S 785

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2387  FILED ON: 1/17/2025
   SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 785
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _________________
  PRESENTED BY:
  Joan B. Lovely
  _________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
        Court assembled:
        The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
  An Act relative to insurance claims.
  _______________
  PETITION OF:
NAME:  DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Joan B. Lovely  Second Essex
Bradley H. Jones, Jr.  20th Middlesex  4/2/2025
Christopher J. Worrell  5th Suffolk  4/11/2025
Brendan P. Crighton  Third Essex  7/24/2025
Bruce E. Tarr  First Essex and Middlesex  7/29/2025
Nick Collins  First Suffolk  7/29/2025
Robyn K. Kennedy  First Worcester  7/31/2025
John J. Cronin  Worcester and Middlesex  8/20/2025
Patrick M. O'Connor  First Plymouth and Norfolk  8/20/2025
Sal N. DiDomenico  Middlesex and Suffolk  8/26/2025
Kelly W. Pease  4th Hampden  8/28/2025
Steven S. Howitt  4th Bristol  9/3/2025
Lydia Edwards  Third Suffolk  9/3/2025
Barry R. Finegold  Second Essex and Middlesex  9/3/2025
John C. Velis  Hampden and Hampshire  9/3/2025
Michael D. Brady  Second Plymouth and Norfolk  9/4/2025
Donald H. Wong  9th Essex  9/4/2025
John F. Keenan  Norfolk and Plymouth  9/10/2025
  1 of 2
Michael O. Moore  Second Worcester  9/17/2025
Adrianne Pusateri Ramos   14th Essex  9/17/2025
Paul J. Donato  35th Middlesex  10/1/2025
Paul W. Mark  Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and   10/29/2025
  Hampshire
Dylan A. Fernandes        Plymouth and Barnstable  10/30/2025
  2 of 2
  SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2387  FILED ON: 1/17/2025
        SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 785
     By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 785) of Joan B. Lovely for
     legislation to further regulate insurance claims. Financial Services.
  [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
  SEE HOUSE, NO. 4307 OF 2023-2024.]
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
     An Act relative to insurance claims.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
     of the same, as follows:
 1  SECTION 1. Chapter 175 of General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section
 2   2B the following section:-
 3  Section 2C. It shall be unlawful for a company as defined in section 1 of chapter 175 and
 4   any non-admitted or surplus lines insurer to include in a policy of property and casualty
 5   insurance any language, form or endorsement, which prohibits any insured from hiring,
 6   retaining, engaging, utilizing, consulting or contracting with a public insurance adjuster, as
 7   defined in section 162 of said chapter 175,as a condition to recovery under such policy of
 8   insurance. Any such language, form or endorsement shall be unenforceable and shall be excised
 9   from the policy of insurance with all remaining policy language, forms and endorsements
10   unaffected.
  1 of 2
11  SECTION 2. Clause (9) of the first paragraph of section 3 of chapter 176D of the General
12   Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following
13   subclause:-
14  (o) A policy provision in any policy of property or casualty insurance that prohibits an
15   insured from hiring a public adjuster for services provided pursuant to this chapter.
  2 of 2