Bill Text: TX HB1985 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to debt cancellation agreements offered in connection with certain retail installment contracts and leases for vehicles.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 4)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-10 - Laid on the table subject to call [HB1985 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB1985-Comm_Sub.html
| 85R17791 EES-F | |||
| By: Flynn | H.B. No. 1985 | ||
| Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1985: | |||
| By: Holland | C.S.H.B. No. 1985 | ||
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| relating to debt cancellation agreements offered in connection with | ||
| certain retail installment contracts and leases for vehicles. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 345, Finance Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 345.084 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 345.084. DEBT CANCELLATION AGREEMENT. A debt | ||
| cancellation agreement under Chapter 354 may be offered in | ||
| connection with a retail installment contract for a covered vehicle | ||
| to which this chapter applies. For purposes of this section, | ||
| "covered vehicle" has the meaning assigned by Section 354.001. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 348.124(a), Finance Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (a) In connection with a retail installment transaction | ||
| under this chapter, a retail seller may offer to the retail buyer a | ||
| debt cancellation agreement, including a guaranteed asset | ||
| protection waiver or similarly named agreement. If the retail | ||
| installment transaction requires insurance coverage as part of the | ||
| retail buyer's responsibility to the holder, the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement, guaranteed asset protection waiver, or similarly named | ||
| agreement must be offered under Chapter 354. The retail seller may | ||
| not require that the purchase of a debt cancellation agreement by | ||
| the retail buyer be made in order to enter into a retail installment | ||
| transaction. | ||
| SECTION 3. Subchapter G, Chapter 348, Finance Code, is | ||
| redesignated as Chapter 354, Finance Code, and amended to read as | ||
| follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 354 [ |
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| FOR CERTAIN RETAIL VEHICLE INSTALLMENT SALES | ||
| Sec. 354.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
| (1) "Contract" means a retail installment contract | ||
| made under Chapter 345 or 348. | ||
| (2) "Covered vehicle" includes a self-propelled or | ||
| towed vehicle designed for personal use, including an automobile, | ||
| truck, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, all-terrain vehicle, | ||
| snowmobile, camper, boat, personal watercraft, and personal | ||
| watercraft trailer. | ||
| (3) "Debt cancellation agreement" means a contract | ||
| term or a contractual arrangement modifying a contract term under | ||
| which a retail seller or holder agrees to cancel all or part of an | ||
| obligation of the retail buyer to repay an extension of credit from | ||
| the retail seller or holder on the occurrence of the total loss or | ||
| theft of the covered vehicle that is the subject of the contract but | ||
| does not include an offer to pay a specified amount on the total | ||
| loss or theft of the covered vehicle. | ||
| (4) "Holder" means a person who is: | ||
| (A) a retail seller; or | ||
| (B) the assignee or transferee of a contract. | ||
| (5) "Retail buyer" means a person who purchases or | ||
| agrees to purchase a covered vehicle from a retail seller in a | ||
| retail installment transaction. | ||
| (6) "Retail seller" means a person in the business of | ||
| selling covered vehicles to retail buyers in retail installment | ||
| transactions. | ||
| Sec. 354.002 [ |
||
| CANCELLATION AGREEMENTS. (a) This chapter [ |
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| only to a debt cancellation agreement that includes insurance | ||
| coverage as part of the retail buyer's responsibility to the | ||
| holder. | ||
| (b) The amount charged for a debt cancellation agreement | ||
| made in connection with a [ |
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| exceed five percent of the amount financed pursuant to the [ |
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| cancellation agreement regulated under this chapter [ |
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| (c) The debt cancellation agreement becomes a part of or a | ||
| separate addendum to the [ |
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| a term of the [ |
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| sale, or transfer by the holder. | ||
| Sec. 354.003 [ |
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| EXCLUSION LANGUAGE. (a) In addition to the provisions required by | ||
| Section 354.004 [ |
