SB 312 - Currently, offers to settle any claim for personal injury, bodily injury, or wrongful death on behalf of a claimant that are required to be accepted within a specified period of time by a tort-feasor with a liability insurer are required to contain the time period within which the offer remains open for acceptance, which shall not be less than ninety days from the date such demand is received by the liability insurer. This act modifies the provision by providing that in any action alleging extracontractual damages against the tort-feasor's liability insurer, any prior offers to settle any claim for personal injury, bodily injury, or wrongful death on behalf of a claimant to a tort-feasor with a liability insurance policy shall not be considered a reasonable opportunity to settle the claim unless the settlement demand remains open for acceptance for at least ninety days from the date such settlement demand was received by the liability insurer, and if the offer remains open for more than ninety days, the offer shall contain the time period within which acceptance may be given.
This act is identical to a provision in SB 268 (2025), SB 903 (2024), SB 466 (2023), and in SB 708 (2023) and is substantially similar to HB 437 (2025), HB 2277 (2024), and HB 1009 (2023).
KATIE O'BRIEN
Statutes affected: Introduced (0349S.01):
537.058
Senate Committee Minutes: SENATE COMMITTEE MINUTES Bill No.: SB 312
Sponsor: Trent
Hearing Date: 3/4/2025
COMMITTEE: General Laws
CHAIRMAN: Trent
DATE REFERRED: 2/13/2025 DATE HEARING REQUESTED:
STAFF:
Bryce Beal
Victoria Hooker
Scott Svagera
WITNESSES GIVING INFORMATION:
WITNESSES FOR:
Larry Case - Missouri Association of Insurance Agents
Clay Crawford - Missouri Insurance Coalition, MODL, Shelter Insurance
Brad Jones - National Federation of Independent Business
Phillip Arnzen - National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
Hampton Williams - Missouri Insurance Coalition
Luke Reed - Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Rich AuBuchon - American Property Casualty Insurance Association, Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition, The
Doctors Company & Missouri State Medical Association
Dana Frese - Missouri Hospital Association & Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
WITNESSES AGAINST:
Anne Schiavone - Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys