{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/38.2-1217.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/38.2-1217.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/38.2-1217.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/38.2-1217.html"}],"law_id":361250,"edition_id":2,"section_id":361250,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1217","catch_line":"Reciprocal may be sued as such; where action or suit may be brought; upon whom service of process had","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 38-547; 1952, c. 317, \u00a7 38.1-707; 1986, c. 562.","full_text":"A\n\nAny reciprocal doing business in this Commonwealth may sue or be sued in the name or designation under which its insurance contracts are effected.\n\nB\n\nAny action or suit against a reciprocal may be brought in any county or city (i) where its principal office is located, or (ii) where the cause of action or any part of the cause of action arose. If the action or suit is to recover a loss under a policy of insurance, it may also be brought in the county or city where the property insured was situated at the date of the policy. Any action or suit against a foreign or alien reciprocal may also be brought in any county or city of this Commonwealth in which it has any debts owed to it.\n\nC\n\nIn an action or suit against a reciprocal, process against or notice to the reciprocal may be served upon the clerk of the Commission. If the defendant in the action or suit is a domestic reciprocal, process against or notice to that domestic reciprocal shall be served upon the attorney for that domestic reciprocal unless service upon that attorney is not feasible.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1344175,"text":"Any reciprocal doing business in this Commonwealth may sue or be sued in the name or designation under which its insurance contracts are effected.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1344176,"text":"Any action or suit against a reciprocal may be brought in any county or city (i) where its principal office is located, or (ii) where the cause of action or any part of the cause of action arose. If the action or suit is to recover a loss under a policy of insurance, it may also be brought in the county or city where the property insured was situated at the date of the policy. Any action or suit against a foreign or alien reciprocal may also be brought in any county or city of this Commonwealth in which it has any debts owed to it.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1344177,"text":"In an action or suit against a reciprocal, process against or notice to the reciprocal may be served upon the clerk of the Commission. If the defendant in the action or suit is a domestic reciprocal, process against or notice to that domestic reciprocal shall be served upon the attorney for that domestic reciprocal unless service upon that attorney is not feasible.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":51660,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":51659,"metadata":{"child_laws":19,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:45:46","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:00","permalink":{"id":1438217,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51660,"identifier":"1","token":"38.2\/12\/1","url":"\/38.2\/12\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51659,"edition_id":2,"name":"Reciprocal Insurance","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":12,"parent_id":51644,"metadata":{"child_laws":32,"child_structures":2},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:45:46","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:32:59","permalink":{"id":1438215,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51659,"identifier":"12","token":"38.2\/12","url":"\/38.2\/12\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51644,"edition_id":2,"name":"Insurance","identifier":"38.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":88,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":1890,"child_structures":173},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:45:30","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:32:55","permalink":{"id":1437663,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51644,"identifier":"38.2","token":"38.2","url":"\/38.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":361232,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1200","catch_line":"Scope of chapter","url":"\/38.2-1200\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1200","metadata":false},{"id":361233,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1201","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/38.2-1201\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1201","metadata":false},{"id":361234,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1202","catch_line":"Insuring power of reciprocals","url":"\/38.2-1202\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1202","metadata":false},{"id":361235,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1203","catch_line":"What laws applicable to reciprocals; compliance with \u00a7 38.2-208","url":"\/38.2-1203\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1203","metadata":false},{"id":361236,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1204","catch_line":"Power to enter into reciprocal insurance contracts","url":"\/38.2-1204\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1204","metadata":false},{"id":361237,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1205","catch_line":"Name","url":"\/38.2-1205\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1205","metadata":false},{"id":361238,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1206","catch_line":"License required of reciprocals; surplus","url":"\/38.2-1206\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1206","metadata":false},{"id":361239,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1207","catch_line":"Exceptions as to reciprocals licensed and operating","url":"\/38.2-1207\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1207","metadata":false},{"id":361240,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1208","catch_line":"Additional requirements, foreign and alien