2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 33. Insurance › Article 4. General Provisions › §33-4-2. Application of Chapter to Particular Types of Insurers

(a) No provision of this chapter shall apply to:
(1) Hospital service corporations and medical service corporations except as stated in 33-24-1
et seq.
of this code;
(2) Fraternal benefit societies except as stated in 33-23-1
et seq.
of this code;
(3) Farmers mutual fire insurance companies except as stated in 33-22-1
et seq.
of this code;
(4) Warranties;
(5) Service contracts;
(6) Maintenance agreements.
(b) For the purposes of this article:
(1) "Holder" means a resident of this state who either purchases a service agreement or is legally in possession of a service contract and is entitled to enforce the rights of the original purchaser of the service contract.
(2) "Incidental costs" means expenses specified in a vehicle protection product warranty that are incurred by the warranty holder due to the failure of a vehicle protection product to perform as provided in the contract. Incidental costs may be reimbursed in either a fixed amount specified in the vehicle protection product warranty or by use of a formula itemizing specific incidental costs incurred by the warranty holder.
(3) "Maintenance agreement" means a contract for a limited period that provides only for scheduled maintenance.
(4) "Provider" means a person who is obligated to a holder pursuant to the terms of a service contract to repair, replace, or perform maintenance on or to indemnify the holder for the costs of repairing, replacing, or performing maintenance on goods.
(5) "Road hazard" means a hazard that is encountered while driving a motor vehicle, which may include potholes, rocks, wood debris, metal parts, glass, plastic, curbs, or composite scraps.
(6) "Service contract" means an agreement entered into for a separately stated consideration and for a specified term under which a provider agrees to repair, replace, or maintain a product or provide indemnification for the repair, replacement, or maintenance of a product for operational or structural failure caused by a defect in materials or workmanship or by normal wear. A service contract may additionally provide for incidental payment or indemnity under limited circumstances, including towing, rental, and emergency road service or for the repair or replacement of a product for damage resulting from power surges or accidental damage incurred in handling the product. "Service contract" includes a contract or agreement that provides for one or more of the following:
(A) The repair or replacement of tires or wheels on a motor vehicle damaged as a result of coming into contact with road hazards;
(B) The removal of dents, dings, or creases on a motor vehicle that can be repaired using the process of paintless dent removal without affecting the existing paint finish and without replacing vehicle body panels, sanding, bonding, or painting;
(C) The repair of chips or cracks in, or the replacement of, motor vehicle windshields as a result of damage caused by road hazards;
(D) The replacement of a motor vehicle key or key-fob in the event that the key or key-fob becomes inoperable or is lost or stolen;
(E) The repair of damage to the interior components of a motor vehicle caused by wear and tear;
(F) The cosmetic repair of minor damage such as scuffs, scratches, scrapes, or rash on exterior surfaces of a motor vehicle; or
(G) In conjunction with a motor vehicle leased for use, the repair, replacement, or maintenance of property, or indemnification for repair, replacement, or maintenance, due to excess wear and use, damage for items such as tires, paint cracks or chips, interior stains, rips or scratches, exterior dents or scratches, windshield cracks or chips, missing interior or exterior parts, or excess mileage that result in a lease-end charge, or any other charge for damage that is deemed as excess wear and use by a lessor under a motor vehicle lease, provided any such payment does not exceed the purchase price of the vehicle.
(7) "Vehicle protection product" means a protective chemical, substance, device, or system that: (A) is installed on or applied to a motor vehicle; (B) is designed to prevent loss or damage to a motor vehicle from a specific cause; and (C) includes a vehicle protection product warranty. "Vehicle protection product" does not include fuel additives, oil additives, or other chemical products applied to the engine, transmission, or fuel system.
(8) "Vehicle protection product warranty" means a warranty that provides that if the vehicle protection product fails to prevent loss or damage to a motor vehicle from a specific cause, the warrantor will pay to or on behalf of the warranty holder specified incidental costs as a result of the failure of the vehicle protection product to perform pursuant to the terms of the vehicle protection product warranty.
(9) "Warranty" means in relation to a product or service an undertaking that guarantees indemnity for defective parts, mechanical or electrical breakdown, labor costs, or other remedial measures, such as repair or replacement of the product or repetition of services, and that is made solely by the manufacturer, importer, or seller of the product or services made without payment of additional consideration, not negotiated or separated from the sale of the product or service and incidental to the sale of the product or service. "Warranty" includes a vehicle protection product warranty.