17B:24-3. Application as evidence
a. No application for any life or health insurance policy or annuity contract shall be admissible in evidence in any action relative to such policy or contract, unless a copy of the application was attached to or endorsed upon the policy or contract when issued.
b. If any life or health insurance policy or annuity contract delivered in this State is reinstated or renewed, and the insured or the beneficiary or assignee of the policy or contract makes written request to the insurer for a copy of the application, if any, for such reinstatement or renewal, the insurer shall, within 30 days after receipt of such request at its home office, deliver or mail to the person making such request a copy of such application reproduced by any legible means. In the case of such a request from a beneficiary or assignee, the time within which the insurer is required to furnish a copy of such application shall not begin to run until after receipt of evidence satisfactory to the insurer of the beneficiary's or assignee's interest in the policy or contract.
c. No alteration on any written application for any such policy or contract shall be made by any person other than the applicant without his written consent, except that insertions may be made by the insurer, for administrative purposes only, in such manner as to indicate clearly that such insertions are not to be ascribed to the applicant.
d. The falsity of any statement in the application for any policy or contract covered by this section may not bar the right to recovery thereunder unless such false statement materially affected either the acceptance of the risk or the hazard assumed by the insurer.
e. This section shall not apply to group life insurance, group health insurance, or blanket insurance policies or to group annuity contracts.
L.1971, c. 144, s. 17B:24-3.