reciprocals","url":"\/38.2-1208\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1208","metadata":false},{"id":361241,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1209","catch_line":"Residence and office of attorney of foreign and alien reciprocals","url":"\/38.2-1209\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1209","metadata":false},{"id":361243,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1210","catch_line":"Contracts executed by attorney","url":"\/38.2-1210\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1210","metadata":false},{"id":361244,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1211","catch_line":"License required of agent","url":"\/38.2-1211\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1211","metadata":false},{"id":361245,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1212","catch_line":"Subscribers' liability","url":"\/38.2-1212\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1212","metadata":false},{"id":361246,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1213","catch_line":"Nonassessable policies","url":"\/38.2-1213\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1213","metadata":false},{"id":361247,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1214","catch_line":"Savings returned to subscribers","url":"\/38.2-1214\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1214","metadata":false},{"id":361248,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1215","catch_line":"Reserves","url":"\/38.2-1215\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1215","metadata":false},{"id":361249,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1216","catch_line":"Clerk of Commission to be appointed agent for service of process; procedure thereafter","url":"\/38.2-1216\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1216","metadata":false},{"id":361250,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1217","catch_line":"Reciprocal may be sued as such; where action or suit may be brought; upon whom service of process had","url":"\/38.2-1217\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1217","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":361251,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1218","catch_line":"Effect of judgment against reciprocal","url":"\/38.2-1218\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1218","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":361249,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1216","catch_line":"Clerk of Commission to be appointed agent for service of process; procedure thereafter","url":"\/38.2-1216\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1216","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":361251,"structure_id":51660,"section_number":"38.2-1218","catch_line":"Effect of judgment against reciprocal","url":"\/38.2-1218\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1218","metadata":false},"metadata":{"court_decisions":""},"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/38.2-1217\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1952, chapter 317; in 1986, chapter 562.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1438287,"object_type":"law","relational_id":361250,"identifier":"38.2-1217","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1217","url":"\/38.2-1217\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/38.2-1217\/","token":"38.2\/12\/1\/38.2-1217","dublin_core":{"Title":"Reciprocal may be sued as such; where action or suit may be brought; upon whom service of process had","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 38.2-1217","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any reciprocal doing business in this Commonwealth may sue or be sued in the name or designation under which its insurance contracts<\/span> are effected. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any action or suit against a reciprocal may be brought in any county or city (i) where its principal office is located, or (ii) where the cause of action<\/span> or any part of the cause of action<\/span> arose. If the action or suit is to recover a loss under a policy of insurance, it may also be brought in the county or city where the property insured was situated at the date of the policy. Any action or suit against a foreign or alien reciprocal may also be brought in any county or city of this Commonwealth in which it has any debts owed to it. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> In an action or suit against a reciprocal, process against or notice to the reciprocal may be served upon the clerk of the Commission<\/span>. If the defendant<\/span> in the action or suit is a domestic reciprocal, process against or notice to that domestic reciprocal shall be served upon the attorney for that domestic reciprocal unless service upon that attorney is not feasible. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRECIPROCAL MAY BE SUED AS SUCH; WHERE ACTION OR SUIT MAY BE BROUGHT; UPON WHOM\nSERVICE OF PROCESS HAD (\u00a7 38.2-1217)\n\nA. Any reciprocal doing business in this Commonwealth may sue or be sued in the\nname or designation under which its insurance contracts are effected.\n\nB. Any action or suit against a reciprocal may be brought in any county or city\n(i) where its principal office is located, or (ii) where the cause of action or\nany part of the cause of action arose. If the action or suit is to recover a\nloss under a policy of insurance, it may also be brought in the county or city\nwhere the property insured was situated at the date of the policy. Any action or\nsuit against a foreign or alien reciprocal may also be brought in any county or\ncity of this Commonwealth in which it has any debts owed to it.\n\nC. In an action or suit against a reciprocal, process against or notice to the\nreciprocal may be served upon the clerk of the Commission. If the defendant in\nthe action or suit is a domestic reciprocal, process against or notice to that\ndomestic reciprocal shall be served upon the attorney for that domestic\nreciprocal unless service upon that attorney is not feasible.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 38-547; 1952, c. 317, \u00a7 38.1-707; 1986, c. 562.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}