OCCUPATIONS CODE

TITLE 14. REGULATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRANSPORTATION

SUBTITLE A. REGULATIONS RELATED TO MOTOR VEHICLES

CHAPTER 2307. INSURER INTERESTS IN REPAIR FACILITIES

Sec. 2307.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
(1)  "Arm's length transaction" means the standard of conduct under which two parties having substantially equal bargaining power, each acting in its own interest, would negotiate or carry out a particular transaction.
(2)  "Claims center" means a location designated by an insurer where a claims adjuster, employee, or agent of the insurer performs an initial damage estimate on a vehicle under the terms of an insurance policy.
(3)  "Favored facility agreement" means an agreement between an insurer and a repair facility under which the insurer agrees to recommend, directly or indirectly, to its policyholders or other beneficiaries under the insurer's policies, that the policyholder or other beneficiary obtain repairs at that repair facility or in any other way agrees to influence its policyholders or other beneficiaries under the insurer's policies to obtain repairs at that repair facility.
(4)  "Insurer" means an insurer authorized by the Texas Department of Insurance to write motor vehicle insurance in this state, including a county mutual insurance company, a Lloyd's plan, and a reciprocal or interinsurance exchange if that insurer owns an interest in a repair facility in this state.  The term includes an entity that is an affiliate of an insurer as described by Section 823.003, Insurance Code.
(5)  "Repair facility" has the meaning assigned by Section 2304.001.
(6)  "Support services" means basic services, provided nonspecifically, that are provided internally and to each affiliate or subsidiary, by an insurer, its parent company, or a separate affiliate created to provide basic corporate support.  The term does not include a service related to the operation of a repair facility if that service would have no value, or minimal value to any other type of business.
(7)  "Tied repair facility" means a repair facility in which an insurer owns an interest.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1045, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.  Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 206, Sec. 20.01, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Renumbered from Occupations Code, Section 2306.001 by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 728 (H.B. 2018), Sec. 23.001(76), eff. September 1, 2005.