Senate Bill 5871 - Motor Vehicle Glass Repair Claims (Washington Legislature, 2026 Regular Session)

Summary

Senate Bill 5871, State of Washington, 69th Legislature, 2026 Regular Session, by Senators Cortes, Dozier, Hasegawa, and Lovick, prefiled 12/11/25 and referred to the Committee on Business, Trade & Economic Development. The bill is an act relating to motor vehicle glass repair claims. Its text bars an insured under a property and casualty insurance policy from assigning rights or benefits under the policy and requires a motor vehicle glass repair shop to notify the insured about advanced driver assistance system calibration. It also requires the shop to give a good faith estimate and an itemized invoice, and bars offering a rebate, gift, gift card, cash, coupon, or other thing of value in exchange for directing or making a claim.

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Full text

     S-3567.2

                               SENATE BILL 5871


     State of Washington       69th Legislature          2026 Regular Session

     By Senators Cortes, Dozier, Hasegawa, and Lovick

     Prefiled 12/11/25. Read first time 01/12/26.       Referred to Committee
     on Business, Trade & Economic Development.




 1       AN ACT Relating to motor vehicle glass repair claims; amending
 2   RCW 48.30.340; adding a new chapter to Title 48 RCW; recodifying RCW
 3   48.30.340; and providing an effective date.


 4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:


 5       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 1.    The definitions in this section apply
 6   throughout   this  chapter   unless  the   context  clearly  requires
 7   otherwise.
 8       (1) "Advanced driver assistance system" means any motor vehicle
 9   electronic safety system, as outlined in the most recent version of
10   SAE international's SAE J3016 levels of driving automation, that is
11   designed to support the driver and motor vehicle in a manner intended
12   to:
13       (a) Increase motor vehicle safety; and
14       (b) Reduce losses associated with motor vehicle crashes.
15       (2)(a) "Insurance producer" means an individual or business
16   entity required to be licensed under the laws of this state to sell,
17   solicit, or negotiate insurance or annuity contracts.
18       (b) "Insurance producer" includes an agent, a managing general
19   agent, a surplus line broker, a reinsurance intermediary broker and
20   manager, a rental vehicle agent and rental vehicle agent managing
21   employee, and a consultant.
                                     p. 1                             SB 5871
 1       (3) "Insured" means a person that is entitled, or may be
 2   entitled, to receive first-party benefits or payments under an
 3   insurance policy.
 4       (4) "Motor vehicle glass" means the glass and nonglass parts
 5   associated with the replacement of the glass used in the windshield,
 6   doors, or windows of a motor vehicle.
 7       (5) "Motor vehicle glass repair shop" means any person, including
 8   the person's employees and agents, that for consideration engages in
 9   the repair or replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass.
10       (6) "Notice" means direct written communications that are easily
11   accessible by the consumer, including verifiable text, email, or app-
12   based messaging.
13       (7) "Repair or replacement" includes:
14       (a) Inspecting, repairing, restoring, or replacing damaged motor
15   vehicle glass; and
16       (b) Calibrating or recalibrating an advanced driver assistance
17   system when an incident requires the replacement of damaged motor
18   vehicle glass.
19       (8) "Rights or benefits under the policy" includes the insured's
20   right to receive any postloss benefits or payments available or
21   payable under the policy including, but not limited to, claim
22   payments.


23       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 2.    (1) An insured under a property and
24   casualty insurance policy may not, either prior to or after a claimed
25   or covered loss, assign, delegate, or otherwise transfer, in whole or
26   in part, to any other person, the insured's:
27       (a) Duties under the policy; or
28       (b) Rights or benefits under the policy.
29       (2) Any contract entered in violation of this section is void and
30   unenforceable.
31       (3) Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit an
32   insured from authorizing or directing payment to, or paying, a person
33   for services, materials, or any other thing which may be, or is,
34   covered under an insurance policy.


35       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 3.    (1) Prior to providing service to an
36   insured for the repair or replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass,
37   a motor vehicle glass repair shop must notify the insured of whether
38   the motor vehicle has an advanced driver assistance system. If the
                                     p. 2                          SB 5871
 1   motor vehicle has an advanced driver assistance system, the motor
 2   vehicle glass repair shop must further notify the insured of the
 3   following:
 4       (a) Whether calibration or recalibration of the motor vehicle's
 5   advanced driver assistance system is needed after a windshield repair
 6   or replacement as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer;
 7       (b) Whether the motor vehicle glass repair shop intends to
 8   calibrate or recalibrate the advanced driver assistance system in a
 9   manner that meets the motor vehicle manufacturer's specifications;
10   and
11       (c) If the motor vehicle glass repair shop is not capable of
12   performing or does not intend to perform a calibration or
13   recalibration referenced in (a) of this subsection, that the motor
14   vehicle should be taken to the vehicle manufacturer's certified
15   dealership or a qualified specialist capable of performing the
16   calibration or recalibration.
17       (2) If calibration or recalibration of the motor vehicle's
18   advanced driver assistance system is performed, the motor vehicle
19   glass repair shop must provide written notice to the insured:
20       (a) As to whether the calibration or recalibration was
21   successful; and
22       (b) If the calibration or recalibration was not successful, that:
23       (i)   The   motor  vehicle  should   be  taken   to  the   vehicle
24   manufacturer's certified dealership or a qualified specialist capable
25   of performing the calibration or recalibration; and
26       (ii) The insured should not rely on the advanced driver
27   assistance system until it has been successfully calibrated or
28   recalibrated by the vehicle manufacturer's certified dealership or a
29   qualified specialist capable of performing the calibration or
30   recalibration.

