# Kentucky HB 527: AN ACT relating to insurance regulatory requirements and declaring an emergency. Kentucky HB 527, AN ACT relating to insurance regulatory requirements and declaring an emergency., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Michael Sarge Pollock (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-07 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 45)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB527-2026RS - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky HB 527 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to insurance regulatory requirements and declaring an emergency. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-29 - Last action: 2026-04-07, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 45) - Sponsor: Michael Sarge Pollock (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Licensing, State Agencies, Technical Corrections, Workers Compensation, Actuarial Analysis, Health Benefit Plan Mandate, State Employee Health Plan Mandate, Local Mandate, Disasters And Recovery Efforts, Health And Medical Services, Insurance, Insurance, Health, Investments - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (130 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 23 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster, stronger health plan appeals: benefit, high. The law speeds up health plan decisions and appeals. For urgent care, a reviewer must decide within 24 hours after getting all needed information. For non‑urgent care, the decision is due in 5 days. In an expedited external review, the independent reviewer must decide within 24 hours; standard exte… - Independent medical reviews now binding: benefit, high. The state runs an Independent External Review Program. The insurer pays the review cost, and your medical records stay confidential. An independent reviewer’s decision is binding. If the insurer refuses to comply, it must pay the approved claim and reasonable attorney fees and can face penalties. T… - Grants and roof upgrades for homeowners: benefit, high. Homeowners can get grants to strengthen homes against wind and hail using FORTIFIED standards. Grants depend on available funds and getting all required local permits and inspections. Approved contractors can get a one‑time payback for their initial CERTIFIED Roofing certification; total payments f… - Stronger protections for annuity holders: benefit, medium. If a variable annuity promises benefits that do not change with investment performance before maturity, it must meet the state’s nonforfeiture rules. Insurers must offer an optional maturity date before you turn 70. Any surrender charge tied to that option cannot last more than 10 years after the o… - Stronger rules for banks selling insurance: benefit, medium. Banks and lenders must follow new limits when they sell insurance. They cannot share your insurance details with outside marketers unless they tell you and let you opt out. They cannot use your health information from insurance records without your written consent. They cannot slow or block your lo… - Faster, fairer health plan appeals: benefit, medium. Insurers must keep an internal appeal process and tell you about it. Standard appeal decisions are due in 30 days. Expedited appeals are due in 3 business days if you are hospitalized or face serious harm. If a reviewer misses required deadlines, the law treats it as prior authorization or as an ad… - Tougher oversight and higher fines: benefit, medium. The Department of Insurance strengthens oversight of insurers and licensees. It must keep written, signed complaints for at least 5 years, index them by company, and consider them before issuing or renewing licenses. The commissioner can examine many insurance businesses more often and revoke licen… - Clear bank insurance sale disclosures: benefit, low. If you apply for a loan and insurance is offered or required, the lender must give you a written notice that you can choose any agent or insurer. Before a sale, the bank must say the policy is not a deposit, not FDIC‑insured, not guaranteed, and can lose value. When you get a loan and buy insurance… - Stricter rules for health plan reviews: benefit, low. More types of organizations now count as insurers and must follow these rules. Insurers and private review agents must register with the state, keep enough nurses and doctors to do reviews, and use same‑ or similar‑specialty doctors (or chiropractors/optometrists for those services) for denials. Th… - Easier nonresident licenses for producers: benefit, low. If you are licensed and in good standing in your home state, Kentucky grants you a nonresident producer license when you submit the proper request, fees, and application, and reciprocity exists. If you change your home state, you must file a new address and a certificate from the new state within 3… - Advisory groups can file policy forms: benefit, low. Advisory organizations may file insurance policy forms with the state for their members for property, inland marine, casualty, and surety coverages. Accident and health forms are not included. Member insurers can still file their own forms. - Adjusted guarantees on equity-indexed annuities: cost, medium. For annuities with an equity‑indexed feature, insurers may reduce the interest rate used in the minimum nonforfeiture value by up to 1.00 percentage point. The reduction’s value cannot be larger than the market value of the indexed benefit. The commissioner can require proof, limit or disallow redu… - New renewal, education, and appointment schedules: cost, medium. Individual licenses renew every two years based on whether your birth year is even or odd; your deadline is the last day of your birth month in matching years. Business entities renew by March 31 of each matching even or odd year, based on the year the license was issued. Continuing education is du… - New license checks and reporting: cost, low. The commissioner can verify license status using the NAIC database. The commissioner can also require licensees to report how they used their license last year, including