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| disclose all provisions permitting the exclusion of loss or damage | ||
| including, if applicable: | ||
| (1) an act occurring after the original maturity date | ||
| or date of the holder's acceleration of the [ |
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| contract; | ||
| (2) any dishonest, fraudulent, illegal, or | ||
| intentional act of any authorized driver that directly results in | ||
| the total loss of the covered [ |
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| (3) any act of gross negligence by an authorized | ||
| driver that directly results in the total loss of the covered | ||
| [ |
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| (4) conversion, embezzlement, or concealment by any | ||
| person in lawful possession of the covered [ |
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| (5) lawful confiscation by an authorized public | ||
| official; | ||
| (6) the operation, use, or maintenance of the covered | ||
| [ |
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| (7) war, whether or not declared, invasion, | ||
| insurrection, rebellion, revolution, or an act of terrorism; | ||
| (8) normal wear and tear, freezing, or mechanical or | ||
| electrical breakdown or failure; | ||
| (9) use of the covered [ |
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| commercial purposes; | ||
| (10) damage that occurs after the covered [ |
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| vehicle has been repossessed; | ||
| (11) damage to the covered [ |
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| purchase of the debt cancellation agreement; | ||
| (12) unpaid insurance premiums and salvage, towing, | ||
| and storage charges relating to the covered [ |
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| (13) damage related to any personal property attached | ||
| to or within the covered [ |
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| (14) damages associated with falsification of | ||
| documents by any person not associated with the retail seller or | ||
| other person canceling the retail buyer's obligation; | ||
| (15) any unpaid debt resulting from exclusions in the | ||
| retail buyer's primary physical damage coverage not included in the | ||
| debt cancellation agreement; | ||
| (16) abandonment of the covered [ |
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| retail buyer only if the retail buyer voluntarily discards, leaves | ||
| behind, or otherwise relinquishes possession of the covered [ |
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| vehicle to the extent that the relinquishment shows intent to | ||
| forsake and desert the covered [ |
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| [ |
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| (17) any amounts deducted from the primary insurance | ||
| carrier's settlement due to prior damages; and | ||
| (18) any loss occurring outside the United States or | ||
| outside the United States and Canada. | ||
| (b) An exclusion of loss or damage not listed in Subsection | ||
| (a) may be included in a debt cancellation agreement only if the | ||
| exclusion is disclosed in plain, easy to read language. | ||
| Sec. 354.004 [ |
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| AGREEMENT LANGUAGE. A debt cancellation agreement must state: | ||
| (1) the contact information of the retail seller, the | ||
| holder, and any administrator of the agreement; | ||
| (2) the name and address of the retail buyer; | ||
| (3) the cost and term of the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement; | ||
| (4) the procedure the retail buyer must follow to | ||
| obtain benefits under the terms of the debt cancellation agreement, | ||
| including a telephone number and address where the retail buyer may | ||
| provide notice under the debt cancellation agreement; | ||
| (5) the period during which the retail buyer is | ||
| required to notify the retail seller, the holder, or any | ||
| administrator of the agreement, of any potential loss under the | ||
| debt cancellation agreement for total loss or theft of the covered | ||
| [ |
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| (6) that in order to make a claim, the retail buyer | ||
| must provide or complete some or all of the following documents and | ||
| provide those documents to the retail seller, the holder, or any | ||
| administrator of the agreement: | ||
| (A) a debt cancellation request form; | ||
| (B) proof of loss and settlement payment from the | ||
| retail buyer's primary comprehensive, collision, or uninsured or | ||
| underinsured motorist policy or other parties' liability insurance | ||
| policy for the settlement of the insured total loss of the covered | ||
| [ |
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| (C) verification of the retail buyer's primary | ||
| insurance deductible; | ||
| (D) a copy of any police report filed in | ||
