All Roll Calls
Yes: 488 • No: 0
MontanaHB 46469th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)HouseWALLET
Revise insurance laws relating to interest of a named insured and change of interest by transfer on death
Sponsored By: Steve Fitzpatrick (Republican)
Became Law
Insurance
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Home insurance continues after death
When a named homeowner dies, property insurance does not end. The coverage passes to whoever inherits the owner’s interest by will, succession, or a transfer-on-death deed. For transfer-on-death property, the beneficiary is treated like the named insured unless they disclaim the property. This temporary coverage ends at the earliest of 45 days after death, the policy’s end date, or when the beneficiary gets a new policy. Other insured household members keep any coverage given by the policy. The policy still only covers the owner’s share, and moving shares among co-owners does not cancel it.
Transfer-on-death heirs take liens, no warranty
If you get property by a transfer-on-death deed, you take it with any mortgages, liens, contracts, and other claims that exist at death. For legal priority, the deed counts as recorded at the owner’s death. The deed gives no warranty of title, even if it says otherwise, so you bear the risk of title problems.
Clear rules for transfer-on-death heirs
When the owner dies, a valid transfer-on-death deed gives the property to the named beneficiary if the owner still owned it. A beneficiary must outlive the owner to take; otherwise the share lapses. If there are several beneficiaries, they get equal, undivided shares with no right of survivorship, and any lapsed share goes to the others by their shares. If another joint owner survives, that survivor keeps the property by right of survivorship; the deed works only if the decedent was the last joint owner.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Steve Fitzpatrick
Republican • House
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/15/2025
Do Concur
Yes: 97 • No: 0
House vote • 4/14/2025
Do Concur
Yes: 96 • No: 0
House vote • 4/3/2025
Do Concur
Yes: 50 • No: 0
House vote • 4/2/2025
Do Concur
Yes: 50 • No: 0
House vote • 3/1/2025
Do Pass
Yes: 97 • No: 0
House vote • 2/28/2025
Do Pass
Yes: 98 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Chapter Number Assigned
5/5/2025HouseSigned by Governor
5/1/2025HouseSigned by President
4/22/2025SenateSigned by Speaker
4/18/2025HouseReturned from Enrolling
4/15/2025HouseSent to Enrolling
4/15/2025House3rd Reading Passed as Amended by Senate
4/15/2025House2nd Reading Senate Amendments Concurred
4/14/2025HouseReturned to House with Amendments
4/3/2025Senate3rd Reading Concurred
4/3/2025Senate2nd Reading Concurred
4/2/2025SenateCommittee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended
3/20/2025SenateCommittee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended
3/19/2025SenateHearing
3/15/2025SenateReferred to Committee
3/4/2025SenateFirst Reading
3/3/2025Senate3rd Reading Passed
3/1/2025House2nd Reading Passed
2/28/2025House2nd Reading Pass Consideration
2/27/2025HouseCommittee Report--Bill Passed
2/24/2025HouseCommittee Executive Action--Bill Passed
2/24/2025HouseHearing
2/14/2025HouseFirst Reading
2/13/2025HouseReferred to Committee
2/13/2025HouseIntroduced
2/12/2025House
Bill Text
Enrolled
4/15/2025
As Amended (Version 2)
3/20/2025
Introduced
2/12/2025