-insurance inspection;

2. The reason for any exceptions to any other provisions of the Insurer's plan; and

3. The notification(s) made to the Applicant in connection with any required pre-insurance inspections.

(c) the decision criteria for waiving the pre-insurance inspections required by 211 CMR 94.00 set forth in the Insurer's plan shall not consider the Applicant's membership in any group subject to a group marketing plan approved by the Commissioner pursuant to M.G.L. c. 175, § 193R;

(d) the decision criteria for waiving the pre-insurance inspections required by 211 CMR 94.00 set forth in the Insurer's plan shall not be based on the loss ratio for an insurance producer, where such loss ratio is calculated using premium and loss experience incurred prior to December 31, 2008 for personally-rated Motor Vehicle Liability Policies;

(e) any provisions of the Insurer's plan that permit the Insurer to elect to inspect a Private Passenger Motor Vehicle for which inspection customarily is waived under such plan shall be based on underwriting criteria uniformly applied, and the decision to inspect such motor vehicle shall be reasonable and supported by objective facts. The decision to require such an inspection shall not be based on the age, race, sex, marital status, creed, national origin, religion, occupation, income, education, credit information or homeownership of the Applicant or the customary operators of the motor vehicle, the principal place where the motor vehicle is garaged, or the fact that the Motor Vehicle Liability Policy has been issued through the residual market; and

(f) any provisions of the Insurer's plan that set forth a period of time for the completion of a pre-insurance inspection following the effective date of a Motor Vehicle Liability Policy shall be based on underwriting criteria uniformly applied, and shall be reasonable and supported by objective facts. The period of time for obtaining the pre-insurance inspection shall not be based on the age, race, sex, marital status, creed, national origin, religion, occupation, income, education, credit information or homeownership of the Applicant or the customary operators of the motor vehicle, the principal place of where the motor vehicle is garaged, or the fact that the Motor Vehicle Liability Policy has been issued through the residual market.

(3) An Insurer's decision to waive or not to waive a pre-insurance inspection of a Private Passenger Motor Vehicle pursuant to 211 CMR 94.06(1) or (2) shall be based on underwriting criteria uniformly applied and shall be reasonable and supported by objective facts. The decision to require a pre-insurance inspection shall not be based on the age, race, sex, marital status, creed, national origin, religion, occupation, income, education, credit information or homeownership of the Applicant or the customary operators of the motor vehicle, the principal place where the motor vehicle is garaged, or the fact that the Motor Vehicle Liability Policy has been issued through the residual market.

(4) When an Insurer does not waive the pre-insurance inspection requirement, the Insurer shall indicate the underlying reason in the Applicant's policy record.

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