| connection with the total loss or theft of the covered [ |
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| vehicle; and | ||
| (E) a copy of the damage estimate; | ||
| (7) that documentation not described by Subdivision | ||
| (6) may be [ |
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| administrator of the agreement [ |
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| the loss or determine the amount of debt to be canceled; | ||
| (8) that notwithstanding the collection of the | ||
| documents under Subdivision (6), on reasonable advance notice the | ||
| retail seller, the holder, or any administrator of the agreement | ||
| may inspect the retail buyer's covered [ |
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| (9) that the retail seller or holder will cancel all or | ||
| part of the retail buyer's obligation as provided in the debt | ||
| cancellation agreement on the occurrence of total loss or theft of | ||
| the covered [ |
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| (10) the method to be used to calculate refunds; | ||
| (11) the method for calculating the amount to be | ||
| canceled under the debt cancellation agreement on the occurrence of | ||
| total loss or theft of a covered [ |
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| (12) that purchase of a debt cancellation agreement is | ||
| not required for the retail buyer to obtain an extension of credit | ||
| and will not be a factor in the credit approval process; | ||
| (13) that in order to cancel the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement and receive a refund, the retail buyer must provide a | ||
| written request to cancel to the retail seller, the holder, or any | ||
| administrator of the agreement; | ||
| (14) that if total loss or theft of the covered [ |
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| vehicle has not occurred, the retail buyer has 30 days from the date | ||
| of the [ |
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| cancellation agreement, whichever is later, or a longer period as | ||
| provided under the debt cancellation agreement, to cancel the debt | ||
| cancellation agreement and receive a full refund; | ||
| (15) that the retail buyer may file a complaint with | ||
| the commissioner, and include the address, phone number, and | ||
| Internet website of the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner; and | ||
| (16) that the holder will cancel certain amounts under | ||
| the debt cancellation agreement for total loss or theft of a covered | ||
| [ |
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| language: "YOU WILL CANCEL CERTAIN AMOUNTS I OWE UNDER THIS | ||
| CONTRACT IN THE CASE OF A TOTAL LOSS OR THEFT OF THE COVERED VEHICLE | ||
| AS STATED IN THE DEBT CANCELLATION AGREEMENT." | ||
| Sec. 354.005 [ |
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| CANCELLATION AGREEMENTS. (a) Debt cancellation agreement forms | ||
| must be submitted to the commissioner for approval. Debt | ||
| cancellation agreement forms may include additional language to | ||
| supplement the terms of the debt cancellation agreement as required | ||
| by this chapter [ |
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| (b) If a debt cancellation agreement form is provided to the | ||
| commissioner for approval, the commissioner has 45 days to approve | ||
| the form or deny approval of the form. If after the 45th day the | ||
| commissioner does not deny the form, the form is considered | ||
| approved. | ||
| (c) If the debt cancellation agreement form is approved by | ||
| the commissioner or considered approved as provided by Subsection | ||
| (b), the terms of the debt cancellation agreement are considered to | ||
| be in compliance with this chapter [ |
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| (d) The commissioner may deny approval of a form only if the | ||
| form excludes the language required by Sections 354.003 [ |
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| and 354.004 [ |
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| provisions. All form denials may be appealed to the finance | ||
| commission. | ||
| (e) If after approval of a form the Office of Consumer | ||
| Credit Commissioner discovers that approval could have been denied | ||
| under Subsection (d), the commissioner may order a retail seller, | ||
| any administrator of the debt cancellation agreement, or a holder | ||
| to submit a corrected form for approval. Beginning as soon as | ||
| reasonably practicable after approval of the corrected form, the | ||
| retail seller, administrator, or holder shall use the corrected | ||
| form for all sales. | ||
| (f) A debt cancellation agreement form that has been | ||
| approved by the commissioner is public information subject to | ||
| disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code. Section 552.110, | ||
| Government Code, does not apply to a form approved under this | ||
