N.Y. Insurance Law Section 3211
Notice of premium due under life or disability insurance policy

  • notice to assignees of non-payment of premium

(a)

(1) No policy of life insurance or non-cancellable disability insurance delivered or issued for delivery in this state, and no life insurance certificate delivered or issued for delivery in this state by a fraternal benefit society, shall terminate or lapse by reason of default in payment of any premium, installment, or interest on any policy loan in less than one year after such default, unless, for scheduled premium policies, a notice shall have been duly mailed at least fifteen and not more than forty-five days prior to the day when such payment becomes due, or for life insurance policies in which the amount and frequency of premiums may vary, no earlier than and within thirty days after the day when the insurer determines that the net cash surrender value under the policy is insufficient to pay the total charges that are necessary to keep the policy in force. A separate notice shall not be required for insurance that is supplemental to a policy of life insurance.

(2)

If a life insurance policy or life insurance certificate provides that the policyholder or certificate holder may vary the amount and frequency of premiums to be paid to the insurer, premiums, installments and interest on loans will be considered due on the day when the failure of the insurer or fraternal benefit society to receive an amount of premium, installment or interest on loan would cause such policy or certificate to terminate or lapse, and the failure to pay such amount shall be considered a default.

(b)

The notice required by paragraph one of subsection (a) hereof shall:

(1)

be duly mailed to the last known address of the policyowner, or if any other person shall have been designated in writing to receive such notice, then to such other person;

(2)

state the amount of such payment, the date when due, the place where and the person to whom it is payable; and shall also state that unless such payment is made on or before the date when due or within the specified grace period thereafter, the policy shall terminate or lapse except as to the right to any cash surrender value or nonforfeiture benefit.

(c)

If the payment demanded by such notice shall be made within the time limited therefor, it shall be taken to be in full compliance with the requirements of the policy in respect to the time of such payment. The statement of any officer, employee or agent of such insurer, or of any one authorized to mail such notice, subscribed and affirmed by him as true under the penalties of perjury, stating facts which show that the notice required by this section has been duly addressed and mailed shall be presumptive evidence that such notice has been duly given.

(d)

No action shall be maintained to recover on any life insurance policy, or on any such non-cancellable contract of permanent and total disability insurance, which has lapsed because of default in making such payment (except an action to recover the cash surrender value or nonforfeiture benefit) unless the action is instituted within two years from the date of such default.

(e)

(1) An assignee of a policy of life insurance under an assignment made in this state may request the insurer to give such assignee notice of non-payment of any premium due on such policy.

(2)

The request must be made before default in payment of premium, and must be in writing, mailed to the home office of the insurer and specify the name and address of the assignee, the name of the insured and the policy number.

(3)

When the request is made as provided herein the right of such assignee to the cash surrender value or other nonforfeiture benefit under the policy shall continue as it existed on the date of default until the expiration of ten days after the mailing of notice of such default to the last known address of the assignee.

(4)

Upon termination of the assignee’s rights under the assignment, the assignee shall promptly mail a release thereof to the insurer.

(5)

This subsection shall not be construed to affect the contractual rights of assignees.

(f)

This section shall not apply to:

(1)

Any policy of group insurance.

(2)

Any policy of insurance requiring the payment of premiums monthly or at shorter intervals, provided in the case of policies of life insurance the insurer issuing such policy elects with respect to all such policies to mail a written notice within six months after termination or lapse to the insured or to any other person who shall have been designated in writing to receive such notice, stating the type and amount of any automatic nonforfeiture benefit in force.

(g)

In the case of life insurance policies to which this section is applicable and which contain a cash surrender value, the insurer must provide an annual notification that the policy contains a cash surrender value and that further information, including the amount thereof, is available from the insurer upon written request from the policyowner. Such notification shall include a statement that the insured has the right to request an updated policy illustration based, in respect to a participating policy, on the then current dividend scale, and in respect to a policy subject to subsection (a) of § 4232 (Amounts credited on certain contracts or life insurance policies)section four thousand two hundred thirty-two of this chapter, on the then current mortality, interest and expense assumptions. The notification pertaining to the cash surrender value shall be set out in a conspicuous manner and shall include the address to which the policyowner may make a written inquiry. Any notice or statement which informs a policyowner of the policy’s cash surrender value at least annually shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of this subsection.

