(215 ILCS 136/20)

Sec. 20. Authority of vendors of portable electronics.

(a) The employees and authorized representatives of vendors may sell or offer portable electronics insurance to customers and shall not be subject to licensure as an insurance producer under the Illinois Insurance Code provided that:

(1) the vendor obtains a limited-lines license to authorize its employees or authorized representatives to sell or offer portable electronics insurance pursuant to this Act;

(2) the insurer issuing the portable electronics insurance either directly supervises or appoints a supervising entity to supervise the administration of the program, including development of a training program for employees and authorized representatives of the vendors; the training required by this subsection (a) shall comply with the following:

(A) the training shall be delivered to employees and authorized representatives of a vendor who is directly engaged in the activity of selling or offering portable electronics insurance;

(B) the training may be provided in electronic form; if conducted in electronic form, then the supervising entity shall implement a supplemental education program regarding portable electronics insurance that is conducted and overseen by licensed employees of the supervising entity; and

(C) each employee and authorized representative shall receive basic instruction about the portable electronics insurance offered to customers and the disclosures required under Section 15 of this Act;

(3) no employee or authorized representative of a vendor of portable electronics shall advertise, represent, or otherwise hold himself or herself out as a nonlimited-lines licensed insurance producer.

(b) The charges for portable electronics insurance coverage may be billed and collected by the vendor of portable electronics. If the portable electronics insurance coverage is included in the purchase or lease of portable electronics or related services, then the vendor shall clearly and conspicuously disclose to the customer that the portable electronics insurance coverage is included with the portable electronics or related services. If the charge for coverage is included in the cost associated with the purchase or lease of portable electronics or related services, then the vendor shall clearly and conspicuously disclose to the enrolled customer that the charge for the portable electronics or related services includes the charge for coverage. Vendors billing and collecting such charges shall not be required to maintain the funds in a segregated account, provided that the vendor is authorized by the insurer to hold such funds in an alternative manner and remits the amounts to the supervising entity within 60 days after receipt. All funds received by a vendor from an enrolled customer for the sale of portable electronics insurance shall be considered funds held in trust by the vendor in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the insurer. Vendors may receive compensation for billing and collection services.

(Source: P.A. 97-366, eff. 1-1-12.)