Committee advances bill requiring homeowners' deductibles be shown on insurance declaration page

Senate Bill 48, sponsored by Senator Justin Boyd, was advanced by the Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee after a brief presentation and no recorded opposition.

The bill requires insurers to place all policy deductibles for owner-occupied residential property on the policy's declaration page so insured homeowners can find deductible amounts more readily. "This law is just a good consumer friendly bill," Senator Justin Boyd said in committee, adding that the change is intended to prevent deductibles from being hidden elsewhere in the policy.

Committee members described the proposal as consumer-focused. Senator Flowers said she supports the bill but expressed concern that the measure limits the requirement to owner-occupied properties and asked whether renters or owners of rental properties should also have similar disclosure. Boyd replied that the bill is specifically targeted to owner-occupied residential property and suggested a separate conversation with the insurance commissioner about renter or rental-property issues.

There was no testimony recorded in opposition during the committee hearing. Senator Irvin made the motion to advance the bill, and Senator Johnson seconded; the committee voice vote was recorded in favor and the measure was placed for further consideration with a house amendment expected to follow.

The bill’s sponsor and committee members said the measure is narrowly tailored to address a specific disclosure problem and does not change coverage or eligibility, only the location of deductible disclosures on policy documents.

The committee did not identify any statutory citations during discussion; the measure was described in committee as a consumer-disclosure change concerning insurance policy form presentation.