MontanaHB 11469th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)HouseWALLET

Generally revise consumer protection laws

Sponsored By: Steve Fitzpatrick (Republican)

Became Law

InsuranceCredit TransactionsFinancial Institutions

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Clear fees and titles for insurance planners

Beginning January 1, 2026, insurance sellers who only sell insurance cannot call themselves financial planners unless they hold a recognized certification. If they offer financial planning, they must tell you before you sign that they are an insurance producer and may earn a commission in addition to any planning fee. Any planning fee must be in a written agreement signed before work starts, with the services, the fee or formula, and a clear statement that you do not have to buy insurance; you get a copy at signing, and the producer keeps it for at least three years. Producers may display valid certifications but cannot charge extra fees for tasks that are part of selling or servicing a policy.

Stronger borrower choice on loan insurance

Beginning January 1, 2026, lenders cannot make you buy or renew insurance through a specific company or agent to get or keep a loan. They must give you a written notice that you can choose your insurer; your choice does not affect loan terms except for reasonable rules on coverage and insurer strength. For first mortgages, lenders cannot solicit insurance from you until they issue a written loan commitment. Lenders cannot charge separate handling or substitution fees for required insurance, use your insurance information to replace your policy without your written consent, or impose extra procedures on unaffiliated agents. They may reject a policy only for fair, uniform reasons tied to coverage and financial soundness, and they may not run ads that suggest government backs their insurance sales.

Better complaint and record tracking

Beginning January 1, 2026, insurers must keep full records of all written complaints since their last exam, including counts, lines, issues, outcomes, and processing time. Insurers and health insurance lead generators must keep complaints, claims, rating, underwriting, and marketing records for at least five years and make them retrievable for the insurance commissioner.

Rules for health insurance lead generators

Beginning January 1, 2026, the law defines who counts as a health insurance lead generator and what a lead‑generating device is. It covers people who advertise or gather lists to sell or pass along your information for health insurance when they are not licensed to sell it. This makes clear which marketers must follow Montana insurance rules.

Ban on misleading insurance ads

Beginning January 1, 2026, sellers cannot offer one policy as bait to sell another or call insurance “free” or “no cost.” The law also bans untrue, deceptive, or misleading insurance ads across print, email, websites, radio, TV, and other electronic media.

Easy access to your claims list

Beginning January 1, 2026, your insurer must give you or your authorized agent a list of claims charged to your policy when you ask. Repeated failure counts as an unfair claims practice.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Steve Fitzpatrick
Republican • House

Cosponsors

Mark Noland
Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 294 • No: 0

House vote • 4/8/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 48 • No: 0

House vote • 4/7/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 48 • No: 0

House vote • 2/3/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 99 • No: 0

House vote • 1/31/2025