31       NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) A motor vehicle glass repair shop may
32   not contract with a person for the repair or replacement of damaged
33   motor vehicle glass to be paid for under a first-party insurance
34   policy until all of the following are satisfied:
35       (a) The person has made a first-party claim for the repair or
36   replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass under a motor vehicle
37   insurance policy;
38       (b) The motor vehicle glass repair shop has received a claim or
39   referral number for the claim under (a) of this subsection; and
                                     p. 3                          SB 5871
 1       (c) The requirements of section 3(1) of this act are satisfied.
 2       (2) A motor vehicle glass repair shop shall:
 3       (a) Provide the insured a good faith estimate of the fees and
 4   costs that are anticipated to be charged to the insured by the motor
 5   vehicle glass repair shop for the repair or replacement of damaged
 6   motor vehicle glass;
 7       (b) Prior to performing service, provide the insured an updated
 8   estimate; and
 9       (c) Not charge more than the reasonable and customary fees and
10   costs to an insured for a repair or replacement of damaged motor
11   vehicle glass and any associated calibration or recalibration of the
12   motor vehicle's advanced driver assistance system as recommended by
13   the vehicle manufacturer's specifications.
14       (3) A motor vehicle glass repair shop shall provide the insured
15   upon completion of a repair or replacement of damaged motor vehicle
16   glass:
17       (a) An itemized invoice and, upon payment, a receipt; and
18       (b) Written notice that states whether or not the advanced driver
19   assistance system was successfully calibrated or recalibrated as
20   required under section 3(2) of this act.


21       NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) A motor vehicle glass repair shop, or
22   any other person who is compensated for the solicitation of insurance
23   claims, may not offer a rebate, gift, gift card, cash, coupon, fee,
24   prize, bonus, payment, incentive, inducement, or any other thing of
25   value to any insured, insurance producer, or other person in exchange
26   for directing or making a claim under a motor vehicle insurance
27   policy for a repair or replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass.
28       (2) A motor vehicle glass repair shop may not:
29       (a) Charge higher fees and costs to an insured for a repair or
30   replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass than are reasonable and
31   customarily charged in this state;
32       (b) Submit false, misleading, or incomplete documentation or
33   information to an insured or an insured's insurer, including any
34   agent of the insured or insurer, for a repair or replacement of
35   damaged motor vehicle glass;
36       (c) With respect to an insured's claim or potential claim for a
37   repair or replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass, do the
38   following, which results, or would result, in a higher insurance
39   payment or a change of insurance coverage status:
                                     p. 4                          SB 5871
 1       (i) Indicate that work was performed in a geographical area that
 2   was not the geographical area where the work occurred; or
 3       (ii) Advise an insured to falsify the date of damage;
 4       (d) Falsely sign a work order or other insurance-related form
 5   relating to an insured's claim, or potential claim, for a repair or
 6   replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass;
 7       (e) Misrepresent to an insured or the insured's insurer,
 8   including any agent of the insured or insurer, the price of a
 9   proposed repair or replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass;
10       (f) State that an insured's insurer has approved a repair or
11   replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass without:
12       (i) Verifying coverage directly with, or obtaining approval
13   directly from, the insurer or the insurer's agent; and
14       (ii) Obtaining confirmation of the coverage or approval by
15   facsimile, email, or other written or recorded communication;
16       (g) State that a repair or replacement of damaged motor vehicle
17   glass will be paid for entirely by an insurer and at no cost to the
18   insured unless the coverage has been verified by the insurer or the
19   insurer's agent; or
20       (h) With respect to an insured's claim or potential claim for a
21   repair or replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass:
22       (i) Damage, or encourage an insured to damage, the motor vehicle
23   in order to increase the scope of the repair or replacement of
24   damaged motor vehicle glass;
25       (ii) Perform work that is clearly and substantially beyond the
26   level of work necessary to restore the motor vehicle to a safe
27   predamaged condition in accordance with accepted or approved
28   reasonable and customary techniques for the repair or replacement of
29   damaged motor vehicle glass;
30       (iii) Misrepresent the motor vehicle glass repair shop's
31   relationship to an insured or the insurer's agent; or
32       (iv)   Perform  any   other   act   that  constitutes   fraud  or
33   misrepresentation.
34       (3) Any notice or invoice required under this chapter must be
35   issued in the same size font as the invoice, estimate, or receipt.
36       (4) There is a presumption that a motor vehicle glass repair shop
37   is acting knowingly in violation of this section if the motor vehicle
38   glass repair shop engages in a regular and consistent pattern of
39   activity prohibited under this section.


