HB299 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LIFE INSURANCE POLICY EXCLUSIONS AND RESTRICTIONS BASED ON DEATH RESULTING FROM SUICIDE.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Morrison
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: Senate Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology 4/23/26
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not specify that the bill applies only to new policies issued after it becomes law, but this is implied by the nature of such legislation.

Changing Rules About Suicide in Life Insurance Policies

The bill changes how life insurance policies handle suicide by reducing the exclusion period from two years to one year and requiring insurers to refund premiums if a death benefit is denied due to suicide within that first year.

What This Bill Does

Reduces the time limit for excluding or restricting coverage in life insurance policies when someone dies by suicide from two years to one year.
Requires insurance companies to give back all paid premiums if they deny a death benefit because of suicide within the first year after the policy starts.

Who It Names or Affects

People who buy life insurance policies in Delaware
Insurance companies that sell life insurance policies in Delaware

Terms To Know

Life Insurance Policy: A contract between an individual and an insurance company where the insurer agrees to pay a sum of money upon the death of the insured person.
Premiums: The amount of money paid regularly by someone who has an insurance policy, usually monthly or annually.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not apply to policies issued before the bill becomes law.
It is unclear how this change will affect existing suicide exclusion clauses in current life insurance contracts.
The exact date when the new rules take effect has not been specified yet.

Bill History

2026-04-23 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By House. Votes: 36 YES 5 ABSENT
2026-04-23 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee in Senate
2026-03-24 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce) in House with 2 Favorable, 8 On Its Merits
2026-03-05 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LIFE INSURANCE POLICY EXCLUSIONS AND RESTRICTIONS BASED ON DEATH RESULTING FROM SUICIDE.
Current Delaware law provides that a life insurance policy may contain a provision excluding or restricting coverage in the event of death by suicide within 2 years from the date of issue of the policy. This Act reduces the time period to 1 year from the date of issue of the policy. It applies to a policy that is issued after the effective date of the Act.
This Act also requires that in the event any death benefit is denied because the insured dies as a result of suicide within 1 year from the date of issue of the policy, the insurer must refund all premiums paid for coverage providing the denied death benefit on the insured.
This Act is effective 6 months after its enactment into law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Morrison & Sen. Mantzavinos

Reps. Lambert, Burns, Hilovsky, Berry; Sen. Seigfried

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 299

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LIFE INSURANCE POLICY EXCLUSIONS AND RESTRICTIONS BASED ON DEATH RESULTING FROM SUICIDE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 2926, Title 18 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 2926. Limitation of liability.

(a) No policy of life insurance shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this State if it contains any of the following provisions:

(1) A provision limiting the time within which an action at law or in equity may be commenced on such a policy to less than 3 years after the cause of action has

accrued;

accrued.

(2) A provision which excludes or restricts liability for death caused in a certain specified manner or occurring while the insured has a specified status, except that a policy may contain provisions excluding or restricting coverage as specified therein in the event of death under any one or more of the following circumstances:

a. Death as a result, directly or indirectly, of war, declared or undeclared, or of action by military forces, or of any act or hazard of such war or action, or of service in the military, naval or air forces or in civilian forces auxiliary thereto, or from any cause while a member of such military, naval or air forces of any country at war, declared or undeclared, or of any country engaged in such military

action;

action.

b. Death as a result of aviation or any air travel or

flight;

flight.

c. Death as a result of a specified hazardous occupation or occupations or

avocation;

avocation.

d. Death while the insured is a resident outside continental United States and

Canada; or

Canada.

e. Death within

2 years

1 year

from the date of issue of the policy as a result of suicide, while sane or insane.

This paragraph applies to a policy issued on or after [the effective date of this Act].

(e) A life insurance policy or certificate that contains any exclusion or restriction under paragraph (a)(2)e. of this section must also provide that in the event any death benefit is denied because the insured dies as a result of suicide within 1 year from the date of issue of the policy, the insurer shall refund all premiums paid for coverage providing the denied death benefit on the insured.

Section 2. This Act takes effect 6 months after its enactment into law.

SYNOPSIS

Current Delaware law provides that a life insurance policy may contain a provision excluding or restricting coverage in the event of death by suicide within 2 years from the date of issue of the policy. This Act reduces the time period to 1 year from the date of issue of the policy. It applies to a policy that is issued after the effective date of the Act.

This Act also requires that in the event any death benefit is denied because the insured dies as a result of suicide within 1 year from the date of issue of the policy, the insurer must refund all premiums paid for coverage providing the denied death benefit on the insured.

This Act is effective 6 months after its enactment into law.