| chapter [ |
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| Sec. 354.006 [ |
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| CANCELLATION AGREEMENTS. (a) If a retail buyer purchases a debt | ||
| cancellation agreement, the retail seller must provide to the | ||
| retail buyer a true and correct copy of the agreement not later than | ||
| the 10th day after the date of the [ |
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| (b) A holder must comply with the terms of a debt | ||
| cancellation agreement not later than the 60th day after the date of | ||
| receipt of all necessary information required by the holder or | ||
| administrator of the agreement to process the request. | ||
| (c) A debt cancellation agreement may not knowingly be | ||
| offered by a retail seller if: | ||
| (1) the [ |
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| protected by gap insurance; or | ||
| (2) the purchase of the debt cancellation agreement is | ||
| required for the retail buyer to obtain the extension of credit. | ||
| (d) This section does not apply to a debt cancellation | ||
| agreement offered in connection with the purchase of a commercial | ||
| vehicle. | ||
| (e) The sale of a debt cancellation agreement must be for a | ||
| single payment. | ||
| (f) A holder that offers a debt cancellation agreement must | ||
| report the sale of and forward money received on all such agreements | ||
| to any designated party as prescribed in any applicable | ||
| administrative services agreement, contractual liability policy, | ||
| other insurance policy, or other specified program documents. | ||
| (g) Money received or held by a holder or any administrator | ||
| of a debt cancellation agreement and belonging to an insurance | ||
| company, holder, or administrator under the terms of a written | ||
| agreement must be held by the holder or administrator in a fiduciary | ||
| capacity. | ||
| (h) A retail seller that negotiates a debt cancellation | ||
| agreement and subsequently assigns the contract shall: | ||
| (1) maintain documents or data relating to the | ||
| agreement that come into the retail seller's possession; and | ||
| (2) on request of the Office of Consumer Credit | ||
| Commissioner, cooperate in requesting and obtaining access to | ||
| documents or data relating to the agreement not in the retail | ||
| seller's possession. | ||
| Sec. 354.007 [ |
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| AGREEMENTS. (a) A refund or credit of the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement fee must be based on the earliest date of: | ||
| (1) the prepayment of the [ |
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| contract in full before the original maturity date; | ||
| (2) a demand by the holder for payment in full of the | ||
| unpaid balance or acceleration; | ||
| (3) a request by the retail buyer for cancellation of | ||
| the debt cancellation agreement; or | ||
| (4) the total denial of a debt cancellation request | ||
| based on one of the exclusions listed in Section 354.003 [ |
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| except in the case of a partial loss of the covered [ |
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| (b) The refund or credit for the debt cancellation agreement | ||
| can be rounded to the nearest whole dollar. A refund or credit is | ||
| not required if the amount of the refund or credit calculated is | ||
| less than $5. | ||
| (c) If total loss or theft has not occurred, the retail | ||
| buyer may cancel the debt cancellation agreement not later than the | ||
| 30th day after the date of the [ |
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| issuance of the debt cancellation agreement, whichever is later, or | ||
| a later date as provided under the debt cancellation agreement. On | ||
| cancellation, the holder or any administrator of the agreement | ||
| shall refund or credit the entire debt cancellation agreement fee. | ||
| A retail buyer may not cancel the debt cancellation agreement and | ||
| subsequently receive any benefits under the agreement. | ||
| (d) A holder may in good faith rely on a computation by any | ||
| administrator of the agreement of the balance waived, unless the | ||
| holder has knowledge that the computation is not correct. If a | ||
| computation by the administrator of the balance waived is not | ||
| correct, the holder must within a reasonable time of learning that | ||
| the computation is incorrect make the necessary corrections or | ||
| cause the corrections to be made to the retail buyer's account. | ||
| This subsection does not prevent the holder from obtaining | ||
| reimbursement from the administrator or another responsible for the | ||
| debt cancellation agreement or computation. | ||
| (e) If the debt cancellation agreement terminates due to the | ||
| early termination of the contract, the holder shall, not later than | ||
| the 60th day after the date the debt cancellation agreement | ||