if it was mainly for controlled business. These reports can be required to keep your license active. - Insurers must file agent appointments: cost, low. Insurers must file a notice and pay the appointment fee to get the commissioner’s approval when they appoint an agent. They must also notify the commissioner if an agent later adds authorized lines. - State help on coverage denials: mixed, medium. The department takes written requests to review coverage denials. The insurer must respond in 10 business days with your coverage status, proof you finished internal appeals, and the exact plan limit or exclusion used. The department decides if the item is specifically excluded. If not excluded, th… - Stronger appeals on health plan denials: mixed, medium. You can ask for an independent external review after an adverse benefit decision (not a coverage exclusion). You must finish the plan’s internal appeal or the plan must have missed its deadline, you were enrolled or eligible on the service date, and the treatment would cost at least $100 without in… - Agents: stronger CE rules, waivers: mixed, medium. Most agents and certain adjusters must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, including 3 ethics hours. Only commissioner‑approved courses count; you must pass required exams, and the commissioner sets course credits and filing fees. You must keep showing proof of CE to keep you… - New licensing rules for agents and MGAs: mixed, medium. You must meet set training and financial standards to be an insurance agent. Prelicense classes are 40 hours for life and health, 40 hours for property and casualty, or 20 hours per line, and you must show financial responsibility (E&O at least $20,000 per claim/$100,000 per year, a $20,000 bond, o… - Stricter timelines for agent appointments: mixed, medium. An agent may place business for up to 15 days after the first application before approval, but must stop if approval is not confirmed by day 15. Insurers must file the appointment notice within 15 days of the contract or first application and mail the agent a copy if no contract exists. The commiss… - Agent licensing: easier paths and penalties: mixed, low. If your license lapses, you can reinstate the same lines within 12 months without classes or exams by paying the renewal and a penalty equal to twice the unpaid renewal fee. Many applicants can skip prelicensing or exams if recently licensed in Kentucky, in another state, after moving to Kentucky,… - Clearer rules for inland and marine insurance: mixed, low. The law clarifies what counts as inland marine and wet marine insurance. It lists covered shipments, floaters, and dealer risks, and explains what is excluded unless the law allows it. It also defines protection‑and‑indemnity coverage for vessel‑related injuries, damages, and goods in transit, incl… - Banks selling insurance face new rules: mixed, low. Financial institutions that sell insurance must get the proper producer or agency licenses and follow state insurance rules. They must comply with federal anti‑tying laws and tell the Department of Insurance in writing within 10 days of any final federal finding of a violation, which also counts as… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Michael Sarge Pollock (Republican), House - Cosponsor: George Brown Jr. (Democrat), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-25 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-02-20 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 92 | 0 | | ## Actions (20) - 2026-04-07: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 45) - 2026-03-26: delivered to Governor - 2026-03-26: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-03-26: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-03-26: received in House (House) - 2026-03-25: 3rd reading, passed 38-0 (Senate) - 2026-03-24: passed over and retained in the Consent Orders of the Day (Senate) - 2026-03-20: posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 24 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-18: 2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill (Senate) - 2026-03-17: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar (Senate) - 2026-03-13: to Banking & Insurance (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-20: 3rd reading, passed 92-0 with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (House) - 2026-02-19: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, February 20 2026 (House) - 2026-02-19: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-02-18: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (House) - 2026-02-05: to Banking & Insurance (H) (House) - 2026-01-29: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-01-29: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-02-20: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb527/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-01-29: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb527/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agencies and institutions, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergen… (became law) - SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. (signed) - HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (signed) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry. (signed) - SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb527/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb527/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agenc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB197-2026RS) - [SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB133-2026RS) - [HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB869-2026RS) - [HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB727-2026RS) - [SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB324-2026RS) - [SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB66-2026RS) - [Kentucky bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky/bills) - [Kentucky state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB527-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).