As the Louisiana legislature resumed activities following a recess at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, one of the first bills to be approved and signed into law was a bill to improve the warranty process (Senate Bill 470), according to a News & Insights report by the RV Industry Association (RVIA).
This measure will amend the RV-specific franchise provisions in Louisiana law to clarify that warranty claims cannot be rejected as late if the claim is received within 60 days of the completion of a work order. Previous law started the clock at the time the work order was written, leading to claims being submitted before work was completed in some cases.
This amendment, supported by RV dealers and manufacturers, will allow the warranty process in Louisiana to be improved for both dealers and warrantors, which is ultimately beneficial to the RV consumer.
Under the new provision which take effect on August 1, 2020, all warranty work will be completed before a dealer submits the claim to the warrantor. The warrantor will now be able to ensure the warranty work was properly performed before being required to reimburse the claim, creating clarity and an improved experience for dealers, warrantors, and consumers.
The legislation was introduced by state Sen. Jay Morris and approved unanimously by both the Senate and House. Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the bill into law on June 11.
