Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 33. INSURANCE AND INSURANCE COMPANIES

CHAPTER 21. CREDIT LIFE AND DISABILITY INSURANCE

Part 2. Policy Requirements

Policy Or Certificate Delivered -- Time Of Delivery -- Provisions

33-21-204. Policy or certificate delivered -- time of delivery -- provisions. (1) All credit life insurance and credit disability insurance sold must be evidenced by an individual policy or, in the case of group insurance, by a certificate of insurance. The individual policy or group certificate of insurance must be delivered to the debtor at the time the indebtedness is incurred except as provided in this section.

(2) If the individual policy or group certificate of insurance is not delivered to the debtor at the time the indebtedness is incurred, a copy of the application for the policy or a notice of proposed insurance, signed by the debtor and setting forth the name and home office address of the insurer, the name of each debtor, the premium or amount of payment, if any, by the debtor separately in connection with credit life insurance and credit disability insurance coverage, the amount, term, and a brief description of the coverage provided or to be provided, must be delivered to the debtor at the time the indebtedness is incurred. The copy of the application for or notice of proposed insurance must also refer exclusively to insurance coverage and must be separate and apart from the loan, sale, or other credit statement of account, instrument, or agreement unless the information required by this section is prominently set forth in the statement of account, instrument, or agreement. Upon approval by the insurer of the application for insurance or acceptance of the insurance by the insurer and within 30 days of the date upon which the indebtedness is incurred, the insurer shall deliver the individual policy or group certificate of insurance to the debtor. The application or notice of proposed insurance must state that, upon acceptance by the insurer, the insurance becomes effective as of the date the indebtedness is incurred. If the named insurer does not accept the risk, the debtor must receive a policy or certificate of insurance setting forth the name and home office address of the substituted insurer and the amount of the premium to be charged. If the amount of premium is less than that set forth in the notice of proposed insurance, the insurer shall make an appropriate refund.

(3) Each individual policy or group certificate of credit life insurance and credit disability insurance must, in addition to other requirements of law, set forth the name and home office address of the insurer, the name of each debtor or, in the case of a group certificate of insurance, the identity by name or otherwise of the debtor, the rate or amount of payment, if any, by the debtor separately in connection with credit life insurance and credit disability insurance, and a description of the coverages, including the amount and term of the coverages and any exceptions, limitations, or restrictions, and must state that the benefits must be paid to the creditor to reduce or extinguish the unpaid indebtedness and, wherever the amount of insurance may exceed the unpaid indebtedness, that any excess must be payable to a beneficiary, other than the creditor, named by the debtor or to the debtor's estate. If the term of the insurance is less than the term of the loan, that fact must be stated on the face of the individual policy or group certificate in not less than 10-point boldface type.

(4) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2), an individual policy or group certificate of insurance delivered in connection with an open-end credit agreement is considered to be delivered at the time the indebtedness is incurred if delivery occurs on or before the date the indebtedness is incurred.

History: En. Secs. 399, 400, Ch. 286, L. 1959; R.C.M. 1947, 40-4208, 40-4209; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 156, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1219, Ch. 56, L. 2009.