                                     p. 5                          SB 5871
 1       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 6.   (1) In accordance with RCW 48.30.340(1)
 2   (as recodified by this act), an insured that makes a first-party
 3   claim for a repair or replacement of damaged motor vehicle glass
 4   under a motor vehicle insurance policy may not be required to use a
 5   particular motor vehicle glass repair shop to receive claim payments
 6   or other benefits under the policy.
 7       (2) This section may not be construed to:
 8       (a) Prohibit an insurer, insurance producer, insurance adjuster,
 9   or any person acting on behalf of an insurer, insurance producer, or
10   insurance adjuster from recommending a motor vehicle glass repair
11   shop or providing an explanation to an insured of the coverage
12   available, and any applicable liability limit, under any insurance
13   policy;
14       (b) Prohibit an insurer from maintaining a network of motor
15   vehicle glass repair shops, subject to the requirements of RCW
16   48.30.340 (as recodified by this act); or
17       (c) Create a private cause of action.


18       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 7.    The commissioner may adopt rules as
19   necessary, including penalties applicable to motor vehicle glass
20   repair shops, to implement and administer this chapter.


21       NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This chapter applies to insurance policies
22   issued or renewed on or after the effective date of this section.


23       NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. This chapter may be known and cited as the
24   Washington motor vehicle glass act.

25       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 10.     Sections   1   through   9   of   this   act
26   constitute a new chapter in Title 48 RCW.


27       Sec. 11.   RCW 48.30.340 and 2007 c 74 s 1 are each amended to
28   read as follows:
29       (1) A person in this state has the right to choose any ((glass
30   repair facility)) motor vehicle glass repair shop for the repair of a
31   loss relating to motor vehicle glass.
32       (2) An insurer or its third-party administrator that owns in
33   whole or in part ((an automobile glass repair facility)) a motor
34   vehicle glass repair shop that is processing a claim limited only to
35   auto glass shall:
                                     p. 6                                SB 5871
 1       (a) Verbally inform the person making the claim of loss, of the
 2   right provided under subsection (1) of this section, at the time
 3   information regarding the ((automobile glass repair or replacement
 4   facilities)) motor vehicle glass repair shop is provided; and
 5       (b) Verbally inform the person making the claim of loss that the
 6   third-party administrator is an entity separate from the insurer that
 7   has a financial arrangement to process automobile glass claims on the
 8   insurer's behalf.
 9       (3) An insurer or its third-party administrator that owns an
10   interest in ((an automobile glass repair or replacement facility)) a
11   motor vehicle glass repair shop shall post the following notice in
12   each of its repair facilities:
13       "THIS ((AUTOMOBILE GLASS REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT FACILITY)) MOTOR
14   VEHICLE GLASS REPAIR SHOP IS OWNED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY (NAME OF
15   INSURER OR INSURER'S THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATOR). YOU ARE HEREBY
16   NOTIFIED THAT YOU ARE ENTITLED UNDER WASHINGTON LAW TO SEEK REPAIRS
17   AT ANY ((AUTOMOBILE GLASS REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT FACILITY)) MOTOR
18   VEHICLE GLASS REPAIR SHOP OF YOUR CHOICE."

19       The notice must be posted, in not less than ((eighteen)) 18 point
20   font, prominently in a location in which it is likely to be seen and
21   read by a customer. If the ((automobile glass repair or replacement
22   facility)) motor vehicle glass repair shop is mobile, the notice must
23   be given to the person making the claim verbally by the insurer or
24   its third-party administrator prior to commencement of the repair or
25   replacement.
26       (4) A person making a claim of loss whose motor vehicle is
27   repaired at ((an automotive glass repair or replacement facility)) a
28   motor vehicle glass repair shop subject to the notice requirements of
29   this section may file a complaint with the office of the insurance
30   commissioner.
31       (5) This section does not create a private right or cause of
32   action to or on behalf of any person.


33       NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. RCW 48.30.340 is recodified as a section
34   in chapter 48.--- RCW (the new chapter created in section 10 of this
35   act).




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1   NEW SECTION.   Sec. 13.   This act takes effect July 1, 2026.

                               --- END ---




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