§977.  Cancellation by insurer and grace period; individual health and accident policies

A.  Every insurer, including a trust subject to the provisions of R.S. 22:401 et seq., issuing a policy of individual, group, family group, blanket, or association health and accident insurance shall include in such policy a provision providing the policyholder a grace period of thirty days from the date the premium was due.  If the premium is paid during the grace period, then coverage shall remain in effect pursuant to the provisions of the policy.

B.  Whenever an insurer issues an individual accident and health policy and does not receive a premium payment fifteen days prior to the end of the grace period, the insurer shall mail, by first class mail, a notice to the policyholder.  The notice shall state that if the premium has not been paid by the end of the grace period, the policy will lapse as provided by the provisions of the policy.  The notice shall also state that the policy will be reinstated with no penalties to the insured if the full premium payment is received within the period allowed for reinstatement.  Nothing in this Code shall mandate a separate lapse notice for nonpayment of premiums on a policy issued by an insurance company whose products are marketed on the home service distribution method and which issues a majority of these policies on a monthly or weekly basis.

Acts 1990, No. 886, §1; Acts 2006, No. 396, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2007; Redesignated from R.S. 22:213.3 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2010, No. 919, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011.