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Terms Used In Florida Statutes 634.312

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Home warranty association: means any corporation or any other organization, other than an authorized insurer, issuing home warranties. See Florida Statutes 634.301
  • Insurer: means any property or casualty insurer duly authorized to transact such business in this state. See Florida Statutes 634.301
  • Listing period: means the period of time residential property is listed for sale with a licensed real estate broker, beginning on the date the residence is first listed for sale and ending on either the date the sale of the residence is closed, the date the residence is taken off the market, or the date the listing contract with the real estate broker expires. See Florida Statutes 634.301
  • Premium: means the total consideration received, or to be received, by an insurer or home warranty association for or related to the issuance and delivery of any binder or warranty, including any charges designated as assessments or fees for policies, surveys, inspections, or service or any other charges. See Florida Statutes 634.301
  • Sales representative: means any person with whom an insurer or home inspection or warranty association has a contract and who is utilized by such insurer or association for the purpose of selling or issuing home warranties. See Florida Statutes 634.301
  • warranty: means any contract or agreement whereby a person undertakes to indemnify the warranty holder against the cost of repair or replacement, or actually furnishes repair or replacement, of any structural component or appliance of a home, necessitated by wear and tear or an inherent defect of any such structural component or appliance or necessitated by the failure of an inspection to detect the likelihood of any such loss. See Florida Statutes 634.301
  • writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01

(1) All home warranty contracts are assignable in a consumer transaction and must contain a statement informing the purchaser of the home warranty of her or his right to assign it, at least within 15 days from the date the home is sold or transferred, to a subsequent retail purchaser of the home covered by the home warranty and all conditions on such right of transfer. The home warranty company may charge an assignment fee not to exceed $40. Home warranty assignments include, but are not limited to, the assignment from a home builder who purchased the home warranty to a subsequent home purchaser.
(2) Subject to the insurer‘s or home warranty association‘s requirement as to payment of premium, every home warranty must be mailed, delivered, or electronically transmitted to the warranty holder within 45 days after the effectuation of coverage, and the application is part of the warranty contract document. Electronic transmission of a home warranty constitutes delivery to the warranty holder. The electronic transmission must notify the warranty holder of his or her right to receive the home warranty via United States mail rather than electronic transmission. If the warranty holder communicates to the home warranty association electronically or in writing that he or she does not agree to receipt by electronic transmission, a paper copy of the home warranty shall be provided to the warranty holder.
(3) All home warranty contracts must state in conspicuous, boldfaced type that the home warranty may not provide listing period coverage free of charge.
(4) All home warranty contracts must disclose any exclusions, restrictions, or limitations on the benefits offered or the coverage provided by the home warranty contract in boldfaced type, and must contain, in boldfaced type, a statement on the front page of the contract substantially similar to the following: “Certain items and events are not covered by this contract. Please refer to the exclusions listed on page   of this document.”
(5) Each home warranty contract shall contain a cancellation provision. Any home warranty agreement may be canceled by the purchaser within 10 days after purchase. The refund must be 100 percent of the gross premium paid, less any claims paid on the agreement. A reasonable administrative fee may be charged, not to exceed 5 percent of the gross premium paid by the warranty agreement holder. After the home warranty agreement has been in effect for 10 days, if the contract is canceled by the warranty holder, a return of premium shall be based upon 90 percent of unearned pro rata premium less any claims that have been paid. If the contract is canceled by the association for any reason other than for fraud or misrepresentation, a return of premium shall be based upon 100 percent of unearned pro rata premium, less any claims paid on the agreement. A home warranty association may effectuate a refund through the issuing sales representative.
(6) By July 1, 2011, each home warranty contract sold in this state must be accompanied by a written disclosure to the consumer that the rate charged for the contract is not subject to regulation by the office. A home warranty association may comply with this requirement by including such disclosure in its home warranty contract form or in a separate written notice provided to the consumer at the time of sale.