Place of business.
(1) Every licensed insurance producer, title insurance agent, and adjuster, other than an insurance producer licensed for life or disability insurances only, shall have and maintain in this state, or, if a nonresident insurance producer or title insurance agent, in this state or in the state of the licensee's domicile, a place of business accessible to the public. Such place of business shall be that wherein the insurance producer or title insurance agent principally conducts transactions under that person's licenses. A licensee maintaining more than one place of business in this state shall obtain a duplicate license or licenses for each additional such place, and shall pay the full fee therefor.
(2) Any notice, order, or written communication, including any notification of investigation; notification of audit and findings resulting from such audit; or written communication from the commissioner under RCW 48.17.475(2)(c)(ii), from the commissioner to a person licensed under this chapter which directly affects the person's license shall be sent by mail to the person's last address of record with the commissioner.
(3) Every insurance producer, title insurance agent, adjuster, and other person licensed under this chapter shall provide the commissioner with a current email address. The commissioner may send a written communication by email to a licensee's last email address of record with the commissioner if:
(a) The communication is not required to be sent to the person's mailing address pursuant to subsection (2) of this section;
(b) The person has affirmatively consented to receive communications from the commissioner by email; and
(c)(i) The email from the commissioner does not require a response; or
(ii) If a response is required, the requirements under RCW 48.17.475(2)(b) are met prior to the commissioner sending the email.
(4) Email communication sent to an applicant prior to the issuance of a license, and auto-generated system emails regarding a license application or license renewal processes, are excluded from the requirements of subsection (3) of this section.
[ 2023 c 27 s 2; 2007 c 117 s 22; 1990 1st ex.s. c 3 s 5; 1988 c 248 s 11; 1953 c 197 s 6; 1947 c 79 s .17.45; Rem. Supp. 1947 s 45.17.45.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2023 c 27: See note following RCW 48.17.170.