House 5608

WEST virginia Legislature

2026 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 5608

By Delegates Fluharty, Hornbuckle, and Williams

[Introduced February 16, 2026; referred to the Committee on Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §33-11-4c, relating to insurance unfair trade practices; prohibiting use of a person's credit history in certain insurance transactions.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 11. UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES.

§33-11-4c.  Use of credit history prohibited in certain transactions.

With respect to insurance policies for passenger motor vehicles, residential property, or other personal insurance lines, no person may:

(1) Refuse to underwrite, cancel, refuse to renew a risk or increase a renewal premium based, in whole or in part, on the credit history of an applicant for insurance or an insured person;

(2) Rate a risk based, in whole or in part, on the credit history of an applicant for insurance or an insured person in any manner, including, but not limited to, the provision or removal of a discount, assigning an applicant or insured person to a rating tier, or placing an applicant or insured person with an affiliated company; or

(3) Require a particular payment plan based, in whole or in part, on the credit history of the applicant for insurance or the insured person.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the use of a person's credit history in certain insurance transactions.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.