HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2018        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 585

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Todd M. Smola

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to insurance companies and death certificates.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

1/19/2017

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2018        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 585

By Mr. Smola of Warren, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 585) of Todd M. Smola and Susan Williams Gifford relative to insurance companies and death certificates.  Financial Services.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 955 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to insurance companies and death certificates.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 4 of chapter 38 of the General Laws, as appearing  in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended adding the following paragraph:-

If, in carrying out the duties prescribed by this section, the inquiry and investigation into the cause and circumstances of a death shall require the chief medical examiner, or his designee, to list the cause of death on a death certificate issued by the chief medical examiner, or such designee, as pending, the office shall, at the request of a beneficiary of the decedent’s life insurance policy, issue a letter to the decedent’s insurer regarding the beneficiary’s role in the decedent’s death or lack thereof.

SECTION 2. Section 132 of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting in the first paragraph, after subparagraph 12, the following subparagraph:-

13. A provision that the company shall process a claim filed by a beneficiary upon the death of the policy holder upon receiving, in lieu of a certified copy of a death certificate with cause of death listed, an official copy of a death certificate with cause of death listed as pending and a letter from the office of the chief medical officer pursuant to the fifth paragraph of section 4 of chapter 38.