Wash. Admin. Code § 284-50-060 - Deceptive words, phrases, or illustrations prohibited

(1) No advertisement shall omit information or use words, phrases, statements, references, or illustrations if the omission of such information or use of such words, phrases, statements, references, or illustrations has the capacity, tendency, or effect of misleading or deceiving purchasers or prospective purchasers as to the nature or extent of any policy benefit payable, loss covered, or premium payable. The fact that the policy offered is made available to a prospective insured for inspection prior to consummation of the sale or an offer is made to refund the premium if the purchaser is not satisfied, does not remedy misleading statements.

(2) No advertisement shall contain or use words or phrases such as, "all"; "full"; "complete"; "comprehensive"; "unlimited"; "up to"; "as high as"; "this policy will help pay your hospital and surgical bills"; "this policy will help fill some of the gaps that medicare and your present insurance leave out"; "this policy will help to replace your income" (when used to express loss of time benefits); or similar words and phrases, in a manner which exaggerates any benefits beyond the terms of the policy.

(3) An advertisement shall not contain descriptions of a policy limitation, exception, or reduction, worded in a positive manner to imply that it is a benefit, such as, describing a waiting period as a "benefit builder," or stating "even preexisting conditions are covered after two years." Words and phrases used in an advertisement to describe such policy limitations, exceptions, and reductions shall fairly and accurately describe the negative features of such limitations, exceptions, and reductions of the policy offered.

(4) No advertisement of a benefit for which payment is conditional upon confinement in a hospital or similar facility shall use words or phrases such as "extra cash"; "extra income"; "extra pay"; or substantially similar words or phrases because such words and phrases have the capacity, tendency, or effect of misleading the public into believing that the policy advertised will, in some way, enable them to make a profit from being hospitalized.

(5) No advertisement of a hospital or other similar facility confinement benefit shall advertise that the amount of the benefit is payable on a monthly or weekly basis when, in fact, the amount of the benefit payable is based upon a daily pro rata basis relating to the number of days of confinement. When the policy contains a limit on the number of days of coverage provided, such limit must appear in the advertisement.

(6) No advertisement of a policy covering only one disease or a list of specified diseases shall imply coverage beyond the terms of the policy. Synonymous terms shall not be used to refer to any disease so as to imply broader coverage than is the fact.

(7) An advertisement for a policy providing benefits for specified illnesses only, such as cancer, or for specified accidents only, such as automobile accidents, shall clearly and conspicuously in prominent type state the limited nature of the policy. The statement shall be worded in language identical to, or substantially similar to the following: "THIS IS A LIMITED POLICY"; "THIS IS A CANCER ONLY POLICY"; "THIS IS AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ONLY POLICY."

(8) An advertisement of a direct response insurance product shall not imply that because "no insurance agent will call and no commissions will be paid to agents" that it is "a low cost plan," or use other similar words or phrases because the cost of advertising and servicing such policies is a substantial cost in the marketing of a direct response insurance product.

(9) The phrase "tax free" shall not be used in or as a heading, caption, or title in any advertisement and shall not be unduly or deceptively emphasized, but it may be used in connection with a reasonably complete explanation of the Internal Revenue Service rules applicable to the particular benefits afforded by the policy or policies advertised.

Notes

Wash. Admin. Code § 284-50-060

Order R-73-1, § 284-50-060, filed 2/28/73, effective 4/1/73.