As used in this chapter:

Terms Used In Virginia Code 38.2-2600

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • contract: means any insurance contract or agreement whereby a person undertakes for a specified period of time and for a predetermined fee to furnish, arrange for or indemnify for service, repair, or replacement of any and all of the structural components, parts, appliances, or systems of any covered residential dwelling necessitated by wear and tear, deterioration, inherent defect, or by the failure of an inspection to detect the likelihood of failure. See Virginia Code 38.2-2600
  • Home protection company: means any person who performs, or arranges to perform, services pursuant to a home protection insurance contract. See Virginia Code 38.2-2600
  • Insurer: means an insurance company. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
  • Person: means any association, aggregate of individuals, business, company, corporation, individual, joint-stock company, Lloyds type of organization, organization, partnership, receiver, reciprocal or interinsurance exchange, trustee or society. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
  • Structural component: means the roof, foundation, basement, walls, ceilings, or floors of a home. See Virginia Code 38.2-2600

“Fronting company” means a licensed insurer or licensed home protection company which generally transfers to one or more unlicensed insurers or unlicensed home protection companies by reinsurance or otherwise all or substantially all of the risk of loss under all of the home protection contracts written by it in this Commonwealth.

“Home protection company” means any person who performs, or arranges to perform, services pursuant to a home protection insurance contract.

“Home protection insurance contract” or “contract” means any insurance contract or agreement whereby a person undertakes for a specified period of time and for a predetermined fee to furnish, arrange for or indemnify for service, repair, or replacement of any and all of the structural components, parts, appliances, or systems of any covered residential dwelling necessitated by wear and tear, deterioration, inherent defect, or by the failure of an inspection to detect the likelihood of failure.

The contract shall provide for a system to effect repair or replacement if the contract undertakes to provide for repair or replacement services. The contract shall not include protection against consequential damage from the failure of any structural component, part, appliance or system.

“Structural component” means the roof, foundation, basement, walls, ceilings, or floors of a home.

1981, c. 530, §§ 38.1-932, 38.1-944; 1982, c. 132; 1986, c. 562; 2006, c. 634; 2017, c. 727.