SECTION 38.2-608. Access to recorded personal information  

A. If any individual, after proper identification, submits a written request to an insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization for access to recorded personal information about the individual that is reasonably described by the individual and reasonably able to be located and retrieved by the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization, the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization shall within 30 business days from the date the request is received:

1. Inform the individual of the nature and substance of the recorded personal information in writing, by telephone, or by other oral communication, whichever the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization prefers;

2. Permit the individual to see and copy, in person, the recorded personal information pertaining to him or to obtain a copy of the recorded personal information by mail, whichever the individual prefers, unless the recorded personal information is in coded form, in which case an accurate translation in plain language shall be provided in writing;

3. Disclose to the individual the identity, if recorded, of those persons to whom the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization has disclosed the personal information within two years prior to such request, and if the identity is not recorded, the names of those insurance institutions, agents, insurance-support organizations or other persons to whom such information is normally disclosed; and

4. Provide the individual with a summary of the procedures by which he may request correction, amendment, or deletion of recorded personal information.

B. Any personal information provided pursuant to subsection A of this section shall identify the source of the information if it is an institutional source.

C. Medical-record information supplied by a medical-care institution or medical professional and requested under subsection A of this section, together with the identity of the medical professional or medical care institution that provided the information, shall be supplied either directly to the individual or to a medical professional designated by the individual and licensed to provide medical care with respect to the condition to which the information relates, whichever the individual prefers. If the individual elects to have the information disclosed to a medical professional designated by him, the insurance institution, agent or insurance-support organization shall notify the individual, at the time of the disclosure, that it has provided the information to the medical professional.

However, disclosure directly to the individual may be denied if a treating physician or treating clinical psychologist has determined, in the exercise of professional judgment, that the disclosure requested would be reasonably likely to endanger the life or physical safety of the individual or another person or that the information requested makes reference to a person other than a health care provider and disclosure of such information would be reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to the referenced person.

If disclosure to the individual is denied, upon the individual's request, the insurance institution, agent or insurance support organization shall either (i) designate a physician or clinical psychologist acceptable to the insurance institution, agent or insurance support organization, who was not directly involved in the denial, and whose licensure, training, and experience relative to the individual's condition are at least equivalent to that of the physician or clinical psychologist who made the original determination, who shall, at the expense of the insurance institution, agent or insurance support organization, make a judgment as to whether to make the information available to the individual; or (ii) if the individual so requests, make the information available, at the individual's expense to a physician or clinical psychologist selected by the individual, whose licensure, training and experience relative to the individual's condition are at least equivalent to that of the physician or clinical psychologist who made the original determination, who shall make a judgment as to whether to make the information available to the individual. The insurance institution, agent, or insurance support organization shall comply with the judgment of the reviewing physician or clinical psychologist made in accordance with the foregoing procedures.

D. Except for personal information provided under § 38.2-610 , an insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization may charge a reasonable fee to cover the costs incurred in providing a copy of recorded personal information to individuals.

E. The obligations imposed by this section upon an insurance institution or agent may be satisfied by another insurance institution or agent authorized to act on its behalf. With respect to the copying and disclosure of recorded personal information pursuant to a request under subsection A of this section, an insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization may make arrangements with an insurance-support organization or a consumer reporting agency to copy and disclose recorded personal information on its behalf.

F. The rights granted to individuals in this section shall extend to all natural persons to the extent information about them is collected and maintained by an insurance institution, agent or insurance-support organization in connection with an insurance transaction. The rights granted to all natural persons by this subsection shall not extend to information about them that relates to and is collected in connection with or in reasonable anticipation of a claim or civil or criminal proceeding involving them.

G. For purposes of this section, the term "insurance-support organization" does not include "consumer reporting agency."

1981, c. 389, § 38.1-57.11; 1986, c. 562; 2004, cc. 38.2-610 , 38.2-610 .