Section 33-7-3.1. Credit insurance

   (a) As used in this Code section, the term:

   (1) "Credit insurance" means any insurance which is recognized by this title as being applicable or appropriate for use in connection with any loan, retail installment transaction, or any other credit transaction made pursuant to any law of this state. Such insurance includes, but is not limited to, the following:

      (A) Credit life insurance;

      (B) Credit accident and sickness insurance;

      (C) Credit unemployment insurance;

      (D) Credit casualty insurance;

      (E) Credit property insurance;

      (F) Nonrecording insurance or nonfiling insurance which is property insurance utilized in connection with credit transactions in lieu of the actual recording, filing, or releasing of a security instrument or financing statement. The premium charge for this insurance may not exceed the actual official fees which would be payable to file, record, or release a security instrument or financing statement. This insurance provides coverage for any loss or potential loss caused by any means whereby the creditor is prevented from obtaining possession of the covered property, enforcing its rights under a security agreement, or obtaining the proceeds to which it is entitled under the agreement. Nothing shall prohibit nonrecording insurance or nonfiling insurance from being incorporated, by endorsement or rider, into a vendor's single interest policy or a similar type of policy;

      (G) Vendors' single interest insurance, which is property insurance securing the interest of a creditor as respects potential loss relative to tangible property used as collateral on credit transactions. Such insurance may include but is not limited to the following coverages: vandalism and malicious mischief, flood, collapse, alteration, skip, conversion, concealment, nonrecording insurance, misrepresentation, and embezzlement; and

      (H) Any other lines or sublines of insurance which may become accepted as credit insurance by the insurance and lending industries unless otherwise disapproved by the Commissioner.

   (2) "Credit loss insurance" means a form of casualty insurance against loss resulting from failure of debtors to pay their obligations to the insured creditor. Such term includes but is not limited to mortgage guaranty insurance, holder-in-due-course insurance, and repossession insurance. Credit loss insurance specifically does not include any of the coverages enumerated in subparagraphs (a)(1)(A) through (a)(1)(H) of this Code section.

   (3) "Creditor" means the lender of money or vendor or lessor of goods, services, property, rights, or privileges for which payment is arranged through a credit transaction. Creditor also means any successor to the right, title, or interest of any such lender, vendor, or lessor and an affiliate, associate, or subsidiary of any of them or any director, officer, or employee of any of them or any other person in any way associated with any of them.

   (4) "Debtor" means a borrower of money or a purchaser or lessee of goods, services, property, rights, or privileges for which payment is arranged through a credit transaction.

(b) Notwithstanding any law which may be construed to the contrary, neither the premium nor cost for any credit insurance which is written by or through a creditor nor any commission, dividend, or other gain payable by an insurer to a creditor for the sale or provision of credit insurance shall be deemed as interest, time price differential, finance charge, or other charge or amount in excess of permitted charges, in connection with any loan, retail installment transaction, or other credit transaction made pursuant to the laws of this state.

(c) Forms and rates for all lines or sublines of credit insurance shall be filed separately with the Commissioner. Unless disapproved by the Commissioner, pursuant to the authority to disapprove forms or rates under Chapter 9, 24, or 31 of this title, the utilization of such forms and rates shall be deemed in compliance with this title and the premiums developed from such rates shall be deemed reasonable and in compliance with this title.

Code 1981, § 33-7-3.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1996, p. 912, § 2.