Montana to Allow Use of Gender and Marital Status in Underwriting

On April 19, 2021, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 379, permitting the use of gender and martial status as part of the insurance underwriting process. Prior to HB 379’s passing, Montana was an outlier in it’s complete prohibition of such practices across all lines of insurance. The Act applies to all policies issued on or after January 1, 2022.

In a survey conducted by the National Association of Insurance Financial Advisors across 19 states, the study found that women aged 55 buying a $500,000, 20-year term life policy in Montana were paying, on average, 31% more than women in other states. Backed by Insurance Commissioner Troy Downing, HB 379 advances Montana’s efforts to lower costs for insureds, particularly focused on life and automobile premiums for women.

For any questions regarding the HB 379, or any other underwriting concerns, please contact Westmont Associates, Inc.