insurers barred from penalizing widowed customers

The text as introduced · 234 words

89R8746 RDS-D

By: Morgan
H.B. No. 4392

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prohibited insurance discrimination on the basis of an

insured's marital status following the death of the insured's

spouse.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 544.002, Insurance Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(d) Notwithstanding Section 544.003, an insurer may not:

(1) refuse to continue to insure or provide coverage

to an individual or limit the amount, extent, or kind of coverage

available to an individual because the individual is widowed or the

individual's marital status otherwise reflects the death of a

spouse; or

(2) charge an individual who is widowed or whose

marital status otherwise reflects the death of a spouse a rate that

is different from the rate that would be charged if the individual's

marital status was married.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act does not apply

to an insurance policy that is delivered, issued for delivery, or

renewed before the effective date of this Act. An insurance policy

that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before the

effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it existed

immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is

continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.