(h)

In the case of life insurance policies described in paragraph two of subsection (f) of this section and which contain a cash surrender value, the notification requirement of subsection (g) of this section will apply in cases where the insurer voluntarily sends a notice of the premium due.

Source: Section 3211 — Notice of premium due under life or disability insurance policy; notice to assignees of non-payment of premium, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/ISC/3211 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Mar. 23, 2024).

3201
Approval of life, accident and health, credit unemployment, and annuity policy forms
3202
Withdrawal of approval of policy forms
3203
Individual life insurance policies
3204
Policy to contain entire contract
3205
Insurable interest in the person
3206
Policies which provide for an adjustable maximum rate of interest on policy loans
3207
Life insurance contracts by or for the benefit of minors
3208
Antedating of life insurance policies and burial agreements prohibited
3209
Life insurance, annuities and funding agreements disclosure requirements
3210
Incontestability after reinstatement
3211
Notice of premium due under life or disability insurance policy
3212
Exemption of proceeds and avails of certain insurance and annuity contracts
3213
Payment of proceeds
3214
Interest upon proceeds of life insurance policies and annuity contracts
3215
Disability benefits in connection with life insurance and annuities
3216
Individual accident and health insurance policy provisions
3217
Minimum standards in the form, content and sale of accident and health insurance
3217–A
Disclosure of information
3217–B
Prohibitions
3217–C
Primary and preventive obstetric and gynecologic care
3217–D
Grievance procedure and access to specialty care
3217–E
Choice of health care provider
3217–F
Prohibition on lifetime and annual limits
3217–G
Maternal depression screenings
3217–H
Telehealth delivery of services
3217–I
Essential health benefits package and limit on cost-sharing
3217–J
Utilization review determinations for medically fragile children
3218
Medicare supplemental insurance policies
3219
Annuity and pure endowment contracts and certain group annuity certificates
3220
Group life insurance policies
3221
Group or blanket accident and health insurance policies
3222
Funding agreements
3223
Group annuity contracts
3224
Standard claim forms
3224–A
Standards for prompt, fair and equitable settlement of claims for health care and payments for health care services
3224–B
Rules relating to the processing of health claims and overpayments to physicians
3224–C
Coordination of benefits
3224–D
Prescription synchronization
3225
Eligibility for health insurance in cases of exposure to DES
3226
Reinsurance contracts excepted
3227
Interest upon surrenders, policy loans and other funds
3228
Individual accident and health insurance policies
3229
Minimum benefit standards for certain long term care plans
3230
Accelerated payment of the death benefit or special surrender value under a life insurance policy
3231
Rating of individual and small group health insurance policies
3231*2
Health insurance policies and subscriber contracts
3232
Pre-existing condition provisions in health policies
3232–A
Certification of creditable coverage
3233
Stabilization of health insurance markets and premium rates
3234
Pre-existing condition provisions in group and blanket disability policies
3234*2
Limitations on administrative services and stop-loss coverage
3235
Explanation of benefits forms relating to claims under medicare supplemental insurance policies and limited benefits health insurance pol...
3236
Public health law assessments
3237
Health insurance coverage for full-time students on medical leaves of absence
3238
Pre-authorization of health care services
3239
Wellness programs
3240
Unclaimed benefits
3240*2
Student accident and health insurance
3241
Network coverage
3242
Prescription drug coverage
3243
Discrimination because of sex or marital status in hospital, surgical or medical expense insurance
3244
Explanation of benefits forms relating to claims under certain accident and health insurance policies
3245
Liability to providers in the event of an insolvency

Accessed:
Mar. 23, 2024

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 3211’s source at nysenate​.gov

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