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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>362997</law_id><section_number>38.2-807</section_number><catch_line>Attorney fees</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="88" identifier="38.2">Insurance</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="8" identifier="8">Service of Process</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Unlicensed Insurers Process</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> In any action against an unlicensed <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> upon an <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> <span class="dictionary">contract</span> issued or delivered in this Commonwealth to a resident of this Commonwealth or to a corporation authorized to do business in this Commonwealth, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may allow the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> a reasonable attorney fee if (i) the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> has failed to make payment in accordance with the terms of the <span class="dictionary">contract</span> for 30 days after demand prior to the commencement of the action and (ii) the <span class="dictionary">court</span> concludes that the refusal was vexatious and without reasonable cause. The fee shall not exceed 33 1/3 percent of the amount that the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or <span class="dictionary">jury</span> finds the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> is entitled to recover against the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span>, but shall be at least $200. <a id="paragraph-1352560" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-807/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Failure of the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> to defend the action shall be deemed prima facie <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> that its failure to make payment was vexatious and without reasonable cause. <a id="paragraph-1352561" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-807/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1952, c. 317, &#xA7; 38.1-70; 1986, c. 562; 2010, c. 343.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