| terminates: | ||
| (1) refund or credit an appropriate amount of the debt | ||
| cancellation agreement fee; or | ||
| (2) cause to be refunded or credited an appropriate | ||
| amount of the debt cancellation agreement fee by providing written | ||
| instruction to the appropriate person. | ||
| (f) The holder shall maintain records of any refund or | ||
| credit of an amount of a debt cancellation agreement fee made under | ||
| Subsection (e) and provide electronic access to those records until | ||
| the later of the fourth anniversary of the date of the contract or | ||
| the second anniversary of the date of the refund or credit. | ||
| SECTION 4. Title 5, Finance Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Chapter 397 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 397. DEBT CANCELLATION AGREEMENTS FOR CERTAIN VEHICLE | ||
| LEASES | ||
| Sec. 397.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
| (1) "Covered vehicle" includes a self-propelled or | ||
| towed vehicle designed for personal use, including an automobile, | ||
| truck, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, all-terrain vehicle, | ||
| snowmobile, camper, boat, personal watercraft, and personal | ||
| watercraft trailer. | ||
| (2) "Debt cancellation agreement" means a lease term | ||
| or a contractual arrangement modifying a lease term under which a | ||
| lessor or holder agrees to cancel all or part of an obligation of | ||
| the lessee to pay the lessor or holder on the occurrence of the | ||
| total loss or theft of the covered vehicle that is the subject of | ||
| the lease but does not include an offer to pay a specified amount on | ||
| the total loss or theft of the covered vehicle. | ||
| (3) "Holder" means a person who is: | ||
| (A) a lessor; or | ||
| (B) the assignee or transferee of a lease. | ||
| (4) "Lease" means a lease for a covered vehicle. | ||
| Sec. 397.002. APPLICABILITY. This chapter does not apply | ||
| to a lease that is a retail installment transaction under Section | ||
| 345.068 or 348.002. | ||
| Sec. 397.003. RELATIONSHIP TO INSURANCE. A debt | ||
| cancellation agreement to which this chapter applies is not | ||
| insurance. | ||
| Sec. 397.004. LIMITATION ON CERTAIN DEBT CANCELLATION | ||
| AGREEMENTS. (a) This chapter applies only to a debt cancellation | ||
| agreement, including a gap waiver agreement or other similarly | ||
| named agreement, that includes insurance coverage as part of the | ||
| lessee's responsibility to the holder. | ||
| (b) The amount charged for a debt cancellation agreement | ||
| made in connection with a lease may not exceed five percent of the | ||
| amount financed pursuant to the lease. | ||
| (c) The debt cancellation agreement becomes a part of or a | ||
| separate addendum to the lease and remains a term of the lease on | ||
| the assignment, sale, or transfer by the holder. | ||
| Sec. 397.005. DEBT CANCELLATION AGREEMENTS EXCLUSION | ||
| LANGUAGE. (a) In addition to the provisions required by Section | ||
| 397.006, a debt cancellation agreement must fully disclose all | ||
| provisions permitting the exclusion of loss or damage including, if | ||
| applicable: | ||
| (1) an act occurring after the original maturity date | ||
| or date of the holder's acceleration of the lease; | ||
| (2) any dishonest, fraudulent, illegal, or | ||
| intentional act of any authorized driver that directly results in | ||
| the total loss of the covered vehicle; | ||
| (3) any act of gross negligence by an authorized | ||
| driver that directly results in the total loss of the covered | ||
| vehicle; | ||
| (4) conversion, embezzlement, or concealment by any | ||
| person in lawful possession of the covered vehicle; | ||
| (5) lawful confiscation by an authorized public | ||
| official; | ||
| (6) the operation, use, or maintenance of the covered | ||
| vehicle in any race or speed contest; | ||
| (7) war, whether or not declared, invasion, | ||
| insurrection, rebellion, revolution, or an act of terrorism; | ||
| (8) normal wear and tear, freezing, or mechanical or | ||
| electrical breakdown or failure; | ||
| (9) use of the covered vehicle for primarily | ||
| commercial purposes; | ||
| (10) damage that occurs after the covered vehicle has | ||
| been repossessed; | ||
| (11) damage to the covered vehicle before the purchase | ||
| of the debt cancellation agreement; | ||
| (12) unpaid insurance premiums and salvage, towing, | ||
| and storage charges relating to the covered vehicle; | ||
| (13) damage related to any personal property attached | ||
| to or within the covered vehicle; | ||
| (14) damages associated with falsification of | ||
| documents by any person not associated with the lessor or other | ||
| person canceling the lessee's obligation; | ||
| (15) any unpaid debt resulting from exclusions in the | ||
| lessee's primary physical damage coverage not included in the debt | ||
| cancellation agreement; | ||
