An insurer may not use tied repair facilities to steer customers, share advantages, or treat those facilities more favorably than other favored facilities.
Sec. 2307.006. PROHIBITIONS. An insurer may not: (1) condition the provision of a product, service, insurance policy renewal, pricing, or other benefit on the purchase of any good or service from its tied repair facilities; (2) share information with its tied repair facilities that is not made available on identical terms and conditions to other repair facilities with which the insurer has entered into a favored facility agreement; (3) engage in a joint marketing program with its tied repair facilities; (4) provide its tied repair facilities a recommendation, referral, description, advantage, or access to its policyholders or other beneficiaries under its insurance policies that is not provided on identical terms to other repair facilities with which the insurer has entered into a favored facility agreement; (5) provide a tied repair facility access to the insurer's products or services on terms and conditions different from those under which the insurer provides access to the same products or services to another repair facility with which the insurer has entered into a favored facility agreement; (6) allow a tied repair facility to use the insurer's name, trademark, tradename, brand, or logo in a manner different than that allowed for any other favored facility; (7) subsidize the business activities or operating expenses of a tied repair facility; (8) directly or indirectly require a policyholder of the insurer or other beneficiary under the insurer's policy to obtain a damage estimate on a vehicle covered by the insurance policy at a tied repair facility; (9) authorize or allow a person representing the insurer, whether an employee or an independent contractor, to recommend to a policyholder or other beneficiary under the insurance policy that the policyholder or other beneficiary obtain repairs at a tied repair facility, except to the same extent that the person recommends other repair facilities with whom the insurer has entered into a favored facility agreement; (10) require a policyholder or beneficiary to use a claims center located on the premises of a tied repair facility; (11) enter into a favored facility agreement exclusively with its tied repair facilities; (12) retaliate or discriminate against a person who: (A) files an action as provided by this chapter; or (B) assists or participates in any manner in an investigation, judicial proceeding, or other action brought or maintained as provided by this chapter; or (13) include earnings or losses of a tied repair facility in a rate filing made under Chapter 5, Insurance Code. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1045, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Renumbered from Occupations Code, Section 2306.006 by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 728 (H.B. 2018), Sec. 23.001(76), eff. September 1, 2005.