Requirements for Issuance and Delivery of Policy

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Sec. 2. (a) No individual policy of accident and sickness insurance shall be delivered or issued for delivery to any person in this state unless it complies with each of the following:

(1) The entire money and other considerations for the policy are expressed in the policy.

(2) The time at which the insurance takes effect and terminates is expressed in the policy.

(3) The policy purports to insure only one (1) person, except that a policy must insure, originally or by subsequent amendment, upon the application of any member of a family who shall be deemed the policyholder and who is at least eighteen (18) years of age, any two (2) or more eligible members of that family, including husband, wife, dependent children, or any children who are less than twenty-six (26) years of age, and any other person dependent upon the policyholder.

(4) The style, arrangement, and overall appearance of the policy give no undue prominence to any portion of the text, and unless every printed portion of the text of the policy and of any endorsements or attached papers is plainly printed in lightface type of a style in general use, the size of which shall be uniform and not less than ten point with a lower-case unspaced alphabet length not less than one hundred twenty point (the "text" shall include all printed matter except the name and address of the insurer, name or title of the policy, the brief description if any, and captions and subcaptions).

(5) The exceptions and reductions of indemnity are set forth in the policy and, except those which are set forth in section 3 of this chapter, are printed, at the insurer's option, either included with the benefit provision to which they apply, or under an appropriate caption such as "EXCEPTIONS", or "EXCEPTIONS AND REDUCTIONS", provided that if an exception or reduction specifically applies only to a particular benefit of the policy, a statement of such exception or reduction shall be included with the benefit provision to which it applies.

(6) Each such form of the policy, including riders and endorsements, shall be identified by a form number in the lower left-hand corner of the first page of the policy.

(7) The policy contains no provision purporting to make any portion of the charter, rules, constitution, or bylaws of the insurer a part of the policy unless such portion is set forth in full in the policy, except in the case of the incorporation of or reference to a statement of rates or classification of risks, or short-rate table filed with the commissioner.

(8) If an individual accident and sickness insurance policy or hospital service plan contract or medical service plan contract provides that hospital or medical expense coverage of a dependent child terminates upon attainment of the limiting age for dependent children specified in such policy or contract, the policy or contract must also provide that attainment of such limiting age does not operate to terminate the hospital and medical coverage of such child while the child is and continues to be both:

(A) incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of mental, intellectual, or physical disability; and

(B) chiefly dependent upon the policyholder for support and maintenance.

Proof of such incapacity and dependency must be furnished to the insurer by the policyholder within thirty-one (31) days of the child's attainment of the limiting age. The insurer may require at reasonable intervals during the two (2) years following the child's attainment of the limiting age subsequent proof of the child's disability and dependency. After such two (2) year period, the insurer may require subsequent proof not more than once each year. The foregoing provision shall not require an insurer to insure a dependent who is a child who has a mental, intellectual, or physical disability where such dependent does not satisfy the conditions of the policy provisions as may be stated in the policy or contract required for coverage under the policy or contract to take effect. In any such case the terms of the policy or contract shall apply with regard to the coverage or exclusion from coverage of such dependent. This subsection applies only to policies or contracts delivered or issued for delivery in this state more than one hundred twenty (120) days after August 18, 1969.

(b) If any policy is issued by an insurer domiciled in this state for delivery to a person residing in another state, and if the official having responsibility for the administration of the insurance laws of such other state shall have advised the commissioner that any such policy is not subject to approval or disapproval by such official, the commissioner may by ruling require that such policy meet the standards set forth in subsection (a) and in section 3 of this chapter.

(c) An insurer may issue a policy described in this section in electronic or paper form. However, the insurer shall:

(1) inform the insured that the insured may request the policy in paper form; and

(2) issue the policy in paper form upon the request of the insured.

Formerly: Acts 1953, c.15, s.169.2; Acts 1969, c.266, s.1; Acts 1973, P.L.275, SEC.3. As amended by Acts 1977, P.L.2, SEC.79; P.L.23-1993, SEC.153; P.L.207-1999, SEC.3 and P.L.233-1999, SEC.9; P.L.125-2005, SEC.2; P.L.99-2007, SEC.192; P.L.218-2007, SEC.45; P.L.160-2011, SEC.18; P.L.117-2015, SEC.37; P.L.136-2018, SEC.195.


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