| (16) abandonment of the covered vehicle by the lessee | ||
| only if the lessee voluntarily discards, leaves behind, or | ||
| otherwise relinquishes possession of the covered vehicle to the | ||
| extent that the relinquishment shows intent to forsake and desert | ||
| the covered vehicle so that the covered vehicle may be appropriated | ||
| by any other person; | ||
| (17) any amounts deducted from the primary insurance | ||
| carrier's settlement due to prior damages; and | ||
| (18) any loss occurring outside the United States or | ||
| outside the United States and Canada. | ||
| (b) An exclusion of loss or damage not listed in Subsection | ||
| (a) may be included in a debt cancellation agreement only if the | ||
| exclusion is disclosed in plain, easy to read language. | ||
| Sec. 397.006. REQUIRED DEBT CANCELLATION AGREEMENT | ||
| LANGUAGE. A debt cancellation agreement must state: | ||
| (1) the contact information of the lessor, the holder, | ||
| and any administrator of the agreement; | ||
| (2) the name and address of the lessee; | ||
| (3) the cost and term of the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement; | ||
| (4) the procedure the lessee must follow to obtain | ||
| benefits under the terms of the debt cancellation agreement, | ||
| including a telephone number and address where the lessee may | ||
| provide notice under the debt cancellation agreement; | ||
| (5) the period during which the lessee is required to | ||
| notify the lessor, the holder, or any administrator of the | ||
| agreement, of any potential loss under the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement for total loss or theft of the covered vehicle; | ||
| (6) that in order to make a claim, the lessee must | ||
| provide or complete some or all of the following documents and | ||
| provide those documents to the lessor, the holder, or any | ||
| administrator of the agreement: | ||
| (A) a debt cancellation request form; | ||
| (B) proof of loss and settlement payment from the | ||
| lessee's primary comprehensive, collision, or uninsured or | ||
| underinsured motorist policy or other parties' liability insurance | ||
| policy for the settlement of the insured total loss of the covered | ||
| vehicle; | ||
| (C) verification of the lessee's primary | ||
| insurance deductible; | ||
| (D) a copy of any police report filed in | ||
| connection with the total loss or theft of the covered vehicle; and | ||
| (E) a copy of the damage estimate; | ||
| (7) that documentation not described by Subdivision | ||
| (6) may be required by the lessor, the holder, or any administrator | ||
| of the agreement to substantiate the loss or determine the amount of | ||
| debt to be canceled; | ||
| (8) that notwithstanding the collection of the | ||
| documents under Subdivision (6), on reasonable advance notice the | ||
| lessor, the holder, or any administrator of the agreement may | ||
| inspect the lessee's covered vehicle; | ||
| (9) that the lessor or holder will cancel all or part | ||
| of the lessee's obligation as provided in the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement on the occurrence of total loss or theft of the covered | ||
| vehicle; | ||
| (10) the method to be used to calculate refunds; | ||
| (11) the method for calculating the amount to be | ||
| canceled under the debt cancellation agreement on the occurrence of | ||
| total loss or theft of a covered vehicle; | ||
| (12) that purchase of a debt cancellation agreement is | ||
| not required for the lessee to obtain an extension of credit and | ||
| will not be a factor in the credit approval process; | ||
| (13) that in order to cancel the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement and receive a refund, the lessee must provide a written | ||
| request to cancel to the lessor, the holder, or any administrator of | ||
| the agreement; | ||
| (14) that if total loss or theft of the covered vehicle | ||
| has not occurred, the lessee has 30 days from the date of the lease | ||
| or the issuance of the debt cancellation agreement, whichever is | ||
| later, or a longer period as provided under the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement, to cancel the debt cancellation agreement and receive a | ||
| full refund; and | ||
| (15) that the lessor will cancel certain amounts under | ||
| the debt cancellation agreement for total loss or theft of a covered | ||
| vehicle, in the following or substantially similar language: "YOU | ||
| WILL CANCEL CERTAIN AMOUNTS I OWE UNDER THIS LEASE IN THE CASE OF A | ||
| TOTAL LOSS OR THEFT OF THE COVERED VEHICLE AS STATED IN THE DEBT | ||
| CANCELLATION AGREEMENT." | ||
| Sec. 397.007. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DEBT | ||
| CANCELLATION AGREEMENTS. (a) If a lessee purchases a debt | ||
| cancellation agreement, the lessor must provide to the lessee a | ||
| true and correct copy of the agreement not later than the 10th day | ||
| after the date of the lease. | ||
