Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding notice of lapse or termination of individual life insurance.
INSURANCE -- Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding notice of lapse or termination of individual life insurance.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
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RS33692 / H0881 This legislation amends Section 41-1830, Idaho Code, relating to notice of lapse or termination of individual life insurance policies. The bill increases the required notice period before a policy may lapse for nonpayment of premium from fourteen (14) days to sixty (60) days and allows policyholders with policies over $100,000 to request that lapse notices be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, or other delivery methods that provide proof of delivery. The bill also allows insurers to charge the policyholder the actual delivery cost for certified or signature-required notice, not to exceed forty dollars ($40). These changes help ensure policyholders receive clear and verifiable notice before coverage is terminated.
FISCAL NOTE
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This legislation has no impact on the state general fund.
BILL TEXT
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LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 881 BY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE AN ACT 1 RELATING TO INSURANCE; AMENDING SECTION 41-1830, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE PRO- 2 VISIONS REGARDING NOTICE OF LAPSE OR TERMINATION OF INDIVIDUAL LIFE IN- 3 SURANCE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 4 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho: 5 SECTION 1. That Section 41-1830, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby 6 amended to read as follows: 7 41-1830. NOTICE OF LAPSE OR TERMINATION OF INDIVIDUAL LIFE INSUR- 8 ANCE. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 41-1927, Idaho Code, an 9 individual life insurance policy shall not be issued or delivered in this 10 state until the applicant has been afforded the option of designating one (1) 11 person, in addition to the applicant, to receive notice of lapse or termina- 12 tion of a policy for nonpayment of premium. 13 (2) A designation made pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall 14 be on the application or a form provided by the insurer. The applicant shall, 15 on such application or form, provide the full name, and address and telephone 16 number of the person designated to receive notice of lapse or termination of 17 the policy for nonpayment of premium. 18 (3) The insurer shall annually notify a policy owner of the right to: 19 (a) Make a designation pursuant to subsection (1) of this section; 20 (b) Change the designee; and 21 (c) Update the contact information of the designee.; and 22 (d) Make a request for notice by certified mail or commercial delivery 23 service at a potential cost to the policy owner not to exceed forty dol- 24 lars ($40.00) pursuant to subsection (6) of this section. 25 (4) The policy owner may, at the policy owner's discretion, change the 26 designee or change the contact information of the designee more often than 27 annually, and the insurer shall make available the form for such changes at 28 the policy owner's request. 29 (5) No individual life insurance policy shall lapse or be terminated 30 for nonpayment of premium unless the insurer, at least fourteen (14) sixty 31 (60) days prior to the effective date of the lapse or termination, sends no- 32 tice by first-class United States mail to the policy owner and to the policy 33 owner's designee, if a designation has been made pursuant to this section, of 34 the lapse or termination, at the address or addresses provided by the policy 35 owner for purposes of receiving such notice. 36 (6) In addition to the notice required pursuant to subsection (5) of 37 this section, the policy owner of an individual life insurance policy issued 38 with a face amount in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) may 39 request that a lapse or termination notice be sent by United States postal 40 service certified mail, return receipt requested, or by a commercial deliv- 41 -- 1 of 2 -- 2 ery service that provides written or electronic proof of signature required 1 delivery. If such a request is made: 2 (a) The request must be made to the insurer in writing at least ninety 3 (90) days prior to a lapse or termination; 4 (b) The insurer shall acknowledge the request in writing to the policy 5 owner, and such acknowledgement shall serve as verification that the 6 request was received; 7 (c) The notice of lapse or termination shall be sent at least sixty (60) 8 days prior to the effective date of the lapse or termination to the pol- 9 icy owner and, if a designation has been made pursuant to this section, 10 to the policy owner's designee at the address or addresses provided by 11 the policy owner for purposes of receiving such notice; 12 (d) The insurer may charge the policy owner the actual postage and de- 13 livery confirmation cost charged by the carrier for sending the notice 14 by certified mail or commercial delivery service, not to exceed forty 15 dollars ($40.00), and such amount may be added to the policy owner's 16 next premium payment; 17 (e) If the notice sent pursuant to this subsection is undeliverable or 18 refused, the insurer shall have no further obligation under this sub- 19 section; and 20 (f) In lieu of certified mail or commercial delivery service, an in- 21 surer may demonstrate proof of delivery for a lapse or termination 22 notice the insurer sends pursuant to this subsection by other methods 23 establishing delivery such as an electronic delivery read receipt, 24 provided that the policy owner making a request for notice by certified 25 mail or commercial delivery service is notified by the insurer at the 26 time of the request that an alternative method establishing delivery 27 will be used. 28 (6) (7) The provisions of this section shall apply prospectively to any 29 individual life insurance policy issued or in force on or after January 1, 30 2018 2027. Provided however, that the provisions of this section do not ap- 31 ply to any life insurance policy under which premiums are payable monthly or 32 more frequently. 33 SECTION 2. This act shall be in full force and effect on and after Jan- 34 uary 1, 2027. 35 -- 2 of 2 --
LATEST ACTION
Reported Printed and Referred to Business
BILL INFO
- Session
- 2026
- Chamber
- house
- Status date
- Mar 12, 2026
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