17:11C-21 Purchase of insurance by borrowers.

21. a. A borrower shall not be required to purchase credit life or accident and health insurance or credit involuntary unemployment insurance in connection with a consumer loan. If the borrower or borrowers consent thereto in writing, a licensee may obtain or provide:

(1) Insurance on the life and on the health or disability, or both, of one borrower, and on the lives, health or disability of two borrowers pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.17B:29-1 et seq.; and

(2) Credit involuntary unemployment insurance in accordance with forms and rates filed and approved by the commissioner pursuant to applicable regulations.

b. If a licensee obtains or provides any credit insurance for a borrower or borrowers pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the licensee may deduct from the principal of a loan and retain an amount equal to the premium lawfully charged by the insurance company. The premium may be charged monthly in the case of an open-end consumer loan. The amount so deducted and retained shall not be considered a prohibited charge or amount of any examination, service, brokerage, commission, expense, fee or bonus or other thing or otherwise.

c. If a borrower or borrowers obtain the credit insurance from or through a licensee, the licensee shall show the amount of the charge for the insurance and cause to be delivered to the borrower or borrowers a copy of the policy, certificate or other evidence of that insurance when the loan is made. Nothing in this act shall prohibit the licensee from collecting the premium or identifiable charge for insurance permitted by this section and from receiving and retaining any dividend, or any other gain or advantage resulting from that insurance.

d. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2009, c.53)

e. Incident to a consumer loan, a licensee may make available, insurance covering direct or indirect damage or loss, by fire or other perils, including those of extended coverage, to the personal property of the borrower all or part of which is security for the loan. The insurance shall be for an amount and term not to exceed the total amount of payments and term of the loan.

The licensee shall provide the borrower with the following written statement, to be printed in at least 10-point bold type:

NOTICE TO THE BORROWER

YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PURCHASE PERSONAL PROPERTY INSURANCE AS A CONDITION OF RECEIVING THE CONSUMER LOAN. IF YOU DESIRE PERSONAL PROPERTY INSURANCE YOU MAY SECURE INSURANCE FROM A COMPANY OR AGENT OF YOUR OWN CHOOSING.

L.1996, c.157, s.21; amended 1999, c.250, s.2; 2009, c.53, s.52.