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Panel advances bill requiring insurers to provide homeowners certified policy copies within 30 days
Summary
The House Judiciary Committee voted to send HB13‑22 to the Committee of the Whole after sponsors and witnesses said the bill clarifies how policyholders may request certified copies of homeowners policies and adds a $50‑per‑day penalty for noncompliance; witnesses described consumer harms when carriers delay.
The House Judiciary Committee advanced House Bill 13‑22, which clarifies how homeowners request certified copies of their insurance policies and creates a civil penalty for carriers that fail to comply.
Representative Espinosa, the sponsor, told the committee current law requires carriers to provide a certified copy within 30 days but that some insureds cannot obtain a full policy and that the bill clarifies that the request must be written to the insurer’s registered agent and that carriers must “make available” a certified copy — including by electronic means — within 30 days. The bill moved as amended to replace the term "deliver" with "make available" to reflect modern electronic delivery and to change the remedy language to use the term penalty rather than damages.
Nut graf: supporters said the measure keeps existing consumer rights but adds an enforcement mechanism to ensure policyholders and their lawyers can obtain full policy language needed to evaluate and pursue claims, particularly after disasters.
Witnesses gave examples of consumer harm from delayed or partial policy production. Jennifer Milne, an attorney (testimony read by Julie Whitaker), described a homeowner who received only a declaration page that omitted limits and endorsements; later litigation revealed a code‑upgrade limit that was not disclosed. Nicole Quintana of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association said the bill “is not about creating new rights. It is about ensuring homeowners can access, assess, and enforce the policies that they have already paid for.”
Committee members asked how widespread the problem is and whether $50 per day is sufficient. Witnesses said most insurers comply, but the sanction provides leverage in the small share of cases where carriers delay; they also noted auto statutes use higher per‑day penalties but the $50 figure reflected negotiations.
The committee adopted a clarifying amendment to confirm that “written” requests can include email and other electronic communications; it also adopted the change to "make available" and the wording shift from "damages" to "penalty." The committee voted to advance HB13‑22 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation.
Votes at a glance: Committee recorded an 11‑0 favorable recommendation on HB13‑22.
Ending: Supporters said the bill will give homeowners and their counsel a clear path to obtain a full certified policy and a modest enforcement tool for the minority of carriers that do not comply.
