H.B. No. 1809 aims to prohibit insurance discrimination based on an individual's marital status following the death of their spouse. The bill amends Section 544.002 of the Insurance Code by adding a new subsection (d), which explicitly states that insurers cannot refuse to continue coverage or limit the extent of coverage for individuals who are widowed or whose marital status reflects the death of a spouse. Additionally, the bill prohibits insurers from charging different rates to these individuals compared to those who are married.

The provisions of this bill will not apply to insurance policies that are delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. This means that existing policies will continue to be governed by the previous laws in place prior to the enactment of this bill.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Insurance Code 544.002 (Insurance Code 544)
House Committee Report: Insurance Code 544.002 (Insurance Code 544)