| (b) A holder must comply with the terms of a debt | ||
| cancellation agreement not later than the 60th day after the date of | ||
| receipt of all necessary information required by the holder or | ||
| administrator of the agreement to process the request. | ||
| (c) A debt cancellation agreement may not knowingly be | ||
| offered by a lessor if: | ||
| (1) the lease is already protected by gap insurance; | ||
| or | ||
| (2) the purchase of the debt cancellation agreement is | ||
| required for the lessee to obtain the extension of credit. | ||
| (d) This section does not apply to a debt cancellation | ||
| agreement offered in connection with the lease of a commercial | ||
| vehicle. | ||
| (e) The sale of a debt cancellation agreement must be for a | ||
| single payment. | ||
| (f) A holder that offers a debt cancellation agreement must | ||
| report the sale of and forward money received on all such agreements | ||
| to any designated party as prescribed in any applicable | ||
| administrative services agreement, contractual liability policy, | ||
| other insurance policy, or other specified program documents. | ||
| (g) Money received or held by a holder or any administrator | ||
| of a debt cancellation agreement and belonging to an insurance | ||
| company, holder, or administrator under the terms of a written | ||
| agreement must be held by the holder or administrator in a fiduciary | ||
| capacity. | ||
| (h) A lessor that negotiates a debt cancellation agreement | ||
| and subsequently assigns the lease shall maintain documents or data | ||
| relating to the agreement that come into the lessor's possession. | ||
| Sec. 397.008. REFUND FOR DEBT CANCELLATION AGREEMENTS. (a) | ||
| A refund or credit of the debt cancellation agreement fee must be | ||
| based on the earliest date of: | ||
| (1) the prepayment of the lease in full before the | ||
| original maturity date; | ||
| (2) a demand by the holder for payment in full of the | ||
| unpaid balance or acceleration; | ||
| (3) a request by the lessee for cancellation of the | ||
| debt cancellation agreement; or | ||
| (4) the total denial of a debt cancellation request | ||
| based on one of the exclusions listed in Section 397.005, except in | ||
| the case of a partial loss of the covered vehicle. | ||
| (b) The refund or credit for the debt cancellation agreement | ||
| can be rounded to the nearest whole dollar. A refund or credit is | ||
| not required if the amount of the refund or credit calculated is | ||
| less than $5. | ||
| (c) If total loss or theft has not occurred, the lessee may | ||
| cancel the debt cancellation agreement not later than the 30th day | ||
| after the date of the lease or the issuance of the debt cancellation | ||
| agreement, whichever is later, or a later date as provided under the | ||
| debt cancellation agreement. On cancellation, the holder or any | ||
| administrator of the agreement shall refund or credit the entire | ||
| debt cancellation agreement fee. A lessee may not cancel the debt | ||
| cancellation agreement and subsequently receive any benefits under | ||
| the agreement. | ||
| (d) A holder may in good faith rely on a computation by any | ||
| administrator of the agreement of the balance waived, unless the | ||
| holder has knowledge that the computation is not correct. If a | ||
| computation by the administrator of the balance waived is not | ||
| correct, the holder must within a reasonable time of learning that | ||
| the computation is incorrect make the necessary corrections or | ||
| cause the corrections to be made to the lessee's account. This | ||
| subsection does not prevent the holder from obtaining reimbursement | ||
| from the administrator or another responsible for the debt | ||
| cancellation agreement or computation. | ||
| (e) If the debt cancellation agreement terminates due to the | ||
| early termination of the lease, the holder shall, not later than the | ||
| 60th day after the date the debt cancellation agreement terminates: | ||
| (1) refund or credit an appropriate amount of the debt | ||
| cancellation agreement fee; or | ||
| (2) cause to be refunded or credited an appropriate | ||
| amount of the debt cancellation agreement fee by providing written | ||
| instruction to the appropriate person. | ||
| (f) The holder shall maintain records of any refund or | ||
| credit of an amount of a debt cancellation agreement fee made under | ||
| Subsection (e) and provide electronic access to those records until | ||
| the later of the fourth anniversary of the date of the lease or the | ||
| second anniversary of the date of the refund or credit. | ||
| Sec. 397.009. REMEDY. If the attorney general reasonably | ||
| believes that a person is violating or is about to violate this | ||
| chapter, the attorney general may bring an action in the name of | ||
| this state against the person to restrain or enjoin the person from | ||
| violating this chapter. | ||
| SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
