(1) Every rental car insurance producer licensed under this chapter shall promptly reply in writing to an inquiry of the commissioner relative to the business of rental car insurance.

(2)(a) In the event of a violation of this chapter by a rental car insurance producer, the commissioner may revoke, suspend, or refuse to issue or renew any rental car insurance producer's license that is issued or may be issued under this chapter for any cause specified in any other provision of this title, or for any of the following causes:

(i) For any cause that the issuance of this license could have been refused had it then existed and been known to the commissioner;

(ii) If the licensee or applicant willfully violates or knowingly participates in a violation of this title or any proper order or rule of the commissioner;

(iii) If the licensee or applicant has obtained or attempted to obtain a license through willful misrepresentation or fraud;

(iv) If the licensee or applicant has misappropriated or converted funds that belong to, or should be paid to, another person as a result of, or in connection with, a rental car or insurance transaction;

(v) If the licensee or applicant has, with intent to deceive, materially misrepresented the terms or effects of any insurance contract, or has engaged, or is about to engage, in any fraudulent transaction;

(vi) If the licensee or applicant or officer of the licensee or applicant has been convicted by final judgment of a felony;

(vii) If the licensee or applicant is shown to be, and is determined by the commissioner, incompetent or untrustworthy, or a source of injury and loss to the public; and

(viii) If the licensee has dealt with, or attempted to deal with, insurances, or has exercised powers relative to insurance outside the scope of the rental car insurance producer license or other insurance licenses.

(b) If any natural person named under a firm or corporate rental car insurance producer license, or application therefore, commits or has committed any act, or fails or has failed to perform any duty, that constitutes grounds for the commissioner to revoke, suspend, or refuse to issue or renew the license or application for license, the commissioner may revoke, suspend, refuse to renew, or refuse to issue the license or application for a license of the corporation or firm.

(c) Any conduct of an applicant or licensee that constitutes grounds for disciplinary action under this title may be addressed under this section regardless of where the conduct took place.

(d) The holder of any license that has been revoked or suspended shall surrender the license to the commissioner at the commissioner's request.

(e) After notice and hearing the commissioner may impose other penalties, including suspending the transaction of insurance at specific rental locations where violations of this section have occurred and imposing fines on the manager or supervisor at each location responsible for the supervision and conduct of each endorsee, as the commissioner determines necessary or convenient to carry out the purpose of this chapter.

(3) The commissioner may suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew any rental car insurance producer license by an order served by mail or personal service upon the licensee not less than fifteen days prior to its effective date. The order is subject to the right of the licensee to a hearing under chapter 48.04 RCW.

(4) The commissioner may temporarily suspend a license by an order served by mail or personal service upon the licensee not less than three days prior to its effective date. However, the order must contain a notice of revocation and include a finding that the public safety or welfare imperatively requires emergency action. These suspensions may continue only until proceedings for revocation are concluded. The commissioner may also temporarily suspend a license in cases when proceedings for revocation are pending if it is found that the public safety or welfare imperatively requires emergency action.

(5) Service by mail under this section means posting in the United States mail, addressed to the licensee at the most recent address shown in the commissioner's licensing records for the licensee. Service by mail is complete upon deposit in the United States mail.

(6) If any person sells insurance in connection with or incidental to rental car agreements, or holds himself or herself or a company out as a rental car insurance producer, without satisfying the requirements of this chapter, the commissioner is authorized to issue a cease and desist order.

Severability—Effective date—2008 c 217: See notes following RCW 48.03.020.