Display
Language
About accessibility
Language
Display
Sign in

Bills › 91st General Assembly

SF 13Died when the session ended · January 13, 2025

Relating to the duties of insurers under medical malpractice insurance policies

Sponsored by Sen. Mark S. Lofgren (R)

Topics:Health careInsurance

Same legislation: HF 219

Write your legislators about it

Also covers HF 219.

Official bill pageLobbyist declarationsOne-pager to print

Where it is now

  1. Done: IntroducedJanuary 13, 2025
  2. Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 15, 2025
  3. Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
  4. Next: Passes the Senate
  5. Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
  6. Next: Passes the House
  7. Next: To the Governor
  8. Next: Signed into law

Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary Insurance companies that cover doctors against mistakes must try their best to settle claims fairly. If a person offers to settle for the amount covered by the insurance policy and the company refuses, the company must pay the entire court judgment even if it costs more than the policy limit. This rule allows healthcare providers to sue their own insurance companies if they fail to negotiate these settlements properly.1

Read the official explanation

This bill provides that an insurance company insuring a health care provider against professional negligence shall negotiate in good faith all claims presented to the provider. If a claimant offers to settle within the policy limits and the insurer refuses or declines the offer and the claim proceeds to judgment in excess of the policy limit, the insurance company is liable for the full amount regardless of policy limitation. The insurance company has a duty to negotiate a settlement within policy limits if an offer has been made by the claimant at or within the policy limits. If the insurance company fails to do so, the health care provider has a cause of action against the insurance company.

Full bill text2

Senate subcommittee

Named January 15, 2025. It hasn’t reported yet.

Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part

Iowa Code it changes

Creates§507B.4D

How the Code works3

Lobbying

3 for · 1 against · 13 undecided · Who →

Family tree

Tried before

SF 430Cleared committee90th GA

91st General Assembly

SF 13Cleared committeeSenate companionHF 219Cleared committeeHouse companion

Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.

Tried before

This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.

  • SF 430 Relating to the duties of insurers under medical malpractice insurance policies
    90th General Assembly · In committee · same title
    Cleared committee

Matched by wording or an identical title.